[Kirok]

paulinem, on 08 August 2010 - 09:06 PM, said:

Would that be you, mate? Don't you already have enough on your plate?

It is and I certainly do! But the Enterprise S5 video series belongs to you guys and I'd encourage you to think about producing an voice track for it yourselves. Why not consider making a teaser/trailer with an voice track?

The particular challenge you would have if you went ahead with an audio series which would make it unique amongst audio dramas (and animations come to think of it) would be that you would need to get voice actors who would take the parts of the very well known canon actors! The question you would need to ask yourself would be, "Do I want them to sound exactly like the originals?"

If your answer is yes, you will find it hard to fill every part with equally good caricatures and it would only take one which is slightly off to get the armchair critics saying, "It was a good try but that guy who played Phlox, phloxed it all up!" The fact of the matter is that, no mater how much you tried, you could never equal those original performances.

There is a precedent for not slavishly copying the performances of the original actors in the very successful fan film series Star Trek: Phase II who have fan actors playing the canon parts. Their rationalisation is that they, the actors, are playing the fictional parts, not the original actors playing those parts. James Cawley for example is playing Captain Kirk, he is not playing William Shatner acting as Captain Kirk.

Of course you wouldn't just throw the original performances out the window. You would chose someone with a Mississippi drawl who plays Trip with a playful, casual attitude, just as you would choose a female with a carefully melodious, naturally low register voice who would deliver her lines with measured reserve for T'Pol. The trick is to pick a voice actor who can play Trip and T'Pol rather than someone who can give a realistic copy of Connor Trinneer and Jolene Blalock playing Trip and T'Pol.

If it sounds like I've put some thought into this, you're right. I've considered producing my script for Trek Twelfth Night as an audio drama and if I did, I would be faced with exactly the same dilemma because it features Archer, Reed, Hoshi, etc.

Getting back to the idea of doing a trailer for the S5 video series you needn't be faced with this question since you could have a narrator do your voice track - someone with a gravelly, two-packs-of-fags-a-day voice! And it would give you an idea of what is involved in audio production.

Think about it. I'll help out as required, of course.

Cheers

K

[paulinem]

Kirok, on 10 August 2010 - 04:06 AM, said:

The particular challenge you would have if you went ahead with an audio series which would make it unique amongst audio dramas (and animations come to think of it) would be that you would need to get voice actors who would take the parts of the very well known canon actors! The question you would need to ask yourself would be, "Do I want them to sound exactly like the originals?"

Especially a certain engineer!

In answer to the rest of your post, yes, this is something I would difinately like to consider for the future. A few problems for me would be that I have absolutely no idea how all this would work, the other being I don't have the software, and at the moment I'm a bit reluctant to add anything further onto my laptop due to the issues I've been having lately.

And I guess the other thing we would have to be aware of, and that is the time taken to produce the videos with voice actors. Currently, Allee and I have had a turnaround of 2 weeks, not bad considering we live on opposite sides of the universe, I wonder how much longer it would take to produce with voice, not that I have a problem with that.

If this becomes at all a possibility in the future, Kirok, I'll certainly turn to you for help, thank you so much for offering.

[Kirok]

paulinem, on 10 August 2010 - 09:30 PM, said:

A few problems for me would be that I have absolutely no idea how all this would work, the other being I don't have the software, and at the moment I'm a bit reluctant to add anything further onto my laptop due to the issues I've been having lately.

Just about everybody starts of with a freeware program called Audacity (unless you're an apple fan in which case you might have other options). It is to sound recording and editing what Gimp is to graphics - it does the job and with practice it has a surprising number of tools that can turn out some pretty fancy work. Unlike Gimp it is very simple to pick up if you take it slowly. I won't lie to you, it's like every other creative tool, it needs practice to get really good work out of it, but it is very intuitive and a lot easier to pick up than Gimp (or photoshop, photoimpact, etc).

As software it is pretty safe and stable (even the latest beta, or testing version) but it is like video in that it needs a fair amount of storage space for the temporary files that you use whilst you are working on your audio. When you have got it to a state where you think it is "finished" then you compress it into an mp3 (usually). In that respect I think it is a bit like video editing which takes up a lot of space until it is compressed for the final, output file.

In your case, it might take up storage memory but if you either delete the working files or burn them to a disk after you have created your mp3, it should be manageable.

paulinem, on 10 August 2010 - 09:30 PM, said:

And I guess the other thing we would have to be aware of, and that is the time taken to produce the videos with voice actors. Currently, Allee and I have had a turnaround of 2 weeks, not bad considering we live on opposite sides of the universe, I wonder how much longer it would take to produce with voice, not that I have a problem with that.

Ball-park figures, you are normally looking at a month to create your script and audition, a month to get your voice actors to get all their lines in and at least a month to post-produce/edit the audio into a finished production BUT that is for a block of three 30 minute episodes, (say a quarter of a season). As a toon-show animation you don't have to worry about lip-synching but you might want to vary the pacing of the "slides" to fit the voices... hmmm interesting challenge. Doable, but unique.

Sorry day dreaming again! Bottom line is that, yes, it will definitely take longer than your current schedule but there are things that could speed it up - short-cuts and decisions that could make the job more streamlined.

• How big are your episodes? I make 5x01 - For I Have Chosen the Path Unseen - to be 8:02 + 8:51 + 9:49 = 28:42 BUT that includes intros for part 2 & 3 and outros for parts 1 & 2 that could be deleted
• How big is your cast? 3-6 is manageable, 10+ is a challenge
• You could keep doing your "new" episodes as you are, creating a large fictional, video archive for readers - You could re-do your earlier videos in audio. This would pick up a whole new audience without having to create new fiction, getting the most value out of your "investment"
• You don't need to do every episode. The guys at Hidden Frontier started off some of their series with a fan film video and did the rest of the season as an audio drama. In your case, you could just do either one or two episodes each season with a voice track, maybe the premiere and the season finale
• Even just a trailer with a voice track, of 2-3 minutes, would enhance the series and draw people into "reading" them.

The biggest timesaver, the most efficient way of doing it, though would be to audition for an audio director - an audio editor or engineer who would have the experience to turn lines into a soundscape. If you want to go this way I can set it up for you

paulinem, on 10 August 2010 - 09:30 PM, said:

If this becomes at all a possibility in the future, Kirok, I'll certainly turn to you for help, thank you so much for offering.

I think you guys have done a terrific job and, if you want to take it a step further, it'd be my pleasure to help you!

On a separate note, since you have the script and the graphics, have you thought of turning them into a pdf "photo-novel"?

K

[paulinem]

Okay, I don't have a lot of time, so I'll try and be clear as I can here.

Kirok, on 11 August 2010 - 06:15 AM, said:

Just about everybody starts of with a freeware program called Audacity (unless you're an apple fan in which case you might have other options). It is to sound recording and editing what Gimp is to graphics - it does the job and with practice it has a surprising number of tools that can turn out some pretty fancy work. Unlike Gimp it is very simple to pick up if you take it slowly. I won't lie to you, it's like every other creative tool, it needs practice to get really good work out of it, but it is very intuitive and a lot easier to pick up than Gimp (or photoshop, photoimpact, etc).

As software it is pretty safe and stable (even the latest beta, or testing version) but it is like video in that it needs a fair amount of storage space for the temporary files that you use whilst you are working on your audio. When you have got it to a state where you think it is "finished" then you compress it into an mp3 (usually). In that respect I think it is a bit like video editing which takes up a lot of space until it is compressed for the final, output file.

In your case, it might take up storage memory but if you either delete the working files or burn them to a disk after you have created your mp3, it should be manageable.

My main problem at the moment is my system itself. I have a major problem with my laptop (I think it has something to do with the drives), I'm still waiting for it to be looked at. Also, I already have problems running WMM (which is the software I use for the videos). So until my laptop can be fixed, I'll just have to hold off adding anything new.

Plus, I'm not very good at narrating (If you're a 3 year old, I rock ), but when it comes to narrating these stories, I truely suck! Ask Starshine! I tend to read like I type - fast! So I make no sense!

Kirok, on 11 August 2010 - 06:15 AM, said:

Ball-park figures, you are normally looking at a month to create your script and audition, a month to get your voice actors to get all their lines in and at least a month to post-produce/edit the audio into a finished production BUT that is for a block of three 30 minute episodes, (say a quarter of a season). As a toon-show animation you don't have to worry about lip-synching but you might want to vary the pacing of the "slides" to fit the voices... hmmm interesting challenge. Doable, but unique.

Sorry day dreaming again! Bottom line is that, yes, it will definitely take longer than your current schedule but there are things that could speed it up - short-cuts and decisions that could make the job more streamlined.

• How big are your episodes? I make 5x01 - For I Have Chosen the Path Unseen - to be 8:02 + 8:51 + 9:49 = 28:42 BUT that includes intros for part 2 & 3 and outros for parts 1 & 2 that could be deleted
• How big is your cast? 3-6 is manageable, 10+ is a challenge
• You could keep doing your "new" episodes as you are, creating a large fictional, video archive for readers - You could re-do your earlier videos in audio. This would pick up a whole new audience without having to create new fiction, getting the most value out of your "investment"
• You don't need to do every episode. The guys at Hidden Frontier started off some of their series with a fan film video and did the rest of the season as an audio drama. In your case, you could just do either one or two episodes each season with a voice track, maybe the premiere and the season finale
• Even just a trailer with a voice track, of 2-3 minutes, would enhance the series and draw people into "reading" them.

The biggest timesaver, the most efficient way of doing it, though would be to audition for an audio director - an audio editor or engineer who would have the experience to turn lines into a soundscape. If you want to go this way I can set it up for you

For the most part, the video runs on average 8 to 10 minutes, although lately they have been running a bit longer, and with youtube upping the time limit there's no telling what we can achieve here.

The first couple of episodes are being re-done, we're calling them the Directors Cut, so they're nothing like what is already up on youtube. This is so that they are the same as later episodes, so I wouldn't go by them. Sorry, I know what I want to say here, but it ain't coming out to clearly!

As for what actors are used for each episode, for the most part we stick to the main characters, occassionally we have extras.

I don't think I've covered everything here, I'll read it again tomorrow and see if I have anything more to add or make clearer!

Kirok, on 11 August 2010 - 06:15 AM, said:

I think you guys have done a terrific job and, if you want to take it a step further, it'd be my pleasure to help you!

Aw! Thank you! And it's great to have your help!

Kirok, on 11 August 2010 - 06:15 AM, said:

On a separate note, since you have the script and the graphics, have you thought of turning them into a pdf "photo-novel"?

K

*scratches head* Sorry, K, I have know idea what a photo-novel is!!!

However, I have been thinking... Yes, I know very dangerous. With the launch of the new website we will be including short stories for each episode (the first episode is done - except for the editing, which Allee is so graciously putting herself through right now). What I would love to see happen, is having the books put into audio. My friend, Starshine, is blind and she only has me to read the stories to her, and like I said, I'm hopeless at it. So it would be really good if maybe we could start there! What do you think?

Okay, I better get a move on, I need to leave in about 15 minutes!

Thank again, Kirok!

Have a great day!

[Allee]

Just wanted to add, Pauline and I have a pretty good little system going with the way things are right now. So I definitely think finishing out the remainder of episodes in the manner we've been doing them and including the newer Director's Cuts of the earlier episodes is the first goal to accomplish. Once they are out of the way, any more ambitious ideas for re-releasing those episodes won't seem so difficult, since most of the work will already be done. Lord knows we don't need to give ourselves more work to do on these suckers. It would be really cool to get to the point of using voice actors and it would also lend itself to more in depth dialogue; but I know it would totally bug me if they didn't sound like the real actors. We'll just have to talk the real guys into it. You think they can be bribed with baked goods?

[Bill]

Allee, on 11 August 2010 - 10:45 PM, said:

........You think they can be bribed with baked goods?

If it was only that easy. It would be cool though.

[Kirok]

Allee, on 11 August 2010 - 10:45 PM, said:

Just wanted to add, Pauline and I have a pretty good little system going with the way things are right now. So I definitely think finishing out the remainder of episodes in the manner we've been doing them and including the newer Director's Cuts of the earlier episodes is the first goal to accomplish. Once they are out of the way, any more ambitious ideas for re-releasing those episodes won't seem so difficult, since most of the work will already be done. Lord knows we don't need to give ourselves more work to do on these suckers.

Yup - that was what I was suggesting: complete your new work as you are and re-release earlier episodes as and when you have the desire and ability to do so.

Allee, on 11 August 2010 - 10:45 PM, said:

It would be really cool to get to the point of using voice actors and it would also lend itself to more in depth dialogue; but I know it would totally bug me if they didn't sound like the real actors. We'll just have to talk the real guys into it. You think they can be bribed with baked goods?

I wish you luck, I really do, but if Paramount couldn't get all the original cast to do The Animated Series, I don't hold up much hope of them ever doing an animated ENT series with the original actors. In one respect it might be the best option - actors voices don't show their age, whereas actors looks do! Plus animation is so much more cost-effective.

K

[Kirok]

paulinem, on 11 August 2010 - 05:01 PM, said:

*scratches head* Sorry, K, I have know idea what a photo-novel is!!!

There are very few good examples of what a photo novel (or foto novel) can be like,this was about the best example, an Indonesian translation of (I think) a TV episode.

paulinem, on 11 August 2010 - 05:01 PM, said:

However, I have been thinking... Yes, I know very dangerous. With the launch of the new website we will be including short stories for each episode (the first episode is done - except for the editing, which Allee is so graciously putting herself through right now). What I would love to see happen, is having the books put into audio. My friend, Starshine, is blind and she only has me to read the stories to her, and like I said, I'm hopeless at it. So it would be really good if maybe we could start there! What do you think?

Sure, audio books are a much more do-able proposition, especially if you do them as a narration rather than a full cast audio book as Motherhood was.

K

[paulinem]

Kirok, on 12 August 2010 - 08:02 AM, said:

I wish you luck, I really do, but if Paramount couldn't get all the original cast to do The Animated Series, I don't hold up much hope of them ever doing an animated ENT series with the original actors. In one respect it might be the best option - actors voices don't show their age, whereas actors looks do! Plus animation is so much more cost-effective.

Aw! But we're so much more lovable!

Kirok, on 12 August 2010 - 08:30 AM, said:

There are very few good examples of what a photo novel (or foto novel) can be like,this was about the best example, an Indonesian translation of (I think) a TV episode.

That's a very interesting concept, maybe somewhere down the line.

Kirok, on 12 August 2010 - 08:30 AM, said:

Sure, audio books are a much more do-able proposition, especially if you do them as a narration rather than a full cast audio book as Motherhood was.

K

I really enjoyed listening to this, I heard it last year, but then the link disappeared so I couldn't find out if you had more!

Once the first book has been completed, would you be interested in doing the audio for it? If you don't have time, can you suggest someone who would be interested?

[marika valeris]

gooooooooooo girls!!!

[paulinem]

marika valeris, on 13 August 2010 - 01:02 PM, said:

gooooooooooo girls!!!

Thanks, marika!

[Kirok]

paulinem, on 12 August 2010 - 07:30 PM, said:

I really enjoyed listening to this, I heard it last year, but then the link disappeared so I couldn't find out if you had more!

Once the first book has been completed, would you be interested in doing the audio for it? If you don't have time, can you suggest someone who would be interested?

Thank you:blush:

I'm going to be picking up a new computer tomorrow so I'm going to set up a DIY recording studio with my old one in our spare bedroom, and I've been wanting to practice more narration - An audio book series of fan fiction has been something I've been wanting to do for quite some time. I'd be more than happy to do it!

K

[paulinem]

Kirok, on 13 August 2010 - 08:25 PM, said:

Thank you:blush:

I'm going to be picking up a new computer tomorrow so I'm going to set up a DIY recording studio with my old one in our spare bedroom, and I've been wanting to practice more narration - An audio book series of fan fiction has been something I've been wanting to do for quite some time. I'd be more than happy to do it!

K

Thank You, K!

When I've made all the corrections, and done a final check, I'll send it to you. Would you like me to send it to your email address or pm you here?

[Kirok]

paulinem, on 13 August 2010 - 11:41 PM, said:

Thank You, K!

When I've made all the corrections, and done a final check, I'll send it to you. Would you like me to send it to your email address or pm you here?

Send it as an attachment to an email, that way it doesn't lose any formatting in a PM. Gotta go pick up my new 'puta now! [Gives very un-Klingonlike squeee!]

This thing is so powerful I have to bring it home in a cage!

K

[paulinem]

Kirok, on 14 August 2010 - 08:24 PM, said:

Send it as an attachment to an email, that way it doesn't lose any formatting in a PM. Gotta go pick up my new 'puta now!

Thanks, Kirok. I'll try and have this done by the end of the week.

Kirok, on 14 August 2010 - 08:24 PM, said:

[Gives very un-Klingonlike squeee!]

This thing is so powerful I have to bring it home in a cage!

K

[paulinem]

A little promo vid!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO5X8TGU0Tk"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=BO5X8TGU0Tk[/url]

And here we go! The Directors Cut for episode 1...

This post has been edited by paulinem: 22 August 2010 - 05:25 PM

[paulinem]

Yes! All in one hit!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXiFcqIzAWo"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=BXiFcqIzAWo[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00c9O89pmVM"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=00c9O89pmVM[/url]

Enjoy!

This post has been edited by paulinem: 22 August 2010 - 05:27 PM

[marika valeris]

Pauline,Allee...you did'it!!!!!

marika runs to the website!!

good job, really..Live long and prosper with new views and fans!!!
waitng for the new episode, here!!

This post has been edited by marika valeris: 22 August 2010 - 05:57 PM

[paulinem]

Thanks, marika!

We've put new episodes on hold for the moment so that we can continue to produce the directors cuts for eps 2 and 3, after that then we'll be back with the rest of the season! Be patient! Hopefully it won't be too long!

Ooo! Don't forget to check out the short story! This is something else we're working on as well!

[paulinem]

Okay, here we go!!! The Directors Cut for Episode Two - Totally revamped!!!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9e-e355sb0"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=r9e-e355sb0[/url]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKSrs0af2oo"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=oKSrs0af2oo[/url]

and part 3...


Hopefully this won't auto merge!!!

Anyways, We hope you will enjoy, and the short story isn't far off! *fingers crossed*

Okay, it's auto merged!!! I'll give it a while, then try again!!!

This post has been edited by paulinem: 04 September 2010 - 06:44 PM