Velvet Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 It's a travelogue doc-style program called Earth Beat. The idea is that in each episode I travel to a different city or country and look at the music indigenous to that particular area. I shot the pilot episode in Zambia and spent the last long time figuring out software and editing it together. The next trick is to sell it to a network, and the first step in that direction is to see if anyone likes it. So if you have forty-nine or so minutes to kill I urge you to give it a spin. I am very open to comments and criticisms. If you have any thoughts that can make this thing better please, by all means let me know. bouche and Booche 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 awesome. love the intro sequence! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassedOutGuy Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Watched the first three minutes and look forward to diving in tonight. Nice job Todd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I was too tired to watch a whole anything last night. I watched the first 11 and was pretty hooked right away, AND learning. Went to resume in bed but my eyes failed. It reminds me of watching Bourdain touring and discussing regional cuisine while featuring one particular chef. However, Bourdain gets fucking wasted. There's a short snippet of Todd jamming with the group that I love. The musicians are great. I hope there is more of that. I'll find out as I finish it. This is highly impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted June 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Thanks Mike! Yeah, I watched a lot of Anthony Bourdain as I was prepping for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-towns Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I am looking forward to watching this. Always loved the nero logs and your travel logs. This should be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Wish Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 On 6/10/2016 at 8:05 PM, c-towns said: I am looking forward to watching this. Always loved the nero logs and your travel logs. This should be great. Seconded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edger Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Haven't had the right moment yet to sit down and give this a good watch. Looking forward to it though and will share my thoughts. Resonating premise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Yeah, I realize that an hour is a pretty significant chunk of time to allocate to watch something online. I certainly appreciate any and all who give it a shot! I'm very much looking forward to comments/suggestions. Though I've seen it a billion times I've recently discovered two changes I want to make so there will be more editing going on, so I'm hoping to get some feedback before I delve back into a re-edit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I've still got the final 15 minutes to watch and still adore it. Since you're craving suggestions: 1. An opportunity to smooth out the viewing experience might be to shorten the 5 second blackout during transitions. Is there a reason for those in this phase? They are slightly disruptive. Maybe even remove them and use a basic transition from the closing bumper sequence into the next segment. 2. White text for subtitles is hard to read in about half of the scenes where they appear. Is it possible to add a darkened slightly opaque rectangular background layer around the text? 3. Are the subtitles necessary? Since it's on YouTube, perhaps leave the subtitles out and make them an option via YouTube's subtitle functionality. I'm really fascinated by the b-roll footage, establishing shots, etc. Without those, this wouldn't feel the same way. I don't even comprehend how you would plan out or think of something like "get out of the car and film me talking to the guy selling sim cards". So awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phorbesie Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I just watched it and was going to mention I didn't find the subtitles necessary. I was wondering if it was because I'm very familiar with the Zambian accent, but I thought other than a couple of seconds it's all good without subtitles. I was going to ask if others agree, seems bouche does... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 I really struggled with subtitles, especially because I'm quite familiar with the regional accent. The problem is when words get said that people won't understand, like "kwacha" (the local currency. And then there is Albert, who's accent definitely requires subtitles. As for them being hard to read, that was another problem I was aware of. It's hard to see, but I did put a small dark border around the letters themselves making them a bit easier to read. I figured these two issues kind of resolve themselves in that the subtitles are kind of not necessary and at the same time they're not that readable! I agree, the 'commercial breaks' are too long, I'll shorten them to a second or two instead of five. Thanks for the suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 This should be a STICKY..........can you still do that Mike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 22 minutes ago, Booche said: This should be a STICKY..........can you still do that Mike? lol. yeah, i thought that initially but it lives at the top on its own. Stickies are mostly meant for a call to action. It's easy to bump by watching and commenting. I really liked the story discovery when Todd breaks a guitar string and they have to go get a new one. Also during the ending titles, the footage of asking locals if they'd heard of the Beatles. Paul McCartney should see this! Time for a concert in Zambia Macca. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 On June 15, 2016 at 7:29 PM, Velvet said: I really struggled with subtitles, especially because I'm quite familiar with the regional accent. The problem is when words get said that people won't understand, like "kwacha" (the local currency. And then there is Albert, who's accent definitely requires subtitles. I see the problem since a couple speakers are difficult to understand in real time. Most speakers are very easy to understand in the interviews. Like what would the threshold be for embedding subtitles? Is it reasonable to only subtitle some of the dialog some of the time? I find that despite understanding, I am drawn to the subtitles even though they aren't necessary. Instead of a subtitle path due to terminology, perhaps a popup displaying a definition of 'kwacha' or even edit in a short sequence of the regional currency of course the latter might be difficult to inject. Btw, great choice on the presenter/host. You are perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 " Stickies are mostly meant for a call to action. " Which is why this should be a stickie.................instruments for where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I love the name. I love the feel. I love the story. Velvet, I thought I had seen you do your best at something but I was wrong and I hope I am again, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouche Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 29 minutes ago, Booche said: " Stickies are mostly meant for a call to action. " Which is why this should be a stickie.................instruments for where? stickied due to this rousing discussion. Booche 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 11 hours ago, Booche said: I love the name. I love the feel. I love the story. Velvet, I thought I had seen you do your best at something but I was wrong and I hope I am again, Thanks very much sir, very kind of you to say. BTW this is of course completely and utterly separate from Instruments For Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booche Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 As a 'brand' it is 100 percent separate but as a universally connected collective unconscious it is completely connected. The artists you have presented in this video have been major influences on others. That goes without saying. Somewhere down the line there will be instruments who will be affected from this music that has been offered to people for generations. That's what I love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted June 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 I like love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edger Posted July 19, 2016 Report Share Posted July 19, 2016 So I finally go the chance to watch this the other day. I was REALLY impressed. I found the editing to be pretty seamless...great flow. I really got a feel for how immersed you have been in your travels. Far more than I realized. I found myself thinking that in addition to being entertaining for a wide range of demographics that this would also make excellent "curriculum" and thought provoking learning content, particularly for youth, and especially youth that find themselves detached from musical or cultural roots. My sister and her partner are involved in engaging with inner city and newcomer youth through music and dance. I feel their crew would get a lot out of this. The "researcher" in me has so many questions...would really love to know more about your process. Perhaps this forum isn't the right place to dig deep here but I certainly found myself wondering how you went about gaining access to some of the key people/gatekeepers involved in the film, whether it was difficult to build rapport/trust, did you have to manage others' expectations, obtain permissions, etc. I didn't really find the sub-titles distracting. I found I didn't need them for the most part and ignored them, but was glad they were there for the odd word I didn't catch. I was emotionally moved throughout the film on many different levels and for many different reasons. The only thing I found a little jarring or less than appealing was the font and drumming interludes between scenes where "Zambia" would flash up. That to me seemed slightly amateurish...but not a big deal...wouldn't deter me in any way. I find myself wanting to see another episode and hope that this catches on. While it would be a "little" (though not outlandish) stretch with what I teach (urban sustainability), I found myself thinking about how I could expose this to my students. Is this something you are wanting passed around or perhaps you have other plans for distribution. I felt the love and sweat that was poured into this. Nice job! Finally I was imagining/hoping that it was Phorbesie that took the plunge on that shot of the bungee jumping...woooooweeee. Inspiring! bouche 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Posted July 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2016 I am in the woods and have little time to respond, but thanks for the nice words and the suggestions! Yes, please pass it around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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