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Topic: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

Seeing as T.H.A.C 9 is coming closer and closer, I thought it may benefit all if they have a topic where people post something that has made it easier for them during the Twenty-Four Hour Animation Contest.  So the way it works is this, let's say I start, this is what it should look like:

1.)Get more than enough sleep the week before.

Then in the post under this someone will go:

2.) Useful Trick.

So I suggest that we start by trying to get 25 or more ways to survive the preparation stage, not necessarily Pre-Production but like the few days before THAC begins.  I will then post them all together and hopeful post them in a PDF document a week or two before THAC so one, everyone can I see it easier and so we don't have any repeats.

So if you didn't understand the example, the first person to post on this thread should be number 2.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

I like this thread.

2.) Create your ideas early.
Don't wait a few hours in to think of an idea. It pushes the entire production process back, and that time wasted could be the time you barely finish. Also, a fun thing is to use the first thing you think of, and make it work one way or another, but if the idea sucks, don't use it.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

Chris W. wrote:

I like this thread.

2.) Create your ideas early.
Don't wait a few hours in to think of an idea. It pushes the entire production process back, and that time wasted could be the time you barely finish. Also, a fun thing is to use the first thing you think of, and make it work one way or another, but if the idea sucks, don't use it.

Well, check plus for me! I just need to interpret the scene according to the theme. mini/tongue

3.) Drink coffee and/or watch some TV before time
The caffeine in the coffee will hopeful keep you awake for a good amount of time and TV stimulates you.

-LASF

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

4.) Remind yourself to put the mod element in every shot.
If you forget, you're done. I'd say put it on a sticky note, or something. mini/tongue

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

5.) Start getting ready before the contest starts.
If your time zone puts the start of THAC at 2 AM, wake up an hour before and make sure you're awake. Even if it doesn't, make sure you have everything organized and know where things are; lights, paper, sticky tack, camera, etc. You only have 24 hours, so don't waste any time trying to find something!

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

6.) Do everything yourself.
If you get another BiM member to do something for you, (such as voice acting), you'll be waiting on them. That will hold you up and you might not get done in time. Besides, if a person who is doing something for you is making their own film, they have to do their stuff and your stuff. It's much easier if everyone focuses on their own thing when they have a short time to do things.

(I've never entered a THAC before, but I wanted to enter THAC 8. I plan on entering this one, as I'm not making a film right now.)

Last edited by minifig051 (November 14, 2011 (04:52pm))

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

minifig051 wrote:

6.) Do everything yourself.
If you get for someone else to do something for you, (such as voice acting), you'll be waiting on them. That will hold you up and you might not get done in time. Besides, if a person who is doing something for you is making their own film, they have to do their stuff and your stuff. It's much easier if everyone focuses on their own thing when they have a short time to do things.

(I've never entered a THAC before, but I wanted to enter THAC 8. I plan on entering this one, as I'm not making a film right now.)

I kinda have to disagree with that. If you're going to use other people as voice actors, either A.) Use someone that you personally know that can come over to your house at a certain time to voice, or B.) Prepare ahead of time on who might possibly voice (though this could be a problem, because the characters might not fit their voice).

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

Chris W. wrote:
minifig051 wrote:

6.) Do everything yourself.
If you get for someone else to do something for you, (such as voice acting), you'll be waiting on them. That will hold you up and you might not get done in time. Besides, if a person who is doing something for you is making their own film, they have to do their stuff and your stuff. It's much easier if everyone focuses on their own thing when they have a short time to do things.

(I've never entered a THAC before, but I wanted to enter THAC 8. I plan on entering this one, as I'm not making a film right now.)

I kinda have to disagree with that. If you're going to use other people as voice actors, either A.) Use someone that you personally know that can come over to your house at a certain time to voice, or B.) Prepare ahead of time on who might possibly voice (though this could be a problem, because the characters might not fit their voice).

Well, I meant other BiM members. I guess it wasn't that clear.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

7.)  Make sure everything is working!!!
My computer stopped working during B.R.A.W.L! I was doing a collaboration with LASF and he ended up having to do all the work.

And also, what goes along with that is

8.) Do not use never before used by you equipment!
That was my other problem with B.R.A.W.L. I ordered a qc9k Even with 1 day shipping from Amazon, and it shipped from literally 50 miles away, it took 3 days! And then I had to figure out how to use it.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

9.) Feel good about entering and have fun with it
If you don't really want to enter, don't, and if you are entering, have fun with your entry.

-LASF

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

LASF wrote:

9.) Feel good about entering and have fun with it
If you don't really want to enter, don't, and if you are entering, have fun with your entry.

-LASF

Agreed.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

Actually, from my experiences in the last five THAC-

*Pauses a moment to ensure that everyone has realized his obvious superiority*

-there's usually a pretty decent pool of voice actors ready to record at your bidding while the competition is in progress (typically hanging out in the chat waiting for requests). We should probably compile a list of people who are willing to act on THAC day; I have a nagging suspicion that we've done it before and it worked out well enough.

If you don't wait until five minutes before the deadline to ask them, you should be reasonably safe drawing from the voice actors on site.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

i will be making my own THAC entry, but I will also be willing to voice for other peoples THAC entrys

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

If someones really desparate, I might.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

10.) Have enough memory stored up on your computer
The worst possible thing that could happen is not having enough memory on your computer. If you start to film a long entry, but lack the memory, it's all over.

I'm working on getting my studio back up and running, so stay posted...

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

11.) Make sure your computer will actually work!
We're talking about a 24-hour timeframe, your computer MUST have the capability to run sound recording, animating, editing software, and web browser. You will most likely be doing a ton of stuff at once, and if your motherboard can't handle it, you're done for. If your computer could use more RAM than it already has, go out and buy a couple sticks (get the right kind, seriously). Your computer will be able to survive a THAC, and it will help you in the long run.
I really recommend it. I had to steal RAM from my sister's computer just for THAC, because my computer didn't have enough.

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

PanPeteProductions wrote:

11.) Make sure your computer will actually work!
We're talking about a 24-hour timeframe, your computer MUST have the capability to run sound recording, animating, editing software, and web browser. You will most likely be doing a ton of stuff at once, and if your motherboard can't handle it, you're done for. If your computer could use more RAM than it already has, go out and buy a couple sticks (get the right kind, seriously). Your computer will be able to survive a THAC, and it will help you in the long run.
I really recommend it. I had to steal RAM from my sister's computer just for THAC, because my computer didn't have enough.

Thats sort of what I said

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

12. Make sure leading up to the contest your diet is restricted.

You certainly don't want to eat a whole pizza the night before only to realize while you're sitting on the toilet you can't get that 20 minutes back. I'm so sorry-I thought it was funny.

Jared

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

legogod wrote:

12. Make sure leading up to the contest your diet is restricted.

You certainly don't want to eat a whole pizza the night before only to realize while you're sitting on the toilet you can't get that 20 minutes back. I'm so sorry-I thought it was funny.

Jared

So what exactly do you recommend we eat that won't put us on the throne for 20 minutes?

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Re: 101 Ways to Survive a T.H.A.C. (Read First!)

Binding Brick wrote:
legogod wrote:

12. Make sure leading up to the contest your diet is restricted.

You certainly don't want to eat a whole pizza the night before only to realize while you're sitting on the toilet you can't get that 20 minutes back. I'm so sorry-I thought it was funny.

Jared

So what exactly do you recommend we eat that won't put us on the throne for 20 minutes?

NOTHING.

13.)Watch some other THAC entries and THACumentaries.

Watching previous THAC entries can help see how others have interpreted the previous themes, and sort of get the creative machines in your mind working. This goes for THACumentaries, too.

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