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Post by Dan Melon Man on Jul 8, 2004 19:16:09 GMT
Howzit? I thought I might as well give you a bit of feedback here... I like what you've done - specifically doing something that nobody else has done on the net yet - simple flair videos presented as a how-to. Front page design is pretty clean. Colours, buttons, logos work well. seems pretty accessible at first look. I won't mention the spelling mistake Navigation is consistant - it's pretty clear where to go from where, and what you'll find there. The video pages seem to display pretty well for me. Choosing the videos to play may be a little easier if there was an image to represent each one, (I'm faced with a selection of blank boxes) but the image would have to be some sort of diagram to illustrate the action, so would be tricky to draw. Hm, on Firefox however they all seem to try to go at once. I'm not sure which is worse. I appreciate the effort that's gone into making all those videos, but the lighting, and the angle is pretty unattractive. Even the background is unimpressive. You probably should have dragged in another lamp, and turned up the contrast on the camera. I know how hard it is to get right without a cameraman, but some of the shots could have been a bit closer to the action. One thing that really bugs me is that you're using a flair bottle! One of the common misconceptions is that flairtenders are "using special pourers" or basically empty bottles. Using a fake bottle just exaggerates that. Show these moves with a real bottle with at least some liquid in - that will demonstrate that these tricks can be done without cheating! The text that goes alongside them is great - very neccessary. But why by the gods are you using pictures of text? OMFG - I just looked at the code - that explains a lot. Anyway, there is no chance of search engines indexing you if you keep up with that way of building pages. OTOH, I see good use of the alt tags in other places (the flair index) . Then in the toolbox, it happens again - sort of. Using pictures of text (which doesn't look very beautiful to begin with) then having to explain the missing text (albiet automatically using your design tool) is, well, a bad thing. I dunno if a slow-mo option in the videos would help, or even if it can be done well with media player. I sort of expected to see apersonal page of yours, or a few pages of flair theory rambles and rants. Is something like that coming? Basic how-to rules on practicing, and avoiding hurting yourself? Again, I know what it was like when I filmed myself, but there doesn't seem to be any "flair" in your flair Granted you are just demonstrating an action, but a grin and a wink, and a bit of a bounce would make the videos more attractive. Compare with a few of the professional training vids. OK, this is all a bit technical ... Me Web Guy. Most of the actual moves are great - Finally I see a few of the terms in action, something I always missed out on without any trained workmates around. Are you looking at a glossary page? .dan.
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Post by Gidwick on Jul 9, 2004 17:31:38 GMT
Well Dan, first things first... THANKYOU!!!! at last someone has actually bothered to give me some constructive feedback! A spelling mistake OMG will have to check that one out!!! Site DesignAs for the site as a whole, this webdesign thing is totally new to me, so really i dont think im doing to bad for a first attempt, things will become easier as Im learning all the time! Im doing all the design work with NetObjects Fusion at the moment, I looked at using Dreamweaver and Flash but felt it was all a bit too complex at first glance, I've no previous programming or coding skills so the 'drag n drop' system seemed to be the one for me! ONLINE VIDEOSRight, on the video pages I have taken in everything you have said, the aim is to have all the pages launch form a picture rather than inline in site, I have never liked the way the players have the black blank boxes, and with all the new clips I film I now insert a flair school logo pre-clip! As for all the clips wanting to play at the same time, will have to look into that as they are set to only be played when selected to! The Filming......hmm I know what you are saying, as this site started out as a little self project, all the clips are filmed from a webcam out of my flat they were filmed at all times so the lighting was pretty irratic too! As for the background....Guilty as charged, I blame the decorator!!! You will be pleased to hear, that I have now purchased myself a nice digital camcorder and have spoken to the bar manager where I work to allow me to do some filming there, so hopefully will make the clips a little more authentic! As for the clips themselves, they were filmed low quality for a reason, I was bricking myself of getting a hefty bandwidth bill when I finally got round to hosting the site, but shopping around got myself a nice little package with 15 gig so that now shouldnt be a prob! THE FLAIR BOTTLEThat should be going too, you got to remember that Im still a novice flairer so I do drop a lot, I am only human , but like you say it would look a lot better with a real bottle, and that is something else i will be doing when I film the new clips! In fact it is a lot easier to flair with a glass bottle I find, although they dont bounce so well when they hit the floor! BACK TO DESIGNAs I explained earlier, Im new to this webdesign lark and the text in boxes is just how i created them in netobjects due to some text wrap being displayed when the page is viewed on other computers, doing the text this way seemed to cure the problem! Have I taken the easy way out?? probably, so if you fancy helping me out with any coding and such, it would be appreciated...(note to self: need to learn more coding skills!) As for search engine listings and compatibility, not even studied that part yet? but its on my list to do and learn! ABOUT MEYeah when the page first started, it did have a mini profile about me, but didnt read too well, so I deleted to make way for other pages, maybe it will return! As for my 'Flair' in my flair, You hit the nail on the head again, I do look like im not having fun! THIS WILL BE RECTIFIED!!! Guilty as charged ;D A Practicing tips and moves section is on the way...watch this space! As for the moves and glossary, Im learning all the time and am considering a glossary some time in the future, maybe when ive researched it more! Like yourself, I am almost totally self taught in flair, so that makes learning stuff a little more difficult! but I will get there and hope to pass on what I have learnt to others! If you feel you can help in anyway Dan, get in touch, I'd like to hear more of your criticisms! The only way this is going to succeed is by hearing from people like yourself who tell it like it is! Once again Thanks ..Russ...
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dan
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Post by dan on Jul 9, 2004 18:48:09 GMT
I wrote a really big follow-up but this board ate it because I forget to type my name in. Must be time for sleep. anyway, have you seen lightertricks.com/ ?
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Post by Gidwick on Jul 9, 2004 21:30:28 GMT
I wrote a really big follow-up but this board ate it because I forget to type my name in. Must be time for sleep. anyway, have you seen lightertricks.com/ ? Dan, sorry that you lost your input, if you can be bothered to retype it please do even email it me, really look forward to seeing what you have to say!! Also have you considered registering for the board, its quite simple and then you can be logged in all the time! As for the lighter tricks site, I think iposted it originally of the Webtender, I even contacted Morton who runs the site about using some content and adding a link to my my site, some flash stuff on there! Cheers for now ...Russ...
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Post by Dan the Melon Man on Jul 19, 2004 16:06:28 GMT
Yeah, sorry I didn't repeat myself - it was the wrong end of the night for me to try again. IIRC, the points included... Glad to hear you are thinking of redo-ing the "in my bedroom" shots when you get a chance. I figured they were just a hobby project to begin with... The SIZE and quality of the video is fine - just some cinematographic techniques could help. Getting a cameraman to press record for you will help a lot to begin with! Pictures of text is always a mistake - any package that makes you do it that way is handicapping you in the long run - basically updating the site becomes such an effort in the mid-to-long term. Avoid wherever possible. When I was thinking of doing an animated glossary, I would have added little ratings below them for Difficulty: Easy, hard, insane Bottle level: Full, 1/3, basically empty Impressiveness: Nifty, Wow, OMFG! ... with little icons of broken bottles etc. I reckon that some things that are simple (ice catches) seem to get better reactions, and some things that I find hard (stalls) look pretty ho-hum. ... I think those were the points I wanted to post last time .... ;D
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Post by MrsNET on Aug 4, 2004 18:57:13 GMT
a comment made by Gidwick...
THE FLAIR BOTTLE "That should be going too, you got to remember that Im still a novice flairer so I do drop a lot........."
I can't believe that you consider your level novice I'd say intermediate. I'm a novice/beginner You're pretty good in those clips! However I do agree for a beginer such as me I want to slow down and watch carefully. That's hard to do but I'm sure that's why you included this forum for us to chat about how's and why's Lorelei
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Post by MrsNET on Aug 4, 2004 18:59:37 GMT
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Post by Gidwick on Aug 5, 2004 0:20:29 GMT
Do you know its actually easier to flair with a real bottle than a flair practice bottle, especially for bottle and tin moves, if you have a soft landing base, i.e. mats or a lawn i'd really recommend using a real bottle!
Thanks for your kind words on my 'novice' ranking, maybe I meet be slightly better than that but compare me to some of the competitors who compete in flair comps and i think i drop back into the 'novice' catagory again! But as long as you enjoy your flair and have the motivation to move forward in you learning, then thats all that matters!
Thanks fo your post, the moving text gives us something to look at ;D i wont be deleting it!
Cheers
Russ
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Post by MrsNET on Aug 5, 2004 17:40:53 GMT
I had to modify it I just now figured out that I can do that. I'd like to refer to my favorite Fronline Assembly song now 'Colombian Necktie'(my nickname) "..We rule with technology, Sets the world on fire then you will be free..." www.metropolis-records.com/artists/audio/073-01.mp3 I think this will link you to a sample of the song. A techno-ish rave-ish version not the best but one of the only available online....I love dark industrial and goth music. All this sunshine(Florida) is making me crazy..
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Post by MikeM on Aug 6, 2004 1:06:58 GMT
Sorry, but just have to put in a few words on using a practice bottle instead of real glass. The idea behind a practice bottle is to allow you to learn a move well enough that you shouldn't have to worry about killing yourself with broken glass every time you try it. Once you have a move down, we encourage people to use real glass, as long as they are not trying something crazy and new. As for making a practice bottle a little easier to use for bottle and tin, try sanding down the bottom edge, this will make releases from a tin just that much easier.
Besides, I am sure that Russ will have his own custom bottles at some point in the future, who's sales might even help further development on this great site!
Mike
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Post by Gidwick on Aug 6, 2004 8:57:15 GMT
Cheers for the tip mike, I appreciate a very busy chap like yourself taking time to post on the site, it means a lot!
As you know the flair school practice bottles are on the agenda, just that things are a bit hectic at the moment in my life but hopefully will be sorting them out soon, so thanks for your correspondence!
P.s. Mike, I met Darren (summieone) at the weekend and I have never met anyone whose flair bottles are in such a perfect condition, he nutures them like they are his children! (only joking darren)!
Cheers
Russ
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Post by summieone on Aug 6, 2004 9:10:24 GMT
OK Its true I love my flaircos and I would never consider sanding them, why would you wanna ruin them.
My flaircos are in good condition - cos there is this thing about landing moves that I try and do and not like you Russ - flairing over concrete - doing silly about of flips into tin catch (sometimes miss) or Big Will annoying his dog with a flairco. Yes they are my children I don't care that everyone knows.
My new Skyy bottle is my favourite child and his three brothers form the barstore are currently lost in the postal system.
D
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Post by Gidwick on Aug 6, 2004 9:21:47 GMT
Another familiar face, welcome to my home darren, you dont know how scared I was of picking up one of your bottles and having an 'accident' with it (like me wiping out your bar with my behind back helicoptor attempt ) I shall be posting the pics i took of you and Will flairing in your yard at 5.30am after a night on beverages! Cheers Russ
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Post by summieone on Aug 6, 2004 14:52:49 GMT
sod I forgot about the early morning stuff - I may put the pictures of you falling asleep on the net (I know I got you wasted)- luck you weren't drinking with big mike - he would've had us under the table about three hours before that
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Post by bigwill on Aug 10, 2004 14:47:16 GMT
heh yeah darren was nuts about his bottles i remember picking up his roadhouse one and the look of sheer terror on his face was pricless, i woulda payed to see that, but in all honesty thats about all i remember from the weekend, i dont drink tho, honest.
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