Halo 2 Movie Making Help
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:13 pm
Capture Cards- the basic information
A.What Are Capture Cards?
Capture Cards are what captures what you are doing on your xbox. You can record footage from your xbox in a variety of ways.
B. Well how do I hook it up?
There are 2 types of capture cards, internal and external. Internal you install inside your actual computer, external usually has Audio/Video hookups to capture the feed from the Xbox to your computer. The External CC usually hooks up via a USB Port and records to your hard drive.
Well gosh darn golly what are the best editing programs?
For beginners, I suggest using Windows Movie Maker(free) and when that has been mastered using the free software that came with your Capture card. When you have mastered that, the 2 best editing programs by far are Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects. May I give a fair warning though, Adobe After Effects is one of the toughest programs to master. Some of the best movie makers take 2-4 weeks to get it all down. For tips on actually editing your movie, keep reading.
1. Movie Development
The starting point for any video is having a general idea or concept of what you want to do. When you want to do a vid, being original is key. The halo community generally isnt very receptive of vids that have been done a hundred times before, and rightfully so. Try to do something entertaining that no ones done before! Then again look at the amount of war movies in Hollywood. Basically the point is is that if you do have a good idea in a genre thats been done already, run it by a few honest friends for honest critique of it. If the script is exceptional and original then do it! Common sense is key here also, don't bother promoting something only your family would watch.
2. Filming Tips
Camera work can make or break a halo movie no matter how good you think it is. Make sure when you pan, or have running camera shots, that it doesnt shake a lot or look like your trying to make the audience throw up. Always look for the best spots on maps for the best camera angles. It helps to write out cinematography in advance before you film.If you have a skilled Banshee flier you can get aerial shots, just be sure it doesnt have the board thing on your screen. Try to make the angles and shots as tight as possible, the closer it is without missing anything thats supposed to be in the shot, the better its going to look. When filming, try to get your actors and cast in advance, a lot of confusion and assanine people will be avoided. Also if you can write up a script. Dont take any crap from people screwing around in your movie, but dont be overbearing about it. Try to assert yourself as a director but dont be a jerk.
3.Video Editing
One mistake common in many Halo 1 and 2 vids is that well, the editing sucks. To avoid this, I'm compiling a few thoughts pertaining to Video Editing I hope you'll find useful.
Make sure transitions between scenes make sense contextually and camerawise. Common sense is the key to good editing. Don't have "idle time" where nothing happens just to make your video go longer. You'll bore your audience and attract flamers who will bash your vid. Be creative! If you can find ways to make transitions between scenes look cool or have it make more sense to the audience, then do it! A good metaphor for video editing is to treat your vid as a turkey, and editing trimming the fat. Nobody wants fat in real life so why would they want more time on your video?
Video Editing Programs
Several video editing programs work very well, and some come free with what your buying. If you buy a Dazzle product, you get the Pinnacle Studios Software free. Also WinXP users can get Windows Movie Maker free. Adobe Premiere and Sony Vegas are 2 top of the line programs as well if you have the cash to burn.If none of these are options for you, do a google search.
4. Weaponless/No Hud
First, Make sure the gametype is set to an Oddball Variant.
Now, get you're Primary Weapon as a Plasma Pistol (No Secondary).
With your Plasma Pistol in-Hand, Go to wherever the OddBall is located.
Charge-Up you're Plasma Pistol and go towards the ball.
Now run at the ball while you're Pistol is charged, and right when you run over the Ball, Hold (X).
Now, I find it easier to accomplish if you jump right when you pickup the Ball (So that you dont pickup you're weapon you dropped).
Keep in mind that if you run into any weapons laying on the ground, you WILL pick them up. If that happens, you have to do the whole process over again.
So, when you are weaponless, watch you're step.
Cropping/Hudless
To get hudless with this method, just crop it out using a black picture as a title overlay in Pinnacle. In WMM to crop, look here-->http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive19.pl?read=566236.
Action Replay Hudless
To get Action Replay, just go to your local electronics store that sells Xbox items, and buy it. Then go to www.codejunkies.com and go to the Halo 2 section. The HUDless save should be there.
Capture Cards/Pricing
VideoGuys.com
http://www.videoguys.com/vidcap.htm
VideoHelp.com
http://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php
DVR.About.com
http://dvr.about.com/od/capturetvwithac ... ppick1.htm
Other Helpful Moviemaking Tutorials
Lord Gideon's Video Guide
http://halo.bungie.org/misc/lordgideon_video/
C0ld's Movie Starter Guide
http://halo.bungie.org/misc/cvmovies/
Cramesta's WMM Tutorial
http://explodingbarrels.com/videotut.php
Halo2Forum.com's Montage Tutorial
http://www.halo2forum.com/montagetutorial/
Setting up a Dazzle Product:
A.What Are Capture Cards?
Capture Cards are what captures what you are doing on your xbox. You can record footage from your xbox in a variety of ways.
B. Well how do I hook it up?
There are 2 types of capture cards, internal and external. Internal you install inside your actual computer, external usually has Audio/Video hookups to capture the feed from the Xbox to your computer. The External CC usually hooks up via a USB Port and records to your hard drive.
Well gosh darn golly what are the best editing programs?
For beginners, I suggest using Windows Movie Maker(free) and when that has been mastered using the free software that came with your Capture card. When you have mastered that, the 2 best editing programs by far are Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects. May I give a fair warning though, Adobe After Effects is one of the toughest programs to master. Some of the best movie makers take 2-4 weeks to get it all down. For tips on actually editing your movie, keep reading.
1. Movie Development
The starting point for any video is having a general idea or concept of what you want to do. When you want to do a vid, being original is key. The halo community generally isnt very receptive of vids that have been done a hundred times before, and rightfully so. Try to do something entertaining that no ones done before! Then again look at the amount of war movies in Hollywood. Basically the point is is that if you do have a good idea in a genre thats been done already, run it by a few honest friends for honest critique of it. If the script is exceptional and original then do it! Common sense is key here also, don't bother promoting something only your family would watch.
2. Filming Tips
Camera work can make or break a halo movie no matter how good you think it is. Make sure when you pan, or have running camera shots, that it doesnt shake a lot or look like your trying to make the audience throw up. Always look for the best spots on maps for the best camera angles. It helps to write out cinematography in advance before you film.If you have a skilled Banshee flier you can get aerial shots, just be sure it doesnt have the board thing on your screen. Try to make the angles and shots as tight as possible, the closer it is without missing anything thats supposed to be in the shot, the better its going to look. When filming, try to get your actors and cast in advance, a lot of confusion and assanine people will be avoided. Also if you can write up a script. Dont take any crap from people screwing around in your movie, but dont be overbearing about it. Try to assert yourself as a director but dont be a jerk.
3.Video Editing
One mistake common in many Halo 1 and 2 vids is that well, the editing sucks. To avoid this, I'm compiling a few thoughts pertaining to Video Editing I hope you'll find useful.
Make sure transitions between scenes make sense contextually and camerawise. Common sense is the key to good editing. Don't have "idle time" where nothing happens just to make your video go longer. You'll bore your audience and attract flamers who will bash your vid. Be creative! If you can find ways to make transitions between scenes look cool or have it make more sense to the audience, then do it! A good metaphor for video editing is to treat your vid as a turkey, and editing trimming the fat. Nobody wants fat in real life so why would they want more time on your video?
Video Editing Programs
Several video editing programs work very well, and some come free with what your buying. If you buy a Dazzle product, you get the Pinnacle Studios Software free. Also WinXP users can get Windows Movie Maker free. Adobe Premiere and Sony Vegas are 2 top of the line programs as well if you have the cash to burn.If none of these are options for you, do a google search.
4. Weaponless/No Hud
First, Make sure the gametype is set to an Oddball Variant.
Now, get you're Primary Weapon as a Plasma Pistol (No Secondary).
With your Plasma Pistol in-Hand, Go to wherever the OddBall is located.
Charge-Up you're Plasma Pistol and go towards the ball.
Now run at the ball while you're Pistol is charged, and right when you run over the Ball, Hold (X).
Now, I find it easier to accomplish if you jump right when you pickup the Ball (So that you dont pickup you're weapon you dropped).
Keep in mind that if you run into any weapons laying on the ground, you WILL pick them up. If that happens, you have to do the whole process over again.
So, when you are weaponless, watch you're step.
Cropping/Hudless
To get hudless with this method, just crop it out using a black picture as a title overlay in Pinnacle. In WMM to crop, look here-->http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive19.pl?read=566236.
Action Replay Hudless
To get Action Replay, just go to your local electronics store that sells Xbox items, and buy it. Then go to www.codejunkies.com and go to the Halo 2 section. The HUDless save should be there.
Capture Cards/Pricing
VideoGuys.com
http://www.videoguys.com/vidcap.htm
VideoHelp.com
http://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php
DVR.About.com
http://dvr.about.com/od/capturetvwithac ... ppick1.htm
Other Helpful Moviemaking Tutorials
Lord Gideon's Video Guide
http://halo.bungie.org/misc/lordgideon_video/
C0ld's Movie Starter Guide
http://halo.bungie.org/misc/cvmovies/
Cramesta's WMM Tutorial
http://explodingbarrels.com/videotut.php
Halo2Forum.com's Montage Tutorial
http://www.halo2forum.com/montagetutorial/
Setting up a Dazzle Product:
