ROUND 15 REVIEWS
:::by BlueSalad and Guest Judge Lori:::
Entertainment level:
0-bored
1-maybe it gets better
2-interested
3-humming along pretty good
4-very into it awesome
5-captured from the beginning and hooked throughout SUPER DUPER
Skill level:
0-zero
1-need more practice
2-edit with the music not against it
3-lacking something
4-you're very talented
5-top of the top
Season of Love by Lottie
review by Lori
I really enjoyed this video.
You have a natural feeling for the music and edited well to the beat -- great timing.
I would work on balancing your effects.
The placement of the effects were great, but I don't feel that they added much to the video, other than to make it feel cluttered.
Also, you will want to work on integrating audio.
I appreciated your choice of voiceovers; unfortunately, they were very difficult to hear.
review by BlueSalad
What a sweet video! I think the music fit perfectly with Friends.
However, I was a bit disappointed when the music had to be turned down at one part so that audio could be heard. That took away the feeling/atmosphere for some seconds. But, overall the video/song choice fit and left me with a happy feeling inside.
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 3
Every Breath by Blairwaldorfqueenb
review by Lori
This was almost my "Judge's Choice" selection. I loved the song and the story.
It fit very well. You had some very creative effects and ideas and I appreciated that.
Unfortunately, something was off with the timing.
It was probably YouTube, but I can only judge what I see.
Also, the song editing was somewhat abrupt, which detracted a little from the overall quality of the video.
review by BlueSalad
Awww...you made me almost drool over loving this couple!
(and this is from someone who hasn't even watched the series)
sometimes the effects cut into the music and I thought there were a bit too many,
but that was made up for with your musicality and great editing
Entertainment level: 4
Skill level: 4
Story of a Girl by Blairwaldorfqueenb
review by Lori
Great work with this one.
It was a very cute video, but I think it also suffered from mismatched music/video, which makes it difficult to critique in terms of editing.
The coloring and effects were really fun and the song suited Brooke very well.
review by BlueSalad
great job with the coloring! Not my favorite song choice.
I think the video could have been better matched with more appropriate clips that matched the lyrics at some parts.
Entertainment level: 2
Skill level: 2
Little By Little by Kristian
review by Lori
I adored this video. The coloring was fantastic and I enjoyed the simplicity of it.
You had some great bits of editing as well. My only complaint would be at the very beginning.
I think you had a voice-over there, but I couldn't hear it for anything. I don't know if it's supposed to be there or if it was a mistake.
Either way, it didn't hit the right note. Overall though, I thought this was a great, great video.
review by BlueSalad
Perfect song/fandom match! You made me feel the emotion! And boy were there alot of emotions in this video!
This is a perfect example that a video doesn't have to be loaded with effects to attract the viewer.
Even if you aren't famaliar with the fandom you can appreciatte a really well done video. Thanks for showing us that!
Entertainment level:4
Skill level: 4
Anne Can't Let It Go by FelicityKing
review by Lori
There were some really neat things in this video. You used effects well to differentiate past, present, dreams.
I also really liked the shot of Anne playing the piano and how it matched the piano in the song
-- brilliant. I completely followed your POV and thought you did a fantastic job capturing Anne's turmoil. You did a nice job of adding voice-overs to explain your AU, but unfortunately, the VOs at the end were lost in the music.
Also, and this is probably a personal preference thing, I found the zooms a little distracting.
They worked in some places, cutting from memory to present, but overall, it felt like too many.
review by BlueSalad
You showed the story brilliantly. I know the aspect ratio stuff probably couldn't be helped but I thought that was distracting
(I always think its distracting I hate it when it distracts me). After awhile I looked past that and watched the video again.
This time I could capture the whole outpouring of Anne. I was rooting for her during the whole thing! Poor Anne.
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 3
You Found Me by Gaia89
review by Lori
There was some great matching of lyrics and clips. The song fit well with Veronica/Logan.
My suggestion for improving would be to listen to the music and use it to help you cut the clips.
There were certainly some places where matching clips to the beat would have added an extra "wow" factor to your video.
All in all, a very fine effort.
review by BlueSalad
Another example that you don't have to own Sony Vegas to be a talented vidder.
No you didn't use alot of effects or a ton of flashes, but you still captured the song/emotions and threw them out to the viewers.
Oh it was so sweet! I'm getting an I-wanna-watch-a-romantic-movie feeling!
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 3
Me Against the World by Gaia89
review by Lori
You did a good job of maintaining a consistent point of view and the song fit really well.
Although it was a video about one character, I didn't feel like I learned much about him.
This had the potential to explore Cook's trials and tribulations, but I think it fell short. From the look of things, he is beaten up a lot.
By who? And why? You obviously have the mechanics of vidding down.
I would like to see you explore the emotions and story just a little more. I see a lot of potential. Good work.
review by BlueSalad
What you lacked in editing of your last video, you made up for in this video!
Much improved. Great song portrayal/clip match/song choice. Entertainment level: 4
Skill level: 4
Running Away by Lyla
review by Lori
A very convincing AU! I liked the color effects you used to illustrate Allan's thoughts/memories.
For the most part, you did a good job of matching clips to lyrics and matching the tone of the song.
The song worked really well in some places, but overall, I'm not sure that it was the best fit. It's all about running away, but in the end, Allan stays.
review by BlueSalad
I almost cried for Allan! The story felt so real!
Your song choice had alot to do with that. I do feel you could have done more at some parts to make it even more touching.
Just with the clips. Sometimes things seemed to be dragging.
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 3
The Rules of Mice and Men by Jaidenwolf
review by Lori
I don't know what to say. Everything about this video was fantastic.
From the very first moment, the song set the tone. I would have thought this song was written for Rome.
I can't imagine any other fandom fitting as well as this did.
I'm always weary about videos that feature so many characters because one can get lost and lose track of the story, but not here.
Every clip, every character's struggle, every moment was well managed.
It was truly an inspiring look at the show, the time period, everything.
I also appreciated the simplicity of the effects. This video was all about the editing and it was flawless.
I could (and probably will) watch this over and over again.
review by BlueSalad
Once I saw this I knew it was my Judges' Choice! Absolutely EPICNESS!!!!
I watched it so many times because it was just so good! That's what I call talent!
The video was so professionally made. One could almost call it perfect. :)
Just one thing: I wish you could have put up a warning to the explictness the video portrayed.
Entertainment level: 5
Skill level: 5
Da Bomb by Jaidenwolf
review by Lori
I chuckled all the way through this video. What a fun look at two "characters." Again, your song choice was spot on.
The coloring was great and I was honestly disappointed when the video ended!
review by BlueSalad
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA the whole thing was so HILARIOUS!!!!! :D
Entertainment level: 5
Skill level: 5
Womanizer by Val
review by Lori
What a wonderful combination of LiA and P&P!
Not only was this a fabulous mash-up, but you perfectly combined the two movies so that it could have been one single story.
The scene/clip matching was enviable.
The effects at the beginning were fun and did a nice job of setting the tone -- this was not your average Jane Austen video.
The editing to the music and the lyrics was really great. Not even the credits got the boring treatment. A superb video!
review by BlueSalad
I could watch this so many times and never get tired of it!
You kept me singing along I had to stop myself from kissing the screen at some parts. lol crazy I know!
But this video was all sorts of craziness! (in a good way of course)
Entertainment level: 5
Skill level: 5
Haunted by ADFProductions
review by Lori
This video had some of my favorite effects. I thought the use of overlays really added to the "haunted" factor.
The song was perfect for the story and the effects brought everything together (as great effects should!).
I liked some of the spots where you edited the clips so that they moved in and out; it gave it a nice disjointed feel and reminded me of old silent films.
My only qualm would be with the instrumental break section -- I felt like the video lost some momentum there.
It's a tiny nitpick for what I thought was a really great video.
review by BlueSalad
To me this movie lacked ALOT and fell WAY below my expectations.
Because of that I always find most fan videos deeper and loved better than the original movie.
If only the movie had the darkness and angst this video had! Haunted was of course the best song choice.
Entertainment level: 4
Skill level: 4
Preliator by ADFProductions
review by Lori
The editing of this video was something to behold. You were right in holding back on the effects --
each flash heralded something special. It's difficult to keep the viewer's attention with a purely instrumental song,
but you succeeded splendidly. I do think the video would have benefited from a voiceover to set up the story,
but that's really a matter of personal preference. You obviously know how to make a wonderful video!
review by BlueSalad
I was a bit disappointed when I didn't see this entered into the Best Trailer category!
(so did guest judge Lori) that said, this video was epic, and very well edited.
You were right not dumping effects on it that would have ruined it. Australia is such a stunningly gorgeous film.
Entertainment level: 5
Skill level: 5
I Love You by strawberrybisque
review by Lori
There were some great things in this video.
I clearly saw how you differentiated past and present and I couldn't tell at all that you were using two different shows.
I also thought you did a great job fitting the lyrics and the clips. You had a couple clever editing moments (bride shaking hands).
I think to take this video to the next level you should think beyond just fitting the lyrics and also think about the rise and fall of the music. Great job!
review by BlueSalad
Pretty good video. But some of clips seemed a bit distracting.
I mean it annoys me sometimes when the character's mouths seem to move on and on and on.
Its been a rule for me that if a character's lips are moving I better see food going in or hear words coming out. lol
Maybe you were trying to move their mouths along with the words?
hmmm... you also could have moved the clips with the song a bit more smoothly.
Yeah, but other than these critiques (sorry if I come off as MEAN but its the biggest nitpick I have) that, this was really cute!
Entertainment level: 1
Skill level: 2
What Kind of Fool by strawberrybisque
review by Lori
To be honest, I had a hard time seeing this as an AU video because Bill really did leave and Sookie really did date Sam (a little).
Other than that, however, I thought you did a good job of capturing Bill's regret.
As a criticism, I did think some of the clips went on too long.
Generally, it's a good idea to minimize the amount of talking between characters. It's distracting to see lips moving because it's the song that is supposed to speak for them. It's not a hard, fast rule, but I would take that into consideration for future videos.
I liked that you experimented with transitions. It's always good to try something different. It may not work for everyone, but it's worth trying.
review by BlueSalad
I have never watched the series so I don't know if this is really a true AU video...
Again with the talky faces, and clip movement with the clips.
The song choice was good and I think with a bit more work, the video would have been very good.
Entertainment level:1
Skill level:2
Trust Me by Camelia1986
review by Lori
Great movement! That's the best way I can summarize this video. The clips had great movement.
Everything flowed really well and followed the movement of the music.
The voiceovers were a nice touch and I liked your coloring a lot. I wasn't a big fan of the transitions/dissolves.
Maybe they didn't show well on my screen, but they didn't seem to fit the tone of video (where everything seemed to flow from one shot to the next),
since they were sort of abrupt. Other than that, I was very impressed by this video.
review by BlueSalad
What a great tribute to the movie! loved the overlay effect design. And the coloring too was perfect.
As for the music, nothing beats the HP theme.
Entertainment level: 4
Skill level:4
Painted Heart by Camelia1986
review by Lori
You've heard my comments on this video! You had some great effects (especially the "zooms" while Blair/Chuck were in the limo).
The song fit well and your point of view was clear. You did a great job capturing Chuck's torment and regret.
I don't have much to suggest to you in terms of improvements.
There was at least one instance where extra frame was left in, but that's a really nitpicky thing. Great work!
review by BlueSalad
The music put the video together. The audio bits were placed in just the right places.
Effects were not overused and the whole thing was so smooth and flowed nicely.
Entertainment level: 4
Skill level: 4
Never Give Up by xXLoveEdwardCullenXx
review by Lori
This video had everything. Great editing, effects, POV.
Who knew you could sum up a three hour and fourteen minute movie in just under two minutes?
It's mind-blowing. The only thing working against you is the popularity of the song.
Although, you managed to make me forget that I've seen it used many, many times -- props to you!
review by BlueSalad
You made me remember how tragic this movie was for me the first time I watched it.
So sad. :( Great editing and music choice. Beautiful and tragic.
Entertainment level: 4
Skill level: 4
Good to You by xXLoveEdwardCullenXx
review by Lori
I thought some of the effects in this video were a little much. It was hard to really get into the story with so much going on visually.
That being said, you amazed me with your masking. I'm in awe of your technical ability.
Some of the stuff you did was truly spectacular, but I don't know how it enhanced the story you were trying to tell.
It was the little things about this video that impressed me most. I thought the POV change after each verse was really neat.
Your timing with the song was perfect. And I must add that the split-screens at 2:19 were so unique and fit perfectly with that moment in the song.
review by BlueSalad
great effects I loved that one overlay of their faces while more clips moved on in the background all going with the beats of the music. :)
This made me smile. so pretty and romantic. I did question your song choice at the beginning but after 10 seconds totally got it!
Entertainment level: 5
Skill Level: 5
Gravity by Mariana
review by Lori
You had some nice moments of editing and I thought your coloring was really cool
(especially at the beginning when Noah and Allie were dancing -- they really stood out from the background),
but there were some issues matching lyrics and clips. Maybe I was confused about your point of view,
but I'm not sure this was the right song to tell your story. When the song is saying, "You're keeping me down…"
and Allie is in bed, looking perfectly content, there is a disconnect.
In some places the emotion was perfect and the song fit well, but overall, it didn't fit quite right.
review by BlueSalad
The song didn't fit with the movie for me. It fit to at the last 20 seconds but overall not so much.
Don't get me wrong, your editing was great! I just don't think the song went with the fandom.
And that is a big thing about a video. Song choice.
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 2/3
Angel's Authority by Evangelin
review by Lori
I liked how you compared Spike's and Angel's journey -- although they fight like cats and dogs,
they have had very similar life experiences. I also thought you edited to the song very well and there was a nice use of effects
to show Spike's memories. My only suggestion would be to watch your transitions.
They created a look of ghost frames (which is a little messy). Maybe that was your intent, but either way, it's a small criticism.
I thought it was a really good video.
review by BlueSalad
The video was really good. I loved the parts when you showed Spike's memories.
Song choice went along really well. I enjoyed it.
Entertainment level: 3
Skill level: 3