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d_stilgar
09-03-2010, 11:18 PM
I just entered and won a contest where I made a video. I had so much fun that I would like to do it again. Valve is holding a contest (http://www.midnight-riders.com/videocontest/index.html) where you make a music video for the new Midnight Riders song that will be featured in the upcoming L4D1 DLC.

There aren't any rules really, and currently the entries have all been in game footage and stuff stolen from the game intros.

I listened to the song (http://media.steampowered.com/apps/mnr/songs/Save%20Me%20Some%20Sugar%20%28this%20won%27t%20tak e%20long%29.mp3) several times, and then the demo version (http://media.steampowered.com/apps/mnr/songs/save_me_some_sugar_demo.mp3). I came up with a concept that I think is pretty good. Let me run it by you.

I'll be using the demo version as I think it fits the mood of the video better.

The scene opens with an over the shoulder shot of a guy pulling out an mp3 player and picking the Midnight Riders and then Save Me Some Sugar (The song is already playing, but as he puts in an ear bud the volume gets louder). The album logo and song can be seen clearly enough (I hope). The camera pans to the left before he puts the player back in his pocket. A bite wound is clearly visible on his left arm.

The camera cuts and you see the fallen survivor put the mp3 player in his pocket and start walking. He is carrying a golf club. The scenes cut in and out quickly showing the fallen survivor in different places walking and moving. The camera style is a little shaky and the transitions come quickly. I want a lot of film grain and that burned film/film out of alignment look. I want it desaturated and maybe yellow shifted some as if it was overexposed or left out in the sun after being developed.

[Scenes cut between closeups of the survivor and flashbacks]
There's a flashback of the survivor getting home with plastic wrap over his arm. He's greeted by his relieved wife who goes to kiss him, but he prevents her from touching him and shows her the wound. She mourns.

They have dinner with a wall of plastic drop cloth in between them. They touch hands between the plastic. The scene is morose, but the love between the survivor and his wife is obvious and strong.

The fallen survivor is shown at the door. He is insisting on leaving the rifle with his wife. He takes the golf club and the items that we see him carrying in the game (health pack, pills, molotov cocktail). He exits the house. There are boards over the windows. The garden gnome can be seen in the garden as he walks down the steps.
[end fast cuts]

The survivor falls to his knees. He pulls out a dog-eared picture of his wife and stares at it. The camera cuts to his face. Tears are rolling down his cheeks. The camera cuts to a first person perspective. Images of his wife flash across the screen, but each time it flashes back to reality the real world is more yellow (infected view). It cuts back to his eyes and his tears are turning to blood. He has become a zombie.

[end video]

I went out today and got some costume items. It's pretty much done. Here's a cost breakdown.

Shirt, belts, hat, and golf club - $14.50 at goodwill
pants -$17 at walmart
health pack - $10 at walmart
pills - idk. I already had the bottle
6 bottles of root beer - $4.50
Total so far - $46

Here's what the costume looks like so far. I need to weather it.
http://modsandends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/img_2099.jpg

Here's a comparison to the fallen survivor in game.
http://modsandends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/250px-fallensurvivor.png

You can see that the costume is close enough. For the budget I have I'm happy with it. You can see that the fallen survivor in the game has blood coming from his eyes. I'm adding a little back story, which I like. I also like that I'm giving him the golf club since that's what is in The Passing, the campaign in which he appears.

I think that the video would give a really compelling and sad backstory to the fallen survivor and add to the L4D universe in a cool way. Thoughts?

d_stilgar
09-04-2010, 11:09 PM
Hey guys! I need some help with this. I've been talking with my sister (who edited my last video) and she can't help me with this. I still want to do it pretty bad. I can make all the stock footage and edit the song to be shorter if needed. If you want to help send me a PM, as I upload stock footage to my youtube account I'll give you the log in info and you can go in, download it, and edit away.

Let me know if you are interested.

Also, someone give me some feedback already!

Drum Thumper
09-05-2010, 08:55 AM
You seem to be missing the Molotov cocktail...

slaveofconvention
09-05-2010, 10:13 AM
I'm thinking that might have been what the root beer was for...

Drum Thumper
09-05-2010, 11:03 AM
I'm thinking that might have been what the root beer was for...

/facepalm. Didn't read the list, just looked at the picture.

slaveofconvention
09-05-2010, 03:59 PM
Hey, I'm only guessing - the rootbeer might be for the taste - if I recall correctly it tastes so bad it could put a pretty realistic half-undead expression on your face....

BuzzKillington
09-05-2010, 04:06 PM
I have a bullet belt for my shotgun somewhere. I lost it during a move so I'm thinking it may be in my moms storage or something. I'll see if I can find it. If I find it I'll go pop off some rounds and send you the belt with empty cartridges.

That pipe bomb would be easy to recreate with some PVC, silver paint and some string. Maybe soak the string with elmers glue to stiffen it up.

EDIT: I also have a ton of bootbands so you can blouse your boots. I guess you could always just use a rubberband though.

d_stilgar
09-05-2010, 07:29 PM
I have a bullet belt for my shotgun somewhere. I lost it during a move so I'm thinking it may be in my moms storage or something. I'll see if I can find it. If I find it I'll go pop off some rounds and send you the belt with empty cartridges.

That pipe bomb would be easy to recreate with some PVC, silver paint and some string. Maybe soak the string with elmers glue to stiffen it up.

EDIT: I also have a ton of bootbands so you can blouse your boots. I guess you could always just use a rubberband though.

Those would be great! I'm trying to do the filming portion as soon as possible. I have no takers to edit the thing and I have no clue what I'm doing in premier or movie maker or after effects or anything. I really need someone to help with that part.

Mach
09-06-2010, 12:18 AM
I used Sony Vegas to edit the video that I did for my mod. It was pretty easy to get going on it if you want me to show you how. It did take alot of editing time tho.

d_stilgar
09-06-2010, 04:44 PM
I've spent all morning figuring out Adobe Premier Pro. It's actually pretty easy after you figure out what all the buttons do. I should be able to get the effect I want. Maybe I'll do some after effects too, but I'll get a solid video out first. I'm building props and set stuff this week and then filming next saturday morning. This is hard work!

d_stilgar
09-12-2010, 10:56 PM
An update: No pipe bomb was made. I rented a 1080p camera from the media services. I spent all day filming today. It's probably going to turn out somewhere around 70% of what I envision . . . maybe . . . idk.

Buzz, I didn't get the boot bands in time. I'll save them for something else or pass them forward or send them back. Whatever you want.

That said, here are some pictures of props used.
http://modsandends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/img_2110_800x600.jpg

http://modsandends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/img_2111_800x600.jpg