Sampler guide fom a while back

CanEHdian · Jan-23-07, 07:42 PM

i dont quite remember who made it but there was a guide on some instructions and advice on how a beginner like me can make a better sampler then just a bunch or random clips strung together with music in the babkground.

this would realy be helpfull now that i have a camera capable of taking video

Swartz · Jan-23-07, 07:48 PM

Well even if you can't have access to this guide rightaway you can always experiment with it yourself. Use your own imagination/creative, that's really the whole point in making them in the first place.

Basic tips though:

1) Repetition: Don't be repetitive, as in showing the same trick a bunch of times and only changing the angle or location. Many are guilty of this, I was in the past, just don't do it. People don't need to see the same thing so much, they get the idea the first time. This may make for a shorter sampler but you don't have to worry about that too much if you have a lot of single moves and combos. Besides, quality is more important than quantity. A lot of my favorite samplers are quite short, between 1-2 minutes.

2) Timing: Time your music with your movements. That's a big part about editing samplers with music. Landing a move on a beat for example. Trying to give a move a sound and apply that to parts of the footage with the music. This is what people do editing videos in movies or music videos or anything. You never just want to lay out clips and slap down a music track on top of it without any thought for timing. I get an inspiration for a sampler from the music first usually. I listen to a song, and imagine seeing the movements while listening to it so when it comes time to make it, I aleady have much of it planned out in my head. Better yet, write it all down so you don't forget. I need to do that more myself, it'd save my original good ideas. Oh and try and spread out your moves a bunch, like don't just put flip after flip after flip or twist twist twist or kick kick kick. Go from flip to kick to twist or whatever, vary it out, make it completely random, but people grow tired if they see a definite pattern forming.

3) Locations/Angles: Vary locations/angles. This makes for a more interesting and fun-to-watch sampler. Have fun with it.

4) Lighting/Effects: Being aware of lighting/angles/etc is important, unless you have a specific creative thought in mind to do otherwise. It's important that whoever is viewing can see you. Generally the camera should be looking the opposite direction as the source of light, so the person performing is lit up best. Obviously this may not always be the case if you have a specific effect in mind, as I stated earlier.

5) Music: Pick what you like and bonus points if you choose a song that hasn't been used. I never find that hard to do myself. I like a lot of songs that I know haven't been used or at the least, very little. Also it helps if you try and pick something that matches the theme/mood of your sampler, otherwise it might feel a little out of place.

There's obviously more you could get into, but those are some of the basics. Mostly just use your own imagination and have fun with it.

CanEHdian · Jan-23-07, 08:31 PM

cool, ive alredy got the timing and origional music down, but i can forsee having trouble with length and origionality, i dont aim to have the sampler done for a long time so that should lead for some time to compile a load of footage and sort through it.

The way i intend to finish off this sampler im going to need about 200 random pictures.

I also remember reading that its good not to just have all tricks in a sampler, such as putting in some activities like snowboarding and stuff.
what do you think.

Jan-23-07, 07:42 PM	#1
CanEHdian Syvoran Pineapple User status: Offline Location: Dartmouth Posts: 264 Age: 22	Sampler guide fom a while back i dont quite remember who made it but there was a guide on some instructions and advice on how a beginner like me can make a better sampler then just a bunch or random clips strung together with music in the babkground. this would realy be helpfull now that i have a camera capable of taking video

Jan-23-07, 07:48 PM	#2
Swartz Member User status: Offline Posts: 101,058 Age: 24	Well even if you can't have access to this guide rightaway you can always experiment with it yourself. Use your own imagination/creative, that's really the whole point in making them in the first place. Basic tips though: 1) Repetition: Don't be repetitive, as in showing the same trick a bunch of times and only changing the angle or location. Many are guilty of this, I was in the past, just don't do it. People don't need to see the same thing so much, they get the idea the first time. This may make for a shorter sampler but you don't have to worry about that too much if you have a lot of single moves and combos. Besides, quality is more important than quantity. A lot of my favorite samplers are quite short, between 1-2 minutes. 2) Timing: Time your music with your movements. That's a big part about editing samplers with music. Landing a move on a beat for example. Trying to give a move a sound and apply that to parts of the footage with the music. This is what people do editing videos in movies or music videos or anything. You never just want to lay out clips and slap down a music track on top of it without any thought for timing. I get an inspiration for a sampler from the music first usually. I listen to a song, and imagine seeing the movements while listening to it so when it comes time to make it, I aleady have much of it planned out in my head. Better yet, write it all down so you don't forget. I need to do that more myself, it'd save my original good ideas. Oh and try and spread out your moves a bunch, like don't just put flip after flip after flip or twist twist twist or kick kick kick. Go from flip to kick to twist or whatever, vary it out, make it completely random, but people grow tired if they see a definite pattern forming. 3) Locations/Angles: Vary locations/angles. This makes for a more interesting and fun-to-watch sampler. Have fun with it. 4) Lighting/Effects: Being aware of lighting/angles/etc is important, unless you have a specific creative thought in mind to do otherwise. It's important that whoever is viewing can see you. Generally the camera should be looking the opposite direction as the source of light, so the person performing is lit up best. Obviously this may not always be the case if you have a specific effect in mind, as I stated earlier. 5) Music: Pick what you like and bonus points if you choose a song that hasn't been used. I never find that hard to do myself. I like a lot of songs that I know haven't been used or at the least, very little. Also it helps if you try and pick something that matches the theme/mood of your sampler, otherwise it might feel a little out of place. There's obviously more you could get into, but those are some of the basics. Mostly just use your own imagination and have fun with it. Last edited by Swartz; Jan-23-07 at 07:56 PM..

Jan-23-07, 08:31 PM	#3
CanEHdian Syvoran Pineapple User status: Offline Location: Dartmouth Posts: 264 Age: 22	cool, ive alredy got the timing and origional music down, but i can forsee having trouble with length and origionality, i dont aim to have the sampler done for a long time so that should lead for some time to compile a load of footage and sort through it. The way i intend to finish off this sampler im going to need about 200 random pictures. I also remember reading that its good not to just have all tricks in a sampler, such as putting in some activities like snowboarding and stuff. what do you think.