Season 9: The Race Review Beta Project

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

As discussed in another thread, we have been pondering the possibility to have race-reviews after each race.

This would be a "Beta" to try and see how we can best facilitate such a project, or even see if the time it takes to make something like this makes it a feasable project.

I have a lot of experience when it comes to production and editing, have also studied animation and Media production at University.
I would consider myself a good resource in such a project.

But as this would consume a lot of time - the help from others is an absolute necessity.
What kind of help can be discussed here.

As Nicolai have suggested, users themselves would post timestamps of "highlights" (passes, crashes etc.) so that the editor/director more easily can jump to those incidents and capture for the review.
A separate thread would be opened for this.

I think that season 9 could be a test season to work out quirks, problems and solutions.
Maybe it will work, maybe not - without trying nothing will come of it

This thread should be used to:

• get some overview of the talent out there (what can you bring to the project?)
• throw ideas around

The hope is to ultimately work out a good framework to make this as efficient as possible.

SCRIPT FOR MISC. COMMENTARIES:

1. "I've hit the cliff, my tires are gone"
2. "I have no grip, no grip at all"
3. "I have massive understeer in turn 4"
4. "Copy that - We will look into it"
5. "Box this lap"
6. "Box Box Box"
7. "Go to the Mode 2 green" (or something similar instructing the driver to adjust the settings..)
8. "Stop the car. Stop stop stop"
9. "That was amazing, really good job" (team boss/race engineer congratulating)
10. "Thanks guys, you're amazing" (same thing vice versa)
11. We're switching to plan B. Plan B.
12. What happened there guys? ( Hamilton style are ruined pit stop)
13. Box to overtake. Box to overtake.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Let's scout the talents first. I got studies in audio production and have worked with video too.. My rig is just too humble to get any videos done but i can help with audio.. I've been thinking of wiring up my studio gear, i could provide soundtracks then..

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Let's scout the talents first.

Great suggestion
Edited the text in original post.

... i can help with audio.. I've been thinking of wiring up my studio gear, i could provide soundtracks then..

Excellent, audio is more than 70% of the production value in my view.
A unique Presto GP score would be amazing.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Too bad there's no time for audio post-production since it requires large file transfers.. But if we are using a template, i might take a look at it and figure some nice semi-automatic mastering chain to get the most oomph with good quality and consistency.

I think highlights should be included in the race report, that'll decrease incident report posts before watching replay...Personally, i don't remember much after the race, three four events maybe and incidents are definitely not my fault, then becomes a flood of sorries. Watching replay really changes the image

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Too bad there's no time for audio post-production since it requires large file transfers.

This could be solved by rendering the video in low resolution and set up a timestamp to sync the audio to video.
All you would have to transfer is the audio to a server i can set up.
Or did you mean that the audio-files would be too large?

But if we are using a template, i might take a look at it and figure some nice semi-automatic mastering chain to get the most oomph with good quality and consistency.

Yes, something like that would make it a lot easier.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

As Nicolai have suggested, users themselves would upload "highlights" (passes, crashes etc.) that the editor can access more easily.

Acctually I meant we could have a thread for it, where everybody after a race are encuraged to post the time stamps of their highlights, e.g.

ts: 1041, lap 11 I made a nice doubble pass on team sweden, elevating me from 8th to 6th position.

Then the video editor could load the server replay and relatively quickly gather those clips he wished with the helps of eg. Fraps.

Another reason for the editor doing the capturing is that he can control stuff like framerate, resolution etc. Lastly the raw clips are enormous, so it would take ages for the average member to capture and upload them somewhere.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Hmm, lo quality video could work. I was thinking this and got so many ideas how to enchance the picture with sfx, like swooshes, lo rumble, dynamic and EQ tricks etc.. I can write some instructions how to apply them but it's way easier if i just do it myself (anyone who has worked in this line of work know exactly what i mean.. Very often heard line in studio, "Why don't you go and make a cup of coffee or something and leave me alone for 5 minutes"...)

EDIT: Yuo, individual vido clips is never going to work, the data is just too huge for it to work. We would all need 100/100mbit connections....

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Acctually I meant we could have a thread for it, where everybody after a race are encuraged to post the time stamps of their highlights

Indeed, that sounds more right,
I have updated the OP.

I was thinking this and got so many ideas how to enchance the picture with sfx, like swooshes, lo rumble, dynamic and EQ tricks etc.. I can write some instructions how to apply them but it's way easier if i just do it myself.

We can make some attempts and see what works and does not work.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Also one thing is to limit the complexity of this all. If it's too complex and timeconsuming, we'll get decreasing quality thru the season. So keep it simple. Timeframe, i presume, will be included in the template and i'm assuming it's in the range of 3-5 minutes max length with intro/outro max 20 sec combined. Individual clips are maybe 10-20 secs, that makes 9-18 clips in a three minute format.

EDIT: I got my editors installed, don't need no special gear for it so i'm up for a test run. Got my C/R tuned a while ago (still not happy about lo end response but it's my problem, never happy about it, need a new driver...) so i should have nice and neutral monitoring. Not nearfields thou, my nearfiled monitor amp gave up a year ago but i haven't got a place to put them on anyway.. again rambling... stop

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

Timeframe, i presume, will be included in the template and i'm assuming it's in the range of 3-5 minutes max length with intro/outro max 20 sec combined. Individual clips are maybe 10-20 secs, that makes 9-18 clips in a three minute format.

Absolutely, the review could as an example have separate segments:

• A short race summary
• Best passes of the race
• The best times posted
• The best fights
• The worst crash

making it as succinct and at the same time as watchable as possible.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Sounds good, that automatically cuts down a lot of work. On the audio department that means FX only between sections. Nice.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

If one need to simplify the process even further one can see the race from the perspective of one, two or possibly 3 drivers (that obviously would change from race to race). The reason why this could become a valid option is that we cannot force everybody to go through their race and list all highlights, it must be done by free will (perhaps a desire to be in the video), and not everybody is going to do this, at least not in the long run But I'll leave it to the artist to decide how he wish to do it, I'm just brainstorming options

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

If one need to simplify the process even further one can see the race from the perspective of one, two or possibly 3 drivers (that obviously would change from race to race)

That is absolutely a very good idea, kinda like:

- This rounds featured drivers

I was also thinking as you mention the fact that probably few people would have the time or wish to post events from their race. In fact it could be more work associated with several posts.

- a couple of posted timestamps - less work.

The challenge would be to find a way to create some prestige associated with this production, it would entice more people to post timestamps for events.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

The challenge would be to find a way to create some prestige associated with this production, it would entice more people to post timestamps for events.

I am thinking that those who have an eventful race would want to list their highlights and later see them included in a race summary.

 

[Victor Ivanov]

Jeez how did my simple question lead to a whole discussion I'm happy that you guys can make this but I'm not happy I can't help with anything You maybe can let me pic the soundtrack for each video

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Here's one idea:

To do this you need the MoTec data from the driver too so maybe just once in a while as a special...

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

I'm happy that you guys can make this but I'm not happy I can't help with anything

Can't help?
You actually got the ball rolling for this whole project - a few words that led us here.
Keep asking questions and throw in some ideas - priceless help.

A creative process needs minds and many of them

Kennett - that is a really good idea, especially for a near perfect quali-lap.
We should try and get some of the supersonic drivers to capture this.

 

[Victor Ivanov]

This video is made one of the drivers in Bulgarian F1. It's cool but he used some FOM protected stuff so I think it's not allowed.

 

[Henrik Jordfald Olsen]

This video is made one of the drivers in Bulgarian F1. It's cool but he used some FOM protected stuff so I think it's not allowed.

I really like the ingame stuff - some cool shots and action that does the racing justice.
Some good cuts and nice pace in general.
In my eyes it is too bad they included "real" footage - could have done without it.

 

[Jonas Lex]

Great project, one thing I'd like to recommend is not trying to concentrate too much on every detail more than on finishing the videos, perfection will come over time I think

I doubt that I will have the time to make longer videos throughout the season but what I can offer in this project to help a bit is answering questions maybe about ingame shots and editing videos, Im using Sony Vegas, thats where I could probably help if something is unclear.