tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86060982134004408412024-02-20T11:26:18.145-08:00Pedro - Not much to say...Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-15580502192299725512011-10-20T12:27:00.000-07:002011-10-20T12:36:06.371-07:00Remixing Glitterball - Short story made long<a href="http://cardiffartsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/glitter-ball-in-night-club.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 415px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://cardiffartsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/glitter-ball-in-night-club.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>I love to tinker about with music stuff…a chord here, a riff there, the occasional noodle when you least expect it (matron) and so on…<br /></div><br /><div>This mostly results in a hard disk stuffed full of project files each containing fragments of ideas with decidedly unhelpful names like “Idea8”, “Saturday” and “DayAfterBackup”.<br /></div><br /><div>Sometimes, I’ll have a purpose to what I am doing and, typically, this will be either to make a mash-up (two or more tunes flung mercilessly together) or to take materials provided by a band or artist and use them to produce a “remix”.<br /></div><br /><div>Hark at me! Sounds like I’ve done hundreds of such things…but in fact, I have only done a small number and this is largely because it takes me forever!<br /></div><br /><div>The trouble is, I can’t play piano/keyboard, guitar/bass or drums *properly*. Sure, I can pick-out a tune, play a chord or two and pelt out a basic rhythm…but in terms of performances, I don’t have the chops. So pretty much everything I do, when it comes to actual finished pieces, is programmed, note by note, on a piano-roll grid, using the mouse. Sometimes I’ll hit record and play a few notes, but only to get tricky timing right or for a more “human” feel.<br /></div><br /><div>This way, three minutes of music can take up to 3 months(!) to produce (obviously not working on it 24/7…just in the evenings and at weekends). It’s like building a model of the Cutty Sark out of matchsticks, having cut the individual matchsticks from a large tree. Inefficient…but I can do it…and it seems to work.<br /></div><br /><div>For followers of small (but perfectly formed) Prog bands, remix opportunities are quite rare so I was delighted when Magenta’s Rob Reed declared that the first track of their Chameleon Project, “Glitterball” would be available in multi-track form.<br /></div><br /><div>With Christina’s lead vocal loaded into Sonar and on a repeat loop, I noodled along for a long time, trying different patterns and chords. Eventually, a pattern seemed to fit, but it really worked better as a bass-line, which had a “swing” feel to it and the idea of a “big band” treatment started to emerge.<br /></div><br /><div>Using the “V-Vocal” tool in Sonar, I was able to take Christina’s vocals and re-time them to fit the “swing” feel and move a note here and there just to make a better match to my bass-line. It was fiddly work, but after a while I had both verses worked-out and sounding pretty good.<br /></div><br /><div>Working out what to do for the rest of the track came next and I figured it would help to research some examples of the genre for inspiration.<br /></div><br /><div>I plundered my CD collection for Big Band examples….erm, not much there, except for Robbie William’s “Swing When You’re Winning” which contains a track that was used in the “Bridget Jones” soundtrack. The song, “Have you met Miss Jones” is a wonderfully crafted piece with all the elements I was thinking of, huge brass contrasted with lighter accompaniment for the verses….a stencil to follow, as it were.<br /></div><br /><div>So I needed a big brassy intro and thought I’d resort to my previous habit of finding other Magenta melodies that could be “re-purposed”. The solution was to use the riff from the intro of “Children of the Sun”, the first track on “Reflections”. With a bit of tweaking it soon started to work as a brass lead so when I added counter-melodies on saxophones, a solid bass part and some full-on drums, it started to give a slightly similar feel to the “stencil” I was following.<br /></div><br /><div>With the intro and two verses completed (in demo form at least) I reached a point where I wasn’t quite sure where to go next. Probably a bit pretentious for me to call it “writer’s block” but I kept coming back to it and trying things that just didn’t work.<br /></div><br /><div>My “stencil” called for a return of the full-on brass to repeat the verse melody but I couldn’t decide on a good key-change. For a long time I had the “care” of Tina’s second “we don’t care” pitched two semi-tones up, which led to a higher middle section that proved hard to “get back from” at the other end.<br /></div><br /><div>Eventually, I undid the pitch change and it slowly fell into place, as you can hear it now, and the “route” from there to the ending was pretty straight-forward, pulling back to the accompaniment behind the vocal to allow for a build-up to the finish.<br /></div><br /><div>Then I started trying to improve the sounds, the mix and the arrangement to stand alongside my “stencil” of Mr. Williams’ song.<br /></div><br /><div>I found the mix and arrangement to be a lot of fun, adding “references” into the parts so that the “as we run” melody and the “Children of the Sun” pattern kept returning. I also found that I could take Rob’s Moog intro from the original Glitterball and re-time it to fit as a muted trumpet “solo” behind the second verse.<br /></div><br /><div>The biggest hurdle to getting close to the stencil was the brass sounds. The presets on the Korg Triton aren’t bad, but they lack some expression and variation. Trying to match real brass played by real players in a real and perfect studio was never going to happen.<br /></div><br /><div>So I figured I’d ask Rob Reed if he had any suggestions/tips for getting closer to the target; and I sent him snippets from the Williams’ track and my work-in-progress.<br /></div><br /><div>He kindly replied with some helpful advice on how to make the sound bigger, but his most amazing suggestion was that I should take my files down to meet him in his studio where he could apply the tippiest-toppiest-bestest brass sample libraries (3 to 4-figure price-tag stuff) to the project.<br /></div><br /><div>I was stunned and quite a bit over-awed to be honest. My in-built reflex to offers like these is “oh no, thanks, I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that, etc.” but, completely out of character, I decided to go for it and accept Rob’s very generous offer.<br /></div><br /><div>With the deadline for the DVD going to press looming, a little bit of additional pressure was added when Chris Jones suggested making a video diary of the trip...to go on the DVD!<br /></div><br /><div>So, early on a Saturday morning, I rigged-up a mount to hold a borrowed Smartphone in the windscreen of our car and filmed the three and a half hour drive down to Porth in South Wales.<br /></div><br /><div>To be continued… </div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-17088456713258302892011-04-17T15:39:00.001-07:002011-04-17T15:54:57.985-07:00Nice weekend!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjPFBa-r21ShT9z8ghnv6gLMOO4HyE2FMv-3Uvq4pIrnnvg6NFfJmC8tjVzkDkzD1ICEYZ1a6GAlC3oLVQdv9Cls5VPJw-FilxnTknWxd80Dk6hvjs_8hHeqGG2Cgk0XbVP5mxuny7GV3/s1600/CrochetAlbumSmall.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596689653747028290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjPFBa-r21ShT9z8ghnv6gLMOO4HyE2FMv-3Uvq4pIrnnvg6NFfJmC8tjVzkDkzD1ICEYZ1a6GAlC3oLVQdv9Cls5VPJw-FilxnTknWxd80Dk6hvjs_8hHeqGG2Cgk0XbVP5mxuny7GV3/s320/CrochetAlbumSmall.jpg" /></a> <br /><div>Quick trip to Kent (as you do) this to see Daughter the First (and only, as it goes) cos it's her Birthday tomorrow, Monday.</div><br /><div>It was also Mrs Pedro's birthday today (Sunday) so we celebrated two birthdays in the Garden of England....and it was very nice too.</div><br /><div>Mucho technology around too since Mrs P had a Nintendo 3DS which is, frankly, jaw-droppingly brilliant. It looks terrible when viewed from out of the sweet-spot but in the right place you get a surprisingly effective image. Quite how well this will end up being used by games writers in the future remains to be seen but it could be amazing.</div><br /><div>Miss Pedro had a Sat Nav which is whizzier than mine (in many ways) and I spent some time with her working out how to get her car's voice recognition system to drive her iPhone.</div><br /><div>So, int tecnology billiant! :o)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Plus, this weekend saw the return of the genius Jem Godfrey to the virtual realms - marvellous to read his blog and hear that he is working on new music, not Frost* - but that doesn't matter, that chap is a natural crotchet charmer and I look forward to whatever he does with much interest.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Right, I think there's 40 winks around here somewhere with my name on them. </div><br /><div>Goodnight! </div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-12276242776795217562010-12-30T14:13:00.000-08:002010-12-30T14:33:58.180-08:00...the hinges on this thing have rusted up...<a href="http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/DLeonis/DLeonis0808/DLeonis080800013/3429024.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/DLeonis/DLeonis0808/DLeonis080800013/3429024.jpg" /></a><br /><div>I've not been in here much at all...no time really. Crikey look at the dust...<br />Reading absolutely everything on 5 forums and keeping up to date with Twitter and Facebook kind of does for all my free time really.<br />Daft really....could be doing so much more.<br /><br />Anyway, what has been happening?<br /><br />A lovely Christmas was had by all here. The lovely Mrs Pedro tried to sate my gear lust by ordering the Sonar X1 Producer upgrade and the Spectrasonics Trilogy to Trilian upgrade for me as Chrimbo pressies. Neither arrived in time, sadly.<br /><br />The Dolphins at Dolphin Music appear to be dragging their flippers a bit - blaming the weather - but I'm not sure the weather is much of an excuse now. The Trilian upgrade order got a bit lost (not their fault) but once correctly placed the discs made it all the way from Las Vegas to here in Nottingham in just 3 days so, unless Sonar is coming via a pretty torturous route, I reckon the weather has helped to excuse some supply chain issues here and there.<br /><br />Anyway, gr8gonzo's radio show "Experiments in Mass Appeal" on The Dividing Line Broadcast Network this Saturday (9pm-Midnight) is a Frost*ie special and will include some contributions from Frost* forum inhabitants. I've submitted a little audio "cartoon" which might (hopefully) raise a smile.<br /><br />Right, must go back and help Trilian to shovel its 35GB of sample data into my PC!</div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-84691236044971953742010-07-10T10:42:00.000-07:002010-07-10T10:52:12.730-07:00Ah, Blender, how I loathe thee...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEkJc-0x2j1PyKzHbcK5vqd1AjBuP2pz-lLE6AEHXd2rHu70OlvH4O9u_6xWKc9xaJv1BF4NaKewzn-OfD1ne9pIUc_QQmJr4pJBZNAKof_0Gyvag1DFhhg5zIHEBWFRFYl1sx0bO8kEc/s1600/blender-logo-yafray3-728554.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492335167651025042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEkJc-0x2j1PyKzHbcK5vqd1AjBuP2pz-lLE6AEHXd2rHu70OlvH4O9u_6xWKc9xaJv1BF4NaKewzn-OfD1ne9pIUc_QQmJr4pJBZNAKof_0Gyvag1DFhhg5zIHEBWFRFYl1sx0bO8kEc/s320/blender-logo-yafray3-728554.jpg" /></a><br />It was a total, total head-feck to learn how to use it and I was just about getting good results with it when the bomb-shell of the threat of redundancy hit in the middle of last year. Then I lost interest in the project for some reason...<br /><br />Now, with the threat of redundancy lifted (as much as it can be these days), I am desperately trying to pick the flippin' thing back up again...but it's not proving to be easy. The interface is so counter-intuitive...I mean, right-mouse-button to select things?? Jeez...<br /><br />Anyway, that's what I am wasting my time on at the moment....Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-63624191314477649442010-06-21T15:15:00.000-07:002010-06-21T15:44:32.208-07:00Genre Bending....again<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWhzFYF0AYmF2K6ZxAzL_sPMyblht6xQq2o7j54z1jeKt_HQQstGCZ4JiobJouAb3A2X8fIcg01wyMG4Kh2_8aqBZkCWcTU1ZoINQCa4vbLpna601UzjVNZdDLvOvXqIo21FVQRrd05k2/s1600/FrostViolin.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 182px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485357980597182370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWhzFYF0AYmF2K6ZxAzL_sPMyblht6xQq2o7j54z1jeKt_HQQstGCZ4JiobJouAb3A2X8fIcg01wyMG4Kh2_8aqBZkCWcTU1ZoINQCa4vbLpna601UzjVNZdDLvOvXqIo21FVQRrd05k2/s320/FrostViolin.jpg" /></a><br />Inspired by Mouse's orchestral take on a Tinyfish song I re-visited an earlier idea to see if I could pull off a string-quartet re-imagining of some of Milliontown, the track.<br /><br />The biggest hurdle was finding a string sound that wasn't obviously meant to sound like multiple players but in doing so didn't sound like a cheap kazoo!<br /><br />The Korg Triton contains a patch called "Few Bows Here" which was the closest fit but it was quite light on realistic articulations and rather heavy on vibrato but it was the best I had.<br /><br />So I set about trying to devise an arrangement that carried the main themes but didn't sound too dull and samey. I did all this by ear and from memory/imagination, I didn't play along with the track because, as it transpired, I'd got it a semi-tone or two lower than the original! I'd worked out the opening section on the keyboard without bothering to start it on the right note!<br /><br />So after much fumbling around trying to trim bits to flow together the structure settled down and I began to balance the four parts so that it was "believable" in terms of what real players might be able to play (and not trying to keep up with Jem's fingers!).<br /><br />I was quite surprised to find the Black Light Machine "Big banana" section slotted in to the piece where it did...just felt right.<br /><br />Anyway, it can be played or downloaded from <a href="http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9302472">http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9302472</a><br /><br />Enjoy! :o)Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-44597084105612866412010-06-08T17:56:00.000-07:002010-06-08T23:41:20.747-07:00Is collaborating really a team game?So, the notion of a Frost*ie collaboration (that went cold 3 years ago) has de-frost*ed again.<br />When Milliontown shook me from my musical slumbers in 2006 and as part of the euphoric period in which many remixes of The Other Me were made, I figured it might be cool to pick-up on the little piano outro at the amend of the album and see if it a further song could be made using it.<br />A few of the Frost*ies declared an interest in having a go at playing some parts so I figured I try to pull it together.<br />I made a little demo of it and apart from some cheesy arrangement (and shonky playing) it seemed to work. The mighty Sawtooth was the only other person to hear it back then and we figured the next step was for me to make a framework for people to use to record their own parts....and now, three years on, that's still the next step!<br />An independent question to Jem about that same outro made me realise the ball was still in my court so I posted a link to the original demo and there's a new, small, wave of interest again.<br />It's an idea fraught with logistical problems but I hope we can get it to go somewhere this time...unless I get distrac-...ooh, is that a cup of tea?<br />Getting the framework right is the hard part, it's not easy to compose an interesting, coherent piece without hearing it all.<br />Already, some of the feedback suggests that it could easily turn into something like one of the 300 collaborative limericks we have on the forum; i.e. You think you know where it might go and in single step it's something different.<br />The other problem is getting people to hear ideas and not think it's a finished thought - hard enough when everyone is in the same room.<br />Could be interesting. Could be troublesome.<br />Hmm...Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-39444856616015761792010-05-11T10:32:00.000-07:002010-05-11T10:52:31.653-07:00Oooh...this looks very interesting...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CNAyZigFFXU91HiE3Y_T-hn4SsuS9Gi4gtGwzS_m8fb0ObHIDg5DYqwJ2nAgMZPv6UxPk4Bb0UQQLJ6AEGMzOMw55fl3dbIj2QDB_qaM0rRHW2S08zqNZxfLqf7XlA-u1SgdMzFFyCy-/s1600/LBP2.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 301px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470071809803183986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CNAyZigFFXU91HiE3Y_T-hn4SsuS9Gi4gtGwzS_m8fb0ObHIDg5DYqwJ2nAgMZPv6UxPk4Bb0UQQLJ6AEGMzOMw55fl3dbIj2QDB_qaM0rRHW2S08zqNZxfLqf7XlA-u1SgdMzFFyCy-/s320/LBP2.bmp" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>It seems that MediaMolecule, them geniuses wot made Little Big Planet are at it again...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0T5l24JL0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs0T5l24JL0</a><br /><br />...and, it seems that pretty much everything I asked them to add to LBP (and waaay more) is going to be there (I'm not saying it's anything to do with my request but I'm chuffed anyway) so that is going to be one absolutely essential pre-order and a whole sink full of time lost to having some fun pushing the boundaries with that. Now if only there was a piece of music that I already have an idea for...oh, yes, so there is... :o)</div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-92218499481841663012009-10-05T13:59:00.000-07:002009-10-05T14:01:28.996-07:00Love may be easier........the second time around (don't know, dont' want to find out) but making a music video.....hell no. Zero time, zero progress, zero fun....grrrPedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-24516770419183398702009-05-10T03:20:00.000-07:002010-07-10T10:42:33.742-07:00Blender....how hard can it be....?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-a7CywYMfz5T1EFXv99zcXjPOZ7YpQnG19W2kphtQofk1hrockPn3fOCvFErFVG8_TgVSP9SxnmqOg_0lDoPiE-aUc85fZoCievW_9DQAtRHKFrO-owupOqBRwYk7GPEGqqjkT9NtFGc/s1600/Blender.gif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492334125020365522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-a7CywYMfz5T1EFXv99zcXjPOZ7YpQnG19W2kphtQofk1hrockPn3fOCvFErFVG8_TgVSP9SxnmqOg_0lDoPiE-aUc85fZoCievW_9DQAtRHKFrO-owupOqBRwYk7GPEGqqjkT9NtFGc/s320/Blender.gif" /></a> <div><div></div><div>Decided to attempt to produce something "worthy of note" using the fiendishly complicated yet reassuringly free(!) Blender, a 3D modelling package.<br /><br />There's a pretty steep learning curve on this thing....the trouble is, the curve starts waaay up there!! *stands on tippy-toe to indicate quite a high place....then realises no-one is looking. Actually that's not fair to say but it's the impression you get when the tool makes unconventional use of the mouse buttons....sure, right mouse button to select things....o-kay....<br /><br />Anyway, it's slowly beginning to come together. I'm using very long-winded methods to achieve quite simple things at the moment and the long term project....another video perhaps....is suffering from the early stages of "ooh, I can do that, canI?...right that changes things".<br /><br />So I wouldn't recommend holding your breath on this one but things are happening in the murky recesses of Pedro Productions....more news, when we have it....</div></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-20062597403042001892009-04-08T16:33:00.000-07:002009-04-09T16:00:28.914-07:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 13)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSJRQvmlZ-0xVX6Je2gvbFAR9aOph-KZsGn-UbidjbTDVC5UGoNMKayZ44IV3guTH_mXVZ3CIrfX90wrIqvIdHoeJMIfKBPlQhZgrB1dPs4d3-B29KTrjY5iwLce54u69XKXovtRUzDvg/s1600-h/LBP_Vid_50.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322829876098290994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCSJRQvmlZ-0xVX6Je2gvbFAR9aOph-KZsGn-UbidjbTDVC5UGoNMKayZ44IV3guTH_mXVZ3CIrfX90wrIqvIdHoeJMIfKBPlQhZgrB1dPs4d3-B29KTrjY5iwLce54u69XKXovtRUzDvg/s320/LBP_Vid_50.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Well, well...I'm published! :o)</div><div></div><br /><div>The good people at Future Publishing's "Official Playstation Magazine" have put together an article on my video and it is in the May edition...hitting the newstands on Tuesday next week.</div><br /><div>Subscribers have been getting their copies early and a few new comments have popped up on YouTube referring to the article.</div><div></div><br /><div>The article is on page 32 and is tagged as being a "culture" item (hopefully as in "Arts" rather than as in "petri-dish"!). I am, naturally, chuffed to smithereens by this, not least because of the small amount of additional exposure the band will get from it. </div><div></div><br /><div>There have been a few very positive reactions that I think have actually resulted in people looking into the band and liking what they see. Of course, whether or not this results in any revenue for the guys is in the lap of the torrents but one can only try.</div><div></div><br /><div>I think this probably means I have just about milked the video as far as it can be milked. The only other thing I might do is drop a line to the Classic Rock Magazine guys (who are also in Future Publishing). They might see a "nut-job-fan" angle in it, especially if the slightly whacky nature of Frost*ie goings-on appeals to their "aren't prog fans weird" agenda (if they have such a thing).</div><div></div><br /><div>Apart from that, I guess I'll have to think about making something else....bigger, better, whackier.... </div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-13207384962284924342009-01-11T14:53:00.000-08:002009-01-11T17:02:11.579-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 12)Well, that's that!<br /><br />I managed to put the widescreen/higher-res version into Jem Godfrey's hand at the CRS Awards last night. I think that's all I'm going to do with it now - not sure I could stand to do much more with it to be honest.... :o)<br /><br />To round the process off, here is a list of what I thought I was doing....<br /><strong>Scene1 Bedroom</strong><br />Frost* wordsearch posted on the forum by fellow Frost*ie gr8gonzo<br />Copies of Milliontown CD<br />Boxes of Jammie Dodgers<br />EIMA BOTY '08 poster (should have been anyway)<br />Frost* wallpaper and forum message ("Gig tonight, bring biscuits! Jem x")<br />Darwins radio<br />Apple computer<br />Frost* window cling<br />"Cleanliness is next to Godfreyness" needlepoint<br />Red Frost*ersisk poster<br />2 band group pictures and 5 individual framed photos the last of which, Andy's, falls down and out of the door (symbolising Andy's stopping live appearances with the band)<br /><strong>Scene2 Waterfall</strong><br />Telephone box (Milliontown cover reference)<br />Gig poster<br />Box of Bourbon biscuits<br />Raft loaded with more Bourbons, Hobnobs and Tunnocks Teacakes<br />OurHero is dressed in swimsuit and rubber ring<br />Here Is The News - newspaper poster declaring river re-routed by a rock-fall - explaining why there is a waterfall and OurHero didn't know.<br />Sign warning of "Danger of Falling Down" - first EIMA track name reference<br />Classic Rawk magazine billboard - the two stars either side of the word "Classic" are Frost*ersisks. The picture is of Frost* "Outstanding" (in their field).<br />Posters contain three more track references "Pocket Sun", "Saline" (anagram of Aliens) and EIMA itself. The wedding photo on the Hellay! cover (BTW I first saw the word "Hellay" used by Jem on the forum) contains a simplified version of the Frost*erisk stained glass window that features in the EIMA booklet.<br />The What Hobbit magazine poster refers to the Forums love of "old prog heads" (i.e. Hobbits) and how they just don't "get" Frost*.<br />A sign to reinforce the fact that OurHero is trying to get to the gig.<br /><strong>Scene3 Ego thru Chorus #1</strong><br />One of two "mega sets" shot in single takes.<br />The eGo catapult offers free travel to the gig.<br />The HITN poster suggests that eGo is a good way to view Mount Frost*more.<br />OurHero sails straight into the huge nose of the carved Mount Frost*more likeness of Jem.<br />As he hits the eyes say "Aye" (direct lyric reference)<br />and the mouth says "No" (not so clear on the lyrics here - the printed word says "the head say no" but after several listens I'm fairly sure that is not what is sung. I think Dec sings "the mind say "no" but it matters little really. I think the meaning is that the eys are attracted to the person that the song is referring to (so they say "yes") but the more cautionary "mind" (common sense) advises against.<br />The next line "Reason ebb and reason flow away" suggests an out of control following of the impulse and OurHero is surfing the wave bearing the word "Reason".<br />The waterwheel is just a way to get him up off the sinewave.<br />The location is the place "Easy" and out hero is heading east.<br />The HITN poster shows that the bridge as collapsed in 7 or 8 pieces ("bridge", "7/8" and "pieces" are also musical terms).<br />The skateboard ride goes down and around, jumping over the collapsed bridge.<br />On the other side, 4 pictures play on the lyric "sell your stock in jealouscide" by showing "a cell" (battery), an aircraft's yawing motion, a stocking, and the side of a cello....cell yaw stocking cello side....I know, it's awful!<br />Our Hero leaps from the skateboard and catches hold of a crane hook over the loading bay of Milliontoys & Co. Est 1976 (1976 is a track that got cut from EIMA - the 1976 here is not really readable though, still)<br />A large Pocket Sun newspaper poster "predicts" tomorrow's headline that a Frost* fan accused of some fraud will escape in a Tardis....a shocking future crime, no less. <br />OurHero gets wrapped up in one of the toys boxes and is thus good to go.<br />The lorry crashes into a lamp post outside the Wonderland (track name) Experience and OurHero is released and runs into the attraction.<br />He passes a bottle, the label of which says "Drink Me" with the letters getting smaller - I did have a shrinking effect lined up to use here but there wasn't time in the flow of the song to use it so the label is still pretty unreadable.<br /><strong>Scene 4 Looking Glass</strong><br />This scene is probably the one of which I'm most proud.<br />After the Cheshire Cat eyes follow OurHero he passes his reflection in the looking glass.<br />He stops and runs back again and again we see his reflection.<br />On the third pass his refection has become a scary pumpkin-headed monster whch freaks out OurHero who flees the scene.<br />The thing about this scene is that LittleBigPlanet doesn't do mirrors - so the reflection is purely an illusion created by having two sack-boy characters, dressed identically as OurHero and each controled by a separate PS3 controller, run past the round hole at the same time. after the run-back, changed the second sack-boy into the monster and then edited the shots toghether.<br />OurHero runs into the premises of "Know-where"<br /><strong>Scene 5 Know-ware thru Underground</strong><br />The sign "Welcome to Know-ware" is a play on another EIMA track title. The main thrust of this is that Jem reported that the back-up DVDs for the first album "Milliontown" turned out to be corrupted so the back-up was lost. The first part of this scene (and the HITN poster) suggest how that might have happened. <br />There are several great albums back-ups stored on the shelves here;<br />T3E, Kino, Eyes of the World, Metamorphosis, Dark Matter, Discordant Dreams, Pure, Tall Ships and Milliontown.<br />When OurHero activates the man-lift, the ladder starts these back-ups domino-ing which leads to Milliontown falling into the open furnace.<br />OurHero flees again falling through an open man-hole (like you do).<br />He falls into the museum and lands on the large Frost*erised UnionFlag that is part of ProgDog's election poster. ProgDog is an active member of the Frost* Forum BTW.<br />To the right of this is the EIMA stained glass window, again.<br />the ProgDog poster is knocked over and falls against a steel sculpture of "EC" twice. When hit, parts of this are dislodged, causing the Steel ECs to turn to "rust" (as per the lyrics).<br />OurHero has fallen onto and his whirling around on a floor polisher which sends him sliding past the Venus di Millio, a Frost*erisk with its arms missing, and five pictures and some scales representing the lyric "carpet hides the guilty dust away".<br />Car (John Mitchell's Connaught)<br />Pet (fellow Frost*ie Beano's little beagle puppy)<br />Hides (some leather-symbol style animal skins)<br />The gilt "E" (The Golden "E" is apparently an award that blogs can win)<br />Duster (a pink feather duster)<br />A weigh (The Million Ton scales which catapult OurHero up and out of the building).<br />OurHero falls down the steps of the Milliontown underground station<br /><strong>Scene 6 Underground thru Chorus#2</strong><br />Our hero passes a couple of signs that indicate this is like a London Underground station. The line has three stops; Easy (where the water wheel was), Milliontown (this station) and The Gig....so we are still going "east of Easy".<br />Another HITN poster reports that Meteors (from the shower mentioned in the HITN lyrics) have damaged the underground and, sure enough, the train falls into a pit, ejecting OurHero into a pipe of some sort.<br />He goes down and around again this time landing on the stock graph for Jealouscide Inc. (with 2 green letter "I"s....geddit? Jealous, green-eyes?....never mind....).<br />The best advice (another lyric reference from Wonderland) switches from "buy" to "sell" as his weight forces the stock to plummet and thus represents a fraudulent act triggering the alarms.<br />Escaping in the Tardis was predicted by The Pocket Sun poster so OurHero takes the shock and jumps into it.<br /><strong>Scene 7 Solo#1</strong><br />The Tardis takes OurHero to a stage setting next to a huge version of John Mitchell playing a Cort-shaped guitar. The "CORT" in the headstock actually reads "UORI" which is a reference to the EIMA track "You/I".<br />John Mitchell's T-shirt reads "I dug the hole" followed by the morse for a full-stop. This is a reference to the morse code hidden in the track "Welcome to Nowhere" where the morse says, "I buried Andy".<br /><strong>Scene 8 Solo #2</strong><br />OurHero runs across a large player piano which is being controlled by a huge punch-card.<br />the keyboard is white - like Jem's stage rig - and bears the name "FROST*" in the same Godfrey style spray paint like the flightcase he uses for the Roland FantomG6.<br />The notes played by the player piano are the actual notes of the solo that Jem is playing.<br />OurHero runs back into the Tardis.<br /><strong>Scene 9 Chorus#3</strong><br />The Tardis has taken OurHero to the launch site of the free Forum Air hot air balloon.<br />Our Hero jumps in for a nice calm ride to the gig.<br />Of course, the strings holding the basket are not properly attached and shortly after take-off he plummets down and around, again.<br />Fortunately he lands right outside the Arena (John Mitchell band reference) and runs in.<br />The crowd are all wearing the new Frost* hoodies and bouncing more or less in time with the music.<br />OurHero runs up and crowd surfs his way on to the stage where we see him next to Jem on the keyboard.<br />Interestingly, my stage setup predicted the large red Frost*erisk back-drop they now use and the red Frost*erisk label that Andy had on his kick drum (although Andy's version is smaller than mine!).<br /><br />END<br /><br />So there you have it. there were several things I planned to do but missed out for various reasons....for example, the track name references are missing a few tracks but it matter little really.<br /> <br />The question is, what to do next?Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-833799625012304962009-01-07T05:09:00.000-08:002009-01-07T05:11:00.798-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 11)Happy New Year!! (a bit late but, hey, that's me!)<br /><br />Well after a couple of weeks of great fun spent with the family it's back to the drab routine of the day-job today (yesterday, actually). It's not all doom and gloom, though.<br />The CRS Best Of The Year Awards are on Saturday in Wath with awards presented by Steve Hackett along with Magenta and Frost* playing live. Can't wait….should be amazing.<br />In the meantime, I'm re-recording the "Toys" video following a request to produce a higher-resolution version. I'm forced to re-record it because, like an idiot, I didn't keep the VOB files from my DVD-RW recordings after I had converted them to (smaller) wmv files.<br />The up-side is I get to address some of the legibility and camera angle issues I had the first time.<br />The down-side is that I had forgotten how mind-numbingly tedious it was/is stopping and starting my Philips DVD Recorder for every take - the remote is the worst I've ever used - slow and zero tactile feedback.<br />Still, if I can get it done before the weekend I can hand it to the band and that will be that….on to the next challenge….whatever that might be….Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-49186407940287058642008-12-26T09:37:00.000-08:002008-12-26T10:20:49.208-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 10)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmdFqeEiahWig-j9Ge65Zc46x41ohFxOSF-opGvJ0vBosm2BC81UqqUYRn_qjw0u3i0gd6R0fBBxOK9-U_31hSCFi3sPdrC62xSTy3zdHFF5ALtEf_3zx7BoOnfrdTjtIPW-QpfwFUi38/s1600-h/JM.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284165259282034722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmdFqeEiahWig-j9Ge65Zc46x41ohFxOSF-opGvJ0vBosm2BC81UqqUYRn_qjw0u3i0gd6R0fBBxOK9-U_31hSCFi3sPdrC62xSTy3zdHFF5ALtEf_3zx7BoOnfrdTjtIPW-QpfwFUi38/s320/JM.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div>Happy Christmas everyone!</div><br /><div>Ok, it was yesterday I know but I've only just got around to finishing off the tale of the video!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Well, I did it! I'm not sure how but I managed to put a disk containing my finished video into Jem's hand at The Peel! The amazing thing was how it coame together in the last 3 or 4 hours of the Saturday morning. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>When I got in from work on the Friday night I was looking at having to do everything from the end of the piano part of the solo to the end of the track - something like 45 seconds of action. This was extremely unlikely given the previous rate of about 12 seconds a night. I started slowly too, seemingly taking forever to get the "crowd" characters (jumping people in black Frost* hoodies) to move correctly and not break each other. Then I had to do it all again viewed from the side.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>In the end, I was amazed at how well these scenes worked. The impression of a gig-lit venue full of bodies bouncing ended up working very well, despite the very shallow scene depth.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Then I had to come up with the final chorus' "ride". I had planned this to be a rocket-powered thing, like a jet-pack but there was just no time to invent and tweak anything that complex.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I was also still stuck for how to get the character from the piano solo to somewhere "above" the gig. In the end I just used the Tardis again (meaning to re-film the piano bit showing our hero jumping into the Tardis at the end of his run but that never happened either) allowing the viewer to just assume the last bit of the Tardis flight had happened.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The ride ended up being a hot air balloon (the e-Go! ride was originally going to be an airship/blimp but that was not immediate enough so this spare idea was still hanging around waiting to be used). Inventing a Hot Air Balloon company call "Forum Air" I rigged it so the gondola would become detached shortly after take-off, providing the last "go down now, around now" bit and dumping our hero at the gig. This needed to be close to night time but making it dark enough for night made it too dark to see so I added red/green navigation lights to the gondola - to help the viewer see the motion. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Rigging the flight took far longer than I wanted and it was past 4am when I got this recorded. The transition between flight and landding outside the gig is a bit off but I was past caring.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I had planned for our hero to arrive on the stage just too late, just as the lights go out and the band have left the stage (squeal of feedback followed by silence, crying etc.). However, there was no way I would have time to set this up in time so I decided that our hero had had enough bad luck and that he would be seen happily on my original test stage with the balloon character band members.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Into the last hour of filming time I sorted the stage out and realised that it looked a bit boring, with the balloon band members just sitting there so I got our here to run around and "pull" the balloon strings of all 5 of them which made them sway side-to-side gently - at least this looked a bit more interesting.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So only the Christmas message scene to go - this was done in 20 minutes and turned out just good enough.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Back on the PC, I pushed the last few clips around and put in the closing caption. I also added the opening caption. Then I exported the whole movie for the first time - which took a what seemed like forever. All that was left was to upload it to YouTube (which took even longer and failed with "unknown" errors twice!).</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>At long last, the video was there on YouTube and looked....well, a bit rough really. Quite a bit of the small text was unreadable and some other details were motion-blurred beyond legibility but, despite that, it actually worked!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mrs Pedro had here first proper look at the whole thing and her reaction was exactly what I was hoping for. So I burned some DVD copies and printed inlays to go with the discs - had a shower and got in the car to drive down to The Peel.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Mission accomplished!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>PS Reaction to the video has been fantastic, so many people saying really nice things about it - better than I could have hoped for really.</div><div> </div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-2117361157160360782008-12-17T04:06:00.000-08:002008-12-17T04:10:27.620-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 9)<a href="http://1heckofaguy.com/wp-content/photos/last%20minute.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 429px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1heckofaguy.com/wp-content/photos/last%20minute.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>"Shonky"<br />I have no idea if that is (or will ever be) a real word but I found myself using it a lot yesterday.<br />I guess it's intended as an amalgamation of "Shocking" and "Wonky" and thus it perfectly describes the crazy set-up I've been using to get my video from the Playstation3 to the PC.<br />It sounded so simple really; record the PS3 output using the DVD recorder. Put the DVD-RW into the PC and import the VOB files into MoviePlus. Edit, arrange and serve on a bed of roughly chopped storyline with a well seasoned reference or two. What could be easier?<br />Well, all of it really….<br /><strong>Problem 1</strong> - Pilot error<br />I'm having to "perform" every scene "live", as it were, in a game where things can (and therefore do) go wrong - frequently.<br />Stand in the wrong place, forget to look scared/happy/angry at the right moment, go the wrong way, miss the jump, get squashed by falling objects….<br /><strong>Problem 2</strong> - Slow technology….and more pilot error<br />Each of these mis-fires triggers a cycle of :-<br />- stopping the DVD recorder (waiting for that to be ready to record again). My Philips DVD Recorder isn't very fast at updating the disk and the remote control is, well, "shonky".<br />- re-cueing the mp3 player (cos I'm timing my actions to the music). My old iPod is a little slow to respond sometimes, so getting to the screen to "jog" fwd or bkwd is quite frustrating<br />- re-starting the "level" in LBP - having corrected anything that was was working<br />- hitting record on the DVD and play on the iPod and re-performing<br />Rinse and Repeat….until the DVD is stuffed with very similar, un-named clips - mostly worthless.<br /><strong>Problem 3</strong> - The world is a dangerous place - particularly when designed by "erroneous pilots" like me!<br />Each "play" through of my "scenes" reveals a different and usually unexpected way for things to go wrong, not to fit, be too slow or too fast, be written too small to survive the resolution crush on the way to YouTube….and so on….<br /><strong>Problem 4</strong> - My Windows PC….need I say more?<br />Well, I will. I've been using a single DVD-RW to transfer the files to the PC. So I put the disk in the first time and it correctly read the files.<br />I took the disk out, erased it in the DVD recorder, and put some new files on it.<br />I put it back in the PC….and it showed me the first set of files again….not the new ones!<br />It took me a while to work out what was wrong but if I put a different DVD in the PC first, read that, then put my DVD-RW with the new files in,it read the new files ok! Coupled with this, reading any disk on a PC takes longer when you are waiting for it.<br />…and so on.<br />So what progress?<br />Well, I've now only got the solo section and the last chorus to do….so I'm into the last 3rd.<br />I have most of it "built" in LittleBigPlanet too. Just need to get it set up and then "film" it.<br />I do have to go back and refilm the Intro and Waterfall sections (because I got the resolution wrong when importing them) but that *should* be fairly quick.<br />There are other bits that I think could be better but, hey, I'm not going to Cannes with it!<br />Then I just need to glue the bits together, export the finished movie, check it over and shove it up the YouTube!<br />Jem has said he's just too madly busy to give it the once over so I'll just have to loose it on the world and hope he gets to see it at some point.<br />Then I shall sleep…on purpose this time!</div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-48744134184871236702008-12-08T17:40:00.000-08:002008-12-08T17:58:36.909-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 8)Well, three days later and there has been some good progress....at last!<br /><br />I managed to avoid the lure of the all-nighter and got in three reasonable days of forward motion. I've broken the song down into about 12 - 15 sections and I managed to complete about 3 sections this (long) weekend. The second bit of the solo (man that took some setting up!) and the "I'm an accident, a secret, I'll bother you for years" section are done and decorated. I also got the first and some of the second part of the final chorus done too. The final chorus is different from the previous two because the "story" has to get to the end - rather than tracking the lyrics so much. The first chorus is probably the biggest bit yet to be started - I've left it because it is just a (p)re-hash of what I've already done for the second chorus - should be simple, right?<br /><br />So I've got about 10 sections just about "done" now, with only some tarting up required. Hopefully I can complete the missing sections in the week, ready for dress rehearsals and the beginning of princple photography (posh name for me hit record, stop delete, record, stop, etc. on the DVD recorder) next weekend. I've taken that Monday off too so hopefully on Tuesday or Wednesday I can get it under Jem's nose for "sign-off" as it were. Then hopefully the Frost*iverse will get to see it....and collectively say; "what the -?" :o)Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-14651908662371399512008-12-05T04:39:00.000-08:002008-12-05T04:49:38.360-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 7)Hell's teeth! I fell asleep AGAIN!!<br /><br />Woke up at 5am again and fiddled around for a bit but that's another evening gone. It's December 5th today and The Peel gig is two weeks tomorrow.....Waaaah!<br /><br />Right, I've booked Monday off work so I can hopefully get a whole shed-load done this weekend. I really need to get 9 or 10 of the 11 sections done by Tuesday if I'm going to stand a chance of getting it polished up ready to get Jem's approval prior to the gig weekend.<br /><br />Hmm...that's a big ask...actually, no....<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:180%;">ASK</span>....that is....Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-17303695462340506012008-12-04T04:20:00.000-08:002008-12-04T04:28:29.851-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 6)<a href="http://www.areyou-sleeping.com/files/young_man_asleep_at_computer.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.areyou-sleeping.com/files/young_man_asleep_at_computer.jpg" border="0" /></a> After the relative success of the weekend (getting almost a whole chorus complete) I have all but ground to a halt again.... :o( It's not a lack of ideas or lack of interest....I just can't stay awake!!<br /><br />I'm in a definite cycle of productive "all-nighter" followed by two or three "useless" evenings.<br /><br />This is extremely frustrating!<br /><br />Last night (well, this morning when I woke up at 5am) I managed to get my concept for the first bridge (the "Ego come, ego go" one) to work in very simple block form.<br />It's a bit surreal, but then the whole thing is a lot surreal really so I guess it fits!<br /><br />I've been spending a fair amount of time on the Frost* forum recently too - hopefully trying to help it to get it over a recent bumpy patch - looking good now I think.<br /><br />So, no excuses not to get on with it tonight then....<yawn>.....(yawn)Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-14742305530942401962008-11-30T19:02:00.000-08:002008-11-30T19:18:13.899-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 5)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio63F64_RTIZVhevnkPKpoSjkfwcKxAthSJ_b1HKPiLr2s08uh1_i0qGT1y_TuE-aWm2x-d1XTCR05E3JOIo21zjDUa-YSfsjfF26qP7x7LpigBUuFnRq6jlKnunm-tGCTqDhbcqIbqe3X/s1600-h/DSC02980.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274652339052659778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio63F64_RTIZVhevnkPKpoSjkfwcKxAthSJ_b1HKPiLr2s08uh1_i0qGT1y_TuE-aWm2x-d1XTCR05E3JOIo21zjDUa-YSfsjfF26qP7x7LpigBUuFnRq6jlKnunm-tGCTqDhbcqIbqe3X/s320/DSC02980.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Eeek...December 1st<br /></div><div>The chorus I've been working on is about 80% done which isn't bad for the time I've been able to spend on it. This will be the second chorus in the song just before John Mitchell's guitar solo. The first chorus should be a little easier to do now that I have a feel for the scale and timing of it. I've also worked out a few important things in the process of doing the chorus that will help the whole thing hang together a little better, hopefully.</div><div> </div><div>I've been wrestling with the original Playstation2 "EyeToy" camera to get graphics and stuff into the game. It turns out that the PS3 version (the "Playstation Eye") has four times the resolution and a faster capture rate! Wish I had known this sooner...ho hum. Too late to redo stuff now....I think I'll ask Santa for it though.</div><div> </div><div>Anyway, time to grab some kip now, off to work in 5 hours or so.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-55930185370655462782008-11-29T15:38:00.000-08:002008-11-29T17:45:46.604-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 4)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91nC9MYfiShX-FP7GZQSL6NwpaifeESF9Fb62F6HWLy-YbWAwQZXeQCEMJyw0-Mn1z-ya7XX8OJzPQVSsxkF0kLlopGac5fyk0IOxferkNYdLOUysTz7hMXG89vCLWVfgYJzVgHmifIMr/s1600-h/Toys_WIP.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274259881643306386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91nC9MYfiShX-FP7GZQSL6NwpaifeESF9Fb62F6HWLy-YbWAwQZXeQCEMJyw0-Mn1z-ya7XX8OJzPQVSsxkF0kLlopGac5fyk0IOxferkNYdLOUysTz7hMXG89vCLWVfgYJzVgHmifIMr/s320/Toys_WIP.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div>Friday night was a non-starter, zonked out on the sofa at about 10pm and opened one eye at just before 8am this morning. Curse this feeble human carcass....</div><div></div><br /><div>Suitably recharged, I turned my attention to trying to get one of the choruses (chori?) worked out. It's only taken me all day but I have the first line and a half of it in place now. It's waaay too long though and the chopping of it will not be easy without losing some of the point of it....hmm, good job the innuendometer is away getting a good seeing to....</div><div></div><br /><div>Anyway, only two more weekends between now and The Peel, my self-imposed deadline. I could do with one of my rare spurts of inspiration around about now. </div><div></div><div>*screws eyes tight shut, Hiro style....nothing happens.... ¦o( </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-21823124728765200332008-11-28T05:04:00.000-08:002008-11-28T12:46:55.963-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 3)<a href="http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2008/06/SnailFree_450x300.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 450px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2008/06/SnailFree_450x300.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Last night was slightly better in terms of progress....but as the above image of one of London's Graffiti Snails suggests, it's not too rapid.</div><div></div><br /><div>The solo section is now looking quite a bit better, particularly with the lighting closer to what I was intending - "he" is still not tracking the melody of the solo very well but in the time available it may just have to do.<br /></div><div>"Wasted" a fair amount of time producing some printed items that turned out to contain too much detail to survive the import process (D'Oh!). They'll have to be re-done a different way or binned for a much simpler version. I've got "fall-back" options for most of the scenes yet to be rigged and I still have the option of resorting to my "balloon-band-live" set-up for some cut scenes if all else fails. </div><div>The intro is pretty much sorted although one or two audio bits either from the EIMA DVD or elsewhere might fit nicely. I'm having to tack on a bit because the actual track is straight-in. Anyone know good filter/EQ settings to mimic that transistor radio effect - things are coming out a bit too phone-line at the moment.<br /></div><div>Pacing versus detail is probably the biggest hurdle to be overcome - largely because I've never attempted anything like this before. I know that "less is more" and all that in many cases, but bland is always bland and I'm hoping to get enough detail into every bit to reward at least a second viewing.<br /></div><div>It could all still come crashing down though. I guess everyone has those "what-am-I-doing?-this-is-rubbish" moments from time-to-time when trying to create something - and this process is very drawn-out....compared to, say, bunging a few one-liners at a forum every now and again. </div><div></div><div>I begin to wonder how comedy scriptwriters ever put anything out - they must get bored with their stuff sometimes and begin to doubt that anyone will laugh at it.<br /></div><div>Just got to buckle down and get it all done - plenty of time for editorial decisions when there is something that half hangs together....</div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-18376384714856401432008-11-27T04:49:00.000-08:002008-11-28T04:42:27.054-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 2.1)Converting the video files seems to make them more usable so that's good. Just too knackered to do anything else constructive last night....that's not so good. :o(<br /><br />Must try so much harder tonight....Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-38242893082402136932008-11-26T04:45:00.000-08:002008-11-26T04:57:29.404-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 2)<a href="https://www.storesonlinepro.com/files/1730690/uploaded/Presto%2001755%20Pressure%20Cooker%20Canner.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 336px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://www.storesonlinepro.com/files/1730690/uploaded/Presto%2001755%20Pressure%20Cooker%20Canner.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />Well, to get this little blog up-to-date with progress so far. I started all this on the November 14th so I've been at it for about 12 days now. In that time I've had ups and downs in terms of progress - mostly positive but time is going to be the killer here.</div><div><br />As usual, the big mistake is telling anyone that you are trying to do something - I sent some incoherent ramblings to Jem and, while I know he's been mad busy, I suspect the lack of response was down to a major dose of "WTF is this guy on about??". Silly Pedro.</div><div><br />Anyway, the "story" for want of a better term, is pretty much set now. It's only changed half-a-dozen times or so!<br /></div><div>I can "see" what I want to happen in 10 out of the 11 "scenes" and, as of last night, Scene#1 is complete. That means the set, props and mechanics are all done and saved and I can "perform" exactly what I need to record whenever I want. 3 or 4 of the other scenes are about half done - so I'm getting there, slowly. I just need to stop "re-doing" things to make them "a bit better" - that kind of thing should deffo wait for the end of the process...if there's time.<br /></div><br /><div>The technical ins and outs of getting the video clips onto the PC for editing is beginning to tax the little bubble of candy-floss I call a brain. </div><br /><div>My "signal path" (if you like) is to record the PS3 output to DVD+RW load the clips from there into Serif's MoviePlus. I've only had a couple of goes so far and it seems to be a minefield of formats, resolutions, pixel shapes(!), codecs, and other cobblers designed to shackle the creative spirit firmly to the deck.</div><div><br />The other pain is that the PC really "chugs" when it is trying to work with data from the DVD+RW. It's a fairly recent Quad core 2.4Ghz beast so I'd have thought it would be better.<br />In the past, when I've edited clips together from my crummy point and shoot camera - it's worked really well so maybe it’s a format or sheer size issue? </div><div>I'm going to try converting from the DVD "VOB" format to either MOV or MPG format tonight to see if that operates any better without losing too much detail.<br /></div><br /><div>Too much to do...so little time....</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>....to be continued....</div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-17198454482623786412008-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:002008-11-25T12:45:54.764-08:00Creating a video for "Toys" by Frost* (Part 1)<a href="http://www.thebudgetcasa.com/images/uploads/cardboard_moose_head.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 390px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 292px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.thebudgetcasa.com/images/uploads/cardboard_moose_head.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Some time ago, Jem Godfrey (the genius behind Frost*) put a call out for video makers to make a video to accompany his new song "Toys" from their excellent new CD "Experiments In Mass Appeal". At the time I thought, "I wish I could say I could do that but I don't have the tools or the skills" and thought no more about it.<br /></div><div>Then I got the game "Little Big Planet" on the Sony Playstation 3....and suddenly, I had the tools and the skills!<br /></div><div>The concept behind the game is brilliant, you play the levels supplied (basically a very slightly 3D platform running-and-jumping-etc game) and in doing so you collect the bits the designers used to make those levels. Then you can use those bits to make your own levels, upload them to the web where other players play your levels and rate them while you play other people's levels, and so on.<br /></div><div>At least, that's what it is meant to be used for....however from the moment I created my first cardboard cube in the level designer, the doorway to the universe of video production suddenly swung open before me.<br /></div><div>Using the tools provided I found I could create just about anything I could imagine within a few minutes of picking up the controller. If you have the Playstation camera you can capture any image and turn it into a "sticker" that you can slap on to anything you create. This give the chance to create signs, labels, photos or just about anything you like.</div><div><br />So I've turned my thoughts towards Jem's video request. After a couple of test videos (posted on YouTube) I realised I could actually produce something worthwhile so I have started the mammoth task of constructing 3 minutes and 8 seconds of loosely connected twaddle to sit nicely with the lyrics of the song.</div><br /><div>I have it roughly planned out, or "storyboarded" is the better term I guess. Now I just have to get it all done. I've set a target of having it done ready to hand a DVD copy to Jem at The Peel gig on Dec 20th. Hopefully it should be on YouTube at about the same time. </div><br /><div>Just got to get the picture quality limitations sorted out (first few trials have revealed that some of my text and other details get lost in the YouTube compression) and then build and shoot it all.</div><br /><div>Who needs sleep, eh? :o)</div><div></div><div>...to be continued...</div><br /><div></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-74311188642299229502008-05-03T07:32:00.001-07:002008-05-05T14:31:27.863-07:00The Perils of Familiarity<a href="http://www.wpastudio.com/newsphotos/16072007105137glasshouses.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.wpastudio.com/newsphotos/16072007105137glasshouses.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>Events this week have damaged my faith in human nature...<br /><br />I've learned a big lesson this week...and a very painful one it is too. Spending so much time in the virtual company of others can lead you to imagine that people actually like you, largely because you can easily allow yourself to like them - even though they don't know you and you actually don't know anything about them in real life.<br /><br />When you think you are in the company of people who like you, you relax and feel easier about speaking - so you post in almost a "conversational" way. This can be tricky without so many of the cues you get when having a real conversation (expression, tone of voice, gestures, etc.)<br /><br />Similarly when you think you know someone you change how you talk to, or about them and you might even begin to take liberties with them; joking with them or about them and, in doing so, testing the limits of their tolerance without really knowing if you are crossing a line.<br />The feedback you get on-line is very limited; with "smileys" used a lot to add additional meaning to written words, which in themselves can often be read in various ways.<br /><br />Another aspect of this is how other people view that feedback - because in the same way that the author has to interpret the feedback, other people apply their own intepretation to the feedback too. This can lead to wildly divergent opinions on the nature of an author and their posts.<br /><br />So, when some people misinterpret some things you have posted in a big way, one of the ways you might get to find out is via a private message. In fact, unless someone has the stones to contact you about it you might be blissfully unaware of it all forever.<br /><br />One can never claim total innocence in such a situation because the original posts are, of course, open to misinterpretation - no matter how well written they are. Once a misunderstanding has occurred, however, a lot depends on whether or not those who have reached the wrong conclusion are prepared to be receptive to an alternative intepretation.<br /><br />Unfortunately, pointing out what you see as the misunderstandings may have precisely zero effect on their position - you are judged purely on the ropey evidence of two-dimensional feedback. The more you try to explain, the worse things can get and you can go from just misunderstood to misunderstood and annoying. In the end it can become a definite case of "their way or the highway" so, in the end all you can do (if you want to stick around and try to rebuild the illusion of being liked) is give in and apologise.<br /><br />After such a run-in, one can never be as free as one was and this may be a good thing in disuguise...after all, letting one's guard down when there are people so willing to think the worst is probably not a wise thing to do.<br /><br />It's still a shame though...</div></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8606098213400440841.post-11130503661209207872007-07-27T10:44:00.000-07:002007-07-27T10:59:19.506-07:00Alive, it's alive, it's ALIVE!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0adm9YRFK0jaDszZIfG5ge4uMdYAp43XGVKgfZpUJOMwlYqe8kjuM2kRl1yEjcx8c3-DrZfSLYM97j-n-6WZ4pATVUepx10mftUhD5bdRDgbOTJpEpCXGK21qzY5vi7unO6eJ9w8frD5_/s1600-h/3161539873.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091937636729777154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0adm9YRFK0jaDszZIfG5ge4uMdYAp43XGVKgfZpUJOMwlYqe8kjuM2kRl1yEjcx8c3-DrZfSLYM97j-n-6WZ4pATVUepx10mftUhD5bdRDgbOTJpEpCXGK21qzY5vi7unO6eJ9w8frD5_/s200/3161539873.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div align="center">Great googly-moogly, what have I done?</div><br /><div></div><div>In an unguarded moment of wishful thinking I suggested that some of the Frost*ies from the Frost* forum might like to collaborate on a piece of music. There is such talent out there it would be great to put together something.<br /></div><div>Now, you might think this would be a good thing and quite a few have said "ooh rather, sign me up", which is terrific...except for the fact that now it's moved from wishlist to "to-do" list and that brings a tiny amount of pressure.<br /></div><div>The big fear is that the idea won't be good enough to support the effort that people seem keen to put in. I guess the first one might well be weedy in order to cut a path for greater things, let's hope so eh?<br /></div><div>The excellent Sawtooth has heard my initial pitch and seems to think it's a goer (woohoo) but now we need to come up with a framework track of the whole song for other people to work to. This could take far too long - I just hope people are patient!</div></div>Pedrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12287542219906715499noreply@blogger.com2