What do you find is most often WRONG with a cinematic?

I've started work on a series, named "The Gathering Shadows" although the name may change, and I'm about halfway through making the first part. I hope that the series may even grow to rival the likes of Creatures of the Night, although it probably won't... ^^
But what I want to know is: What should I AVOID doing? Are there particular things you hate in a cinematic? There's not going to be any voice acting, 'cause I want to keep the filesize down, so there won't be the problems you get when you hire non-english voice actors who can't pronounce the words... -_-
Any tips or help would be appreciated...

Avoid NOT moving the camera, that's the most annoying thing I usually find on cinematics: long, long time with the camera still. Good luck with your project.

Salutions®

Not just moving camera's but good angles and timing. even if you have to place two camera's very close to one another, do that, so the camera will be moving. With a Cinematic, as long as to test-watch it ALOT, and actually fix or change anything that bothers you while you watch it, it will turn out okay.

Also, make sure your dialogue is smart and it reads well. A great story idea can be ruined by trying to express it with bad dialogue.

Also, don't get impaitent, if you know how to do something that will look cool in a sequence, do it, even if it will take you a while to get it to work.

Lastly, figure out what your style is and where your strengths lie, and empisize them when you write your story.

I hate cinematics without a story. I hate cinematics that have any l33t sp33k (unless it is making fun of it). Also, break out of the normal cinematic camera. Go beyond the conventional game cinematic camera angles.

All this actually bodes EXTREMELY well for my project. In the first part, I've already done what Zurg suggested with a nice bit where you see through the eyes of...what or who ever is responsible for the mysterious murders...as it/he kills somone. It has a really nice feel, as the victim sees him and starts to run, before being chased down and killed. The story isn't totally finished yet, but I have a very broad overview, and I HAVE finished the story for part one completely. My dialogue is pretty good, and there are none of the grammar errors that plague some cinematics... There are only a few bits where the camera is still, and they only last for a couple of seconds each, before cutting to a new location. It's looking good. . .

Cameras are an important part of displaying your story, get in close, and move around alot, people like to see what's going on around. Don't go through doodads, and make sure your timing is correct.

Definately not. :-P

Make sure you just DO NOT move the camera around too much! Where people don't move, dont use excess moving. Maybe one or two shifts but not like 20. I agree with the don't go through doodads part.

i find cinematics w/ wierd writing style fine when your trying to express stupidity in a funny cinematic. But yah, unless yer making fun uve it, try to avoid using too much. and dont just keep camera moving, make it sway around kool and spend time making it do lotsa stuff.

move the camera only as needed. (and camera motion is needed ALLOT, but dont be exsessive)
variable content is always nice. (eg: every time i watch, make people dynamic. instead of say placeing 12 human males and 4 human females, spawn on the fly a random number of both!)
and make posotive your timeing is perfect.