Now that there is a performist class, I feel it would only be natural to discuss the interest and viability of other formats that encompass this category. This one has been in my thoughts for a while.

Format: acting
Token: acting
Point Type: Performist
File type: .gif
Max Filesize: 12.5mb
Description: Animated GIF containing a video recording of your physical surroundings with storytelling intent.

Do you like watching actors perform? I sure do. Acting is an art form with an enduring longevity worldwide. And BotBrs can experience this medium through physically and emotionally inhabiting a role to tell a story.

However, I acknowledge we are, justifiably, part of a camera shy group. So, in order for this format to work, indirect forms of acting would also have to be acceptable: hand puppets, sock puppets, marionettes, toys in general or whatever else you think could work. And considering the anonymous authorship nature of XHBs, you'd probably not be expected to show your face recurringly anyway, but you could use headgear that covers your face considerably.

It's also important to mention that since .gif is the only acceptable file type (in case we can't have video file types like .mp4), entries would have no audio and should, therefore, rely mostly on gestures and on facial expressions (when applicable), much like how it used to be in silent films of the golden age of cinema. But you could also include intertitles or subtitles during the video editing process, if you think the story needs them. Honestly, I think silent acting is an interesting limitation. And would make it more likely for voice shy people to join.

Another issue to consider is that GIFs can get really big in file size. As a result, we'd have to adhere to multiple tactics to make our entries shorter in size. These methods could be written in a lyceum article, much like the Tinymod Optimization Strategies guide.

The gist of the GIF optimization process is that you can use tools such as Ezgif.com

to convert your video recording to GIF. Then, you can make the file size smaller following steps such as:

-resizing the GIF to a smaller dimension;
-cropping;
-reducing the compression level, the number of frames per second and the number of colors (I think GIFGIFS.com

handles this last step better, resulting in less chances of unwelcomed flickering).

It would be up to you to optimize the GIF as much as you'd prefer, not to the point of affecting the original intent of your recording considerably.

Also, assuming we'd be working with a max 12.5mb limit, the stories would probably have to be short.

Quick entry example. I made this 10 seconds short, which consists of 5 separated recordings put together in a video editor. Then I converted the video to GIF, made it smaller in dimension and lowered the compression level to the smallest amount. And now the GIF is nearly 3MB in size. Decided to not lower the number of colors because it's already too dark to see, admittedly. So I felt less colors would make it more difficult to tell what is going on.











Bitpack example:

A plaintext battle is hosted for participants to write a short story with silent acting in mind. Then, one of those stories is chosen as the bitpack of an acting battle for participants to perform from.

i do like the idea on paper. thoughts:

1) i think i'd prefer .mp4 over .gif as using tools like ezgif to optimise them can result in the gifs flashing/flickering on some systems which could be not great for people with sensitive visibility? not to mention the space advantage compared to gifs plus audio and other nice benefits.

naturally that'd mean puke would probably have to add support for video, but i also think just playing them on your computer/browser after donloading is probably fine enough of a player as it is for now

2) regarding anonimity: that'll be tough to combat in xhbs - you mentioned a few solutions, but for active participants this might become an issue in itself unless they're willing to design, crotchet or otherwise create new props in their spare time, but i'd personally not count that as within the spirit of xhbs (if they're not created within the xhb period)?

i think this issue might also extend to the environment one can film in, if some objects are in the same place as previous entries this could become an issue (although on the other hand this is as much of an issue as having a style when it comes to writing is).

otoh you could always just draw something on paper and tape that over your face and that might be fine? i'd love to actually hear from more experienced acting folks about these points actually, it could be a really fun format if added!

i also like the idea on paper and have some thoughts!

- the scope of the current iteration of the format does feel pretty niche/restrictive in medium because of the gif thing, but i realize this is because the proposal is written with botb's current capabilities in mind. if this came into being, i'd definitely rather see its scope expanded to video formats. what we have here is workable but pretty suboptimal.

- tbh there's a lot of potential for movie-centric formats, and this proposal opens the door for that again, if that's something the denizens of botb would find fun! i think just a general format for videos is *also* cool, and we could have both "allgear for videos" and "acting" as a more restrictive cousin. there's a little bit of a precedent for a 25mb limit in the renoise format, i think that could be an okay starting point.

- i'm not terribly worried about the anonymity issue; we want to preserve anonymity to the best of our ability, but formats like vocal are already especially giveaways, and frankly if you battle much, you start to recognize peoples' styles in any other format too.

I'll wear fake glasses with a big plastic nose and mustache so no one knows it's me

i will make myself green so no one knows its me
trust

I'll drop a simple thought to add to the discussion that popped into my head:

What about voice acting?

all im saying is hell yea more formats

@icrawfish i had that thought too and decided that voice acting is already within the scope of the vocal format (and possibly the sample format, but vocal seems best suited?)

Finally... my future battles 3 entry will become real...

adding onto what damifortune said, i think it would be appropriate to have both a live video format (liverec) and a video allgear format (videall), and then have the bitpack ask for acting.

if we're submitting videos, it would probably be a good idea to have a length limit to keep filesizes down and to avoid "long ahh entry syndrome"_TM

I honestly think a file size limit is better than a length limit.

Long entries can be great

ooh... that could open the door for tinymod type optimization

You're seeing the vision

finally botb can have an improv comedy major and i can relive my glory days on my college harold team, "the ns justify the neans"

short film major would also be rad