Thanks for the imput, I will make some adjustments. I threw it together in about an hour, sort of a pre sample of the idea I had for it.

Yeah TLT, this is how I work . . . I haven't consciously formed this approach or read this .. . but it must have come from my writing and sketching and doodling .. I call them my "Style-Setters" . . I do this first off to get my head around what I'm trying to achieve with a short piece; I might fly it past the client; it may become the "basis" of the video OR it may be the video itself .. It all depends.

But I do do this "Style-Setter" .. I may spend 30 mins, 3 hours or 3 days just going over and over and over again just exactly I'm trying to say/import/communicate/excite or whatever .. it is a very inspiring time for me ..

I use all sorts of media to get there .

1 - As I write this I've got a 3' x 2' handy White Board onto which I dry pen quick and illusive ideas .. maybe words; quick sketches (badly drawn too!)

2 - The internet for ideas relating to the topic ...

3 - NOTEPAD mostly always open

4 - My emails are coming and going .. .

5 - Scanning ideas and "inking" them and scanning them back into V5

6 - Send off styles to the client ..

7 - THIS FORUM

. .sorry went off on one there, But do you see where I'm coming from? ALL ideas are valuable . . But now and again I really need a reality check on my enthusiasms ..

What diode I think of your work so far -BRILLIANT! Does it do what you want? Does it communicate what you think your client wants? I can't say . . .

.. my 2 pennies worth is that you appear to be "digging" this out .. using the technologies is not gonna help .. it could get in the way . . YES use the techs, however be really sure you are getting the message yer wanna make across to the audience ..

Best regards - keep on, keeping on ...

Grazie

I am constantly amazed when people post URLs but don't make them links.

Making a link linkable does two things: least importantly, it makes it easier for the user- they just click it. Most importantly, if you link it, your web logs will tell you how many people clicked on it.

To make it linkable, do this (you'll need to view source to see the html) - it's super easy:

here is my video.

Yeah . . people have too keep on learning stuff .. I've noticed that too . . .real pain init .. ;-)

Iggie, yer might wanna post how yah does it matey!

Grazie

. .I just tried to put it here .. but of course realised it was not going to work .. I need the way you put script here WITHOUT it actually doing the job! . .Well, yah knows what I mean!

Grazie

The pace was great. I deduce from the final caption that it's promoting a performing arts college or similar.
For me, the music was too "frantic" sounding - not in pace, but too noisy to convey the idea of learning and creating. It also became repetitive.
The same tempo/feel done with more acoustic instruments and less distortion would make an interesting difference.

To make a hyperlink:

<a href=http://www.disgruntledmasses.com/>Disgruntled Masses</a>

results in: Disgruntled Masses

-------------------------------

I had several reactions to the video. The first reaction to the first half was that i was left stranded on the deserted island watching the cruise ship go by with a huge party on board that ignored my cries for help completely. I kept feeling like there was some sort of story or progression i was supposed to be getting but it missed me completely. I wanted to be part of it, but it wouldn't let me. Then the second part just ... well ... died in comparison to the first. It was slow and dark and left me wondering what it had to do with the first part.

I think the images need to be a little slower so that we can digest them and get a handle on what we're seeing. Then some of the title information needs to be interspersed with the pictures so that we can figure out what we're watching while we're still watching it.

Thanks guys forthe imput... I will make some adjustments today. It is a commercial for a Performing Arts magnet high school. Also thanks for explaining how to create a hyperlink. Here goes CAPA

Take this criticism for what it's worth. I'll give you input coming from a viewer, not a fellow editor, since I've yet to create my first project.
The pace and music choice for the first part was excellent IF you were showing extreme sports. Acting classes...not so much.
Acting requires finesse, at least I think so.
I think CAPA should be mentioned at the start, then the fast (although slightly slower) pics with fast music, but not so much grunge style in your music. Think finesse, but fast.
Then repeat CAPA at the end.
There should be a reason for special effects. I can't figure out what the comet effect at the end has to do with your ad. It's pretty, but what does it have to do with CAPA?

Again, I'm letting you know how I see this as a regular viewer, not as an experienced editor. But isn't that the audience your trying to reach?

¢¢

Mario

Myst, I agree. This is only a start . . There is a lot to do here ..

Grazie

Looking at the video as if I was a client, I would say , the viewer may not know what the message is, goes right in to pics but you dont know what or who they are until the very end.

As an editor , I would slow every thing down quite a bit

Note: takes a whole lot a ba#$% er I mean guts to put a video up for us know it all s to review... good job and best of luck on the final product.

I like the idea of putting somthing in the begining to identify it, I will try that. My thought on this was to catch peoples eye, to make them watch it, force them if you will, because they would want to know "what the heck is this". I will search out or possibly make another music bed in acid. I also thought of having the pace go really fast then at an appropriate time in the music (timed) stop to a still or maybe 3 seonds or so of video, back to the fast pace. It will be fun playing around with this. Thanks again for taking the time to look and critique it for me.
Tom

Nice piece though, IMHO ... I felt the pacing wasn't quite right for the piece, the jump cuts went on a bit long, as in too many. Also the magic wand effect was a bit too slow and drawn out, retry the timing with less jump cuts but a bit longer in length and a faster end pice with the magic swoosh. If it don't look better go back, the magic of non-destructive editing :)

Having now read all the other comments I must add I viewed it without music (no speakers on this computer) Music definatly changes perception of visual tempo one just has to watch a frantic action sequence from a favorite hollywood movie with out the sound to see what a diference the music makes something I like to do is get a sequence to look good without music then use the music to punch it up.

How do you make the screens go so quick?

"...to catch peoples eye, to make them watch it, force them if you will, because they would want to know "what the heck is this". "

There ya go, you've got an idea right there!

Intro> CAPA (in text), fade to> What Is It? (in text (or along those lines, you get the point))> quick photo montage.


Mario

I had the same idea while watching it. What I would do is maybe a quick title card at the beginning, maybe not. But, what would be neat is to intersperse to the beat of the music a single word in very contrasting colors - like black against white - and you have them inserted every 4 hits of the snare, right on the beat - and stay onscreen for the same length as 3 or 4 of your photos...almost like subliminal messages, but long enough to not be subliminal. The single words could be any motivating factor to go to this school - Dream, Perform, Believe, Experience, Express Yourself, etc. Whatever works for you and the client. That way, your getting the message across along with the graphics before the capa logo comes in. Let us know how it progresses!

David

I simply insert alll of the pictures into the time line, select events to end, make them a group, hold down the ctrl key and drag them as group to the right as far as Vegas will let me. This compresses the images. Then I render them as an avi file and do it again to the avi. You can also use a velocity envelope if you want to. Lots of ways really.

I like that idea of the words in there in place of some pictures. Very cool idea, thanks. I will for sure try that!

Hey, a fellow Michigander!

I live in Livonia.

jp

You can also trim each picture to the desired length.

For a more automatic solution, go into Options / Editing and set the new still image length to whatever value you wish. If you have a 132bpm song and you want two pictures to the beat, set the length to 0.227 seconds. All new pictures added to the timeline will be this duration.

I like where you're going with it. Personally, too many pictures and nothing to really focus on in general. I get the idea its for a school or stage troupe, but the music as pointed out doesn't work. Something more orchestrative would work better in my opionion. Rather than run through half a billion photos, why not pick the best ones and create some layers that move around using the mask tool. Give your audience just a bit more time with each photo or group of photos?

How'd you do your particle effects? Nice job on that one.

Mike

OK I used some of you're suggestions (THANKS!) would you mind giving it another look / more feed back? Thanks again
here it is capa