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adamllis
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Syncing, the interaction or relationship between the onscreen action and the musical track, is one of the most common non-video-based effect used in vids. Sycning that is done well somehow draws the viewer into the movie like nothing else. It is one of the more difficult techniques, but proper syncing can add power to any movie. I am a huge fan of good syncing, and I have tried to discover where its power comes from.
From my observations, I have classified the different types of syncing that appear in gaming movies (and other vids) into four different groups, which I call micro, mini, macro, and mood.
Micro:
This is the most obvious syncing technique to the viewer. Micro syncing would be the use of many very short scenes or clips, each lined up with one beat in the song per clip. So for every beat in a fast part of a song, the editor would have a unique scene or picture displayed from the time the beat begins until right before the next beat sounds. Usually this technique is used to show small pieces of what's to come, since the clips are so short they don't add much to the vid. Often micro syncing leaves the viewer slightly overwhelmed by the flood of visual images and begins to draw the viewer into the vid.
Examples of Micro Syncing:
Insane by Zale: The intro has some nice micro syncing, leaves the viewer wanting more.
CPMA done by VoO by VoO: Around 7:45 is unique idea. He shows the same gib about 5 times from different angels, then leads into a new scene, all with quality micro syncing.
AnnhilatioN by own-age: Very nice, very quick micro syncing throughout.
Mini
This is what most people think about when they hear the word “syncing.” Mini syncing would be syncing an event or multiple events to music in a single scene. In micro syncing, the scene is not shown to its entirety, but in mini syncing the scene is shown completely. When only one event is synced, it’s cool but it’s not that cool. When two or more events are synced, that’s when the magic happens.
Mini syncing leaves the viewer pondering: “how did they make it fit with the music like that? did it really happen perfectly like that?” Often, in order to have the maximum syncing potential, the editor slightly adjusts the speed of the content differently throughout the scene. If it goes too fast or too slow, the flow of the vid can suffer. Mini syncing is what people remember; they can feel it coming when they watch the vid again.
Examples of Mini Syncing:
QHLAN by TheBeast and Jebur: Probably has some of the longest mini syncing scenes ever made, thanks to a fast game (QuakeWorld), fast music (JockJams), and a very creative mind.
Get Quaked by Joka: Some good mini syncing at 2:14 and throughout.
AnnhilatioN by own-age: This vid has the most impressive mini syncing to this day, and a large part of the vid’s power can be attributed to it.
Macro:
This technique is the most subtle of all the syncing techniques, and in some vids, it’s almost subconscious. What I mean is that macro syncing affects the viewer even without his knowledge. Macro syncing requires a dynamic song, one that has long ups and downs in its pace and sound, like a wave. Drum and Base does not usually have this type of flow. Also this syncing is bests with a game that has quick movement. Macro syncing is the interaction between the speed of the music and the speed of the visual image. This syncing takes place inside scenes in two different ways (at least that I have identified).
The first way is the physical movement of the player. When the player suddenly moves quickly through the level (or whatever) and the music suddenly changes pace, then that is macro syncing.
The other kind replaces the movement of the player with the movement of the visual image via mouse sensitivity. A player with a higher sensitivity looks around a lot more than a player with a lower sensitivity. This quick viewing creates a sense of speed that can easily increase the flow of the vid, and if it’s synced to music it is especially intense.
Examples of Macro Syncing:
GZ Done Extreme by some Russian dudes: Starting at 3:00, the music begins to slow done as we see some recams, then suddenly the scene changes and the player fires off a rocket jump script and flies forward just as the music picks back up again. Ahh, so beautiful.
Redemption by Vash: In the second half of the vid, as the color comes in and the game sound comes in (which is awesome), the music is picking up, and after we get game sound, we see a fight in a big room where the player is fighting off multiple enemies and shooting all around him rapidly. Hardcore macro syncing.
Mood:
This type of syncing is similar to macro. It also is not very obvious on the first watch. Mood syncing would be when a scene has some degree of urgency or suspense, and the music also has a thrilling sound to it only at that part of the scene. The event is not one frag and is not expressed through one beat. Doing this with individual scenes is not very difficult, but doing macro syncing inside of a long scene is very impressive and powerful.
Examples of Mood Syncing:
AnnhilatioN by own-age: At the end of the first song when it goes all slowmo-ish, and he brings in scenes that all are very close games, the music fits perfectly because the mood has intensified.
Team Fortress Done Extreme 2 by Twisted: The “Offense” scene has some of the most interesting syncing I have ever seen, and the best mood syncing I have seen. Every important flag steal is complimented by a suspenseful and intense part of the song. Great work there. You have to watch many, many times to get all the syncing.
These four types of syncing are not the only ones. Screen flashing, another common type of syncing, was not covered here since it requires editing the footage, while the four I mentioned can be done simply by timing the footage, which I think is more powerful of an effect. Also, there are plenty of examples that are mixes or variations of the types I mentioned, but I think the four main types are those I pointed out (and named :] ).
Anyway, thanks for reading. Please post your comments on what you think makes syncing so powerful. :)
Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the wings of poesy,
Though the dull brain perplexes and retards
-Keats
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Editing Theory: A Study of Sycning |
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 7:14 AM
Last modified: 5.13.04 @ 1:33 PM |
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bacchus
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Sync'ing is what takes the most time n editing a vid imo (with footage capture). About sync'ing what comes into my mind is a type that is not very different from macro, bu not exactely the same, that is alternating slow motion and real speed with the flow of the music. When the song goes fast, put some real speed footage, and when it slows down, put slow motion scenes. That is the way I sync'ed Dwarftoss (and once it was done I tried to add some micro sync to it). I would add that in that order (micro, mini, macro and mood), the first are the one you notice the most, but the last are the one that can waste a vid the most if they are badly done imo, if you put some fast action when the music slows down, or slow mo when the music gets faster and more intense, it breaks the flow of the vid.
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 11:51 AM |
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spookmineer
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Very good post! It's very hard to capture the different types of syncing in words and you did a good job :)
I didn't even consciously know that there were different types :/ but it all makes sense now.
If possible, analyse other editing/movie related subjects :D
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 1:32 PM |
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oTis
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this was a nice post with good explanations and good examples to follow them. nicely done, good read :p
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 2:36 PM |
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bacchus
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muckyman
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Great post,well written it all makes sense now.
and new terms to remember when editing lol.
:)
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 4:38 PM |
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fei
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zale
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:o my video is up there :D <3
 
Download my 2nd movie: FEAR
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Posted: 5.13.04 @ 8:24 PM |
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Doughboy1er
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Wussie
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good job, nice read, and since i'm starting on a new vid shortly, it's pretty usefull :) In my old video (Wussie: the Movie) i tried to sync a little bit like what was posted here earlyer, just slowing down and speeding up the vid on the music, and I had some nice synching by accident, in the 2nd quarter of my movie (with the Apocalyptica soundtrack) I rush on to BSB on dust2, make a fastaim headshot, and start the replay, and the moment i get shot down is where the music suddenly starts to become a bit tragical, don't know what kind of synching u should call that :)
and just out of curiousity, how would u call the kind of synching where the lyrics of the vid appear in the vid, like in the first few minutes of Last man standing 3 for example?
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 6:51 AM
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junkie
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Nice post, and very true. As the others, I have never really named the synching i've been doing, but nonetheless all of the above mentioned are in my new vid. It should be posted here on the site shortly... Keep a lookout for "the second generation" :)
Again, great post, more of that please :)
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 7:14 AM |
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zappater
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Syncing is nearly a must in movies today. That is what makes the differens if it is good or bad.
A movie without syncing is nearly totally useless and I think it is sad that so many people that makes movies today forget about syncing, now we can just hope this thread made them realise that and start to sync there movie.
Just one question, don't you think Khan vs X2 or Odolinski: Chapter 2 can compete whit Annhilation as the movie that has the best mini syncing?
Well cya in Hell. |
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 10:51 AM |
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OG_PunisheR
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| Thanks for the great post. |
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 2:12 PM |
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oTis
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if we're comparing videos on synching i believe annihilation has it locked down. what wasnt synched here? so much hardcore synch in the intro with more dramatic synch at the end (tourney3 frag for ex). its got it all
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 2:26 PM |
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bacchus
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| zappater wrote: | Syncing is nearly a must in movies today. That is what makes the difference if it is good or bad.
A movie without syncing is nearly totally useless. |
I disagree with you. I agree that syn'ing can bring a lot to a vid, but it is really far from being the only parameter. Best example: lof.RA3.fnu : no editing, no sync'ing, and some people continues thinking it is one of the best if not the best frag movie ever (I don't think so but it is true that it is a good vid).
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 2:36 PM |
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adamllis
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| zappater wrote: |
Just one question, don't you think Khan vs X2 or Odolinski: Chapter 2 can compete whit Annhilation as the movie that has the best mini syncing? |
I'm not very knowledgable on cs movies, but I do recall Odolinski: Chapter 2 had some amazing syncage.
Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the wings of poesy,
Though the dull brain perplexes and retards
-Keats
Fragged by North America
Editing Theory: A Study of Sycning |
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Posted: 5.14.04 @ 5:46 PM |
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[PT] TANIA
![[PT] TANIA](/avatars/useruploaded/[PT] TANIA604164proclamation_avatar.jpg)
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zappater
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Bacchus,I should have expressed myself in a different way maybe, I just think that if you compare a movie that has perfect syncing whit one that hasnt any syncing than the one whit no syncing can just seem like a crappy movie. But then it is just becuse I hate when a movie hasnt the feeling that one that has perfect syncing has, that is that you really feel the frags in the movie.
But then it maybe is just becuse I whatch alot of cs movies and they just suxx whit out syncing, becuse you cant do anything nice in that game these days, well it is nearly impossible to do anything nice in cs.
Just gonna check that vid now.
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Posted: 5.15.04 @ 5:35 PM |
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fei
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bacchus
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| fei wrote: | those ra3 vids that are metal music or classical music with tons of great frags just thrown on top in 1st person are nice for 5min then they are boreing :/
its not the content but how it is shown that matters. |
I kinda agree with you, the frags are sometimes amazing but it looks like it is always the same. Again I will talk about round2: omfg frags, but very long, and nothing particular about editing (just 1rst person view all vid long).
And in ra3 often half of the frags are airshots on ra3map11-overkill...
Alcohol is the answer, but I can't remember the question!
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Posted: 5.16.04 @ 6:09 AM |
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