Useig font/text in AMV?

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xMeowmeg
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Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by xMeowmeg »

Hey guys! so I've attended some previous convetions and seen some of the winnng amv's online and I have noticed that no one seems to be useing text or font for there amvs I'm a big editor myself and always like to make effects useing the lryics of a song and just was curious If that was alowed? :]
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Re: Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by Elli21486 »

When I see font/text, I think of Pixel Blended's "So In Sync" or Chiikaboom's "Attack of the Otaku." Seeing Lyrics, I think of, "So In Sync" pops to my mind again. I think it can be done if it is artistically done. Would check with people who do AMV's though.
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Faceman
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Re: Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by Faceman »

As an AMV watcher, text and fonts can be easy to do. But they're hard to do right. There has to be a real purpose to them.

Looking at "Attack of the Otaku" and "So In Sync", those AMVs are set up as lip-syncing songs. It's portraying the characters as singing the songs themselves. In that case, adding lyrics makes it a quasi sing-along-song. But notice that the words they add don't take away the focus from the main AMV content. They're using the words for a specific purpose, but it's not the main attraction.

Another use is when doing a fake-sub of what people are saying. Usually used with Japanese audio to change what's being interpreted while still having characters speak. A third may be to use it lightly to set a setting or tone of an AMV telling a story. Think the opening roll of Star Wars movies. They tell you what's going on in the beginning, but then they're gone and the video shows the rest.

However, more often than not we see text added to AMVs that wasn't necessary in the first place. If it's not helping your video, it's hurting. If your AMV is a drama about feeling alone and abandoned, then don't put in text "Alone." "Sad." "Depressed."; the video itself should be able to adequately portray those feelings. If it doesn't, no amount of text will help it. Similarly, if you're putting in the lyrics of a song, and it's not a sing-along, it distracts from your video's content.

TLDR: Less is more. Use text sparingly and as a means to support your audio and video. It should never be the main focus of your AMV. Otherwise it'd be called a Power Point Presentation.
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Sayoria
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Re: Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by Sayoria »

Two years ago, 1337meatwad had a great one with the Panty and Stocking video. I still to this day am amazed at how well the lyrics he put into it flowed with the animation of P&S. I got to learn that.
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Re: Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by basharoftheages »

If you're skilled at it, then sure, knock yourself out. Most people can't use text well and it makes their stuff look terrible as a result. I'd also be mindful if you're going full kenetic typography mode, you risk sliding past the 25% non-anime maximum.
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Re: Useig font/text in AMV?

Post by Elli21486 »

You know, I completely forgot about this but a few years back, there was a submission called "Hetaria Sing-A-Wrong." That may be inline to what you want to do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28mjwqfPBtA
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