Must Learn Vidding NOW

[deird_lj]

Somehow - don't ask me how - I have ended up with a whole bunch of vids in my head, that I really must make. Soon.


These include:

April and the Buffybot - to Aqua's Barbie Girl

Darla/Angel - to Evanescence's Call Me When You're Sober

Andrew - to Killing Heidi's Mascara

Adam - to Kate Miller-Heidke's Little Adam

Buffy/Spike - to Brad Paisley's The World

Wesley - to U2's Numb


I have most of these plotted out in my head. Some with a general outline, but some moment-for-moment.
They're going to be extremely excellent. And they're taking up a rather significant amount of space inside my brain.

And I have no idea how to vid!

Aargh!

Why must I, klutziest of all computer-users, be tormented in this fashion?

*tears out hair*




Seriously - how does one do this sort of stuff? Are there special programs or something?

Comments

[sl-podcast.livejournal.com]

Are you on a PC? It can be a bit more challenging to start there.

This post might help: http://www.download.com/8301-2007_4-9798300-12.html

Good luck!! :D

[deird1]

Thanks!

[dreamincolor.livejournal.com]

Eey! You must vid.

Especially Wesley vids. -purr-

[deird1]

*nods enthusiastically*

The Wes one occurred to me a couple of days ago - and pushed me over the edge from wanting to vid to desperate to vid...

[dreamincolor.livejournal.com]

..-resists urge to make a joke about Wesley pushing you over the edge-..

Instead, I'll just ask how the vidding is going, and pretend like I'm not horribly tempted to install some vidding stuff, so I can play with all the Lilah/Wes clips that make me drool..

Quick, scratch the itch for me! Make that Wesley vid!

[ib-stormcaller.livejournal.com]

yes there are specialised programs, look for Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Director - they may have changed headline companies tho... my copies are a few years out of date...

Although i can possibly "find" a "legal" copy around here somewhere if you want a new one :)

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

The LJ comm vidding has lots of "how-to" posts in its memories.

There's a free software package that automatically comes with PCs called 'Windows Movie Maker' - I assume Macs have something similar. Peronally I use Ulead VideoStudio which has more features and was fairly cheap to buy.

Apart from the software you need a song (in MP3 format or similar) and your video clips (in AVI or MPEG format, usually). If all you have are your DVDs there are various illegal ways of stripping the encryption and converting the DVD to a huge video file (1.2 GB for a 'Buffy' episode) which you can then chop up into lots of smaller clips (This is generally considered the long and least-interesting part of making a vid!). Then use the software to drop them into a timeline in time with the music, put in any fancy transitions or effects you want, and hey presto!

[ib-stormcaller.livejournal.com]

its not illegal - its extralegal :)

and magic dvd ripper is one of the easier programs for that - may need to let it run overnight... i dont often rip discs, i either cut them for burning or store off site backups for other people :D

[deird1]

Yay! Thanks!

Very helpful.



there are various illegal ways of stripping the encryption and converting the DVD to a huge video file

There are?

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

Yes, there are. But if I told you about them I'd have to kill you.

Hypothetically, the program I'd use myself if I engaged in such dishonest activity is DVD Decrypter:
http://www.dvddecrypter.org.uk/

There may be newer or better programs available, but that's the one I use.

It strips the copy-protection from the DVD and copies the episode(either the entire file or just the chapters you select) onto your hard disk. The process doesn't take long - a few minutes. Like I said, a 43 minute episode of Buffy takes up 1.2 gigabytes of space, so you need a large hard disk (or external storage) to do serious vidding.

The file will still be in DVD format, and will probably need converting before you can start editing it. Again, there are several ways to do this, but I use VirtualDubMod:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/VirtualDubmod.htm

Using this, I load the file, select specific clips and then save them as individual files in AVI format. This is the result of experience: while in theory you could load the entire 1.2GB file into your vidding software and edit it there, in practice it makes my entire system freeze if I try that. So I create a library of clips from each episode that I can then pick and choose from when vidding.

For example, my Buffy S6 folder contains files called:
DT-BS-alleyfight.avi
DT-BS-dreamsex.avi
DT-BS-sexonbalcony.avi
DT-BS-sexunderrug.avi
DT-BS-sexwithdoor.avi

You can probably guess what's in them. :)

[deird1]

Have I mentioned lately that you're completely awesome?

Thanks!

[immer-am-lesen.livejournal.com]

Vidding is very fun, but very very time-consuming. You'll find you forget to sleep, eat, socialise, go to work...
oh wait, that's just me.
I've used a program that has almost killed me, so I won't recommend it. Best of luck with whatever people recommend to you!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I know how you are feeling - I heard Penelope's Song by Loreena McKennitt and it occured to me that it is Galadriel to Celeborn as she leaves for Valinor and he stays in Middle Earth.

But I think I will avoid the temptation to learn how to do it!

[swsa.livejournal.com]

Heee. I used to always think of songs I would vid if I knew how. Of course, now the only one I can really remember is Spike/Dru set to PJ Harvey's "C'mon Billy".

[lavastar.livejournal.com]

LOL, I have no idea how to vid.

But you should listen to the others and go for it! They sound interesting.

[immer-am-lesen.livejournal.com]

Of course, if you were to pay me, I could possibly bear the wrath of my vidding program once more, and do a vid for you.
Oh, I'd need to borrow all the relevant eps, of course.
And have a copy of the song.
And several trained monkeys to do teh trimming of clips while I sleep.
Sound like a plan?

[lyr]

I'd especially like to see that last one. I can imagine it working really well.