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OMG WOW! Javier????? WOW!
Alondria LeFay
Registered User
Join date: 2 May 2003
Posts: 725
09-23-2005 05:49
That is indeed well done Javier. Are your services up for hire?
Javier Puff
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Join date: 7 Jul 2005
Posts: 86
09-23-2005 06:43
From: Alondria LeFay
That is indeed well done Javier. Are your services up for hire?


I've been asked this quite a bit over the period of time I've been putting out machinima. What I've found in almost every case is that most people don't understand the effort that serious video production requires.

As an example, for this trailer, I spent about 15 hours in Second Life capturing photography up front, and probably another 10-15 capturing additional photography through the review cycle. All of that footage takes space, to the tune of about 100MB/sec uncompressed from Fraps. I then spend hours doing essentially "grunt work" to convert it from the PC to the Mac where I edit.

Once on the mac, the bulk of the work begins. Editing, post production, special effects, titles and credits...the titles in that trailer took me half a day to perfect. Post production in general takes me about 40-80 hours on a typical video production. On this trailer, it was much more.

I'm pretty serious about what I put out with my name on it, so I'm not into hack jobs. The bulk of the time is spent OUT of the game/world, in pre/post production.

I say all this to give you an idea of the amount of work that goes into a video production like this. I have a normal job, which means I have to donate nights and weekends to this stuff.

The bottom line is that pretty much nobody is going to compensate someone like me enough to make it worth the time I'd have to dedicate to their project. I'm not saying I don't "hire out", but in the absense of a decent wage for the hours I put in, it would have to be a project I'd feel passionate about, something that I'd want to do, understanding I won't get compensated very well, if at all, for my work.

So the answer to your question is "No, unless you have a serious budget, or unless you can get me REALLY excited about your project." Hopefully, given what I've said above, you can understand why that is.

- J
Elle Pollack
Takes internets seriously
Join date: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 796
09-23-2005 10:33
From: Javier Puff


As an example, for this trailer, I spent about 15 hours in Second Life capturing photography up front, and probably another 10-15 capturing additional photography through the review cycle. All of that footage takes space, to the tune of about 100MB/sec uncompressed from Fraps. I then spend hours doing essentially "grunt work" to convert it from the PC to the Mac where I edit.

- J


Out of curiosity, what do you use for your "grunt work"? And what program do you do your editing in?
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Javier Puff
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Join date: 7 Jul 2005
Posts: 86
09-23-2005 11:49
I edit on Final Cut Pro. The grunt work involves two stages...first stage involves converting each clip to a DIVX encoded AVI (Macs can't understand the Fraps encoding), and the second stage means converting that DIVX encoded AVI to a Quicktime file using a different compression (since DIVX is very buggy on the Mac).

For the first step I use an app called VirtualDub, for the second I just use Quicktime Pro. I had a little script to do the second part automatically, but QT 7 broke it. I need to go back and write some automation, but for the trailer each clip was converted manually. :(

If there's enough interest to warrant it, it might be worth it to have a thread or discussion group just for video people to toss back and forth ideas and methodologies about this stuff. Is there a group in Second Life for this type of thing maybe?

- J
Asphyxia Lemieux
I'm not wearing a costume
Join date: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 5
09-24-2005 08:25
I think that would be a great idea Javy. An excellent suggestion. :-)

Plus, Javy...I know how you felt going into this Trailer Contest prior to the whole popular vote thing. I'm glad you stuck with it regardless of the many shifting changes regarding the contest and I'm very happy to see you so warmly welcomed by the general public. I always had faith in your work, whether it was this Second Life trailer or all of your previous Cantina Crawl videos that each and every SWG resident loves and enjoys.

Reading all this feedback brings a smile to my face Javy. :-)
Plus, considering that this is the first topic to bring me out of lurking from the boards, I'm pleased that this one is about you!
Seldon Metropolitan
Zen Taxi Driver
Join date: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 376
09-24-2005 08:52
wow, another reason I hold Mr Puff in great esteem. this rocks.
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Selador Cellardoor
Registered User
Join date: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 3,082
09-24-2005 11:09
I agree that this was a superb video, and Javier fully deserves all the plaudits. But don't let's forget the other videos as well; there was one in particular which I thought stood up well against Javier's.

After watching all five I was once more astonished at the utter skill, imagination and creativity of second life residents. You'd think I would be used to it by now, but I'm not. :)
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Nyx Divine
never say never!
Join date: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 1,052
09-24-2005 15:59
From: Vestalia Hadlee
because I get seriously teary-eyed whenever I watch it.


Oh wow, I'm glad it wasn't just me. And here I thought it was 'cuz I was hormonal at the time. Hehe

Nicely done Puff
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Asphyxia Lemieux
I'm not wearing a costume
Join date: 30 Jul 2005
Posts: 5
10-09-2005 10:46
/3/f3/54702/1.html#post679129

Congrats Javy!!

I always had faith in you! Now smile and be happy! :)
Sensual Casanova
Spoiled Brat
Join date: 28 Feb 2004
Posts: 4,807
10-09-2005 12:25
Woot! Congrats!
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Jon Marlin
Builder, Coder, RL & SL
Join date: 10 Mar 2005
Posts: 297
10-09-2005 13:14
Awesome video! Congrats on the win. And thanks for using one of my vehicles (the Marlin DPV in the underwater scene) :-)

- Jon
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Frans Charming
You only need one Frans
Join date: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 1,847
10-09-2005 14:25
Congrats the team of Javier Puff, Nyteshade Vesperia, Cara Dmytryk, Malakye Dmytryk.

Also congrats for Elle Pollack & Wlle Pollack and SecondTake Productions.

And a applause for all the other contestents for being brave enough to particitate and giving us a choice.
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Beatfox Xevious
is THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
Join date: 1 Jun 2004
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10-09-2005 15:48
It's because I starred in it, right? :D j/k

Congrats, Javier et al! You guys really deserved it.
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Devyn Grimm
the Hermit
Join date: 1 May 2003
Posts: 270
10-09-2005 16:05
Congrats Javier and team - really top notch work!
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blaze Spinnaker
1/2 Serious
Join date: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 5,898
10-09-2005 16:10
I'd like to see LL throw another 5-10 K USD towards Javier and give them some time to do some more serious post production.

Don't get me wrong.. it was awesome, but you can only do so much when you're working on a contest you're not sure you're going to win for little money. Somehow, I suspect that if Javier had a serious budget she/he could do some majorly impressive work.
David Valentino
Nicely Wicked
Join date: 1 Jan 2004
Posts: 2,941
10-09-2005 16:18
I think it is truly a wonderful video. It really showed the exciting elements of SL and the quality was superb. It also contained a couple of quick flashes of my builds, so of course it's a winner. ;)

Great job Jav!
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Elle Pollack
Takes internets seriously
Join date: 12 Oct 2004
Posts: 796
10-09-2005 17:19
From: Frans Charming
Congrats the team of Javier Puff, Nyteshade Vesperia, Cara Dmytryk, Malakye Dmytryk.

Also congrats for Elle Pollack & Wlle Pollack and SecondTake Productions.

And a applause for all the other contestents for being brave enough to particitate and giving us a choice.


*facepalm* That was a typo on my entry form (which I informed the lindens of and is correct on any subsequent literature, but they didn't change the original post). There is no such person as Wlle Pollack. ^.^;

Oh yeah, and heartfelt congrats to Javier and the Second Take folks...and especialy Javier, who I want to do my editing next time. >:)
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Frans Charming
You only need one Frans
Join date: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 1,847
10-09-2005 17:43
hehe Elle, thats how it's posted today in the annouchments. link
I assumed it was a mistake or a alt.
I found it quit funny so i left it in. :D

Congrats again. :)
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Goyan Luchador
Carbon Based Humanoid
Join date: 23 May 2004
Posts: 218
10-09-2005 17:53
Bravo, Javier. Looks like you've found your niche here! Great work!
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Sierra Divine
CEO of URBAN FLAVA
Join date: 4 Dec 2004
Posts: 187
10-23-2005 18:41
ok ok so i'm just a lil behind with the response (heh) but .... but ...... OMFG !!!! THIS TRAILER KICKS AZZ !!!!! Congrats to Javier Puff and team *big huggz* You guys took the concept of Second Life and put it to the EXTREME !!! If I wasn't a member already, holy hannah in a handbasket, would I sign up with a quickness !!! I showedd it to a group of gamers of another game (who's name I won't mention but 99.99% of us who are in SL now where there before LoL) who doubt the SL game and jaws dropped. KUDOS !!!

Congrats to all of those that submitted trailers for the contest. You guys really have some skills. *in my kid avie voice* when i grow up i wanna be just like you *skips away happily*

*huggz*
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