Riff Raff Theater: LXG (and other big news, last post)

[ChrisHanel]

Alright, everyone, the next title is announced.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen -- Scripts due March 1

Now, this time around, we're providing you with some assistance to help make this as smooth a process as possible.

1) First, a new script template!!!

Chaos's Brand Spankin' New Script Template -- Use this for your script creation and for your final submission.

2) A subtitle file for reauthoring your LXG DVD's --

LXG.srt -- download

Chaos will be posting direcitons on how to use this shortly, but this will add a subtitle option that shows a timecode for the entire film, making it easier for you to sync your jokes with the right moments, and making our lives easier when timing everyone's riffs in the script together.

3) This will be our first two phase writing project. Once we receive everyone's scripts, we'll assemble submissions, edit down, find where the movie needs more attention, and ask for more riffs for specific scenes, moments, or specific lines that just don't have what we think it needs yet. We'll make that announcement as close to March 1 as possible.

4) Prizes!

With this project, we said we would start the tradition of prizes. We'll be giving away three prize packages this time around, with the hopes that we can make things bigger and better every time around.

So, here's the benchmark that we're setting right now.

1. First, we'll be giving away a prize to the Best Running Gag used in the film, as defined by "joke involving three riffs or more used at separate points during the duration of the film". The winner of the "Prefontaine" Award will be honored with a copy of Incognito Cinema Warriors XP on DVD.

2. Second, the Uncle Pennybags Award is reserved for whoever should end up with the largest percentage of the final script. Basically, whoever gets the most jokes in the final script. (Ties will be broken by random draw.) The winner will receive a copy of Incognito Cinema Warriors XP on DVD, and a 10 dollar Rifftrax Gift Certificate.

3. Finally, the Zinger! Our most prestigious award will be bestowned upon the funniest line in the script, as decided on by myself, Chaos, and Junkyard. After ripping each other to pieces during a tense, three week debate about something as subjective and polarizing as what constitutes "the funniest line", we will emerge and give the winner a copy of ICWXP on DVD, a 10 dollar Rifftrax Gift Certificate, and a 25 dollar Amazon Gift Certificate, sponsored by NeenerNeener.net.

Thanks to our buddies at Neenerneener and ICWXP for helping out with the prizes, please give them your love!

FINE PRINT: Contest ends March 1st. No purchase neccessary. All submissions will be judged by Chris Hanel, James Whistler, and Victor Vernon ("The Judges"). All decisions of the judges are final. Performers, producers, and podcast hosts for Riff Raff Theater are ineligible. Offer void where prohibited. Due to currency and shipping variables, International winners will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

 
-Chris

[Junkyard]

Back to the grindstone. Gotta think of some jokes that don't revolve entirely about the director raping classic literature.

[Raven]

Filing away the Armaggeddon stuff and getting started right away.  I hope to turn in a completed script this time. 

[David]

Starting to watch/write in the middle or second third might help keep up the funny this time around. Lest we all twist our funny muscles halfway through.

[Chaos]

Ok, I'll make a post about this over at Riff Raff Theater sometime tomorrow probably, but in brief, here is the lowdown on the new .srt file:

First of all, let me start off by saying that this is OPTIONAL. We do not require you to use the .srt file to write your script. We provide it because we feel it is not very hard to use, and it makes your timecodes MUCH more dependable (therefore making it easier for us to use your material, and take less time for the script editing process to be completed... and therefore a higher quality product overall). So if you are able to use this, we would appreciate it, and everyone will benefit. But if you are not able to use it, don't sweat it, we're still happy to accept your material in the traditional method we have used so far.

An .srt file is a text-based subtitle file. There are a few DVD / video players out there that will let you load them up along with your DVD / video file without doing anything else, but these are actually fairly rare and don't work very well. The main purpose of an .srt is to reauthor the DVD to include the subtitles while playing. Our .srt file is a timestamp, which will display the h:mm:ss on screen at all times, allowing you to be sure that the timecodes you are writing down in your script are correct.

So how do you use it? It's simple! Any DVD authoring software on the market allows you to add subtitles to your project. Many of them even allow you to simpy drag and drop the file. So, the process should be as follows...

Start with your "legally purchased and owned" DVD of LXG. Using any DVD ripping software you prefer (personally, I use Xilisoft DVD Ripper - www.xilisoft.com), rip the movie from the DVD onto your hard drive as an .avi or .mpeg or .vob video file, whichever you are most comfortable with or whichever your DVD authoring software recommends. Next, open up your DVD authoring software (personally, I use VSO's "ConvertXtoDVD" software for writing projects because I don't care about the appearance of the starting menus, and you can put together a project in literally 90 seconds minus video processing times... they also have a fully functional shareware version available). Many programs out there will allow you to drag and drop both the video files and the subtitle files. If they don't allow drag and drop, just use the menus. Add the video file to your project, then add the subtitle file on top of the video file. Some programs also allow you to set this subtitle as the default so it shows up automatically. If this doesn't work, you should be able to set it to the English or French track and then just turn it on from your remote while watching.

Once you have the video file and the subtitle file loaded into your authoring program, compile it, and burn it. Presto! You now have a perfect onscreen timestamp for writing that matches the exact timecodes that Riff Raff Theater will use for writing, editing, and performing... and you didn't even need to learn how to manually alter video frames!

Feel free to post questions, concerns, or suggestions for the .srt or the instructions here in this thread.

Remember everyone, the deadline is Sunday, March 1st. Start your riffing!

[RoninFox]

Got a few projects going at once here, but I'm going to make a point to contribute to this in the midst of it all.  Only seen the film once to date, hopefully I can bring out the funny.

[bettertomorrowamy]

Just marking my territory so I don't miss any participation ribbons of best hustler trophies I could earn.

[Dim of the Yard]

I'm hoping to participate in this one.  I had a blast with what little I had (and lost) of Batman and Robin, and I want to be able to actually submit something this time around, have something substantial for this go.  If I have to, I'll start 40 minutes from the end of the movie to try and sneak a good joke in or two, ya?

[Chaos]

As long as EVERYONE doesn't skip to the end of the film, we should be fine. Watch this time we have no jokes at the beginning of the film at all.

[BathTub]

Ok my question is, If I put in some "League of Gentlemen" references will you get them?

[GregMcduck]

No

[Ortega]

I'll  just give a little advice on those of us that like to use Rejig and IFOedit to reauthor the riffing dvd.

1. Rip the DVD with DVDDecrypter in IFO mode, making sure to demux the Video and one of the audio steams,(you really only need one anyway, go with the 2 channel if at all possible).

2. Download Subtitle Creator. This creates subtitles in the .sup format , which is the one that Rejig and IFOedit use.

3. Load up Subtitle Creator...Go to File>Open Text Subtitles and load the lxg.srt.  You should now see a preview of the subtitles, which should read "0:00:00"

4.  Now the program is set to PAL format by default, so most of us in NTSC-land should go to Formatting>Video Format>NTSC.

5. The next thing we should do is set the font size. 30 point font size is a good one, as its big enough to pick up at a glance, no matter what size screen your using. Go to Formatting>Change Font.  This will bring up a box that let us choose the font size and style.  I prefer Eurostile. But pick one that you don't mind looking at all the time, and set the size to 30 pt.

6. Now we want to set the position of the timecode.  the best place is the upper left corner.  So go to the "position the subtitles" box on the main screen, and set it to the following positions: Horizontal=0;Vertical=33;Width=250;#lines=1.

7. Now we are all set, so go to File>Save SUP. The process shouldn't take more than 30 seconds.

8. Now close out Subtitle Creator, and load up Rejig or IFOedit. Load up the MV2 and Ac3 file in their corresponding boxes, and in the Subpicture box, load the timecode .sup file we just made. and in the Original IFO box, load up the IFO that was made when we ripped the DVD, and compile it to a DVD Folder.  This process could take anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes.  once that's done, we got one more step.

9. Start up IFOedit. On the bottom of the screen, click on the "Open" button, and load the Ripped DVD IFO file.  Now go to VTS PGCITI, and choose VTS_PGC_1.  And go to Subtitle Color>Copy Colors from this PGC.

10. Now click the "open" button, and load up the IFO form the reauthored DVD. and repeat the step(go to VTS_PGCITI>to VTS_PGC_1) and go to Subtitle Color>Paste Colors to this PGC. Now the subtitle color should be white or whatever the original DVD's subtitle colors are.  But we're not done yet.  We want to make the subtitles forced.

11. We should be in the same place already(VTS_PGCITI:VTS_PGC_1), so scroll down to the PGC Command Table, and you should see something that says, "There is no PGC Command Table". Right click on that, and choose "add Precommand" Click on the Empty Precommand, and you'll see a string of zeros.  Change the first set of zeros to 51, and the fifth set of zeros to FF.

Example : [51 00 00 00 ff 00 00 00]

Now the precommand should read Set Subpicture Steam:0 (forced)(on).  Now click "Save" and then "Get VTS Sectors"  BAM!!! we're done!

12.  Now use DVD Shrink to burn to a SL DVD, or ImgBurn to burn to a DL DVD.

Enjoy your LXG dvd with timecodes!!

Let me know if you have any problems, or if you want to strangle my throat for overloading you guys with too much information.

[RobtheBarbärian]

Hey, I actually have this movie. I'll see if I can muster of some funny.

[Raven]

Hey, Chaos.  Does it matter on the template if the riffs are out of order?   I have ideas now but I plan on going scene by scene later and I didn't want to mess you up. 

[Chaos]

Hey, Chaos.  Does it matter on the template if the riffs are out of order?   I have ideas now but I plan on going scene by scene later and I didn't want to mess you up. 

It doesn't matter in the slightest. My script automatically sorts them by timecode when I compile the script, so you can write it whatever way works best for you.