After some suggestions when I last posted this video I have produced a Quicktime version. In the process I've managed to cut the file size quite drastically as well. I'd like to hear opinions on the best way to optimise for the web for future projects.

Try to get your hands on a program by Discreet called CLEANER. Not only could the entire video be 1/3 the size it is now, but at least 400% better quality wise as well.

It's almost impossible to get a clean compression out of your NLE (which I'm assuming is how you compressed this?) without having a massive file size. And trying to do the multiple pass trick never really works too well.

As far as the vid itself, I really thought you were getting at something with the whole exploding planes motif, but you let that go and I don't know why...

Unlike Roman Coppola's Strokes promo, you present us with stock footage that is somewhat related and loosely strung together (the entire piece has something to do with being off the ground). I feel like thematically there's different parts to this promo and am not sure why that is?

I really think you could have an interesting vid if you went back to the editing board and figured some things out. Here's a few questions that may help you recompile this:

1. What does the final shot of Bush do for us? I'd argue it hurts the piece more than anything else. Like Bush, if feels too much like a one off.
2. What does it mean to combine exploding airplanes with a new (necrosis like) rendition of an old classic? I really think there's an interesting parrallel between what an inflamed aircraft means today and again, an old romantic track now recomposed.
3. All this space stuff - zero G, circular pods, liftoff - what is it about? Does it belong here?
4. F19 shot. Again, about what? Do we need it? You can argue that this is some kind of panoramic look at sept12 and the role of aircrafts - but I don't believe that, nor would I be happy with such an argument.
5. Genetic engineering? I'm assuming we're looking at a petri dish and witnessing some kind of insemination? ....but man, that's a stretch cause it also looks like two water drops coming together.

Send some thoughts, I'd love to know what you're going for here.

The main reason I went away from the exploding planes was that I didn't have that much footage toi use and I just ran out. I didn't want to repeat shots too much. To be honest there was no planned theme when I started putting it together- I just had cool, mostly aerospace, clips and a song that harked back to Top Gun- as I get better with the software I'll start storyboarding stuff and planning ahead more.

1. The Bush shot has nothing to do with the video, it's true. All the source material was collected in a week from weblogs, mostly BoingBoing. It just happened to be the week this clip surfaced.
2. The real connection, for me, was between planes and a song originally from the Top Gun soundtrack.
3. Again, I have to plead that there was no planned theme to the video, just stuff that seemed to work with each bit of the song.
4. I was running out of source material and this fitted quite well. The detail of the view from the plane as it performs a roll is lost a little, which is a shame.
5. The green blobs actually are water drops. they're being levitated by very powerful magnets, just like the frog and grasshopper.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll see about getting Cleaner as soon as possible.