I just got finished doing my first review today (still unedited though) and I had a fun time doing it. Felt different then just popping the ole dvd in and watching until I finished. I find that it helps me discover more of what I am interested in sexually.
Anyway, I was wondering what your processes are when you review a DVD/video? Do you do it scene by scene the first time you watch it? Do you screen the movie first and then go back? Are you watching the movie to review it, or for enjoyment and the reviewing just goes along with it?
I did my review of Flesh Hunter over the course of 3-4 days, doing only 1 to 2 scenes a day so I wouldn't get burnt out. In theory this sounds good, but in practice it seems a bit too much.
I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions, ZC
I watch each film I review in entirety the first time, jotting down notes while I watch it. Then I try, unless the title is horrible, to watch it a second time, pick up on anything I missed, jot down more notes and write down time codes of what I think would make good screen shots. Then I write the actual review based on the notes that I wrote during the viewings and anything else that might pop into my head during the writing process. Then I edit down the review to make it read better, combine portions that are too similar to be written seperately. This process usually reduces the size of my review by 1/3, so for those of you who think I write too much now, you should see some in their original form. Then I go through the review, figure out how many screen shot will fit with the text and go through the screen shots that I captured and figure out which ones I'm going to use for the review and rename them so the file names are successive. This whole process can take from a portion of a day to over a week for each review I write. I also am commonly working on more than one review at a time.
Since my reviews mostly focus on the film as a whole and very little on the actual scenes themselves, my process may be very different from other reviewers who focus more on each scene.
As for why I'm watching the film, it is for enjoyment. When writing reviews you should always do it for fun. Writing reviews will change how you view your adult films though, I find that I am far more critical now of what I am watching than how I was when I first started. Reviewing has also allowed me to see films that I never would have picked out before I started reviewing and has allowed me to expand my adult viewing scope.
Flash ------------- [ invalid url ]
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DenverDon Benevolent
Firmly Embedded in Depravity 5914 Posts 7/02
Posted - Mar 6 2003 : 12:48PM
zcandel,
On the few I've written, I would watch the entire DVD first, not making any attempt to write anything down. Sort of an overview.
Then I try to pull up any information I can find for the performers, sit down with pad and pen, go through it a second time making notes with an idea of what I would like to say about each scene. (I already have an overall concept of the DVD from the 'overview')
Then I sit at the computer and begin typing. If I have a 'question' about something I wrote in my notes, I would pop the DVD back in the player and take a look at the particular scene again.
One of the more frustrating things in writing them, was performer identifications when the studio doesn't identify in each scene, or provide the information in the chapter selection. Especially frustrating was all the aka's that some of the performers have, and I've gotten a wrong from what the studio put on, and the name the female performer normally is known by.
And yes, writing reviews will change how you view adult films.
I can write more about my process a bit later. (Pressed for time now), but I do want to say that I'm a much more particular viewer now than I was before I started reviewing. Reviewing has helped me better define what I like, and helped me to avoid what I don't like. Oddly, this results in me viewing less porn overall, but what I do get is generally much more in line with what I want to see. Whereas before it was a much more hit or miss proposition.
In addition, I've discovered fantastic new and old porn that I never would have discovered if it hadn't been for my involvment here and my personal explorations of myself through my reviews. I've been watching porn for 13 years, but I've never been able to rent and buy with REAL confidence until I started talking about it with others openly.
I'll write more about my review process (which is evolving as well), if anyone's interested, later.
Welcome to the forum! It's always nice to have another participant and reviewer!
Mike L.
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shameless Deactivated User
Moscow 1313 Posts 1/03
Posted - Mar 6 2003 : 1:24PM
I have not published reviews yet, but I plan as well. I would like to tell you how some of our Russian films look and share my thoughts on some euro- and US-porn films.
I started already writing a few reviews, but have not finished them. First film is Russian amateur fakeed rape film, very hard; and I am not sure to post it at all. (I was very shocked, too!). I also started two Private films, but they are quite old (1999 or so) and Un-natural Sex #8 and Sweet Cheeks #1, but both of it have better reviews like I can write.
One big problem for me is limited english language. It makes difficult to express what I think about scene often.
Up to now, I only picket 1 or 2 scenes I liked and took notes on paper. Later I wrote them in computer. And than I checked some words in english-russian dixionary. I very seldom watch all one film in one piece, so with reviews I will also not do that. All proces takes about 2 weeks, I think. But if I work hard than at end I will have 3-5 reviews ready.
Flash, I like to include screenshots as well, but dont know how to do that. Can you explain it to me? I do need special computer programm for it? Yes or No? Thank you for help!
The more reviews a title has the better in my opinion.I don't use anything very special. You'll need a DVD-ROM drive on your computer so that you can capture the images. You'll need to use a DVD viewer that allows you to take screen shots, I use Power DVD, which was recommended to me and I found that I like alot. And then you'll need an image viewer to modify the image (Add the copyright info and reduce the image size if you want). For that I use Photo Impression 4. I will warn you though, the screen shot process is a long one.
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DenverDon Benevolent
Firmly Embedded in Depravity 5914 Posts 7/02
Posted - Mar 6 2003 : 1:32PM
It is not about better reviews or worse reviews. It is about how you rate the movie, and why. What did you like about it, and what you didn't like.
Readers of reviews will learn to make their own ajustments, and it is easier to make the adjustments if the reviewers explain what and why they liked/disliked the movie.
1) How do you take the screenshots? I take it to do this you are viewing the DVD on your PC? I love the reviews with screenshots, it really drives home the words. (EDITED: While writing my response other responses came in answering this question. No need to go further.)
2) I agree that I will become more picky with my porn. But I like that. I like that a lot!
3) How long did you guys find that it took you to "find your element" or "find your style" before you really hit your groove? Also, did you start posting your reviews unpolished, or did you wait awhile, privately refining and honing your skills before sharing them with the public?
4) Shameless, I think you are the one in Russia? I would say don't worry about your "lack of english skills" at all. I would say use it to your advantage to make your reviews unique and different! I've read a bunch of your posts and I don't find your english to detract from what you are saying at all.
Please don't worry about your english at all. You communicate just fine, and we'd welcome your perspective in review format!
Like Flash said, the screenshot process is a bit involved. I think that Drew has created a way to upload screenshots that is a bit more simplified than either I or Flash do, but I've never used it myself... I think AstroKnight uses this interface, but there's still a bit of work, and a bit of computer equipment involved in order to get the image in the first place. Anyway, I'm sure someone else will be able to fill in the details of Drew's setup...
Mike L.
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DenverDon Benevolent
Firmly Embedded in Depravity 5914 Posts 7/02
Posted - Mar 6 2003 : 1:47PM
Shameless,
repeating what MLyons said, don't worry about your English, you communicate just fine.
zcandel,
I didn't submit the measly numbers of reviews I have done unpolished. I wrote, sat on them, pondered them, revised them, and then submitted them.
Not sure I 'have hit my stride' yet, but if I get back to them I think I'm close.
I think that these links will answer that question for you. My first review (don't laugh at it) and my most recent review. Through writing reviews you'll learn what works for you and what doesn't. I did edit my first reviews before submitting them and the editing process was much longer than it is now, but I didn't hone them in private. My skills are still improving as I continue writing them. That just comes naturally through practice. If you write about what you look for, the process will be much easier for you than to write about aspects that don't interest you. Every reviewer has their own style and that is one of the things that makes this site such a valuble resource.
And shameless, don't worry about your English, I have lived here my whole life and my English isn't perfect, in fact, it's far from it.
I normally write most of the review while watching the movie. I try to do it all in one sitting so my mind can completely focus on that movie rather than spreading it over a few days. This is especially true for features, but gonzo movies I sometimes spread over a day or two. I tried watching some a second time, but rarely got much more out of it than from the first time. After writing it I give it a quick proofreading, and if something about it really bugs me I have a friend proofread it.
I review for the enjoyment of it, and use it to broaden my views as well as figure out what I like and why I like it better. I enjoy reviewing to the point that every movie I finish I review.
Screenshots - I use PowerDVD, add copyright text with IrFan, compress it with ACDSee, upload it with WSFTP, and finally run it through Drew's newfangled gallery program to add captions and to try and make it where people have to visit ADVDT to see the screencaptures rather than just linking to it everywhere. I figure screenshots add about a half hour to every review.
I normally watch a movie partially before reviewing it. I like to write the review as I watch each scene. For me doing this is such fun especially when it's a great title-- Like Feeding Frenzy 2!!!! Even doing the bad reviews which I have had a few hopefully will help someone out who otherwise might have bought such a title-- See New Machine dvd,lol. Welcum to the forum and don't be shy about doing reviews!!! BTW a gonzo title is much easier for me to review than a feature, no messy plot to worry about,lol.
When I watch to review I am in review mode versus when I watch to enjoy. They are completly different mindsets for me.
I usually watch straight thru and makes notes to myself as I watch. Then I take me notes to Front Page and form them from there into a semi intelligible format.
My process is slightly different depending on whether I'm writing a regular review (just me) or a he said / she said review (where my wife's comments are incorporated). If it's just me, I tend to watch the movie as I review it. I will usually load up my review template (which I created a while ago and refine as necessary) and start filling in the basic information such as director, cast list, etc. I then write the preface and the introduction, usually before I watch the movie (but not always). Assuming there's nothing audio/visually spectacular about the movie, I then play the movie in a window on the computer as I write about it in another window--pausing fequently to flesh out "The Girls" and "The Gist" sections. If I think a movie really demands special attention in terms of how you experience it (such as an Andrew Blake title might) I would watch it all the way through on my full home theater system before sitting down to review it. Unless the movie is a shortish gonzo title, I usually watch/review it in more than one sitting, especially if it's an especially good one that requires the occasional refractory period. :) Once I finish watching it, I then go through and write the wrap up parts of the review (Production Quality, DVD Quality, Overall etc.). Then I do fact checking--making sure I've got cast members right (sometimes this requires consultation with the experts like Sbando Boy's website, Speelie, or Walter Burns), and if I mention any related movies or star cross referencing I make sure I'm not just pulling the information out of my ass.
After that is all done, the last thing I do is go through the movie once more and use PowerDVD 4.0 XP to get the vid-caps. Once those are selected, I bring them to photoshop 5.5 and add copyright info and captions, then shrink them a tad, and save them as JPGs. I use SmartFTP to upload them to my ADT webspace, and I add the links necessary in the review.
Once that's done, I spell check the review, read it through quickly to make sure I don't have any glaring grammer problems, then I fire up ADT and copy/paste the review into the review submission page. I make sure all the formatting looks right in the preview, rate it, and send it off.
I've also been known to make small corrections to reviews after they are initially posted--mostly just grammer things, but sometimes I've caught myself with a bad fact about the movie.
If my wife and I are doing a he said /she said review, the process is pretty much exactly the same except that we watch the movie together, and usually pause after each scene to discuss it and take notes. This can be a very interesting process. After it's watched, I'll take our notes and do exactly what I just described when I review a movie by myself, except that before it is submitted, my wife reads it over and gives me any notes she might have about what I said about her. ;-) And we rate it together.
Most of the time (but not always) if I'm reviewing a movie myself, I only watch it once to review it, but I take my time with it. If it's a really special movie, or something I want to enjoy outside of the review process (like Lunacy says.. it's a different way of enjoying it) then I'll watch it before I review it. All he said / she said's though, are watched at least once before I sit down and write about it. Depending on our schedules, etc, he said / she said's can take a long time to write.
Anyway, this whole process can take as little time as a single night (if it's an all sex gonzo movie with not too many scenes--i.e. Girlvert #2) or as much as a couple weeks (if it's an involved feature that I'm finding it hard to get excited about--i.e. Gladiator II). Most of the time, though it just takes a couple nights after work to write one.
I have written extensively throughout my life, and my writing style and way of thinking seemed to mesh well with reviewing porn from the very start. So aside from my very first review, my format was pretty much established right out of the gate. I'm considering copying Saki (yet again... cuz I shamelessly copy him all the time) and doing "short" reviews for titles that I don't want to be so thorough with... but that's still in the development stages. It would allow me to get more reviews out there, and spend less time on movies that I just don't want to spend that much time on. We'll see.
Anyway--this is more than anyone wanted to know, I'm sure. :)
Wow, I am flabbergasted by all the responses this post has gotten -- all filled with excellent information, I thank you so much.
I started up today doing some initial editing on my Flesh Hunter review and then I decided to start work on Mason's Dirty Trixxx 2.
Let me just say, that 14 minutes into the video I knew it was something special! There's something going on here that is captivating me and stimulating me on levels that are much deeper then physical. This is definitely a movie I am going to watch first, and then do a review during a second viewing.
I used to watch it once through, then go back and watch again for review, but then I decided to follow astro's example, and review it on one watching, because that is how most people watch porn.
I jot down my impressions and reactions to each scene as I go - I think those first impressions are the most valuable - what's hot, what's absurd, what's stimulating, what caught my attention, and where the scene loses my interest.
When I'm reading other people's reviews, I'm not looking for what someone was wearing (unless it was extraordinary) or what positions they did. I'm looking for the feel of it, and whether it's something I'd get into. So I attempt to write that.
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shameless Deactivated User
Moscow 1313 Posts 1/03
Posted - Mar 23 2003 : 6:59AM
Actually it turned out that Private film is even older: from 1997. But your answers to us reviewer-newcomers were so nice, I felt I want finish and post it.
I post it in review section in a few minutes and post just beginning in seperate post. Hope you read and like my review. And understand my Russian english.
I still want to complete review of that Russian fake-rape tapes my brother gave me. They are very hard and shocking me, but maybe somebody is interested what Russian porn we can find here. First scene with fake-rape in train is very good, but rest is just so hard. I watch lot of extreem tapes, but this is still sort of shock.
Please enjoy my first Private-review first. Its nice film.
I watch the movie all the way through with absolutely no thought of reviewing it at all. The reason I do that is so I can get a feeling for how overall hot each scene is. I think a number of the scenes I gave good reviews to would have bad reviews if I just sat down in review mode and went for it, because when you analyse something the way you need to in order to review it, you take the heat out a bit.
Having got a feeling for what in the movie I liked and disliked I will then go back and do the review. I prefer to note what exactly is happening in each scene so that anyone who reads my review, in order to decide if they want to buy/rent the DVD knows what they are putting their money up for.
Also worth noting is that I try not to critisise the performers for something they can't do anything about (i.e. their looks). I'll critique them for not looking their best, but not for being unattractive to me, I am sure they are attractive to someone out there.
When we first started reveiws for searchextreme.com, we need to compile notes scene by scene describing actors/actresses, positions, what was happening, cumshot location, etc. That continues to a lesser extent at adultdvdempire.com and we had creative freedom at adultdvdtalk.com and adulthollywood.com/adultdetective.com .
With the amount of films we review, 3 - 4 per week, we usually watch the movie once and make notes. When we go to write the reveiw, if necessary, we go back scene by scene to make sure we don't miss something. By giving a summary and personal opinion it doesn't make it seem like so much of a job as opposed to the fun it is supposed to be.
Ms Christine & JC, the first couple of adult review.
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shameless Deactivated User
Moscow 1313 Posts 1/03
Posted - Mar 27 2003 : 1:13AM
Just wanted to inform you, if any of you was waiting for that: I will NOT review that shit!!!! Tried again complete it...and it is so sick. Or better, making me so sick. Clear now is, girls take part on free will. But I not want support that market (if really exists). Girl is crown of mankind, not mindless warm blow up sex toy for chauvinist macho men. Hope I nobody disappoint. Will try find good Russian porn film...
