This is our final prototype, the idea of is is essentially exploring gaming videos through several forms such as .gifs, image, video caption and place them on Twitter. To specify, using Twitter, how can we collaborate with the gaming community? Essentially how we utilise Twitter  to create a gaming collaboration through usages of different types of highlights and forms in which they may be presented in – e.g. images, gifs, videos, etc.

We started off with one of my sketches, a take on 555’s screenshot of movies and uploading them onto twitter. We did that in game footage and screenshot every moment of the game and upload them onto twitter. Not only was that arduous but it does not capture our main focus of what we wanted, a gaming highlight reel. We moved on to capturing specific moments of the game but that was still not enough as it was more of what I did for the twitter sketch. Eventually we turned to gif files which had the elements of both a video and an image.

We created a hashtag #justGTAThings to collate all the data we had on our feed, like mentions, reposts, replies or people creating their own stuff and posting them up.

This prototype could go on to be part of a larger community. Not just one game specifically, but other games as well and not just on trend like highlights but more in depth stuff like walkthrough gaming videos.

Report link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yBzr5cq8uf8-dlTxOQLql3yIahumJAoeFLT4hXmBiUM/edit

Select a highlight and upload it to Vine or another online service, does it work better as a micro-video than a short Facebook/youtube video?

compared to

For this sketch i’m looking at the same footage on different platforms, this is to see which online platform would best suit our concept and the basis of this sketch was to get an understanding of what would be best suit the type of video we want to put out.

Most of our sketches are made as a gaming montage and a video game montage is a collection of recorded footage from any video game and edited into a video. Generally, video game montages are intended to portray particular skill of a particular game or any accomplishments that could be considered uncommon for average players. Video game montages are a product of user-generated content where fans broadcast their individual experiences of in-game playing to other fans

Overall I think that using YouTube as a means of uploading content is a better choice compared to other sites, as it is within the context of the genre and concept we’re exploring – gaming montage. A Montage in particular tends to revolve around the idea that something specific wishes to be showcased to as many people as possible who find it interesting.

Our idea involves the concept of ‘observation’ – to experiment with footage that we don’t necessarily create but rather manipulate.

• Experimenting with a ‘time-lapse’ style of video, similar to the sketch created by Apple which involves a Vine video taken over a 24 hour period – highlighting certain moments. What if we were to narrow it down even further and focus on a particular area with short shots taken at different times of days. What if we could incorporate this idea within a game time cycle? Such as Grand Theft Auto.

• Most Vines that are centred around ‘observation’ tend to showcase an area or an event – things that aren’t staged/scripted. We could probably relate this to gaming whereby we simply take a 6 second piece of footage and just let it play out – see how it can be interpreted.

• In terms of manipulation – how can we manipulate an observation of an event? What if we were to record something entirely random and place a voice over, e.g. record 2 random couples chatting in the distance and replace the audio with our own voice over – creating an observational Vine but at the same time give it a narrative. Works from YouTuber ‘Sparkles’ tends to use footage from other people and manipulate them into his own videos – showcasing highlights and extraordinary moments. In terms of how we can expand on this is experimenting with how he does it – to what extent can we manipulate found footage to change the context or to even enforce the context of which the video is based upon.

Working from a case study that examined an example of online video practice that Steve and I refer to as a ‘gaming highlight’, which is basically a short clip showcasing a moment during the session that sparks interest. Our group plan to explore how a gaming highlight can be altered when it is produced in different online services and tools such as YouTube, Vine and Twitter to name a few. furthermore we’re looking a bit into how we can expand on this notion of a ‘highlight’, where can this lead into?

How is the narrative or non-narrative structure of a gaming highlight altered when it is produced in varying online services and tools?

Our group through this inquiry are making a contribution to the development of a ‘highlight’ online video practice and gaming videos more broadly on the Web.

Case Study can be found in an earlier blog post here.

<script

Sketch 5 Idea: 

Stop motion/Photos, how can we work with still images to create a 6 second micro-video?

In This video, i was trying to to create a stop motion video, experimenting what i learned  from sketch 3 and try to see if i could have a full narrative within 6 seconds. Stop motion proved to be an effective method however, it takes up too much time and the downfall of it is that the camera cannot move from it’s position, the object in the video moves. For a gaming vine video, i would say this is the best option for  a gaming vine as my group mate have explored, most gaming videos requires a no movement from the camera.

Vines are like games, some vines have a narrative, some do not and the aspect from both sides works well together.

For our sketches, our group has decided to choose vine videos as a format we will work with. Vine videoas are micro videos where the duration is intended for only 6 second view before the video repeats itself on loop.

Given the context of this video in relation to previous definitions of what makes an online video, it would be placed under the genre of a comedic microvideo. Our sketches will be based on the several aspects of what creates a vine video, the comedic element, how it’s structured and especially how long these videos typically are.

Vine Video we’re using as an example.

What Steve and I decided to try and work on is a mixture of a Vine video with the gaming genre, however, because i do not have access to equipment that can fully bring out the potential in a gaming video, Steve will be focusing on sketches involving in-game recording and found footage whereas I will be experimenting with aspects from a Vine video itself – such as duration, style, etc.

1. https://youtu.be/NcHAHZhBCUk
2. https://vine.co/v/OZHAD1tbvBZ

What is this video about: Quick short video and a new take on the selfie. This innovative selfie style by playing around with the phone camera in an attempt to create optical illusions.

• Why I like it: The content is not much it’s basically a selfie, but it’s a really clever way to “edit” scenes even though the video is a uninterrupted shot and you assume you know what’s coming, but anything can happen.

• What I like about it: It breaks up the video without actually editing the video. And it allows viewer to anticipate for the next scene that is coming up I.e.: the next Kardashian sister, the next location the girl is in.

• Duration: So Vine forces you a 6 sec format because it make it easy and so simple to post a video. Just like Twitter forces you to use a 140 characters message. It’s quick and everybody understand how it works ( vs/ why you should use it)
  You don’ t need to choose among filters, length or anything that would make your user experience more complicated.
• Accessibility:  Mobile accessibility as vine has an app and it is allowing people to access these micro video anywhere anytime.

• Why is it suited as an online video rather than for traditional video aka TV: Like I mention above, the duration of the video is not suited for tv.  Content as well, you can’t show a 6 second video of a person doing a selfie as on tv, it cant even pull off as an Ad. It does not explain anything, except where they are and how they look like thats why online platforms like vine, youtube or snapchat is great for these type of content. During last week’s mind mapping my group discussed that online videos have no boundaries only the ones the streaming platform set. Hence, these type of videos are better suited for online.

• Production: All you need is your phone and yourself. No big budget, production crew etc.

• Quality: It’s short and sweet and it goes straight to the point. However it can’t compare to a well produced tutorial video or etc. as production value and skills are nil.

• Audience: Looking at the video, i would say the video is meant for a younger audience. Again, the duration really short and with all tech savvy youngsters like us, we all share videos over text message and if it was too long,we wouldn’t share it.  These micro video have a social component – quick to share and view.

• Style of video: Breaking up scenes with significant visual pauses without having to cut it up.

Focus: Technique of content