Fan Editor Script File - "Universal Project File"

I’ve been mulling this idea around for a while and thought I should put it out there for comment.

I am thinking about creating a tool to distribute fan edits using script file over a finished video file. You could think of it as a universal project file that could be distributed instead of the complete fan edit video file.

The script file would be a text file that when fed into a tool along with the necessary movie rips, could create the fan edit video file.

There would be no need to distribute the complete final fan edit just the script and any custom video or audio. (Or the script would require multiple sources.)

Both Video and audio would have a number of “filters” that would allow heavy manipulation of frames and audio.

I could create the tool to read the script and source rip and kick out a video file (in the format the user wants) or to serve up frames for some other external encoder).

Advantages:

• scripts do not violate copyright so could be easily distributed
• scripts are tiny so download bandwidth is not an issue
• scripts can be easily editable to combine ideas from multiple edits for a custom personal edit
• fan edits could be done by groups using partial script files that could be combined into a single script file
• fan edits could be saved in the resolution and quality desired by the end user

Possible Options:

• A utility to create a script file from an existing fan edit (by reading each frame and creating the cut list)
• A utility to convert project files to/from popular editors to the script file
• Complete cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• A fan edit player - play fan edits without converting them to final video format first
• Raspberry Pi based fan edit player for TV viewing without the need for pre-conversion.

Technical Details:

Script format could be based on AviSynth, ffmpeg or python

Since different DVDs/BlueRays can have different frame numbers, a feature required would be to search the rip to “visually” find important frames for edits. This would ensure that cuts and manipulations would be based on the correct frame rather than a frame number. (I haven’t some much audio work but something similar would need to be done for audio that is moved around or from other rips)

Tell me what you think?

Unless it’s automated. It’s not very useful.

Also, there’s too many variations to really implement to make it practical.

Its a nice theoretical idea.

deathstar1138 said:

Unless it’s automated. It’s not very useful.

Also, there’s too many variations to really implement to make it practical.

Its a nice theoretical idea.

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to reply. I am looking for input.

I don’t know what do you mean “automated” so let me take a stab at it.

For the end user, the process would look like this:

1. Download the edit script file.
2. Rip the source material (ripping could be built into the scripting tool)
3. Launch the script processing tool, specify the output format requested (or use defaults) and press “Process.”
4. Watch the fan edit

To create the script file, we could either:

• Create a tool that would scan the finished fan edit and create a script for the cut list for example.
  or…
• Convert a project file from one of the editors.

or a combination of both if some of both

Variations…

I’m new here so I don’t know how complex the fan edits get but I have downloaded a few fan edits like one for Prometheus, HP 1 & 2, Rogue One (Rise of the Rebellion) and The Force Awakens. The tool I envision could re-create all of those using a combination of Avisynth and FFMpeg. No tool will Never be THE single answer to all fan edits but for the ones that use only 1-3 source files, I think it could work without being too complex to use.

For me, the edits I listed above are my “official” versions of the movies. I don’t watch the originals anymore so I would like to bring these to as wide an audience as possible.

The thing that I like the most about this idea is the ease of distribution, the option to “tweak” a fan edit without re-creating the entire thing and the possibility for a group of users to turn suggestions into a fan edit with everyone taking on just part of the project. (i.e. Opensourced fan edits)

Am I still way off base here?

Hi richardcgiroux,

IMHO, any initiative that encourages the creativity of fans is a good thing, especially when it can be done in compliance with copyright legislation. So go for it !

But some fan edits are made with more than just a single video file reassembled. You could find, in a fanedit, several audio files from several movies, even scenes from differents movies put together, sometimes new subtitles, scenes that are cropped or resized… all things that your tool will probably not allow to achieve.

So I guess that your tool could create a “simple” fanedit, or a base for further manual work, but not a complex fanedit. Anyway, I will follow your project with interest!