With the semester nearing its end, there are a few less obligations to attend, and a having a few hours to myself allows me to get on besting my old records in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (2010). For those new to my history with the game, I've played this game intensely for a year since its release and have put the time into studying this game's mechanics, physics and programming rules.
While I'm proud of the new records being made, I want to focus this post on the video editing. The formula hasn't deviated much since the last two videos (Calm Before Storm, Blacklisted). I've put the time into thinking how to present a video without it appearing as generic as the next person who puts in a Window Movie Maker blue title screen. Here are a few commonly-used intros I'm tired of seeing:
- Intros that are pre-made or taken off publicly shared templates without adequate modifications to make itself unique.
I understand there isn't a whole lot of options in the older Windows Movie Maker when it comes to making titles, but do at least strive to do something hundreds of other people aren't already doing. I've seen cool intro reels by folks who upload videos on the daily, but it's always a disappointment, at least to me, when we learn all they did was download a template someone else made. It to me says you weren't fully committed to the presentation of the video you wanted to be outstanding from others.
- Reels that contain subject matter that do not relate to the purpose of the video.
I once saw someone include a video clip or CGI tentacle claws (ones that looked similar to Doctor Claw from the Spider Man franchise) moving around in a closed concrete space, getting close ups of the incredible details of the metal joints, all in the name of introducing a Street Fighter match. I needed a third palm to put over my face.
- Reels that are way too long in duration.
I've spent a lot of time watching all sorts of videos. Videos of CD in a micrwave oven, how to configure settings for Adobe Premiere, 240 mouse traps going off in a chain reaction, a dude falling off a skateboard and destroying his ankle, to listening popular youtubers rant about a recent mundane event they experienced. If you've ever watched videos where you found yourself habitually skipping intros to get to the point, you'll understand what I'm getting at. Especially with video tutorials.
- Unnecessary title and ending pages.
A minute long video does not need a 10-second intro splash screen. We also don't need a "Thanks for watching" when the main video doesn't even belong to you.
Let me explain what it is I've done with my videos.
- In a previous video "Wild Ride", the intro took 23 seconds to get to actual gameplay. It may have been cool for a first watch, but not if a follower knows about your videos and how long they have to wait to get to the meat of the material each time they load up videos. I arbitrarily decided on 10 seconds being the maximum amount of time I can have to ease in the watcher and/or have the title or purpose statement presented. I'm working on 0.8-1.6 seconds of black screen into the title instead of going right into it. Films start from a black screen and end at it. I wanted that kind of transition too.
- I've always liked the camera work gone into selling a product. What Criterion has done in the car selection menu was good enough that I could use that in the intro reel. Due to the minimal amount of space to work with, only a third of the screen could be shown. Workarounds are still being tested. It's still relatively dark screen, but all the more reason to tease the car's attractive form.
- The choice of background music. This is probably the most controversial feature of the edits. Granted how I've still little interest in the Rock genre, I wanted to explore what unconventional music I could bring into high-speed driving; what sorts of mood can I dictate or create that rock or electronica don't. In Wild Ride, I looked at the title and gave Jazz a try. Here, I've given the choice to an orchestra and jazz piece. While I haven't studied music to understand the messages and symbolism tied to genres, I have focused primarily on the mood, energy and pacing of the track to accentuate or exaggerate the flow of each specific event in the game. They may be the worst combinations I could've put together, but that's something I can only tell for sure with more experimentation and watches.
- Ease out the ending. Informative videos can cut off once all the necessary info and goodbyes have been said. I could've as well. Because I'm envisioning a short story with these videos, I would think I'd want the watcher to ease into a story, know what's going to happen, build suspense, reach a climx and descend slowly back to where they started; the black screen. There isn't enough material or any staff to possibly have rolling credits, but I got the idea of a slow fade in and out after watching the animated film series Boundary of Emptiness - The Garden of Sinners. The credits would be accompanied by a high-energy band of instruments and it would end off with the slow fade with no music, which gives me the impression that I just finished something grand.
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