CompuServe Messages

I appreciate your input, and have also considered the things you mention. I'm glad that Jim considered the moral implications, but I also understand the need to make it fit in the space alloted. To be honest, as you may have guessed, I'm undertaking such a project at this time. I'll give a few details; please tell me if you think what I'm doing meets what you call a <reasonable expectation of shipping>. The subject is a home improvement project that I've done myself, and feel others could benefit from. The product will be a set of plans, and a video that will last about 25 minutes, explaining the complete process with graphic examples and footage of actual construction. Obviously, the construction scenes will have to be staged. I placed the ad last week in a home improvement magazine classified section. The issue breaks June 15th. So far, I've taken several steps toward completing the project. The task schedule is done. The script is essentially done, and the storyboard started. The plans are made for the construction details and the required jigs, as are most of the graphics screens to match. About half of the 3D objects for animating are done, and several scenes are ready but not yet rendered. None of the title screens could be done until the script is done. The talent has agreed to undertake the project, but a contract is not yet signed. I'm doing the voice-over and the music (some buy-out stuff and a few of my compositions). I am doing all of the graphics and animations with equipment I already have, and expect to shoot the live sections on my Hi-8 camcorder. I intend to edit the footage to SVHS, and render the graphics/anims directly onto the same tape. This will be the master for the dubs, so the dubs will be 3rd generation at worst. This would be fine, but if the response is going to be large enough, I'd like to shoot with rented 3/4 SP equipment and maybe a 3 CCD B'cast camera, but could not afford this unless I could sell at least 100 copies. This would also mean going to a suite to do the edits, with the G&A being rendered on the same tape as the footage. In the case that there wasn't enough interest to complete this project (say 50 orders), I plan to send out a letter of apology, a refund, and include the printed material anyway. The way I planned it is to do as much as I can with what I have. If it doesn't work, I'm out about a hundred hours or so time (experience) and the fee to the talent. The decision I need to make is wether to make a fair quality product, and have it ready to go (except the dubs); or, have it as ready as I can before the ad date (all graphics and anims done and on disk, the rest planned as well as I can) and do the shooting and editing after the response is known, say a week after the ad hits. This would obviously mean higher quality, but a delayed delivery. So, Frank (and anybody else that wants to jump in), what do you think? … Nate, Emerald Video. Flyin'