Post by amtrak12 on Apr 8, 2008 17:39:44 GMT -5
These guidelines are general suggestions for vidding that are good to follow, especially when you're first starting out. Following these basic rules will greatly enhance the quality and viewability of your videos.
1. Pay close attention to the music and lyrics!
Unless, you’re making a trailer, credits, or a story vid that uses a lot of quotes, the music or song choice will be the most important element in your video. Always keep that in mind and respect the music. Match clips with the lyrics, emotions, and the tempo of the music. The order of priority for those three is up to you and your style of viding. Beginners tend to make better vids if they stick to matching the lyrics, and expanding from there. Some people are just naturally tuned towards recognizing and understanding the emotions in the song or the tempo/beat of the music and work better matching those. Play around a bit to see what you feel most comfortable with. As long as you don’t start ignoring the song you’ve chosen while placing the clips, you should be fine.
2. Timing is everything!
Don’t have your clips last too long. Don’t slow down the clips too much either. Switch them out frequently so viewers don’t get bored or at least make sure the longer clip changes camera angles somewhere. There needs to be movement. Also if you’re trying to match a fade-through-white or flash transition with a cymbol crash or sudden crescendo, make sure you get the timing right! This may take a few exports to really see if you’ve got the timing correct, but it’s worth it to avoid having the video flash early or late. The same goes if you’re trying to match clip changes on drumbeats.
3. Watch your clip changes!
A common mistake with vidders is not cleaning up your clip transitions. Make sure the clip doesn’t change to the next scene or viewpoint during the transition. When you get a few extra frames of the next scene on your clip it causes the video to flicker and is extremely distracting. It makes the video look messy and thrown together. Slow down and export often, especially if you’re using Windows Movie Maker as that software is notorious for adding random scene flickers.
4. Use effects wisely!
Adding special coloring and other effects to your video can really enhance the final product, but if these effects aren’t used appropriately, they may end up actually detracting from your video. Use the coloring to represent a specific theme, like memories, dreams, a certain point-of-view, etc. Stick with the same coloring all the way through for that theme. If you change the meaning of the coloring during the vid, it gets confusing and may end up making the video look cheap. Make sure effects like glows and split screens work with the song and make sense where they’re placed.
5. Preview your own work![/color]
Remember how teachers used to (or maybe still) harp on you all the time about proofreading your papers? Well, sorry to tell you, but the same applies for your vids. Watch them repeatedly for mistakes or parts you don’t like or find awkward and then change them. Re-export the video and watch it again. Also, don’t be afraid to get a video beta (someone who can watch your video and suggest changes). Either find a friend or ask someone online. Don’t be afraid to ask someone you don’t know personally. Vidders are really friendly and helpful. Don’t be offended if they’re busy, though. You can always find someone else.
And finally,
6. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself!
See an effect or technique that you like in another vid? Experiment around in your software to see if you can mimic it. Apply it to different songs and moods to see what it works best with. It's okay to try new things in your vids. It's also okay to make a video that's purely experimental just so you can see what techniques are working and which are not. If you don't experiment once in awhile, how can you grow as a vidder?
And of course always follow the Golden Rules of video editing:
Don’t steal or plagiarize vids/clips!
Vid for yourself! It's important that you like the video first and foremost. If you like it, then someone else will like it too.
1. Pay close attention to the music and lyrics!
Unless, you’re making a trailer, credits, or a story vid that uses a lot of quotes, the music or song choice will be the most important element in your video. Always keep that in mind and respect the music. Match clips with the lyrics, emotions, and the tempo of the music. The order of priority for those three is up to you and your style of viding. Beginners tend to make better vids if they stick to matching the lyrics, and expanding from there. Some people are just naturally tuned towards recognizing and understanding the emotions in the song or the tempo/beat of the music and work better matching those. Play around a bit to see what you feel most comfortable with. As long as you don’t start ignoring the song you’ve chosen while placing the clips, you should be fine.
2. Timing is everything!
Don’t have your clips last too long. Don’t slow down the clips too much either. Switch them out frequently so viewers don’t get bored or at least make sure the longer clip changes camera angles somewhere. There needs to be movement. Also if you’re trying to match a fade-through-white or flash transition with a cymbol crash or sudden crescendo, make sure you get the timing right! This may take a few exports to really see if you’ve got the timing correct, but it’s worth it to avoid having the video flash early or late. The same goes if you’re trying to match clip changes on drumbeats.
3. Watch your clip changes!
A common mistake with vidders is not cleaning up your clip transitions. Make sure the clip doesn’t change to the next scene or viewpoint during the transition. When you get a few extra frames of the next scene on your clip it causes the video to flicker and is extremely distracting. It makes the video look messy and thrown together. Slow down and export often, especially if you’re using Windows Movie Maker as that software is notorious for adding random scene flickers.
4. Use effects wisely!
Adding special coloring and other effects to your video can really enhance the final product, but if these effects aren’t used appropriately, they may end up actually detracting from your video. Use the coloring to represent a specific theme, like memories, dreams, a certain point-of-view, etc. Stick with the same coloring all the way through for that theme. If you change the meaning of the coloring during the vid, it gets confusing and may end up making the video look cheap. Make sure effects like glows and split screens work with the song and make sense where they’re placed.
5. Preview your own work![/color]
Remember how teachers used to (or maybe still) harp on you all the time about proofreading your papers? Well, sorry to tell you, but the same applies for your vids. Watch them repeatedly for mistakes or parts you don’t like or find awkward and then change them. Re-export the video and watch it again. Also, don’t be afraid to get a video beta (someone who can watch your video and suggest changes). Either find a friend or ask someone online. Don’t be afraid to ask someone you don’t know personally. Vidders are really friendly and helpful. Don’t be offended if they’re busy, though. You can always find someone else.
And finally,
6. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself!
See an effect or technique that you like in another vid? Experiment around in your software to see if you can mimic it. Apply it to different songs and moods to see what it works best with. It's okay to try new things in your vids. It's also okay to make a video that's purely experimental just so you can see what techniques are working and which are not. If you don't experiment once in awhile, how can you grow as a vidder?
And of course always follow the Golden Rules of video editing:
Don’t steal or plagiarize vids/clips!
Vid for yourself! It's important that you like the video first and foremost. If you like it, then someone else will like it too.
