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Information

• Member: VegettoEX
• Title: Mozarto de Kiko
• Premiered: 2001-09-16
• Categories:
  • Character Profile
  • Fun
• Song:
  • Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
• Anime:
  • Kiko-chan's Smile
• Participation:
  • NekoCon FLASH, NekoCon FLASH (2001-10-26)
• Comments: Let it be known that I don't expect ANYONE to have ANY idea what "Kiko-chan's Smile" is. In fact, if I hadn't just happened to accidentally stick around in a video room at Shojoucon, I wouldn't know, either.
  
  Briefly, "Kiko-chan's Smile" is about a (very) young girl who's way too intelligent for her age. Lots of humor (mostly VERY Japanese in nature), references to other shojou, etc.
  
  Other than what appears to be one VHS release in Japan, the only availability of this title is fansubbed. TechnoGirls is the subbing group, so do a search up on them if you're looking to obtain the video (episodes one through four).
  
  So about this music video..
  
  I really went about this video in the opposite direction. Once I saw it, I knew I absolutely HAD to make a music video using it. It was just that cute and funny. Unfortunately, I didn't have a song (usually I have a song, and then come up with an anime to put to it). I decided I'd like to try a classical piece, since most of my work has been with my own personal favorite genre of music (specifically, Jersey punk-rock ^^;;). Time for some culture. After searching around for a while, I was coming up with nothing. It wasn't until I decided to look in the "Classical" folder my roommate from the previous semester had downloaded that I came across "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (translated as "A Little Night Music" by my current roommate), composed by the one and only Mozart. Everyone knows this tune, I guarantee.
  
  It seemed to fit extremely well, so I went with it.
  
  Since the video was fansubbed, I decided to just go ahead and capture ALL footage I could that didn't have any subtitles in it (since I just freakin' HATE it when people have subs in their vids ;_;). From there, I just started working...
  
  The video began back in mid-August, a little bit after Otakon, I suppose. I worked on it for two days. Then I didn't touch it again until about a week ago. Then I didn't touch it again until three days ago. Finished it the previous morning around 2:30 am. Heh. I got stuck around the 50 second mark in my initial run, and just couldn't get around it until this week.
  
  Anyway, I tried a few new techniques in this one. For example, there's a scene where you'll see a blue sky, and then Kiko rises up holding the tied-up cat. In the original footage, the sky is only there for a brief second before Kiko rises up. For timing purposes, I wanted to extend that sky frame. Since the footage was fansubbed on VHS, it looked really gross when staying on that one frame. I ended up exporting that one frame, totally cleaning it up in PhotoShop, plugging it back in, extending that one frame for the duration I needed, and did a gradual cross dissolve into where I wanted it to be. I know, it makes no sense. You probably won't even be able to tell. I think it looks pretty damn good.
  
  Also, I played with a color matte during one scene (you'll notice it, for sure) to show the fact that I wanted it to be what Kiko's thinking in her head as she's sitting there.
  
  Other things to look for:
  
  - In the beginning, I try to use a lot of subtle timing in terms of minor background animation to go with the music.
  
  - Around the 40 second mark, I'm well aware that I use the same shot of a close-up of Kiko's face a couple times. It's also like this in the original footage, and I think it provides a cute look into the way Kiko's mind operates (her just squating there, staring down the cat).
  
  - Around 50 seconds, I go back and forth between timing cuts on the first beat of a measure, and the second beat; going for a sort of "swing" in the timing
  
  - My drama side always kicks in. I have to have a logical order for a video, with a logical ending. She gets up in the morning, and her day progresses, with her ending up jumping towards home, and crashing at the end.
  
  - The title means absolutely nothing, and I'm well aware it makes no sense. It's what popped into my head at 3 am two nights ago, and it made me laugh.
  
  I guess you could say I spent about a week on this video, not counting the month where I just didn't even open up the project file. It's not meant to be a huge project (it's only 1:21 long, for god's sake!). It was a really fun video to make, and I hope it gets a smile out of you, if nothing else. Big project comes next :).
  
  Equipment used:
  - 1st generation VHS copy of "Kiko-chan's Smile" Eps. 1-4
  - HP Pavillion
  - 850 mHz, 128 MB RAM, ATI All-in-Wonder 128
  - Adobe Premiere 5.1, Adobe PhotoShop 5.0, WinAmp
  
  Technical information:
  - Master AVI file encoded Ligos Indeo 5.11 100% quality, 640x480, 44 kHz stereo around
  - MPEG encoded 320x240, 1500 kbps, 192 kbps stereo sound (TMPGEnc)
  
  If you decide to download the video, do me a favor and leave at least a quick little review to let me know what you think ^^. Thanks!