[Matty]

ATRL's Next
topmember
Cycle 9

---

EPISODE 8: GIFS

THE COMMENTS

ZAID / STARACADEMY

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

Theme of the gif has been done bigger and better and the examples seems awfully one sided (almost always seems to be used from a stan's point if view). I did like the length of it.

Originally posted by Doc

Zaid: Presentation: Probably the most "basic" of the pack, but that doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not that visually interesting. Maybe offset something, use a line break, etc, just something to break up the monotony, so that it's not so straight up and down. I did though like how the colors in the header are pulled from the gif. Linking the gif to its source was a great touch. Also, please never use that font Impact. It's almost as worse as Comic Sans. If you want a bold condensed font, use Franklin Gothic Medium or Arial Narrow. Lord. Gif: I wouldn't use it. But the majority of ATRL would use. Your reasons for picking this gif make sense. Your examples are perfect and believeable, and I liked that you used all the relevant ATRL sections. Ok this has gone on long enough, good job, bye.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/staracademy1990

Originally posted by boyonce

PERFECT choice of gif. I screamed. Good on you for looking beyond the popular-already-been-done gifs and thinking of Big Brother Canada. I like that the majority of the board likely won't know what it's from, which always adds to a gifs mystique and humour. Gary's dramatic cry and run is just so so so so so ATRL, and this is one of the only gifs this week I can see really taking off here. Your examples were great and made me laugh - I also like that you showed how it can be used in times of disappointment but also in times of being overwhelmingly slayed. The terrorism example was a little cringey and inappropriate, but overall you totally stepped your game up this week and this is my favourite entry I've seen from you so far.

Originally posted by Matty

First of all let me commend you on using a totally new gif, which was what was asked. Most of the others I have seen around. Now to your gif, it really works. Your examples on how it’d work on every section of the forum was great and the actual quotes themselves. While when I first saw the gif, I thought it was going to be one-sided, but your examples changed my mind. One negative, a lot of unnecessary wording. It should have been your gif and your examples, but nice presentation and explanation.

JEREMY / DRIPDRIP

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

Gif theme has been beaten to death but the obscurity of the characters in the gif made it seem fresh. Your side commentary with the gif was better than your examples. The gif usage too forced with your real examples.

Originally posted by Doc

Presentation: Well I like that you at least put effort into the header, but I'm not really a fan. It's a bit Photoshop 7 newbie basic. Making your headers in Photoshop is a great idea, but you should work on improving them. They don't have to be elaborate or anything, but they shouldn't look right out of a 1998 computer program. For starters, lower the opacity and distance of that drop shadow. I'd recommend going online and looking at simple, clean text effect tutorials. Other than that, your presentation was good. Gif: I wouldn't bookmark, but I'd use this gif, as would the rest of ATRL. It's one of those that once someone uses it in a thread, everyone does. Great examples. Didn't like this tho: "I'm sure I'll be happy to get 5th place again". You could've kept that.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/dripdrip

Originally posted by boyonce

You're right - I don't laugh, especially not now. I think your personal insult towards me is totally unclassy, uncalled for, and made me ignore your entire entry and rank you at the bottom.





































JUST KIDDING, BOO. I cracked a smile and even let a small laugh escape my elderly lips. It's a shady gif that would most def be at home on ATRL. Upon first view I thought that maybe it was a bit too short, but as I watched it more and more I kind of liked the short length and that as it repeated and repeated it was like she was on some sort of maniacal cycle of wild laughter. Kudos too for not choosing a drag queen gif (as a Drag Race fan, I wouldn't have minded, but I think it's cool that you're trying to push yourself outside of your box and take risks). Your examples were good, but maybe a little more variety would have been nice. Yes, it's a shady gif, but are there any other ways it could be used? A versatile gif is a good gif! Nice work this time though.

Originally posted by Matty

“The next hit gif.” I remember seeing this everywhere for a couple weeks after that episode aired. Your colorful brand really shown through with your pre-examples, but it was almost too colorful. I felt the urge to both laugh and warn for insensitive, especially that second one. The gif does work, but it isn’t really new and I was asking for the next hit gif. As for a drag queen gif… Queen Naomi is like the queen to the drags so by association it is a drag queen gif

PIKA

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

Another hair flip gif. Overdone but it's a new one. I've tried using it but it doesn't really match my personality; Bey's investment in her hair flip is entirely too much. Sample usage was cute but real life examples of posts was the missing punch.

Originally posted by Doc

Presentation: Perfect presentation, definietly the best of the pack. You've really been improving, and I don't have a negative thing to say about this presentation. Gif: I love it, and I would bookmark. It's nothing original—gifs like this, the photoshoot/red carpet gifs, tend to be really popular—but I really like it. I don't really have much else to say, I mean your examples were great. Awesome entry.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/pika

Originally posted by boyonce

First, the good - I love your layout this week, and I think it was smart to link to actual posts on the forum where the gif has been used. Yes, every post was YOURS, but still, I think it's great that you were the only one who really got out there and tried to have the gif take off. I remember during my cycle's gif challenge (and also the smiley challenge), all of us were all over ATRL trying to make our gifs take off. Yours hasn't appeared to catch on just quite yet, but you're the only one who seemingly tried to make it a hit outside of the ANTM thread, so kudos!!! As for the gif itself, I think it's maybe a little long and could have been cut down slightly. Scrolling down through posts pretty fast, a lot of it could be missed. I think one hair flip would have been enough and said everything the gif needed to say, but that's maybe a bit nitpicky. Nice job.

Originally posted by Matty

Nice presentation, could have done without the Bey vs. Britney stan fight word play. You already sold me with your other examples, despite just being yours. Once again, I wish it was more about the gif and the examples without an explanation. Overall it works, I really like it, and to my current knowledge I haven’t seen this gif before so it works with the “next hit gif” rule.

ANNA / BORNTODIE

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

You suffered from the same fate I did. Using an already popular gif, although, this never took off quite as well. It has the potential to be a hit gif but your examples fell short. There are much better delusional posts you could have used along with your gif. The facial expression in your gif was my expression for your entire entry.

Originally posted by Doc

Presentation: It's not anything especially amazing, but it's more than satistfactory. I love the gradient you picked on your header, it looks awesome. Gif: I feel like I already have gifs that I'd use for the same emotion, so I wouldn't bookmark. But I do like this gif. It's kinda old tho, isn't it? So considering that, I don't know that it's ATRL's next hit gif if it's already been around for a minute. Your examples are great, really. As I read some of the quotes, I subconsciously made the same face as the girl in the gif.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/borntodie

Originally posted by boyonce

Your gif choice is good, but I feel like I've already seen this gif around the forum? If not, maybe one that's similar? Beyond the feeling that I've seen it before and you could have been a tad more creative, it IS a good gif and my instant thought was that it looked like one of our smileys come to life
As for your gif usage, the musicfan09 example made me laugh out loud. Like I said to Drip, I would have liked to see a tad more versatility in how the gif could be used - but that can be tough. This entry doesn't jump out as one of your all time best ones, but it's also not bad.

Originally posted by Matty

First off I would like to say, I loved the presentation. You gave a short, SHORT explanation and went right to the gif and the examples. I applaud. However, this gif isn’t new. It has been used for a while now, I remember seeing it everywhere. Your examples you gave using the gif were spot on and it worked, but I felt like the girl in the gif knowing this isn’t a new gif.

KITT

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

Always loved that avi but not quite sure the effect has the same amount of punch as a real gif. Some examples worked, like with boyonce and Katie, but others fell short like with mine and Matty's. I've come to see your entries as predictable and it's not a bad thing by any means but I feel inundated by your brand. You should try to show other facets of your personality in your entries with hints of your brand instead of making your brand the focal point. Give me something I wouldn't expect from you.

Originally posted by Doc

Presentation: Love it. You have a certain recurring aesthetic, and it consistently works. I also like that you put all of your examples in collapse tags. It makes the presentation better when you're not seeing the same gif over and over again as you scroll. Gif: Personally, I feel like your gif has the potential to be a hit avatar rather than a hit gif if you know what I mean. I like seeing it as an avatar, and being like "Hey, let me throw that into my post". The gif version is still usable though and I like it. The examples are great, and I love your idea of finding quotes from the judges. They all work.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/kitt

Originally posted by boyonce

Honestly, I wasn't initially sold on you using your avatar again in this gif challenge, but I will say that your use of examples totally won me over. After reading the first one, I was like "OH DAMN, she just totally improved my post...". It's like that was the gif I needed, if only I had known. It's deliciously shady and makes me laugh every single time. I think what would have really elevated you was if you pulled a pika and got out there into actual threads and starting using this gif in an effort to make it take off. I know that wasn't required, so I can't knock you for it, but still.

Originally posted by Matty

Risky business. What I mean by that, but you also already explained it, you made your popular avatar in a gif. Your avatar had already been used a gif, so turning it into a gif doesn’t make it new or the next hit gif, it’s more like generous offer so no one has to use your avatar anymore. I really enjoyed you used quotes from each of us judges to use the gif. I also appreciated, like Anna, you gave a short explanation and made it solely about your gif and examples. Your gif/avatar has already been a hit, we already know that, I was just hoping for something different.

THEOYELLA JUKEBOX

Originally posted by EdgeOfAddiction

Love the gif, hate the length of it. You should have stopped the gif right before the baby elephant gets back up so the impact of the kick is the last thing. The recovery of baby elephant takes away from the potential of the gif. Who wants to see a drag queen getting her wig ripped off but then putting on a hat to recover and pretend nothing happened? It's almost non eventful. Your examples are basic but works. Keep in mind that I mentally stopped the gif after the baby rolls down.

Originally posted by Doc

Presentation: It's kind of plain, but it's not bad. Your presentation has most definitely been improving, so keep that up. Like I said with Kitt, I like that you put all your examples in collapse tags because it's more visually pleasing than seeing the same gif over and over again. Gif: Not a fan. Animal gifs can be popular, but I can't get over how there's that big plain white flash in the middle of the gifs. I dunno if it's just me seeing it, I'll figure that out when I see the other judges' comments, but it's really bothering me. Without that, I think it could be a good gif.

Originally posted by extrachapstick

https://soundcloud.com/julantvel/theoyella-jukebox

Originally posted by boyonce

At first glance it's a great "dismissing you" gif, but the more I watched it the more sad I got for the baby elephant. However, most of ATRL is pretty ruthless, so maybe they wouldn't feel the same way. I think you could have done more with your examples - "for clocking", "for dismissing", "for when you disagree" are essentially the same thing, no? It is a funny gif, and I could see some users taking a liking too it, I just wish you had some stronger and more varied examples.

Originally posted by Matty

First off, that poor baby elephant! OMG! I bet he was okay, but that’s just hard to watch. It’s like the gif some people tried to make happen of the dog jumping out of a moving vehicle to attack another dog. I’ll reiterate and say, just like Anna and Kitt, I appreciated you kept it about the gif and the examples. The gif, also, is new, at least to me. Your examples were good and they worked… I just can’t get over the poor elephant being kicked like that. I also don’t know if that white pause at the end of the gif was intentional, but it kind of takes away from the horrible effect of the gif.

Now that you have met with the judges, when we return only 5 of you will be moving on to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!






Fierce and Love
- Matty

[pika]

So many different opinions on each entry.

As for the gif itself, I think it's maybe a little long and could have been cut down slightly. Scrolling down through posts pretty fast, a lot of it could be missed. I think one hair flip would have been enough and said everything the gif needed to say, but that's maybe a bit nitpicky. Nice job.

She only did one hair flip tho.

[Matty]

I want to update with the results, but no one is in here

Everything is calculated, I just have to quickly type it out.

[pika]

Originally posted by Matty

Everything is calculated, I just have to quickly type it out.

I'm worried

[DripDrip]

WAIT lemme take a minute to take in Doc's schooling me on Photoshop

I will definitely take a turtorial on text work, I never knew my fonts look Windows 98. Thank you for the advice!

And I almost died at the first part of Boyonce's first sentence

Not chapstick being right and making me think of his **** with his long and hard sentence tho

[Kitt]

at Chapstick's voice memo's this round.

Originally posted by DripDrip

I never knew my fonts look Windows 98.

[pika]

Chapstick's audios. I actually really liked them to be honest. I listened to every single one for each contestant before reading the other critiques.

[DripDrip]

I was gonna use my favorite Chanel font, but I was like nah, they've seen it like 30 times already

[Matty]

ATRL's Next
topmember
Cycle 9

---

Kitt, Theoyella, Pika, Zaid, Anna, Jeremy



Welcome ladies! Tonight we will be seeing who is moving on to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member.

Let me introduce the judges...

1) EdgeOfAddiction - Cycle 8 winner
2) Doc - ATRL moderator
3) extrachapstick - Cycle 5 winner and Cycle 6 host
4) boyonce - Cycle 8 runner-up


Earlier this evening you all met with the judges and we evaluated your entries...
HERE

Now it's time to see who is going home!!


6 members stand before me, but only 5 will continue on to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member.
The first member I call has been deemed best of the week and will have their name displayed in my signature until the next judging...

The best entry is...





1) PIKA
Back on top, but this time it's just you! Finally, someone not Anna or Kitt is the sole top call out. Yes you were on top once, but so was Anna. This shouldn't be about them, this about you *shut up Matty*. Your gif was great, a little lengthy entry, but overall one of the better gifs that us judges loved.
JUDGE AVERAGE: 2.2
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 2.6 (missing Theo and Anna)
Congratulations, you are still in the running to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!


2) JEREMY / DRIPDRIP
Welp, what are you going to say now that you aren't in fourth place. Quit being so harsh on yourself and just be your colorful self. We saw that in this entry, some even saying your write-up over powered your gif. You're a colorful queen, embrace it Emmy!
JUDGE AVERAGE: 2.6
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 1 (missing Theo and Anna)
Congratulations, you are still in the running to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!


3) KITT
We already know your gif works when it was being used as a gif in avatar form. Already, a great gif, just wanted something different. You are your own worst enemy when it comes to entries. You just need to let that evil Kitt go.
JUDGE AVERAGE: 2.8
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 2 (missing Theo and Anna)
Congratulations, you are still in the running to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!


4) ZAID / STARACADEMY1990
Two of us judges (myself included) loved your gif. The other judges not so much. I think you need to review what you did during the Smiley and Tour Setlist challenges. Those seemed like two where you really shined.
JUDGE AVERAGE: 3.2
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 4.6 (missing Theo and Anna)
Congratulations, you are still in the running to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!



Will Anna and Theoyella please step forward.

I only have one name typed out in the DarkOrchid font below and that person will be moving on to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member.

Anna --- We meet again in the bottom two, but it has been six challenges since then. Since your last stint in the bottom, you have been either in the top two or top call-out. I've also noticed, if you aren't in the top of the pack, you are in way bottom of the pack, bottom two to be exact. There has been no happy medium, you are either great or pretty bad to be this low. This drastic placement worries me to be honest. Sometimes it's healthy to be so-so and have medium placed entries.

Theoyella --- We meet again as well, but this time it's more recent compared to Anna. Since your last stint in the bottom, you placed in the middle of the pact with your profile. Great detail, but lengthy... and that seemed to be a common theme for most weeks in the past. I keep waiting for Theo from the first two weeks, but unfortunately since then you have regained that strong composure. You have stated you are going through a tough time in your life right now. That saddens me and can see it's reflecting in your entries. I know there is more there in you.



So who stays!?


































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































5) ANNA / BORNTODIE
Congratulations, you are still in the running to becoming ATRL's Next Top Member!
You are capable of great entries that are at the top of the pack, but when you're not that Anna spark is gone. I say to look at this entry and your avatar entry and see why you were in the bottom compared to when you were on top.
JUDGE AVERAGE: 5
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 4 (missing Theo)


Theoyella --- JUDGE AVERAGE: 5.2
COMPETITOR AVERAGE: 3.5 (missing Anna)
I honestly think you got in your way. I thought you were going to go farther than 6th place, but that is still real damn good! You are already known for your skeleton avatar, it's only a matter of time until you are known for you and not the dancing pile of bones. You have that top member potential, we have all seen it, it's just time for you to see it and shine it throughout this forum.





Fierce and Love
- Matty

[Kitt]

knee-jerk reaction post: I'm actually really happy for pika and Drip too! Congrats you guys!

[DripDrip]

Wait, me and Pika getting 1st and 2nd. What kind of foreshadowing from our Avatars.

Welp, what are you going to say now that you aren't in fourth place. Quit being so harsh on yourself and just be your colorful self. We saw that in this entry, some even saying your write-up over powered your gif. You're a colorful queen, embrace it Emmy!

Thank you, so much. That last part came from a dark place when I was writing my entry, and I will continue to be my colorful self.

[pika]

OH MY GOD. FINALLY Thank you judges for awarding me the win, I feel like I've made it now. Just gotta keep it up now.

Congrats to Jeremy and Kitt on second and third. And I'm happy to see you still here Anna. Us partners gotta stick together till the end.

Theo, you were literally one of my favorite, if not favorite person in this competition. I love talking to you and although you sometimes doubt yourself, you personality is really charming and cute. I'm sad to see you go.

[DripDrip]

Theo, I'm sad to see you go , you were one of the best people that I met in the competition, and I know you have a shining personality that is waiting to be let out.

[Doc]

Originally posted by Kitt

Originally posted by pika

Chapstick's audios. I actually really liked them to be honest. I listened to every single one for each contestant before reading the other critiques.

Same

[ChapStick]

Originally posted by DripDrip

WAIT lemme take a minute to take in Doc's schooling me on Photoshop

I will definitely take a turtorial on text work, I never knew my fonts look Windows 98. Thank you for the advice!

And I almost died at the first part of Boyonce's first sentence

Not chapstick being right and making me think of his **** with his long and hard sentence tho

I honestly didn't realize what it sounded like until the words were coming out of my mouth.

Originally posted by Kitt

at Chapstick's voice memo's this round.

Can't tell if you were amused in a good way or if you're shading me.

Originally posted by pika

Chapstick's audios. I actually really liked them to be honest. I listened to every single one for each contestant before reading the other critiques.

I'm really glad you liked them. I wanted to do something slightly funny and different this round. As for you, GREAT JOB with that top callout this round! I'm proud of you.

[ChapStick]

Originally posted by Doc

Same

Glad you guys got a kick out of them. I'm going to keep bringing them for the rest of the competition. Who knows what mayhem and foolishness will come out of my mouth next time...

[Matty]

I feel like pulling a Julian the next judging... but I hate my voice

[Doc]

Oh, I would never, for the same reason.

But I love Julians.

[Kitt]

Theoooooooo. I liked your gif/entry too. You will be missed, especially being that I got to know you so much during this competition. I've seen you around a lot prior but I don't think we've ever said anything more than a few courteous words to each other but now it's different

I hope you still come back and check in periodically with us here and of course tinychat (most likely)

[DripDrip]

Yesssss, at Chapstick doing voice rates, I will be slayed every time.