Ask hbi2k: The Abridger’s Toolkit

Edit: Since making this video, I have switched from Ulead to Sony Vegas, which I find to be much more responsive and stable. It also has much more options, which is both a plus and a minus: more flexibility, but not quite as easy for the beginner. So I often get asked which programs I use to make my videos and other similar technical questions about how to go about making an abridged series, so I thought I’d slap together a little video in which I could address the issue at length. Keep in mind that, while I definitely feel I’ve improved in my editing since the early days of Berserk Abridged, I’m by no means an expert, so if you get contradictory advice from someone who’s actually really good at editing like Kaiser or Masako, it’s probably best to take their word over mine. (-: Also keep in mind of course that this advice is hardly universal: it’s just what works for me, so individual results may vary depending on your degree of technical savvy and what kind of editing rig you’re running. I kind of had to glaze over some of the really technical issues such as interlaced vs. progressive footage which is beyond the purview of a short video like this, so if you want to get really in-depth, I definitely suggest that you check out www.animemusicvideos.org where they have a great how-to section and extensive forums where you can get help with specific questions. If anyone cares to see more of this kind of thing from me, don’t hesitate to drop me a line via PM or in the comments …