mattroks101
01-29-2013, 08:08 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6W-7OTAyW4

Haar
01-29-2013, 08:11 PM
Written version for those of you with slightly more patience:

I know a lot of you are too cheap to buy DVDs, CDs, and/or Blu-Rays and too lazy to read the real guides on how to do this stuff, so here's the frugal/lazy man's guide to editing AMVs.

Part 1: Getting Raw Materials
http://i.imgur.com/n0Wb0.jpg
Stage 1. Best method for getting anime is using torrents. You can find most shows you'll need that are done airing on BakaBT, as long as they aren't licensed by Funimation. Check their forbidden section (http://wiki.bakabt.me/index.php/DO_NOT_UPLOAD) to make sure, of course. Do not, use footage acquired from video streaming sites such as YouTube, Crunchyroll, or AnimeFreak. The quality is inferior to that of footage downloaded using the methods presented here.
If you need to acquire anime titles that are forbidden on that site or just can't use torrents due to being at a college or something and need direct downloads, search around AniDB (http://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=main) to see what groups subbed or released raws what shows. You can then either use Google or the site itself to get links to the release group's site.

Stage 2. Be sure to check the specifications of your footage as well. Make sure you get the MKV soft subtitled version of the footage that allows you to turn them off. Nothing uglier than unrelated fansub subtitles in an AMV. Make sure the footage is encoded with the x264 video codec as well. Can't always trust specs written down by incompetent fansubbers, of course, so get Media Player Classic (http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/) and Combined Community Codec Pack (http://cccp-project.net/download.php?type=cccp) to make check the subs for yourself. There are other guides explaining how to check filters and subtitles in Media Player Classic.
Look at them for reference. If you can't find softsubs here or raws on another site,
You might have to just break down and buy the DVD. The video should be at least 480p (848x480, or 720x480, depending on the source, assuming you're using a widescreen source) Once you're sure of the quality, download the torrent. Grab uTorrent (http://www.utorrent.com/) if you haven't already. Once you've got that out of the way, check off the episodes you need. I recommend using Wikipedia or the show's Wiki if you're not sure of what episodes you need.


Stage 3. As for the audio you'll need, just use Google to find the song. It'll most likely be in a torrent with either the rest of the album that the song was originally on or one with the band's entire discography. And again, use Google to find out all that info. (Just type in something along the lines of "U Can't Touch This 320kbps torrent") Wikipedia should help you out. The audio bit rate should be more than the "standard" 128kbps. I recommend acquiring the 320kbps version of the song, when possible. The torrent itself or the comments under it should tell you of the bit rate, but if it you're not sure, check the properties of the file once you have it.



If you can't use torrents, there are direct downloads of music if you know where to look. If all else fails and you can't get the CD itself, you can try walking around the minefield known as YouTube to get your audio. Make sure the video you get your audio from is at least 480p. And even then, that's hit or miss with YouTube. Buy yourself some audio equipment worth more than $10 so you can tell the difference. Get Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/products/download.html?product=firefox-16.0.1&os=win&lang=en-US) and DownloadHelper (http://www.downloadhelper.net/) if you don't have them already and you choose to use this risky method.

For a more in-depth look at torrenting, check out this guide.
http://i.imgur.com/08jh4.jpg


Summary of this section: Get torrents or direct downloads of anime that don't have subtitles burned into the image and high bit rate audio files. Don't use streaming site footage. Don't use audio extracted from 240p YouTube videos.

Part 2: Preparing Materials For Editing
Stage 1. For the purpose of this guide, I'll assume you're using Sony Vegas Pro 10. (The best incarnation of Vegas, in my opinion.) Windows Movie Maker is not an acceptable editing program. There are several plug-ins you can download for it, but it's really not worth it. Just torrent Vegas or get a freeware program like Wax (www.debugmode.com/wax/download.htm) and read one of the guides on that.

Stage 2. Now, remember that MKV you downloaded earlier? You'll need to get MKVExtractGui (downloads.sourceforge.net/project/mkvextractgui-2/MKVExtractGUI-2.2.2.8.zip?r=http%3A%2F%2Fsourceforge.net%2Fproje cts%2Fmkvextractgui-2%2F&ts=1350355496&use_mirror=iweb) and MP4Box Gui (http://my-mp4box-gui.zymichost.com/download.html). Be sure to read those instructions.
Anyway, you should then open the MKV file in MKV Extract. Press the Input Button
http://i.imgur.com/8d1zZ.png

Stage 3. You can output the file to wherever you want it to be, but I recommend putting it on your desktop. You'll probably only need the video track. Once you're done with that, open that h.264 video track in MP4Box, name it whatever you want to, and mux it into an mp4 file.

http://i.imgur.com/Wwu42.png

Provided you followed the instructions on what kind of audio to get, you won't have to mess around with that.


Summary of this section: MP4Box and MKVExtract are your friends. Don't betray them. There's another method to use if you're working with fussy files, involving conversion programs, but I'll save that info for later.


Part 3: Editing

Stage 1. I'm assuming you already have an idea here, so let's get to working on the AMV. Import your footage, then check your settings. For the purpose of this guide, I'll assume you're working with SD footage, so choose 848x480 for widescreen or 640x480 for fullscreen. Be sure to save the project.

Stage 2. Chop down the episode to the scenes you need, zoom in on the timeline, highlight all of the footage with CRTL + A, do a quick pre-load of as much of the footage as you can with SHIFT + B, and get to work.

Stage 3. Attempt to present your idea in a legible manner and try to keep it short. Make sure your scene transitions are free of orphan frames, which are quick flashes of the shot right before the scene you're using that are unrelated to what's going on in the video. After you're confident in the video being synced as well as possible, save the project and prepare for the final step.


Part 4: Exporting

Stage 1. Do one final check over you video with the pre-loading techinque I mentioned earlier if you haven't already. If everything checks out and you're still using your settings from before, then you're ready for the next stage.

Stage 2. Get the Vegas Script from here (http://www.animemusicvideos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=92426) to fix the resampling issue the program has with footage that causes a faint blending of frames. Once you have it downloaded, put it in your Vegas script folder, rescan the folder with Vegas, select the script and be sure to select everything on the timeline via CRTL + A, then choose "apply to selected events."

Stage 3. Render the video as an uncompressed avi file.

Stage 4. Encode the video to an mp4 file with Zarx264Gui with the settings provided, and you're done.

Guthix
01-29-2013, 08:16 PM
nails in my teeth
the start was insulting [and im not even an editor]
that background music makes me wanna bite off my thumb
also a sugestion, when you say out numbers for resoliution and **** put on a visible caption or something cause i loose the numbers in my head

BakaLyte39K
01-29-2013, 08:20 PM
Ha. Good stuff. Good stuff. A++ would recommend to my grandmother.

N.P.C.C.
01-29-2013, 08:21 PM
Well, that certainly wasn't condescending...

Now the question is who will watch/read this. I would hope a certain two people do here...

mattroks101
01-29-2013, 08:24 PM
No! I'm not watching/reading this guide! You will not make me!

N.P.C.C.
01-29-2013, 08:27 PM
No! I'm not watching/reading this guide! You will not make me!

Didn't i make you watch amv.avi?

thedarkmessenger
01-29-2013, 08:28 PM
I lol'ed at the part right before the Gundam AMV xP

Haar
01-29-2013, 08:54 PM
nails in my teeth
the start was insulting [and im not even an editor]
that background music makes me wanna bite off my thumb
also a sugestion, when you say out numbers for resoliution and **** put on a visible caption or something cause i loose the numbers in my head

It would appear you missed the little chat Mad and I had about this.



Well, that certainly wasn't condescending...
I told him to do it in his (Baccano abirdged) Claire voice, but he thought the voice here was good enough.


Now the question is who will watch/read this. I would hope a certain two people do here...
2? I can think of a lot more than that.

N.P.C.C.
01-29-2013, 08:58 PM
"2 in particular" haar.

VasSerMan7
01-29-2013, 09:39 PM
Here's some helpful tips to handle MKV files.

Download AviSynth (http://sourceforge.net/projects/avisynth2/files/AviSynth_Alpha_Releases/), FFMpegSource2 plugin for avisynth (http://code.google.com/p/ffmpegsource/downloads/detail?name=ffms2-r722.7z&can=2&q=), AVISmaster (http://sourceforge.net/projects/avismaster/files/).

AviSynth should be 2.6.0 to handle 10bit

AVISmaster can generate avs scripts for all video files in a directory, I use this template script

FFVideoSource("%fp%", threads = 1)
#ConvertToRGB24

BilinearResize(640,360)
#BilinearResize(1024,576)

AssumeFPS("ntsc_round_video")
ScriptClip("""subtitle(string(current_frame))""" )

The good thing about FFMpegSource2 is that it can open any video file you can imagine (avi, mov, mkv, ogg), using the template script above you will get constant 29.97 fps footage from any source (even if the source has a variable framerate).

After you have generated avs scripts for your mkvs, you can drag them to VirtualDub, select an interesting piece of footage and save it using a lossless codec (ex. lagarith).

If you're having problems installing FFMpegSource into Avisynth, then just download this (http://www.mediafire.com/?59oa6pqu3a3lhcv) and extract it into AviSynth main directory.

BakaLyte39K
01-29-2013, 09:53 PM
I dunno. Last time I used VirtualDub it generated a 253.8gig file, which was consequentially, exactly how much space I had left on my HDD. Needless to say, it failed to output a file because there was no space left. So that was an hour and half down the drain with nothing to show for it.

VasSerMan7
01-29-2013, 10:09 PM
I dunno. Last time I used VirtualDub it generated a 253.8gig file, which was consequentially, exactly how much space I had left on my HDD. Needless to say, it failed to output a file because there was no space left. So that was an hour and half down the drain with nothing to show for it.

I don't think you need a whole anime episode converted from mkv to avi to be able to make 30 seconds amv. I ususally select interesting parts (400 -1000 frames in length) and save them as a losless avi file that can be opened in any editor (AfterEffects or Vegas)

BakaLyte39K
01-29-2013, 10:25 PM
I don't think you need a whole anime episode converted from mkv to avi to be able to make 30 seconds amv. I ususally select interesting parts (400 -1000 frames in length) and save them as a losless avi file that can be opened in any editor (AfterEffects or Vegas)

It wasn't as though I was shoving in a 25 minute anime episode. I can't remember the exact length, but I think it was a 4 minute gameplay vid.

Shuiia
01-29-2013, 10:29 PM
heh, that was a good laugh.
But honestly are some submissions REALY that bad? Because this guide comes across to me as basic knowledge.
Also a quick question if I may...
instead of making a lossless .avi file and then muxing it into an mp4, can't you just encode/export it as an mp4 file in vegas and save yourself some trouble? Or is it a bit too hard encoded when you do that?
Yes I'm kinda new to this whole thing if it wasn't already painstakingly obvious

Haar
01-29-2013, 10:41 PM
But honestly are some submissions REALY that bad? Because this guide comes across to me as basic knowledge.
Did you watch AMV Paradise? If not. Watch 5 right now so you can see the type of content that gets submitted.


Also a quick question if I may...
instead of making a lossless .avi file and then muxing it into an mp4, can't you just encode/export it as an mp4 file in vegas and save yourself some trouble? Or is it a bit too hard encoded when you do that?

Vegas mp4 = poo poo, given all the screwing around you have to do to get it looking right, and it still gives you a larger file than the method we presented anyway,

jinzo64
01-29-2013, 11:53 PM
I'm to lazy to watch this guide but then I don't have the software that seems to be in the video,i'm also not fan of torrenting i'd rather get the footage of my dvds or if i'm realy desperate youtube.

Haar
01-30-2013, 12:01 AM
I'm to lazy to watch this guide but then I don't have the software that seems to be in the video,
We brought up the freeware program Wax, as well.

i'm also not fan of torrenting i'd rather get the footage of my dvds or if i'm realy desperate youtube.
Why YouTube of all places?

jinzo64
01-30-2013, 12:04 AM
don't know what wax is maybe I should watch the video to find out,but that involves effort on my part.:sweatdrop:

and youtube because most videos are at a good resolution and it's easy.

thedarkmessenger
01-30-2013, 12:47 AM
don't know what wax is maybe I should watch the video to find out,but that involves effort on my part.:sweatdrop:

and youtube because most videos are at a good resolution and it's easy.

I....what? How the hell are youtube videos "good resolution"?

mattroks101
01-30-2013, 01:05 AM
They aren't. Jinzo just doesn't know what he's talking about.

MADEVIL
01-30-2013, 01:49 AM
Well after all the talk and joking about this its nice to see it done, wonder if anybody will learn anything.

Haar
01-30-2013, 01:51 AM
People were supposed to learn something from Matt and I being jackasses?

MADEVIL
01-30-2013, 01:53 AM
Sure, how not to be a youtube/windows movie maker amv child

Guthix
01-30-2013, 08:04 AM
don't know what wax is maybe I should watch the video to find out,but that involves effort on my part.:sweatdrop:

and youtube because most videos are at a good resolution and it's easy.

...
something tells me you ignored my advice on amvs

jinzo64
01-30-2013, 10:45 AM
No guts I didn't ignore it,I just forgot about it.
Sorry about.

http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/526684-bigthumbnail.jpg
wait how did matt find out I don't know what I'm talking about?

Guthix
01-30-2013, 11:19 AM
No guts I didn't ignore it,I just forgot about it.
Sorry about.

http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/526684-bigthumbnail.jpg
wait how did matt find out I don't know what I'm talking about?

anyone who uploads stuff on youtube clearly notices that it looks ****yer then what source you had for upload.
matt made bacano abridged so hes an uploader

jinzo64
01-30-2013, 08:38 PM
I upload videos to youtube as well I guess the quality isn't as good as the origional but it's not to bad.

thedarkmessenger
01-30-2013, 08:53 PM
I upload videos to youtube as well I guess the quality isn't as good as the origional but it's not to bad.

....you're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking D:

Haar
01-30-2013, 08:57 PM
And now, with my incredible powers of bias, we'll compare typical JewTube footage to properly downloaded footage.

http://i.imgur.com/GkYAf.jpg

jinzo64
01-30-2013, 11:25 PM
....you're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking D:

Youtube is a good quality streaming service considering the whole thing is free to use.
it's not the best in the world,But it's still a good service.

Well since harrs trying to rile the semi informed it's a good thing for me I come under the catergory of uninformed.

Haar
01-30-2013, 11:31 PM
But torrents and direct downloads are also free, with the former generally being faster and the latter being just as easy downloading from YouTube.

Guthix
01-30-2013, 11:31 PM
Youtube is a good quality streaming service considering the whole thing is free to use.
it's not the best in the world,But it's still a good service.

Well since harrs trying to rile the semi informed it's a good thing for me I come under the catergory of uninformed.

you just basicaly said being stupid is a good thing

considering with the constant copyright and obscure rules you cant maintain your lists, your videos or your quality.

there are some proper streaming sites better then youtube exept theyre not youtube, thus meaning theyre less popular, thus no one knows about them. like google

Haar
01-30-2013, 11:33 PM
Exactly why I prefer Vimeo, since it actually let's you grab the source video, assuming you're actually going to use that for footage or something.

jinzo64
01-30-2013, 11:47 PM
yes vimeo is also good but it isn't as popular which is a pity because it doesn't suffer from the same stupid inconsistancies that plague youtube.
I tried torrenting I tried downloading a file I think it was 10 gig the programe i was using to download the torrent said this will take 5 days to complete so I decided to give up on that Idea.

Not sure where you can find direct downloads.

yes guts sometimes being stupid is a great thing because more often than not people are willing to give you the time to explain somthing to you again, If you have the commitment,they'll be annoyed but you don't get the line your smart you should know this,Ive already showed you once.Your more likly to get a face palm with fine I'll again but please try to remember this time(3 times is normaly the limit though)

Haar
01-30-2013, 11:49 PM
yes vimeo is also good but it isn't as popular which is a pity because it doesn't suffer from the same stupid inconsistancies that plague youtube.
I tried torrenting I tried downloading a file I think it was 10 gig the programe i was using to download the torrent said this will take 5 days to complete so I decided to give up on that Idea.
It's in the guide. There's a button where you can check off the episodes you need and only the episodes you need.

Not sure where you can find direct downloads.
It's in the guide. We even name sites.


Anyway, our old pal Zarx probably put it best himself about the whole YouTube thing. Or at least, he said it in the most humorous way.
http://i.imgur.com/25VRxBr.png

Shadow66
01-31-2013, 04:22 AM
When I try to use the MP4 box and click mux nothing happens. Did I miss a step or something?

Haar
01-31-2013, 04:24 AM
Did you click the "Save As" button and name the file before Muxing? If not, then do that.

Shadow66
01-31-2013, 04:26 AM
I already did that and still nothing.

Haar
01-31-2013, 04:47 AM
I've never had this problem myself, so I'll have to do some looking around to see if I can find anything out.

thedarkmessenger
01-31-2013, 05:01 AM
I never "save as" with mp4box and yet I've never had any problems muxing :o