Monday, January 17, 2011

recap video, 2010



Update: I had to replace this video because it contained two glaring errors. The original aspect ratio was also incorrect.

I noticed a duplication and I'm all, "Waaaaaaaat?"  Impossible because of the way the files were handled. Downloaded from blogger one at a time and relabeled to include the numeric sequence and the month, sorted into separate folders for each month. And yet there it was, an obvious duplication. It was a glaring error because it was one of the few things that I didn't actually make, but rather a meal at a nearby restaurant, that although very good was not mine. Not mine. Like a bastard child that one does adore wholeheartedly but still has no business appearing twice. Not just a duplication, that's bad enough, but the errant duplication was taking the spot of a missing photo. Upon investigation I noticed another similar duplication. It had to do with the same number from a different month, and I'm nonplussed about how the files could be so mishandled. How one slid into another is an error most egregious. It must have had to do with keeping open multiple windows. There were also a couple of numeric transpositions 13 and 14 in the wrong places, that sort of thing. 

The rest was learning about iMovie and about compression specifically, and about the whims and foibles of various uploading stations. Photobucket is nearly impossible. When the user does manage to get something up the product is the best of all places. Flickr is much faster and nicer to do but it arbitrarily cut off the video no matter what the compression. YouTube is easiest of all, foolproof actually, which goes far in explaining why so many complete idiots happily abide there. But it is a world unto itself. It does what it will with one's videos, compresses away to suit itself even though the video is already carefully and thoughtfully compressed. These photos have a precise aspect ratio that is unattractive when stretched or compacted one way or another. The first video upload was my favorite but that one had the errors. Nothing I did could bring back those original Youtube dimensions. I did make notes of the compression details as I went along. Apparently YouTube changed its mind between then and then. So screw it. This video is better quality anyway. All this is moot if I would just upload to the site that I own but it occurred to me what will happen when I die? Huh? Everything goes poof, that's what. At least on Photobucket, Flicker, YouTube there's some chance at something resembling immortality, at least the whole site is not yanked the moment the first payment is missed and there's something to be said for that. That disturbing thought causes me to  consider moving everything over and spreading it out so that my electronic footprint on Earth is not so facilely erased. 

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