Wayout… as in What the..?
UPDATE: Go to The Thinking Blog and vote for Wordout!
Just click the link above and it will take you to the voting page. It’s free and it will really help me out! No registration, no email required, just your vote for Wordout, Entry #33!
Okay folks, it’s T-minus 5 days and counting. I’m talking, of course, about the deadline for entering the RuffPC Laptop Giveaway sponsored by The Thinking Blog and RuffPC. This is driving me nuts, so bear with me for a few minutes… follow my Wayout journey into the abyss and back out again.
I thought I had written a reasonable article on this way back in November. I was still learning how to use SmartLinks and SnapShots to enhance the reader’s experience, and only some of them did what I wanted them to do, but, all in all, it wasn’t a bad read. I had used proper sentences, for the most part, and had some success with the link drillers. I felt pretty good about it, thinking I had used quite alot of what was available to create something unique and fun.
Video Killed The Drilling Star
Then I saw Narendra’s YouTube video over at TechTreak. Man, was I bummed. My first thought was to embed it in my post (just kidding). I realized that to have a chance at this uber-machine, I was gonna have to out-video that video. So my search began.
It led me to Animoto, which provided a good resource for another article as well. You guys saw my first Animoto there, several days ago, in a video I had themed “With A RuffPC I Can Rule The Galaxy“. I thought that graphic of me ruling the galaxy was pretty good. I didn’t draw that, I don’t know who did. I wish I could give them the proper credit for it. The photo just before the ending graphic is a picture of a fountain, taken by my niece, Stesha. (Thanks Stesha!)
I Have No Life
Anyway, I worked on these RuffPC videos for hours on end. I think at one time there were more than 50 of them in my account at Animoto. And through it all, one thing became very clear to me. I want my RuffPC! It’s not that I need to login to Wordout from 3′ under water, or that the sprawling metropolis of Reidsville is going to be subjected to some really strong EMP or other radiation, but, well… you never know, you know?
So with that in mind, I present you with a few of the fruits of my efforts. You’ll recall that I was using a song freely available on the Animoto website before, called “Beautiful Freak”. I have included a couple using that music, and also a few using original material, just to up the ante as best I can. You can click the blue title below each video for a full-screen viewing, or just click the play arrow in the player.
I hope you enjoy…
The Video Parade
Freak
Gets off to a slow start, but picks up a bit at the end.
Okay, here I’m just starting to get the hang of this Animoto machine. I’m starting to think there’s
only so much you can do in 30 seconds when so much control is taken away from you.
.
Final Freak
Snaps right up in your face and grooves the whole way through. Yeah, I said that. “Grooves”
By now I’ve given up on the “can’t do that” concept and just thrown myself into it headfirst. I think I came up with this about 4am or something. Somewhere around 3am I realized that the system could be controlled to some extent, and I was pushing it to see how much control I could get. This one splashes right up in your face and doesn’t disappoint, all the way to the final fade to black. Definitely one for the full screen.
(I especially like the reverse logo.)
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Dog Bark
Heavy Metal beat with the RuffPC logo (not-so)subliminally imposed from the background.
You know, I got to thinking a few days later when I saw Narendra’s face show up on my site… I’ll bet he’s gonna do an Animoto! Wow, what if it’s better than mine? So I decided I had to take this to the next level.
Way back in the 90s my friend Pearson and I were recording some righteous tunes, and I remembered one I had affectionately called “Dog Bark”. I dug it up from the archives and hey, it fits.
.
You Can Run
Slides in with a Progressive beat, more Ruff sublims in the background.
Not to be outdone by myself, I decided another old tune we did would fit in for the “heady” crowd.
A nice little rep called “You Can Run”, with more of Pearson’s screaming guitars.
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You Can Run
Progressive beat without the subliminals, uses a “push” to highlight the views.
By now I’m just fooling around with different techniques. This is one that pushes the pictures right at you.
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Dog Bark
Heavy Metal beat with a “many screens” effect.
I like that “Dog Bark” beat.
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You Can Run End
Not really spectacular, but the ending turned out great.
More fooling around with control of the process. Used a fast pulsating on beat at the end.
Worth watching, just for that.
There’s lots more, but there’s only so much RuffPC you can look at before you just, go, nuts. You want one. You can’t sleep. When you do sleep, you have nightmares about Narendra. That wakes you up. And all you can think about is, I want that laptop! So you go to the computer, pull up the site and what do you see? Narendra! He’s been here! Your shoulders hunch down, your head peers forward, your eyes narrow and your head starts pounding again. Then you smile. He can’t sleep either.
Heh. Hehheh. Hehhehheh.
Hehhehhehhehhehhehhehhehahhahahhahhahhahahhahahhahhahahhaaaaaa……sigh….
I am Jon, and I really want that laptop.
.
well i dont think these videos are so tough to make coz it is just like uploading the images @ http://animoto.com/, selecting the song n submit! just a 123 step 😀 Maybe you have a have a chance 2 WIN! anyways nice post. And thanks for your links too! 🙂
just havin some fun with it! thats the great thing about animoto, it’s so easy!
glad you stopped by!
jon
and congrats on winning the wii!
yeah thanks for your quick reply too 🙂 and this is not only the 1st contest i won! 😀
Iam also the winner of $3000 usd @ ibibo.com
And iam the winner of $2500 usd @ Blogcatalog.com
Winner of T-shrit n ipod @ Guruji.com
well why am mentioning here is we can be friends soon! 😉
I really like the 2nd one “Snaps right up in your face and grooves the whole way through. Yeah, I said that. “Grooves””
Now – SLEEP!
of course you know by now that ilker changed the rules after the contest was over…
Very good videos. Very good approach to winning free stuff of value.