So many video ideas, so little time... :(

There are times when I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse that almost every other day, I have an idea for a video I want to make. Small problem - that eight-hour-a-day thing called WORK.

Man, I so wish there was money in this video-making gig... I think I could cheerfully spend all day making various and sundry videos. Some for the game itself (like my commercials), others for fun, and a handful just for me.

Does anyone else know how this feels? To be frustrated not because of lack of inspiration or money or whatnot, but because there just isn't enough TIME?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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I'm unemployed... so I have plenty of time.

Having a Job is a GOOD thing...

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A Guide to Champion Drama
My Videos
Ashcraft been published.

Here too, Ashcraft. Loving it quite a bit, actually. It's not so much having a job that's a good thing, it's having the money from a job.

Making money doing videos.... hmmm.... Folks get commissions doing drawings and artwork. I wonder if it could be done for video? Get yourself several dozen demos with some dramatic camera angles, then, for a fee, drop somebody's character(s) in the demo and make some movies. I'm not sure what NCSoft would think of that. You'll likely have to give them a cut.

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My dear, I know exactly how you feel.

Concepts spin and form in my thoughts. Not just of videos, but of all sorts of things. And its not that I lack the skill to execute them - I've been blessed with a wide variety of skills. I make things - That's what I do, how I define myself. I create things physical, visual and virtual. I can build a boat, either full-sized or in miniature. I can sew a costume, craft leather, or smith armor in a variety of historical styles. I can paint, sculpt, forge and craft.

I don't say these things to boast. The ability to actually turn my visions into reality can actually be a curse. I start to work on one idea and another comes along, like a tsumani, and pushes earlier ideas aside. I can't begin to count the unfinished projects that litter my house. Sometimes I come across the materials I bought years ago for something I was going to build. Often those materials inspire a new project. Not that the new project stands any better chance to get finished that it's predecessor.

Here's the catch - I'm essentially retired. I work at home, part-time, but really not that many hours a week. I have many hours every day to pursue my muses. And it doesn't help a damn bit.

I sketch, I make notes, plans - Anything to capture those ideas before they're lost in the rush. I've got notebooks and folders going back thirty years.

So, yes - I can relate. You're not alone. And it isn't time that is your enemy. Unless you think of the limitation of our lifespans as your time limit. Michelle, we have the curse of mortal creativity.

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Ashcraft:
Actually, I've had several people ask me to do videos for commission. Small problem - I know what my time is worth, and I know roughly how long it takes to make one of my videos. So either I undercharge and pull in more business because more people can afford to pay me, or I charge what my time is worth, and potentially make less because most players can't afford it. (Or so I believe.)

Will NCSoft get a cut? Only if they get one off every fan artist who does work for a character. As it is, they get a ton of free advertising for their game from me.

Star_Dancer:
I'm the same way. I write, I draw, I paint, I dance, I make the absolutely best darn brownies on the face of the planet. (Which reminds me - since I'll be off my diet for the weekend of the meet and greet, I should make a tray or three and take them to Santa Clara...) But my big source of do-this-do-this-do-this frustration is my writing. Unreal how many stories I've begun and not finished for lack of time (or switch of interest). Nowhere near retirement age, though.

It's just annoying, and I know, it's me grousing in public. But sometimes it helps to know I'm not the only one with a frustration.

And I REALLY need to get my tail in gear on my machinima entry... I finally finished editing my music! Now it's time to film! (Or will be once double XP weekend is over.)

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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You people and your talents, why can't I have talents? The only talents I would have is to get through life being oblivious to current events, and pretty good at over fantasizing things.

But anyhow, I don't know if this was said or not, but why not get people you know well enough to Co-produce movies? I don't think they need to pay you or you need to pay them, but while you're at work you have somebody you know work on the movies while your gone. Then afterwards check the progress the person is doing and then work on it together or let them work on it alone while you go do something else.

Or in all you could quit your job, work for CoH and make as many cinematic trailers as they would allow. But I'm good at over fantasizing.

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There's 4 kinds of smarts. Street smarts, brain smarts, survival smarts, profession smarts, and Me.

The hitch with the first suggestion is that in general, only I know how I want stuff to look when I film it. Even explaining it to my husband (who also plays, and who knows how I think) doesn't get me the stuff that I want, just "well, it's close, so maybe I can get away with it." But it's not me. Don't get me wrong - my friends who play DO save me some time when I say "Can you get me the code for such-and-such power, or so-and-so NPC", but not doing tracking shots or action or whatever.

The hitch with the second suggestion? I've applied to NCSoft. Got turned down. Drat.

But don't knock being oblivious to current events - I don't read the news for a single pressing reason - it's usually depressing as hell.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Guilty on the "too many ideas" thing, but I've been working on that problem over the past few years. My thought is there's no such thing as a bad idea (just bad timing), and I've lost too many ideas by pushing them off the side until later. Soooo, I opt for jotting down the ideas in however much detail is need to at least capture the idea so that when I look back on in a month or year I can make heads or tails of it.

Then it comes down to priorities and timing, and hoping I can manage enough time to make the priority and timing match up.

It's sort of the "Henry Jones" approach. Sr. not Jr.

Sometimes it works. Other times...not so much.

Todd

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"Scumball in the side pocket." - 8 Baller

I feel your pain..

I have ideas for about a dozen videos... My problem is that I have VERY specific visuals I want to create for them. What's really frustrating is that I know that - the way I picture them - it could be done in the game engine.

I am just sorely lacking in the patience necessary to finish a video.

All the more impressive the work I see of yours and others that can manage to keep focus long enough to complete a project.

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Test Subject 42 - lvl 50 Sp/DA Scrapper
Oku No Te - lvl 50 MA/SR Scrapper
Borg Master - lvl 24 Bots/traps MM
Pinnacle

Nyghtfyre - lvl 50 DM/SR Scrapper
Champion

Oh yeah - Patience. Need lots more of that too.

LOL - Sounds like a certain scene from "The Jerk"...

"I don't need this or this. Just more time. And patience. More time and patience and that's all I need. And some skills. More time, patience, and some skills, and that's all I need. And some demorecordings. More time, patience, and some skills and the demorecordings. And this lamp. More time, patience, skills and demorecordings and this lamp and that's all I need. "

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Star,

You just made my day with that "The Jerk" reworking of yours.

Amazing. Hilarious.

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*laughing*

Thanks, Star, I needed that.

The funny thing is, I do some of my best work under pressure of time constraints (like "OMG I HAVE TO GET THIS DONE!"). The I-12 trailer I'd been dabbling with for a couple of weeks, but when I just KNEW that it was coming out the next day, I worked on it for eleven hours straight and got it done.

Same with the Incarnate trailer.

But my record (for a long video) was finishing "Time to Start" from BEGINNING to END... in four days. Conception, editing, titles, filming, all that stuff. Four days. After that, I just wanted a nap.

Now I'll probably end up doing the same thing for the machinima contest (and I am NOT looking at ANYONE else's entry beforehand for fearing of scaring myself out of the contest).

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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Hey, quick Q:

How can I make a toon or NPC fade away post-death?

I tried VANISH_DEATH, VANISH_POSTDEATH, but they just disappear instead of fading. R_VANISH_DEATH and DEATH_TELEPORT make them pop back up.

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They do that when they get deleted - so the DEL command.

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Tried the DEL too. Poof. No fade.

EDIT: Houston, we have a problem. I just did a demorecord of a 50 stomping a Lvl 4 Hellion in Atlas Park. I replayed the demo with no mods and when it gets to the DEL for those Hellions, they blinked out. This could get messy...

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[ QUOTE ]
There are times when I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse that almost every other day, I have an idea for a video I want to make. Small problem - that eight-hour-a-day thing called WORK.

Man, I so wish there was money in this video-making gig... I think I could cheerfully spend all day making various and sundry videos. Some for the game itself (like my commercials), others for fun, and a handful just for me.

Does anyone else know how this feels? To be frustrated not because of lack of inspiration or money or whatnot, but because there just isn't enough TIME?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why I steal.

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The Alt Alphabet ~ OPC: Other People's Characters ~ Terrific Screenshots of Cool ~ Superhero Fiction

[ QUOTE ]
There are times when I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse that almost every other day, I have an idea for a video I want to make. Small problem - that eight-hour-a-day thing called WORK.

Man, I so wish there was money in this video-making gig... I think I could cheerfully spend all day making various and sundry videos. Some for the game itself (like my commercials), others for fun, and a handful just for me.

Does anyone else know how this feels? To be frustrated not because of lack of inspiration or money or whatnot, but because there just isn't enough TIME?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why I steal.














......what?

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LOL

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[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There are times when I wonder if it's a blessing or a curse that almost every other day, I have an idea for a video I want to make. Small problem - that eight-hour-a-day thing called WORK.

Man, I so wish there was money in this video-making gig... I think I could cheerfully spend all day making various and sundry videos. Some for the game itself (like my commercials), others for fun, and a handful just for me.

Does anyone else know how this feels? To be frustrated not because of lack of inspiration or money or whatnot, but because there just isn't enough TIME?

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[/ QUOTE ]

This is why I steal.














......what?

[/ QUOTE ]

I see what you did there.

"I don't mind a parasite. I object to a cut-rate one." -- Rick Blaine

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The Alt Alphabet ~ OPC: Other People's Characters ~ Terrific Screenshots of Cool ~ Superhero Fiction

I wish I had alot more time each day to spend in my workshop, with my kids, playing games, doing housework, etc, etc, etc.
Comes with the territory. Prioritize and do what you can.
I've got a project in my workshop that sits unfinished after 6 years because its a low priority. (set of animitronic wings for a gryphon costume). All i need to finish it is about 20 hours to re-mill the aluminum plates and rods, but thats noisy so I cant just do it at night when everyone is sleeping... so it idles.
I still haven't finished my first CoX video, despite making 6 other ones since. Need to get back inthe groove with ragdoll working on demoplayback.
The list goes on and on. The important stuff, like teaching my son baseball, and my step daughter how to fast pitch softball have been accomplished. But at the end of the day, there just isnt time to do everything, whether or not it makes money.

So prioritize and realize that even with 48hrs in a day, you still cant get everything done on time.

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Tanker Tuesday #72 Oct 5 @Champion

"I am not sure if my portrayal of being insane is accurate, but damn its fun all the same."

[ QUOTE ]


I see what you did there.

"I don't mind a parasite. I object to a cut-rate one." -- Rick Blaine

[/ QUOTE ]


Well, it was funny when I was drunk......

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To paraphrase Ben Aaronovitch (one of my favorite DOCTOR WHO authors)...

"Talent borrows, genius steals, CoX videographers get it off the back of a lorry, no questions asked."

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

PS - I did a tally at work the other day of how many CoX videos I've got ideas for/started working on/etc... SIXTEEN!!! That doesn't include the anime vids and whatnot I want to do as well. AGGGHHH!!!

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[ QUOTE ]


PS - I did a tally at work the other day of how many CoX videos I've got ideas for/started working on/etc... SIXTEEN!!! That doesn't include the anime vids and whatnot I want to do as well. AGGGHHH!!!

[/ QUOTE ]



Hmmmm, start playing the Lottery (redneck retirement fund), that way, if you win, you will have all the time you will ever need to make them......

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*grin*

I'm not that lucky - I'd do better going to Vegas and turning a slow but steady profit. Problem is, having the funds to go there in the first place.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

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