Watch the video

OK, I said in another thread I'd post a link to the animated music video I made, so here it is :-

http://www.dyvision.co.uk/Skitchy/video.htm

I did the whole thing myself from start to finish, including the music. Remember that its been heavily compressed to mpeg1 - the 'master' copy is full DVD quality.

[EDIT] I've switched to WMV format so the download is now streamable and the total size is 33Mb

Feel free to post the link elsewhere if you like it - it was made as a 'publicity thing' like any music video. And if you have any advice as to what to do next, where to send it, who to phone/email, then PLEASE let me know :)

The animation and quality of the video is excellent.It's very well synched to the music and is fun to watch.
Re the music - With most of the song based on just one chord It's crying out for a bridge of some sort to break the monotony.
Good work though.

I posted in your other topic but it got lost in the server move so I'll recap here. (I'm dl'ing your video now so I can't comment on it, but the stills look great)

www.shootingpeople.org is a first port of call for most indie filmmakers (promo makers included). Has a daily email bulletin, one each for filmmaking, casting, music videos, animations, and some others. You can get them for free, 3 days late, or pay £30 a year and get them first, and be able to post to them. It's a thriving community with over 20000 people. A lot of newbies but also a lot of seasoned veterans.

www.withoutabox.com if you want to enter festivals. Entering festivals one at a time is time consuming and wastes a lot of resources. But with this you can find out what festivals are coming up (worldwide) and create an online project with which to enter multiple festivals.

One thing: I know you've published it online but that's not necessarily a good move. Putting it online should be the last thing you do with your film, after you've exhausted all other potential distribution avenues. This is because your film is no longer a 'world premiere' at any festival who might be interested. That can be important to some festivals. Of course this only applies if you're hopeful of getting some kind of distribution or are keen on particular festivals. If you just want to get it seen by as many eyeballs as you can, then just go for it.

Do you have a decent press kit for it? High res stills, publicity shots, director's statement, biogs etc.

And do you have your contracts sorted out? Especially the music ones - you should have rights to use the music in your film in perpetuity in all regions. Otherwise no TV station will touch it. (edit - ah, just saw you did the music. But you still need to have contracts. I'm just finishing up a short film and many of the contracts are between me and myself! ie me the producer, me the director, me the writer... they're all required)

Looking forward to seeing it...

For some reason only half of it downloaded. Oh well...

Really impressed! It's got a real distinctive feel to it, and I love the motion of the main character. The story, camerawork, pace and design are really great and it's real fun to watch. Well done! I think you should definitely try to get this into as many festivals as you can. There are tons of animation festivals worldwide.

You might try contacting the British Film Institute - www.bfi.org.uk - if they like a particular short film they can help promote it and can source funds to help filmmakers travel to overseas festivals.

Also, contact your regional screen agency. They're like the local layer of the Film Council. In London it's Film London - www.filmlondon.org.uk - or there's Screen South - www.screensouth.org - or Screen East, Scottish Screen, and others I can't remember. You can find out which is your screen agency by visiting www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/regions. Don't expect them to fall over themselves to help you straight away - there seems to be a kind of policy of being really blunt with people in order to weed out people who can't take the heat. Not the best approach in my opinion but they are the gatekeepers of the industry. They'll be full of good advice and have links with other institutions.

Could you elaborate on that one - I know legalese can be pedantic but that sounds downright rediculous! Why would I need a contract with myself? :/

Damn lawyers.

What are the contracts, and would you be willing to share the knowledge (in private of course). Thanks for the heads-up.

[edit] Also, what would cause an mpeg1 file to only half-download like that. It happened to me once, but I just clicked again and it worked so I put it down to a one-off glitch - obviously not :(

> Also, what would cause an mpeg1 file
> to only half-download like that.

It's probably because Windows Media Player is gay.
Zip up the movie file instead.

hey... the thing won't synch up with the music, it keeps pausing during the stream... my isp must be hogging my cable lightning...

downloading it now... from what little i saw, this looks AAA... i especially like the way you mix the cartoon images with the photo realistic stuff... could be the beginnings of a new genre of horror game... or movie :)

btw... are you making a 3D game with the same or similar cartoon like graphics Skitch... i think that might really rock... and it just gave me an idea for one :)

ok, the dl is done.... lemme check this oscar contender out :)

--Mike

Thanks Red. Its kind of a 'circular' thing in the story - he starts off as a cartoon in a cartoon world, as time passes the places he visits become more & more 'real', and at the end he takes something from the 'real' world back to his cartoon world. Anyway, I don't want to give the plot away so I'll shut up now...


A good idea, but I don't want to confuse people who aren't good with computers. That's why I settled on mpeg1 for the compression as most PCs seem to support it without any extra download/installing.

I'm open to suggestions about the codec though - just keep in mind that this isn't aimed at techies like us or video-bods with every conceivable codec installed twice.

I just got WinAVI to do conversions, and IPete has suggested Flash Video - which WinAVI doesn't do! So many choices...

that was verrrrrry good Skitch... ya see, something like this is what makes the difference between creative genius and someone like me...

... i can only realize the creativity after i've seen it... i would've never come up with this idea.

you are bound for stardom... or a cell in an asylum... either way though, you have the talent dude... keep up the good work...

--Mike

It might not apply to you since you generated this off your own back, but it's a concept useful to get your head round. Basically the film I'm currently doing the post for is a commission, so the funding body (and eventual owners of the film) have a contract with me as the production company. Then the production company has a contract with me the individual producer, me the director and me the writer. In essence there is one entity - the company - which is responsible for delivery of the film, and it employs me in several different roles.

I think in your case since you did everything including the music you may not need to worry about any of it. Problems arise sometimes when contracts for music aren't sorted out in advance and then the musician decides to be difficult after a deal is struck for the film. But since that's you, it doesn't matter... I'd be happy to show you example contracts but since it all came from you it may just confuse the matter unnecessarily!

For some strange reason I want to walk like they show on the video.

Great!..

Great stuff! I've done a small cartoon music video too (on my website), but I was afraid to post it because I thought that the topic would be closed for sure.
Anyway, great stuff!!! Oh, I love it! It proves that you don't have to draw nice textures (something that I'm not capable of) to have nice visuals! Awesomeeeeee!!!! Do you have more?

Excellent work Skitchy, I really enjoyed it!

The video stopped while it was streaming for me too, at the bit where the 'idea' light bulb illuminates. I had to download it to view the entire movie.

Good luck with it :)

[edit] VIP3R posted at the same time as me - thanks for your comments.

MORE!?! This one took about 2-3 months on and off, and I learned a lot as I went along. So no, there's only this one at the moment - plenty of music at the site though [/nudge nudge].

Obviously if this one does well and performs like I hope it will then there certainly will be more :)


What a great comment! Thanks :)

This definitely falls under 'technology' so I hope it wont get deleted - especially as I'm getting some good advice from this community (as always).

GREAT!!!! I loved your style!!
Only thing is that i just got half the file downloaded 8(

I got about an 1/8th :(
and now I get a 404.

Yeah, sorry. Due to the number of people getting incomplete downloads I've decided to switch from mpeg1 to wmv. It took a while to upload the new file but all should be well now.

The size has gone down by 20Mb as well so it takes a lot less time to get it. Plus wmv streams if you use MS Media Player.

Please let me know if you have any more problems downloading - bear in mind I only got this all up and running yesterday so its taking a little 'dialling in' to get it just right. :)

It downloaded fine for me. And it's a super kickass movie.

Musical strength and skill in visuals is a rare combo, my friend.

Definately keep going this route.

Top notch stuff.

You wouldn't, but you might need a deed poll as that would then be legal. Although quite what you'd use a deed poll for if not changing your name is something I cannot answer... ;)

I just downlaoded and saw the video, it's pretty cool. Not much of a story and not much in terms of variety in the music either, having said that it is very polished and well put together. :)

Heh.

Nice work. Catchy tune, charming video, and they go together well. I think I'll go and watch it again in fact.

Incidentally, I seem to recall that there's a character in the well-known Monty Python 'Ministry of Silly Walks' sketch (the bit with old black and white footage) who walks almost exactly like that...

nice.

Liked it.

Is that you Skitchy in the TV?

BTW, high power knife switches always go UP for on, not down. It's a classic horror movie rule.

Seriously sweet. Seriously seriously sweet.

If that came on TV during the Saturday morning music video shows, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid comparing the professionalism of both the music and video to anything else on TV.

Heading to your website now - you have a new fan.

[edit] Just bought your album. Top stuff. [/edit]

Indeed it is - I had to make a cameo appearance in my own video ;)

@LineOf7s - Thanks hugely. Comments like that make it all seem worthwhile :)

I've not dealt with BMT Micro before, but having paid for the downloadable version of your album via Paypal, I'm patiently waiting for a download link or something.

It hasn't been especially long in the great scheme of things, but do you have any idea about how long I should leave it before I get... concerned?

You are a very disturbed man.

I liked it. :-)

@ LineOf7's - I'm actually glad to hear you say that because I haven't received a confirmation e-mail for the sale either. I presume their server/staff are just a bit slow today. You will get a download link, but its all handled by BMT. I've never had any problems with delivery before so I'm sure its just a minor slowdown, but if not just e-mail them (or me) and it WILL get sorted - even if I have to send it to you myself :)

Actually, I've just thought of something - BMT are in America so its still night-time. If there is a problem with their computers they may not fix it 'till morning - give it a few hours.

@sswift - thanks (I think)

lol, that rocks

@Skitchy - Fair enough. It's comforting to know nothing's happened at all (I suppose) :o) I'll go to bed (11pm here), wake up, burn it to CD, and listen to it in the car on the way to work.

Meanwhile, I've watched the video to Lethargy My Friend about twenty times so far - it's the only full song I've got access to! :o)

@LineOf7s - I just got a confirmation e-mail so you should have your download now.

Just woke up - downloading as I type. :o)

Showed this to some kids in school today... it has now supplanted "They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard" (google it!) as their chanson du jour.

92% cool

Excellent Work mate. This is top notch!

Skitch that was just awesome man! You are one talented guy.

very nice video as a work..story a bit morbide..well..thats my thoughts anyway..

that's pretty nuts but well done, can't have been easy.

Bit of a coincidence...

http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=60392

How's it a coincidence? You linked to this thread in yours!

"Hrmmm... how odd that this three-month-old thread suddenly saw some signs of life after I linked to it yesterday. Amazing."

lol... Doh! You're right, I'm an idiot! I guess I just thought people would have posted in the newer thread rather than resurrecting this one.