Heh. It's all good.

I've seen some DVDs where the producer spent tons of time and lots of computer time putting together a longish flick (20-30 minutes). And there's no story, no point. You could start watching them anywhere. You can turn them off at any point. After 30 seconds it's kind of repetitive. I distinctly hate that kind of clip/flick/movie because there's no build, no tension, no goal. I suppose there'd be an audience for a "ride" that doesn't really start, doesn't really end, just happens. I think of "L'Etranger" by Camus, or maybe the middle sections of "The Plague" (is that the one? the city devastated by the plague? I'm wondering if I got my books mixed up here). I'd rather read junk novels like "Hunt for Red October" or "A Time to Kill" etc with a distinctive beginning, middle, and end.

So my clips have a story line. And since I don't narrate them verbally, I narrate them in font.

I watch the raw footage while on my trainer (it's a way to analyze what to put in, what not, esp if I'm working on a long term project). My clips are pretty boring in real life. It's when I can get to the good parts (and why they're the good parts) that I enjoy watching the clip.

I know there are folks that turn off the music and I try to use music with lyrics that make sense or make you grin since the lyrics tend to be event-related. I also try and make various emphatic beats and noises coincide with things happening in the clip. Finally I try and select pieces that convey the proper sense of tone/pace. A beginning song, unless it's a huge race, is usually casual, kind of like the opening laps of a crit. Later the songs pick up almost mid-beat, without a very powerful intro. This is how things are in the middle of the race, frantic, not really choreographed, just react, react, react. Finally, only a few songs have made the final cut, with lots of energy, lots of tone changes but without taking away from the frantic energy.

For example I use URT's "I Erase" a lot because one of some of the phrases is "I erase, the image of this...." "Oh inertia, exquisite comfort" "I take these moments and add them up, I'd trade them all for.. perfection, but there is no perfection, there is nothing" - all of these apply when I'm trying to do something beyond my capabilities, like breaking away. URT played its last gig in 2002? My brother is the singer, guitar player, and did a lot of the composing in the songs I chose.

Or in the Red Trolley race, when I move over and get the piece of paper out of the guy's derailleur, I chose Shovel Full of Dirt (Unknown song 17), "yes baby, this is it, my time for you, for me to get through to you" when I move over over to the rider, and "I love you" when I mention that I'm just trying help another rider. SFoD has the same brother, another brother on bass, circa 1987.

But I know that there's no way of turning off the font. So sorry for that.

cdr