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[Eliteslayer]

Hi there, I'm Eliteslayer, and I'll be hosting the panel "Abridging a Series," currently scheduled for Monday at 12:00. I'm sure many of you, if not most of you, watch and enjoy the Abridged Series that can be found all over YouTube. Some of you, like me, might even make Abridged Series of your own.

So, if you're a fan or an abridger, stop by the panel! We'll be discussing what makes a good Abridged Series, what goes into making an Abridged Series, then we'll be abridging the first episode of an anime series that (as far as I'm aware) has yet to be abridged.

What series? Well, you'll have to come and see for yourself. But get your voices warmed up, because we'll be needing audience volunteers to do the characters' voices!

So, I hope to see plenty of you there. If you have any questions, comments, etcetera, then feel free to post away!

[Knightfire]

This actually sounds kinda fun.

[Eliteslayer]

The panel was a success! Or at least as much of a success as it could be, given how I couldn't get my computer hooked up to the projector. I'd like to thank everyone who showed up and volunteered to lend their voices.

The episode is completed, however, I cannot seem to upload it to YouTube. Bandai keeps removing it every time I upload it, before it even finishes processing! I tried uploading it to Veoh as well, but that doesn't seem to be working either. The second time I uploaded it to YouTube, Bandai had it blocked in some countries, but you might be able to watch it.

So here it is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn8DN_Z4mz4
And on Veoh, where it might not work: http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/anime/watch/v1852278369zXfg6M

Okay, try this: http://www.megavideo.com/?v=0TCY3S4C

Once again, thank you everyone for coming!

EDIT: Okay, never mind, it's been totally removed from YouTube. F*** YOU, BANDAI!!! Anyways, I'll try getting it uploaded to Megavideo and post a link if that works.

EDIT AGAIN: Okay, it's on Megavideo now. It's a private video, so you'll have to follow this link if you want to see it: http://www.megavideo.com/?v=0TCY3S4C

[CorellianJones]

Getting volunteers from your panel audience to voice approximately six and a half minutes of dialogue within your allotted time for the room is pretty impressive.

Let us hope that another panel of it's like will be held for 2010. I should think it would be interesting to watch your process in action.

[Eliteslayer]

I intend to host this panel again in 2010, with a new series to abridge (one that won't get taken down by Bandai, with any luck), so look forward to it!

With the last one, the audience was really cooperative, and once everyone had their lines, the recording went real smoothly. Actually, I wish I had those audience volunteers when I'm working with my Ranma Abridged co-writer, that's how smoothly it went. I hope next year will go just as well.

[CorellianJones]

I intend to host this panel again in 2010, with a new series to abridge (one that won't get taken down by Bandai, with any luck), so look forward to it!

So far, I've only had stuff taken down because of the music I chose, not the video material. It's a fairly lousy deal to work on something only to be told that it was removed due to copyright infringement.

With the last one, the audience was really cooperative, and once everyone had their lines, the recording went real smoothly.

I think for the most part when people step up to the mic to perform they will initially get stage fright, but then loosen up when things start going. It also helps when you see others around you also trying to loosen up.

Actually, I wish I had those audience volunteers when I'm working with my Ranma Abridged co-writer, that's how smoothly it went. I hope next year will go just as well.

I'm a bit confused on this point. Are you saying that your audience volunteers helped you write the script on the spot, or that you're saying they were easier to work with because they were able to handle the lines that were given to them?

If the script was written on the spot and the audience read the lines cold, then that is truly impressive. I would ask just how long of a block did Fanimecon give you to do all this?

Writing parodies in general often makes the difference between a poorly done improv and a well orchestrated piece. I'd say that if people had fun with your panel, then it should be a really popular one to go to next year.

[Eliteslayer]

So far, I've only had stuff taken down because of the music I chose, not the video material. It's a fairly lousy deal to work on something only to be told that it was removed due to copyright infringement.

Yeah, but Bandai did own the anime we were abridging, so them's the breaks. Still have it on veoh and megavideo, anyways, and they haven't touched it there.

I'm a bit confused on this point. Are you saying that your audience volunteers helped you write the script on the spot, or that you're saying they were easier to work with because they were able to handle the lines that were given to them?

If the script was written on the spot and the audience read the lines cold, then that is truly impressive. I would ask just how long of a block did Fanimecon give you to do all this?

Writing parodies in general often makes the difference between a poorly done improv and a well orchestrated piece. I'd say that if people had fun with your panel, then it should be a really popular one to go to next year.

Oh, my bad, I should have specified. My co-writer for Ranma Abridged does most of the voices as well, and I often have to have him do multiple takes over and over and over until he says them right. That wasn't a problem this time, everyone was very clear. Plus, they read the lines as they were written, rather than argue about the most pointless of details like aforementioned co-writer.

The audience volunteers did read their lines cold, although they had a bit of time to look over the script before their lines came up. The script I had written ahead of time so I could edit the video accordingly, that way they could record their lines directly over the clips we were using. We had an hour for the panel, same as any other, and it took exactly that much time to do everything.

I'm hoping that it'll be popular next year as well. I had a great time hosting it, and the audience members told me they had a good time as well, so I hope to be able to keep on hosting it in the coming years.

[CorellianJones]

Oh, my bad, I should have specified. My co-writer for Ranma Abridged does most of the voices as well, and I often have to have him do multiple takes over and over and over until he says them right. That wasn't a problem this time, everyone was very clear. Plus, they read the lines as they were written, rather than argue about the most pointless of details like aforementioned co-writer.

Sounds like you have to work out some creative differences with your co-writer. I've been pretty fortunate to write scripts with others that more or less think on the same page with how something should work. When we have people say the lines from the script we have not experienced people arguing about the lines, but occasionally someone will come up with a funnier line than was written. I'll usually go with whatever makes the project funny to an audience. Quite a few of these times the actors would flub a line and go a bit crazy cracking each other up. Here is a link to a blooper reel of one of our parodies, I think you might recognize the anime:

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/animation/watch/v1380054bSWYgmMr

The audience volunteers did read their lines cold, although they had a bit of time to look over the script before their lines came up. The script I had written ahead of time so I could edit the video accordingly, that way they could record their lines directly over the clips we were using. We had an hour for the panel, same as any other, and it took exactly that much time to do everything.

Reading things cold and rehearsing a couple of times before recording is something Sherbert found to be the best way to get a fresh performance. I am amazed though that you were able to record all of your lines within the hour that was given to you. You really did a great job of pulling everything together.