COL2007 - it's here!

http://www.michaelminn.net/andros/index.php?has_ballet_become_track_and_field

close to my heart.


Can a community dvd also be a competition? Is another question.

Crux of the matter - Spinning should never be a competition. Hence a "Video competition" is a workable get-around, as long you're still judging the videos, not the skills.

However I think the competition aspects needs to remain in order to get people to enter in the first place...

Fair. A little friendly competiton is a good thing to keep you working, just as long as it stays friendly mind

Id just like to add a little....


BEST THREAD EVER!!!

Can we get back to the internet drama/fighting though?

Shut up Poje, you suck

let's keep a beautiful thing simple.
i really don't have any huge problem with the COL video.
dividing up entries into particular fields will tempt some participants to focus on only one aspect to the detriment of the others - that will make baby jesus cry.

trusting artists with the biggest lattitude to do their thang - i likes that and from my enjoyment of this latest video, it sure works for me.

so much to appreciate, let's just drop the bickering ey? There is definitely disagreement amongst ourselves on what makes a graet video, so let's jsut drop the accusations witchhunts, hey? This video is an amazing thing of beauty, my favourite art on film - such comments do not befit it's discussion.

lastly, i'd like to note that to my understanding the videos were listed on the inside sleeves by video name and not by artist name. I have the artist names tatooed to the inside of my left thigh however I am wearing courdoroy slacks right now and cannot access it unneath all that heavily surfaced cotton.

b

ps, i am lovin all that fire staff in COL 2007

well said bender

wow i read that like twice before i posted it and so many spelling errors.
parts of this discussion make me feel stupid - i realise that all contributors in this thread are passionate about this, and that not agreeing with one another on some points will then turn the passion into sparks... however I am at a loss to understand why internetz land causes us to react to disagreement this way.
there is so much common ground between us all!! like for example meg likes to waer miniskirts. i too like miniskirts, and enjoy the thrill of choosing colours that complement-but-not-quite match the available colours of concentrate staves.

you all obviously have the right to voice disagreement, particularly if it is on something not mentioned here already. you all also have the right to share in depth just why this latest COL vid just makes you wanna rock out with your naughty bits out!!


ps i love this video and will henceforth will name my firstborn 'COL-face the first'*

.






* promises will not be honoured

Ok. I've just watched it round at Oli's and here are my (mildly inebriated) first impressions.

Overall it is the best COL i have seen to date. The videos never drop below ok and range to the bloody good. Music was really nice as were the locations people chose. The DVD looks professional and i really like the chapter selector, a good choice of stills in every case.
Individualy the ones that stood out to me were (in order of appearance):

Zaobab in Africa - Great location and a very cool toy. The shooting was nice as was the edit, and, most importantly (to me) the spinning was interesting and fluid with a nice style to it.

Sandstone Shadow - Again a great location. Bender, i really like your style with staff, ive seen a little before but this is the best ive seen.

Ring of Fire - Some of the film quality left a little to be desired but the spinning was fluid and had plenty of energy. Also, as im a bloke, extra points for being scantily clad and attractive.

Poi story - Really fun video. When it first started i wasnt so keen but i finished the video loving it. The spinning was great, i just would have liked more.

Nosh - Enjoyed this one too. Fun and playfull and had some nice edit points.

MCP - Well Meg, im a little biased cos i always enjoy watching you spin, but you've done a pretty good job, nice one. Particularly liked the edit when you roll across the floor. Not gonna bother commenting on your spinning cos you know you suck.

Burning Match - This made me laugh. Its not the first time ive seen a fire fight type thing but its the one i most enjoyed. The laid on sound effects really did for me.

Ebb and Flow - nice location and some good spinning. Not as tight as some but far more interesting than most.

Fire Grove - I liked it but it was a bit too MTV for my taste. There was obviously some expensive cameras involved and an editor who knew their stuff. There was some pretty good spinning but im afraid i marked it down because it was too slick. Kinda came across as too commercial.

In my own i can only poke holes but the general consensus in the room was encouraging, just wish id bothered to put on a costume.

I would be interested to know how many entries were recieved for COL this year, was it lots and these were the best or do not many people bother submitting but the general standard has improved?

Anyway, im glad i own this, its cool.

So who are you in the video Sandy?

Like Pele, I am not necessarily automatically aware that Performance Name = HoP nick.

M.3.2.

Do you get the name? Recon it might only be people from the UK that will get it.

I'm from the UK and I don't get it.

filmed under the M32 by any chance?

BTW - I judged in this too - and I have specifically not given crits because of this - I don't want people to argue with my crits, cuz I'm not willing to waste my time on it - after all its so subjective, and if theres something I've learned in my 7 years on this board, is its not worth wasting time arguing over subjective experiences when people have vested interests in their own perceptions.

If anyone would like my opinion on their video, then I'm happy to share it privately.

Given the current discussion, I can say this however - I marked up story based videos - because afterall, ITS A VIDEO we are watching - just as if I were comparing performances of different kinds.

I marked on a criteria set I made up myself because I wasn't provided with a set;

Story-telling
Education Value
Elite or Unusual Skills
Production Values

I teach a creative digital video course (and multimedia design etc etc), so I appreciate it when people put a bit of effort into using angles to show what they are doing, and I really like to see some extra thought put into the video by telling a story, getting a feeling of the personality and fun etc etc.

If there were a given set of criteria I would have stuck to them, but there weren't so I used my own values as a guide.

I was very impressed by the DVD, I loved a lot of the videos, and like Flashy it inspired me.

Josh

okay...can you explain M.3.2 to us non-UK-ers please?...and PK

Since Josh put up his criteria, then I'll do the same.

I have a few more that I looked at than Josh, so in no particular order...

Video Quality: light, setting, clarity, cut length (I detracted for quick cuts, I actually want to *see* what you are doing)

Skill: Flow, movement, transition, use of tool (more than waving it around?), repetition, individual style, comfort

Presentation:
clothing/costume (did it represent the people, if more than one, was it cohesive?)
relevance (fire for the sake of more fire or actual prop focus)
cohesiveness (most especially for stories and groups)
"audience" awareness
sync- (for those with choreographies)
Amount of time prop was used (points off for disproportionate time)


I judged these with the same critical eye I would if I were casting for a show or holding auditions.

Wooooo, I got it too last night. Couldn't watch it all, obviously, as it is COL. So these are just the thoughts about the ones I deliberately did watch.

Sandy: Nice job, you look like your having more fun than in the effortless vid. The grey/blue under the motorway long shot is beautiful. I love a good bit of urban beauty. There was a bit of repetition in yer contact thou. Made up for by the fisheye above (almost) shot. I could watch that all week.

Fire Groove: Awesomeness! Good to see more of jade in there! I love it that you guys keep progressing your skills, even thou your rockstar LA fireperformers. Kamala rocking it with the double staffs and the btb poi! Loves the tiny bit of duo double staff in there and the totally lavish MTV look to the entire video. I liked Jade's smile after he caught the fire rope. Not enough of Lester with the monkspade thou.

Zaobab: Well, i think this is the winner. If anybody can beat the 'poi wins col' rule, it's this I think. Shouting made me laugh, but eventually worked. Not much interesting done with the S Staffs, but it was well presented. Fire doubles: Awesome location and well done editing. Really nicely done routine / editing to the drums. Frickin' awesome. Good doubles... a bit like you've spent too much time around Banyan but still, you couldn't get much better inspiration than that guy. The wirewool on the bridge was an inspired idea. The way it falls and has that beautiful oval shape, and the way it alternately goes behind the stone wall of the bridge is beautiful, and yeah, the shouting really works here. Good JOB!

Paulino / Fascsia (sp): You chose: Wisely. The beach, at magic hour, doing fire poi. You are correct, this is how you win col. Location = natural, check. poi, check. fire, check. Using your own music... I can't remember. Yeah I didn't really watch the spinning, but good job on getting the formula right.

Pineapple pete: yay for interlacing! I couldn't stop watching the fact that the video wasn't deinterlaced! I don't know, maybe that dvd player from lidl was a bad idea, maybe it's that new zealand is ntsc... beats me.

Meg: Long shots was too far away. Stupid head. Too many cuts at the beginning. Location was okay, but really all we wanna see is a humongous contact sequence. And them more contact with doubles. Nobody wants dance stupid, and your footwork was awful in the horizontal contact section. The music made me comatose and barely raised to a climax. Nice gloves in the all fire staff bit (wuss) do it with your hands next time fraidy cat.

Oh and meg, increaing the amounts of fire as time goes on is a theme. You might as well call yourself a juggler. Gaylord.

Noel-Ski: Do I detect all the famous fire spinning locations of SF on this video? Exploratorium, nimby, grove... why, only the temple of poi is missing! Triples stuff, wasn't convinced by, saw you do it better at jelly's... or at least, it was more fun there. Greg's poi was a super good choice of angle thou. You could see his face, and kinda see / work out what the poi were doing too. Good effort you guys!

Elias: Good, but dude, too much standing up. Plus I know you can juggle better than that. Sort it out. Filming in the vulcan per chance? And where was the slinky? Other wise, some really interesting transitions in there, a nice routine over all, but not enough variation of speed, height, and such like for my taste. You were just too stiff.

Khan: Same to you, too much standing up. Nice transitions on the hooping, nice ending. Missed the CJ thou, where was it!?!?

Infinitos: your bit looked MUCH better than last year, haven't had time to watch it all yet.

Poi Story: Good story... except for the plot hole, fire spinners never have lighters, not even non-functional ones. Then, just when it was getting like Booya! Shazaaam, check out our duo anti-spinnnnnies! It stopped. More please. Also, nick jumping off that stump, looked pretty scarey. Till he turned out to be a nice friendly poi spirit. And finally, when will the breaking of the text on videos rule end!?!?! will hop disband it? Or will it just get ignored again and again!!?!?! Anyway, good fun video!

Bender: Yay! Good video. But IMO, some of the dance was too fast... I think you should take your time over it more. I mean it all looked good and was controlled I think, but just too fast... Nice location thou. Shame about the lack of Xena the Fire Aerobic Warrior Princess. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Overall: needs more oli / durbs / simian / ucof / garthy in it on the poi front, less backyard spinners, better camera work, but not more light. Light I think was good. Anyone else, I haven't watched yet, so maybe expect a comment. Maybe.

Pyrolific got it, it was filmed underneath the M32 (for non-UKers all motorways in the UK are called Msomething).

I forgot to mention Noel, Greg and Dave last night, really enjoyed that video, especially Dave's fire club spinning and contact staff stuff. It reminded me of spoi (staff and poi that me and Garthy have been playing with this summer). As Meg said the triples stuff was cool but id have liked to have seen more.