Hey there folks, John Here.
Well here it is. The first (and maybe last… we’ll see I guess) installment of The Video Edition. Now, before anyone gets to excited (like my mom), please keep in mind that we didn’t make this with a low budget… we made it with ZERO budget. There are a couple of technical problems, and some work needs to be done on the audio… but it’s our first try at it so cut us some slack. :)
On this first installment of The Video Edition Doug and I talk about Dark Water, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wedding Crashers, Chris Tucker, a topless Scarlett Johanson and much much more. It’s 30 minutes in length and in Windows Media format (there are a number of free media players for the Mac that will play this format) and it’s about 30 megs in total size.
Please give it a look, and then please feel free to leave your comments (good and bad) so we can decide if we should make more of these things or not (and if so… how to make them better).
So without further ado (is that how you spell ado?) you can watch the very first Video Edition by clicking here.
Recommend another free software: PSP Video Express (http://www.pqdvd.com/psp/) . It can generate MP4 file with more advanced options. I like its cropping, time cut(setting start, end point), video brightness, volume increase, etc.
Oh I missed it, I was away on holiday when this came out. Just watched it, and guys, there was no need to wear coats, I would have loved to see you both just wearing casual clothes.
As always its one helluva show. ;-)
Very Very funny, especially the beginning segment about Dark Water. You guys are great. Loved all the segments. Can’t wait for the next one guys. 30 minutes was perfect for me.
Keep up the good work!
i was actually very impressed. most of my suggestions have already been mentioned.
* 15 minutes feel more appropriate.
* get a boom or lapel mic.
* kill the “guess movie gross” segment.
the uncensored comments were very humorous. loved the way you beat dark water like a drum.
* maybe an end segment rap up with graphix showing your movie review rating?
anyway .. funnystuff, entertaining.
Yeah Martin! Thanks very much…I’d love to be on it too…but since I can’t I think the Video Edition stinks and you should loose it right now and go back to the Audio Edition with that lovely Scottish bloke…
…wait a minute, you can see my name…ermmm…I loved it! Still we should either provide the same show in both Audio and Video, or I could get my act together and we could have a Canadian Video Edition and a Scottish Audio Edition.
Khaliel – regarding the podcasts, we know! When we set up the RSS feeds they were just that, and we happened to add the feed to iTunes not realising that they need two hundred gazillion other parts to it to even work (why they couldn’t make iTunes work with normal feeds and allow you to add more I don’t know). I’ve passed on the extra fields to John for some text, we’re adding the extra fields to the Audio entries, and then we’ll have a proper iTunes feed – promise.
Also, if the Video Edition does take off, we’ll do the same for that and produce a Video Edition feed and submit that to iTunes. Howzat?
I think it was just as good as the audio edition if not better! The clips from the movies were a nice addition and you guys are fun to watch. Keep joking and talking straight, the web reference thing was also cool but I think you should recommend more sites than just one. I say keep it going!
I’ll stick my oar in here again to +1 with Haley and disagree with the folks who have said that the video edition should be shorter and more like a TV show. Don’t. If I wanted TV, I would watch TV. The lack of budget and lack of a set format gives you the freedom to experiment. If you have stuff that will take you 45 minutes to talk about, take 45. If you decide you want to do a 10 minute special *just* on Scarlett Johansson’s breasts, go for it. (Please, go for it.)
Sometimes stuff will work, and sometimes it won’t. Sometimes people will like it, sometimes they won’t. But with no *need* to tie yourselves down to a specific format, why do so? Keep mixing it up.
The bit that *I* didn’t like this time round was the “other blog” section on FilmRot. It’s great that you’re giving props to other blogs, but where did the staid, avuncular tone come from? First of all, you’re explaining how to *navigate to a URL* to an audience that has just downloaded a videocast. (“Ah, durn it, I just loaded up a blog in the middle of my accounts spreadsheet….”) Secondly, why aren’t you gushing over/ripping the piss out of it like you would do with any given movie? Waaaay too respectable, and out of synch with the rest of the show.
Personally, what I’d like to see is Richard in his kilt.
Jennifer Connelly+Jennifer Garner=SLUTS!
And thanks for mentioning Filmrot!
And… the feed for the audio edition podcast still don’t work ^^
If youre going to release a video and audio edition of the same show, then please dont listen to the people who say the show should be 10-15 minutes long. The audio edition is the perfect length so keep things around 30+ minutes.
Video Edition = Uneccesary?
You asked for opinions so here’s mine. The video edition offered nothing that justified a video version of an audio recording. Im actually pretty disappointed that there still is no audio version of this cast because the movie blog is easily one of the only podcasts i look forward to listening to on the road. I’m going to have to go through the hassle now of stripping the audio out to mp3 just so i can listen and thats way too much work for something that i used to just get aggregated into my ipod.
Anyway, i know John likes working with video so if this is what he wants then great. But, in my opinion, he should just sell that video camera and invest in some audio equipment.
If the video editions continue, just please give us the audio edition to go with it so we can listen on the road.
Haley
I just figured if they can play the video, they could play the sound. Still awesome.
Im guessing the reason is that they cant afford to pay for copyrights.
I have to say I liked the length and the file size. 30 megs is not too much for either at work or at home, which by the way I watched it at work and it was a great and entertaining time killer.
My only real problems were with the audio I guess. It was a little clicky, which I guess comes from handheld mics. Maybe you guys can get some of those little clip on ones so you do not have to be holding them the whole time.
Another question, is there a reason that you can not show actual, full clips from movies? Like with the audio, video, and everything else? Just a question.
I really did enjoy it a lot though. Keep up the excellent work. It really was fun.
30 MIN. AND 30 MB – GREAT!
Great show guys! The quality is obviously a work in progress. Maybe headsets would give you a more even sound quality?
…and who is the Eva “The mystery Lady”? Her name and appearence suggests “gamla goa svedala” (read Sweden)? ;)
/Al.x
Well done! My one and only tiny improvement suggestion would be to move your chairs apart and turn them slightly so you are able to look at one another easier.
There may be technical restrictions with the cameras etc but you should be able to do it without moving things around too much.
RE: lapel mics.
You don’t need to spend much for these things. You can make some yourself. You know those cheap-ass microphones that you can buy at a good computer supply store (the ones that look like long sticks?) that cost only a few bucks? Just buy one of those, take it apart, and attach/glue the mic head to a clip that you can attach to your shirt/collar.
I second the advice Franklin gave about iTunes and the software he suggests: PSP Video 9 is, funnily enough, a very easy to use piece of video transcoding software. You don’t need a PSP at all to use it. It will easily take an AVI, WMV, or MPEG-1 file and convert it over to MPEG-4 which will be playable on a podcast that iTunes receives. If you plan to regularly make a video show version of The Movie Blog, then definitely you should put up an RSS feed and submit it to iTunes. Except for just one show (a computer hacker show called “From the Shadows”), iTunes has nothing but crappy videoblogs (people shooting random crap about their lives) right now to watch.
Do what Franklin said
-Owl
Great stuff guys…I agree it should be 10 minutes shorter…Lose the box-office segment…it is pretty lame.
Other commentors are right about the chemistry…I know how hard it is to do this stuff on camera and come off natural…Again, great work.
u use FireFox help spread the word man on the Movie blog and nice job with the VE
Oh by the way… invest in some lapel mics… the handhelds are too noticable….. too awkward…
Of course, the running theme is a shorter, concise broadcast. The honesty is refreshing, but I would avoid expressing such hate for any particular actor. Lol. Also, it’s a little awkward when John reaches off screen for what I assume is water. Drink on camera, set a little coffee table between the both of ya’s. Doug reminds me of a funnier version of Norm McDonald. Good chemistry.
Hey there hot stuff – you know who you are…
great work guys…. I really enjoyed all 30 mins of it… as for those who have slow crappy computers… can I recommend that you save the guys compressing their talent into 20 minutes and AT ONCE attend your local digital warehouse’s and purchase newer faster, more impressive computer hardware, software… or heck.. just get a new flippin comp.
And here is my own props to ME! Hot stuff – which angle was my cam?
ciao!
I loved it!
You two are so funny.
Donna A.
All I can say about this video edition is WOW! I love it and want to see more!
Yes keep it short. Franklin is right in pointing out that half hour shows run 20 minutes on television — that’s the baseline running time people are accustomed to with shows. Sure an online show can run longer, but why? Save yourself the bandwidth and make it a tighter pacing show.
Also, don’t be afraid to cut up and do more TV-like or goofy stuff. There are far too many “videoblogs” of people just staring at a camera and saying stuff. Don’t produce this with the mindset of doing a “blog” — do it with the mindset of making a mini-TV show.
keep it under 15 mins.
Nice job on the Filmrot pimpage. Also one of my favorites. I hope that feature stays. I like it.
A parallel audio-only download would be cool. I just hope you’ve got your bandwidth woes sorted out ;-)
You guys should’ve kept it at 20mb, 30mb is too big.
It sort of means the end of the Audio Edition… but not really. If the Video Edition works out… then each week we’ll rip just the audio track from the video and also offer it as an audio only download along with the video.
Awesome, guys. Very entertaining!
Does this mean the end of the audio edition, though? I’ve grown used to grabbing and listening to them on my iPod at work.
any chance of just a smaller audio version?
30meg is a little to big a down load on my shitty old pc.
i like to listen to you boof heads will at work,
and don’t think i could spare the 30min to watch you guys as well.
Bat edit/double post. At first I thought only Doug like it, then I found out you both loved it!
I’m guessing you guys liked Dark Water. :p
I’m guessing you liked Dark Water Doug. :p
If you start doing this regularly, you guys should also consider submitting your show as a podcast to iTunes (which will accept video podcasts). That will help get you guys even more exposure.
iTunes supports video files in QuickTime and MPEG-4 format. You can make QuickTime files by downloading and registering QuickTime Pro (for $29).
Or, if you guys would rather do it the free way and don’t mind the extra file size, go for MPEG-4 format. You can make MPEG-4 files for free by simply using PSP Video 9 (www.pspvideo9.com). It’s meant for making MPEG-4s to play on the Sony PSP but, coincidentally enough, the same files will also play under iTunes.
Last tip: I think what you have looks good so far, but do a little more editing to save on running time (and your file size and ultimate bandwidth costs). A tighter, shorter edit will make things seem and flow more professionally. Half-hour shows on broadcast television these days are only 20 minutes now — minus the ads and opening and closing credits.