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Information

• Member: MeriC
• Studio: Temple O' Trunks
• Title: Ready
• Premiered: 2005-09-23
• Categories:
  • Drama
  • Character Profile
  • Serious
  • Sentimental
• Song:
  • The Starting Line Ready
• Anime:
  • Kaleido Star
• Participation:
  • Anime Weekend Atlanta 11, AWA 2005 AMV *MASTERS* CONTEST (2005-09-23)
  • Anime Weekend Atlanta 11, Anime Weekend Atlanta 11 (2005-09-23)
  • Anime USA 2005, Anime USA 2005 (2005-11-18)
• Comments: Ready
  Contest Participation: AWA 11 Masters Contest
  
  This is going to be a very hard description to write, since this video is so darn simple (yes, probably even more simple than the majority of my other AMVs).
  
  IDEA:
  I distinctly remember getting the idea for this video in July 2005. During this time period, Mike (VegettoEX) and I were in the middle of working on our Kare Kano video ("Fake”) for the AWA 11 Pro contest. While this was going on, I had begun watching Kaleido Star via Netflix, and was instantly hooked on the show. I knew I had to find a way to make an AMV to this series… I just had to find a song I liked. Another reason I wanted to make a video using this series was because most of my videos use old source footage that looks like total ASS (DBZ, Kare Kano, Utena, etc.). For the first time ever, I had a chance to really sit down and edit with a nice, new, and gorgeously animated anime.
  
  While doing a cool down at the end of a group class at the gym, some mellow, slow music was playing. Christina Aguillera’s song “Beautiful” played, and while I dislike the song, I thought it would be a nice match with Kaleido Star. I left the gym thinking that I may very well make that idea a reality.
  
  As I drove home from the gym, The Starting Line’s new CD, “Based on a True Story,” played in my car. I eventually hit one of my favorite songs on the CD, “Ready,” and then it hit me; THIS was a song I wanted to use with Kaleido Star. I spent the rest of the drive home listening to the song on repeat, instantly picturing scenes in my head, and with a dopey grin on my face. When I got home, I proceeded to tell Mike “I’m making a Kaleido Star video to The Starting Line!” and he gave me an odd look, and he probably thought I wasn’t going to do it (and if I remember correctly, I believe Mike DID think I wasn’t going to make or finish the video). I started ripping the source footage as we worked on our Pro video, and began editing the video immediately after we finished “Fake.”
  
  At the time that I started this video, I had only seen half of Kaleido Star. ^^; I quickly rushed to rent the other discs, and got caught up with everything when I began working on the video hardcore.
  
  I eventually decided to enter this video in to AWA’s Masters Contest, since it was something I’ve never done before, but wanted to try out since this was the last year this contest was to be held. It did not win (which I fully expected), but I was thrilled that it was played during the Masters finalists block during the con AMV awards.
  
  CONCEPT:
  The concept of this video is so simple (and so predictably Meri-ish) it hurts. It’s about a girl (isn’t it always?) who struggles to make her dream become a reality. In the case of Kaleido Star, Sora’s dream is to join the Kaleido Stage circus in America, and become a star. Of course, in typical shoujo fashion, she’s faced with hardships from the get-go. Eventually, she overcomes her obstacles and fears, and gains acceptance from her peers at Kaleido Stage. That’s more or less the breakdown of the storytelling in this video. Doesn’t get much simpler than that. :D
  
  There was, however, one MASSIVE problem I have with this video, and I’d imagine it’s fairly obvious. Typically, I like to use songs with lyrics that match the anime perfectly. Such is not the case with this video. The song “Ready” is about the The Startling Line dealing with their recent popularity, dealing with a major record label, and coming into their own in such an environment. Obviously, this has nothing to do with Kaleido Star. The first verse of this song was VERY difficult to work with, since it explicitly states in the lyrics:
  
  “I've been waiting for good news
  Words to continue singing these ones
  To the same demographic
  Be it not perfect
  Let it be heard by those taking an interest
  Not for the critics holding their ears”
  
  Here, Kenny is blatantly singing about his job as a singer, what it means to be in a band, and what it means to have a fan-base of primarily shallow teenage girls. There was simply no way of getting around these lyrics. The only thing I could do, something I really HATE to do in my AMVs, was ignore the lyrics. I tried to loosely tie in some scenes to the lyrics (ie, showing an empty audience with the lyric “to the same demographic, be it not perfect). Other than that, this first verse is fairly loose, and is my least favorite part of this video. On the flip side, I love the section directly before the first verse, the section with Sora on the airplane, arriving at Kaleido Stage, and seeing that she’s outclassed immediately.
  
  After the first verse sets up the theme of feelings of failure, the second verse (with the help of better lyric synching) shows Sora in the actual ACT of failing (ie, messing up while training, being shunned by others). I think from this point on, the video is fairly strong, and I don’t cringe while watching it (as I do with the first verse). On the lyrics “gonna get ready, gonna get ready,” I tried to use scenes of Sora building up courage to do better and that she was becoming more “ready” to perform and succeed.
  
  The chorus shows Sora practicing more and more, and gaining confidence. In this section, she’s still in her training garb. After the brief instrumental part, the second round of the chorus begins, and I have Sora shown in her wide variety of performance costumes. This hopefully shows that she has now overcome her challenges, and has been accepted into Kaleido Star fully.
  
  At the end, we see her surrounded happily by her peers who now accept her.
  
  We then see her about to attempt the “Legendary Great Maneuver” in her super-sexy costume. Rather than actually show the trick in the video, I decided to end the video with a teaser with Sora simply reaching out to grab the trapeze. This was actually one of the FIRST scenes I knew I wanted to include in the video. I guess you could say I had the end of the video planned out from the get-go. :D
  
  MAKING THE VIDEO:
  This video was relatively easy to make. The timeline was edited in Adobe Premiere, lip flaps were covered up using Photoshop, and the section near the end was done in After Effects. Originally, I wanted this video to have a LOT more effects, however, like many of my other video ideas this year, I opted to tone things down due to time constraints and my lack of knowledge in the use of effects.
  
  LYRICS:
  I've been waiting for good news
  Words to continue singing these ones
  To the same demographic
  Be it not perfect
  Let it be heard by those taking an interest
  Not for the critics holding their ears
  
  Gonna get ready
  Gonna get ready
  
  I've been waiting for answers
  Dancing in circles, making me sick
  I've been chained like a tiger
  To hundreds of liars all holding hands
  
  Gonna get ready
  Gonna get ready
  
  Now I'm calling all the time
  All I wanted was a little bit
  Of time for me to try, try to get up
  I'm gonna get up
  All they wanted was a little bit of time for me
  To clear my head, to clear my head
  [x3]
  
  Gotta clear it up
  I'm calling all the time
  All I wanted was a little bit
  Of time for me to try, try to get up
  I'm gonna get up
  All they wanted was a little bit of time for me
  To clear my head, to clear my head
  
  CONCLUSION:
  Despite the simplicity of this video, I really do like watching it (which is odd, since I typically dislike watching my own videos after I make them). The first verse is a bit weak, but I think the video works out pretty well after that point. I hope you enjoy it, and maybe this’ll get more people to watch the amazing series Kaleido Star. :D