Vividcon 2009 recs: 32 vids, many fandoms
I'm going to do what I did last year, which is post recs for vids both old and brand new which were scattered throughout the entire con at various vid shows, and talk a bit about why I enjoyed them, or what I found interesting about them. There are very few metalicious vids, because I tend to place an emphasis on character vids, or vids which make emotional connections. I don't generally find fandom meta and emotional connection to be compatible for me, which explains the direction of my recs. Some of the vids haven't been posted yet. If I have time, I will update the links once the vids appear. Also, this is BY NO MEANS the list of all the vids I liked/loved/was fascinated by. Really, that would take forever.
Running on the Ragged Edge (Elevation) by macchinainterna (Speed Racer) - A visually stunning, beautifully edited vid that really appeals to the part of me that loves eye candy. I have no desire to see the movie, but the vid is fantastic. It reminds me of live-action anime, which I think was kind of the style of the movie in a very deliberate way, and wow, it works. SHINY.
I Kissed A Girl by bop_radar (Smallville) - Um. Clark sure does kiss a whooooooole lot of girls. This vid is hot, and also hilarious, and really pretty.
Supernatural (In My Pants) by deirdre_c (Supernatural) - I have a thing about the song for this vid; it squicks me. I mean, I just get so embarrassed by the thing. And watching the vid, I have alternative urges: to die of embarrassment, and to laugh my ass off. In a large group in the dark, it's easier to not turn bright red while you are dying of laughter. You must trust me on this. *g*
Circus by butterfly (new Trek) - Eh, everyone has seen this by now, but. You know, you just wouldn't think this song choice would work at all. For values of 'you' equals 'me'. But it does, and the vid captures something about New!Kirk I love, the brashness and fearlessness and the need to be the center of attention that was sort of there with Original!Kirk, but not as front-and-center. I hope she remasters this when quality footage becomes available.
Believe by giandujakiss (SPN Sam/Dean) - This vid has become one of my all-time favorite SPN vids. Probably because its message is one I can't help but raise up: Sam needs something to believe in as he hits the downward spiral, and if he doesn't get that lifeline, he's going to lose himself. SHIVER SHIVER.
Fall of Man by obsessive24 (SPN Dean/Castiel) - A bit of a creepy look, with a hugely impactful final image, at the role of angels on SPN. Well, angel. And divine love, and the withholding thereof.
Man in the Box by bradcpu (House) - A perfect of example of a show I can't stand to watch, made so much better by the vids which extrapolate particular points about it. This is a fascinating character study of House. Lives on the vidder's site, which requires password. (ETA: Or here, in the LJ post where the vid premiered. Thanks Brad!)
Unnatural Selection by charmax (Terminator SCC/BSG) - a gritty, harsh, frightening look at Darwin's principles of survival, as applied to universes where machines rule. Utterly chilling, but completely awesome. And for those of you who are more of the 'vidding technique, wow!' school of vidding, this vid really has it all in that department, too.
Everything's Not Lost by greensilver (Doctor Who) - I think of this vid as the vid of smiles and hugs. Really, that's about all I can tell you about it, because I know exactly zero about the details of Doctor Who. But it will make you happy.
Mothership by laurashapiro (Doctor Who) - Another happy-making Doctor Who vid, but this one I love because of the amazing use of motion throughout, and the gorgeous editing, and the timing. Visually brilliant.
Seven Nation Army by charmax (Multi) - Continuing the theme of Charmax+robots=superduperawesomesauce, this vid shows a number of fantastic parallels and I LOVE IT.
Give It Up by jarrow (80's movies) - I strongly suspect that every person at VVC who grew up in the 80's secretly felt jarrow made this vid just for them. This hit me where I live. I'm sure there are people who grew up after me who love John Hughes, but it isn't the same at all, and this vid fills me with nostalgia and love.
Dancing Queen by greensilver and sweetestdrain (Merlin) - Brilliant because it's made of pure crack. And that's really all I can say about it, except that this vid is really the only vid that I think comes close to being an accurate representation of the spirit of the show. Ahem. (Don't tell greensilver I said that.)
Half Acre by laurashapiro and jarrow (Six Feet Under) - Haven't ever seen the source from which the vid was made, but that absolutely didn't matter. I was predisposed to love the vid because of the song choice, and the vidders made it pay off with gorgeous examples of family being there for one another in good times and in bad - what it *means* to be family. It made me miss what I have lost, and rejoice in what I had. Such a lovely vid.
Keep Holding On by counteragent (multi) - There was more crying after this one - because it's all about how family lifts you up and holds you when you can't do it yourself, and give you the strength to go on. Sigh.
Metaphor by cesperanza and flummery (Multi) - This is the kind of meta I don't mind. Your gun might be your penis! And other such types of tomfoolery.
See the USA (In Your Chevrolet) by lapillus (SPN) - Classic Carol S, and I mean that in the best possible way. The Impala is the star of the show, and there she goes.
Pretty When You Cry by diannelamerc (Dollhouse) - I absolutely loathe Dollhouse, and therefore I think this vid is creeptastic and right on the money where the female characters are concerned. It can be said that this is a selective reading of the text, but so are all vids, really. And this one happens to match my personal selective reading, and I think it's dead on. I hate the show, did I mention that? - and this vid shows you why. Super-creepy and disturbing.
Mad About You by gwyn_r (Mad Men) - Ooooh, I loved this vid. Gwyn looks at three women of Mad Men - one wife, one secretary, and one who is in between states, in a way - and how their relationships to men in their various roles are taking them apart, leaving them in pieces. SO GOOD.
Marble House by hollywoodgrrl (Doctor Who) - Again, I don't watch Doctor Who. But what drew me into this particular vid was a combination of things. One, the stunning visuals at the start, planets and stars. And the match of those with the unusual music of this vid. This is probably the first vid to ever make me regret I don't know more about DW or the history of the franchise.
American Tune by greensilver (West Wing) - This is a rec I'm making because I like the vid, but mostly because people I trust who actually watch West Wing think it is the best thing since pie, and I tend to believe them. I haven't seen WW, so I can't say. But I think you should make up your own mind. *g*
Make Your Own Kind of Music by barkley (Multi) - HAPPY VID OF HAPPY! Nothing is more lovely than people who walk their own path and find their own happiness. Vid of joy! Yay!
Then The Morning Comes by fan_eunice (Galaxy Quest) - Another vid designed to make you happy, and it will.
That Was Another Country by kassrachel (Lost) - HURLEY! This vid will probably spoil you a bit if you are not current on Lost, but so what. HURLEY!
Heaven Is A Place On Earth by rhoboat (SPN) - This vid was easily one of the top five of the con for me. Dean/Castiel, very silly and yet poignant. This vid even weakened a couple hard-core Castiel-haters in my very presence, which I think is telling.
Keeper of the Fire by sweetestdrain (Multi) - A fascinating cross-fandom look at those characters who have been 'chosen' in some way to receive revelation or prophecy from some source, and what may come of it. I love the sources she chose for this, and it became clear to me quickly that I obviously have a thing for these kinds of characters, because I have loved them all.
Swing by marycrawford (ST:TOS) - Oh, DUDE. A vid from Uhura's POV (more or less)? PURE GOLD. And so happy-making!!
Red Cliff by obsessive24 - a visually stunning vid which has an entire text and history embedded within it. If you read the vidder's notes, you will appreciate the text more, I think, but the vid stands gorgeously on its own even if, like me, you aren't sure of what's happening when you see it.
Right In Two by anonymous (SPN) - I found the vid very interesting, and it generated quite a bit of after-show discussion re the vidder's intent and what it accomplished or failed to accomplish. Personally, I felt the vid worked for me on two levels: it illustrated a world where violence and killing are the norm and the divine powers (however one wants to take that, but in the world of Supernatural, that is God and His angels) stand by and do nothing, as if they cannot be bothered. The other level on which this worked for me was to make a pointed statement about what I think are the vidder's issues with the show - ie, a shot of the angels in white hosts killing the angel in a black host and looking on as he dies and his grace leaves him. For me, this was actually a pretty powerful moment, in that there were some parallels here the vidder was reaching for in a real world context with external footage. I'm not sure the choice of footage in that regard really helped the argument, and might actually be more problematic than helpful, but the point was still slammed home to me, and it was effective. The vidder used a number of shots of Uriel and Castiel, black and white, which I think was probably deliberate. The vidder was trying to say several things, I think: God is an asshole, and so are the angels, who have devolved to the same violence they decry and ignore among the humans, and oh by the way, look at how the show fails at race, kind of like the rest of the world does. It was an interesting attempt at the argument. I think. I would love for that vidder to post sometime and tell us how on/off we all are in our interpretations. (ETA: The vid has been posted, with some commentary from the vidder, and it turns out I was more or less right in reading the intent. Whether or not it succeeded is for each person to decide.)
That's Not My Name by talitha78 (Smallville) - LOVED IT. Actually this vid made me remember why I loved Smallville, once upon a time. A character study of Clark, in a way, which shows us the journey he's been on from freaky farm boy to Superman.
Super Bon Bon by gwyn_r (Fast and the Furious) - Rrrrrrowr. Pretty cars, hot men, lots of motion. There you have it.
The Way I Am by pipsqueaky (Veronica Mars) - Don't know the source, haven't seen VM, but the vid is charming and sweet.
Running on the Ragged Edge (Elevation) by macchinainterna (Speed Racer) - A visually stunning, beautifully edited vid that really appeals to the part of me that loves eye candy. I have no desire to see the movie, but the vid is fantastic. It reminds me of live-action anime, which I think was kind of the style of the movie in a very deliberate way, and wow, it works. SHINY.
I Kissed A Girl by bop_radar (Smallville) - Um. Clark sure does kiss a whooooooole lot of girls. This vid is hot, and also hilarious, and really pretty.
Supernatural (In My Pants) by deirdre_c (Supernatural) - I have a thing about the song for this vid; it squicks me. I mean, I just get so embarrassed by the thing. And watching the vid, I have alternative urges: to die of embarrassment, and to laugh my ass off. In a large group in the dark, it's easier to not turn bright red while you are dying of laughter. You must trust me on this. *g*
Circus by butterfly (new Trek) - Eh, everyone has seen this by now, but. You know, you just wouldn't think this song choice would work at all. For values of 'you' equals 'me'. But it does, and the vid captures something about New!Kirk I love, the brashness and fearlessness and the need to be the center of attention that was sort of there with Original!Kirk, but not as front-and-center. I hope she remasters this when quality footage becomes available.
Believe by giandujakiss (SPN Sam/Dean) - This vid has become one of my all-time favorite SPN vids. Probably because its message is one I can't help but raise up: Sam needs something to believe in as he hits the downward spiral, and if he doesn't get that lifeline, he's going to lose himself. SHIVER SHIVER.
Fall of Man by obsessive24 (SPN Dean/Castiel) - A bit of a creepy look, with a hugely impactful final image, at the role of angels on SPN. Well, angel. And divine love, and the withholding thereof.
Man in the Box by bradcpu (House) - A perfect of example of a show I can't stand to watch, made so much better by the vids which extrapolate particular points about it. This is a fascinating character study of House. Lives on the vidder's site, which requires password. (ETA: Or here, in the LJ post where the vid premiered. Thanks Brad!)
Unnatural Selection by charmax (Terminator SCC/BSG) - a gritty, harsh, frightening look at Darwin's principles of survival, as applied to universes where machines rule. Utterly chilling, but completely awesome. And for those of you who are more of the 'vidding technique, wow!' school of vidding, this vid really has it all in that department, too.
Everything's Not Lost by greensilver (Doctor Who) - I think of this vid as the vid of smiles and hugs. Really, that's about all I can tell you about it, because I know exactly zero about the details of Doctor Who. But it will make you happy.
Mothership by laurashapiro (Doctor Who) - Another happy-making Doctor Who vid, but this one I love because of the amazing use of motion throughout, and the gorgeous editing, and the timing. Visually brilliant.
Seven Nation Army by charmax (Multi) - Continuing the theme of Charmax+robots=superduperawesomesauce, this vid shows a number of fantastic parallels and I LOVE IT.
Give It Up by jarrow (80's movies) - I strongly suspect that every person at VVC who grew up in the 80's secretly felt jarrow made this vid just for them. This hit me where I live. I'm sure there are people who grew up after me who love John Hughes, but it isn't the same at all, and this vid fills me with nostalgia and love.
Dancing Queen by greensilver and sweetestdrain (Merlin) - Brilliant because it's made of pure crack. And that's really all I can say about it, except that this vid is really the only vid that I think comes close to being an accurate representation of the spirit of the show. Ahem. (Don't tell greensilver I said that.)
Half Acre by laurashapiro and jarrow (Six Feet Under) - Haven't ever seen the source from which the vid was made, but that absolutely didn't matter. I was predisposed to love the vid because of the song choice, and the vidders made it pay off with gorgeous examples of family being there for one another in good times and in bad - what it *means* to be family. It made me miss what I have lost, and rejoice in what I had. Such a lovely vid.
Keep Holding On by counteragent (multi) - There was more crying after this one - because it's all about how family lifts you up and holds you when you can't do it yourself, and give you the strength to go on. Sigh.
Metaphor by cesperanza and flummery (Multi) - This is the kind of meta I don't mind. Your gun might be your penis! And other such types of tomfoolery.
See the USA (In Your Chevrolet) by lapillus (SPN) - Classic Carol S, and I mean that in the best possible way. The Impala is the star of the show, and there she goes.
Pretty When You Cry by diannelamerc (Dollhouse) - I absolutely loathe Dollhouse, and therefore I think this vid is creeptastic and right on the money where the female characters are concerned. It can be said that this is a selective reading of the text, but so are all vids, really. And this one happens to match my personal selective reading, and I think it's dead on. I hate the show, did I mention that? - and this vid shows you why. Super-creepy and disturbing.
Mad About You by gwyn_r (Mad Men) - Ooooh, I loved this vid. Gwyn looks at three women of Mad Men - one wife, one secretary, and one who is in between states, in a way - and how their relationships to men in their various roles are taking them apart, leaving them in pieces. SO GOOD.
Marble House by hollywoodgrrl (Doctor Who) - Again, I don't watch Doctor Who. But what drew me into this particular vid was a combination of things. One, the stunning visuals at the start, planets and stars. And the match of those with the unusual music of this vid. This is probably the first vid to ever make me regret I don't know more about DW or the history of the franchise.
American Tune by greensilver (West Wing) - This is a rec I'm making because I like the vid, but mostly because people I trust who actually watch West Wing think it is the best thing since pie, and I tend to believe them. I haven't seen WW, so I can't say. But I think you should make up your own mind. *g*
Make Your Own Kind of Music by barkley (Multi) - HAPPY VID OF HAPPY! Nothing is more lovely than people who walk their own path and find their own happiness. Vid of joy! Yay!
Then The Morning Comes by fan_eunice (Galaxy Quest) - Another vid designed to make you happy, and it will.
That Was Another Country by kassrachel (Lost) - HURLEY! This vid will probably spoil you a bit if you are not current on Lost, but so what. HURLEY!
Heaven Is A Place On Earth by rhoboat (SPN) - This vid was easily one of the top five of the con for me. Dean/Castiel, very silly and yet poignant. This vid even weakened a couple hard-core Castiel-haters in my very presence, which I think is telling.
Keeper of the Fire by sweetestdrain (Multi) - A fascinating cross-fandom look at those characters who have been 'chosen' in some way to receive revelation or prophecy from some source, and what may come of it. I love the sources she chose for this, and it became clear to me quickly that I obviously have a thing for these kinds of characters, because I have loved them all.
Swing by marycrawford (ST:TOS) - Oh, DUDE. A vid from Uhura's POV (more or less)? PURE GOLD. And so happy-making!!
Red Cliff by obsessive24 - a visually stunning vid which has an entire text and history embedded within it. If you read the vidder's notes, you will appreciate the text more, I think, but the vid stands gorgeously on its own even if, like me, you aren't sure of what's happening when you see it.
Right In Two by anonymous (SPN) - I found the vid very interesting, and it generated quite a bit of after-show discussion re the vidder's intent and what it accomplished or failed to accomplish. Personally, I felt the vid worked for me on two levels: it illustrated a world where violence and killing are the norm and the divine powers (however one wants to take that, but in the world of Supernatural, that is God and His angels) stand by and do nothing, as if they cannot be bothered. The other level on which this worked for me was to make a pointed statement about what I think are the vidder's issues with the show - ie, a shot of the angels in white hosts killing the angel in a black host and looking on as he dies and his grace leaves him. For me, this was actually a pretty powerful moment, in that there were some parallels here the vidder was reaching for in a real world context with external footage. I'm not sure the choice of footage in that regard really helped the argument, and might actually be more problematic than helpful, but the point was still slammed home to me, and it was effective. The vidder used a number of shots of Uriel and Castiel, black and white, which I think was probably deliberate. The vidder was trying to say several things, I think: God is an asshole, and so are the angels, who have devolved to the same violence they decry and ignore among the humans, and oh by the way, look at how the show fails at race, kind of like the rest of the world does. It was an interesting attempt at the argument. I think. I would love for that vidder to post sometime and tell us how on/off we all are in our interpretations. (ETA: The vid has been posted, with some commentary from the vidder, and it turns out I was more or less right in reading the intent. Whether or not it succeeded is for each person to decide.)
That's Not My Name by talitha78 (Smallville) - LOVED IT. Actually this vid made me remember why I loved Smallville, once upon a time. A character study of Clark, in a way, which shows us the journey he's been on from freaky farm boy to Superman.
Super Bon Bon by gwyn_r (Fast and the Furious) - Rrrrrrowr. Pretty cars, hot men, lots of motion. There you have it.
The Way I Am by pipsqueaky (Veronica Mars) - Don't know the source, haven't seen VM, but the vid is charming and sweet.