Vidding made me do it!
Holy crap I'm posting! But only to answer questions. Next I will try to work up to my own original content. And that "try" should probably look like this "TRY" if I'm being honest with myself.
But anyway, questions. These are my answers to the questions sockkpuppett posed in her journal here. I got rambly and my answers wouldn't fit in the comment box. Big surprise.
Quick rhetorical tangent: Why the hell is it so hard to start posting again once you stop? Srsly.
What does vidding "feed" into you? Is there an empty space that it fills, or is it just a marvelous extra in your life?
It was what music was made for. ;D I know my own feeling that music is an accompaniment to other things (driving, working, painting, vidding) isn't the norm in the vidding world neccessarily. But when I found vidding I found a connection to music that was even more rewarding than using as background/inspiration for other creative pursuits like drawing, painting, etc. I didn't realize I was missing that until I stumbled into it. Having other visual creative outlets already at my disposal, vidding created and fills a need to make visuals more than just visual.
What do you learn from watching other vids, or do you learn anything?
Depends on how I'm watching them. Quite often I deliberately watch vids
uncritically, especially if I think they're incredibly well done. Like reading a book and forgetting that you're looking at words and sentences.
Other times I do try to deconstruct why something sweeps me up so absolutely. The more experience I have with my own vids, the more I find I'm able to see in others. At least when it comes to narrative structure, pacing, mood, metaphors, etc. The more directly visual aspects like color, motion, composition and effects/alterations are processed whether I delve deeper or not, because that's what my brain latches onto first.
And sometimes I start out doing the first and can't help admiring the underlying choices. Plus I think watching strong vids tend to increase one's vid-watching vocabulary whether you deliberately try to or not.
Do you think that vidders put a piece of themselves into their work?
Yes. I think the more energy they spend honing the vid, the more of them you see. Sometimes that energy flows into them quickly, and sometimes I think it's a slow burn. Whether there's any large difference between the two in the end, I'm still not sure. Even bad/careless vids tell you something. Even if it's just "OMG look at me!".
Or do you think it's just a sort of technical exercise or something in between?
It's always a technical exercise. How much of themselves they want to put into their vid (or any other artwork) is always up to the creator. When they choose to put in less, whether for reasons of laziness, disinterest, or just not being that concerned about it, the vids become less individual.
Sometimes what the vidder chooses to put in is their interest in technical aspects like effects. I think how and what kind of effects are used when they're used heavily says just as much about the who the vidder is as a vid that clearly shows someone working through an emotional space. It's just a bit harder for some of us to read. Which can lead to reading them as colder--which they may be, but that still says something fairly significant I think.
Can you draw the line in what you can teach a person re vidding and what has to just come from within that person?
It's there. How to use software and gather source and edit music is as teachable as how to crosshatch and use perspective. You can even slip in suggestions on how to find inspiration and what you may want to think about as you refine initial ideas. What you can't do is teach them to *want* it.
Do you think that vidding illuminates anything about you TO you? Something that you may not have been aware of?
Fairly regularly. Not neccessarily in a "Wow, turns out I am [insert amazing revelation]!" kind of way, but since part of my own vidding goal is to create emotional resonance, I find out what resonates with me. Most of the time I know at least some of what I want to bring out before I start a vid, but I adore how having something that focuses me on it and how I react to things so often dials my love of the source/idea up so many notches.
Have you ever been pimped into a fandom by watching a vid? Elaborate?
Sure. And if I wasn't so prone to putting things off I'd have actually sat down and watched the fandoms I want to because of vids by now. ;D Some of those are Carnivale, Hex, Deadwood, and a host of movies. It's rarely one vid though. Usually there have to be a couple that look strong if the source is more than a movie.
Have you ever had a vid "made to order?" How did you feel about it once it was finished? Was it anything like what you wanted or expected?
I've been on both sides, and have definitely enjoyed the experience either way.
Making a vid to order for someone else: Still working on that actually. ;D I've had a blast doing this. They have all been collaborations where the final decision was left up to me. If that was different, my opinion might be different too. As it is, I love playing with ideas other people have given me. But maybe I've just been lucky with the quality of the ideas. :)
Having a vid made by someone else: I haven't been disappointed yet. In fact, I've been wonderfully surprised by what's come out of them. I love that other vidder's brains work differently than mine. It makes whatever idea I had seem new all over again. My disclaimer to this one would be that I've only done this with vidders who's work I enjoy already.
What are your favorite types of vids? Universe vids? Arguments? Lyrical? Mood pieces? AU's? Something else?
Good ones. :D Vids that don't require me to study up before being able to capture something from them, and to a lesser degree, vids that don't require me to suspend my disbelief too much. If you want to convince me of a really obscure pairing that isn't supported by the source, it's more likely to happen with a fic than a vid. But like everything else in life there are exceptions, so it's not like I don't like extreme AU's on principle. Also, vids that don't bore me. What bores me is a fuzzy constantly changing body that depends on how much sleep I've had, which fandom is resonating the hardest with me, and how patient I'm feeling that day. :P
But anyway, questions. These are my answers to the questions sockkpuppett posed in her journal here. I got rambly and my answers wouldn't fit in the comment box. Big surprise.
Quick rhetorical tangent: Why the hell is it so hard to start posting again once you stop? Srsly.
What does vidding "feed" into you? Is there an empty space that it fills, or is it just a marvelous extra in your life?
It was what music was made for. ;D I know my own feeling that music is an accompaniment to other things (driving, working, painting, vidding) isn't the norm in the vidding world neccessarily. But when I found vidding I found a connection to music that was even more rewarding than using as background/inspiration for other creative pursuits like drawing, painting, etc. I didn't realize I was missing that until I stumbled into it. Having other visual creative outlets already at my disposal, vidding created and fills a need to make visuals more than just visual.
What do you learn from watching other vids, or do you learn anything?
Depends on how I'm watching them. Quite often I deliberately watch vids
uncritically, especially if I think they're incredibly well done. Like reading a book and forgetting that you're looking at words and sentences.
Other times I do try to deconstruct why something sweeps me up so absolutely. The more experience I have with my own vids, the more I find I'm able to see in others. At least when it comes to narrative structure, pacing, mood, metaphors, etc. The more directly visual aspects like color, motion, composition and effects/alterations are processed whether I delve deeper or not, because that's what my brain latches onto first.
And sometimes I start out doing the first and can't help admiring the underlying choices. Plus I think watching strong vids tend to increase one's vid-watching vocabulary whether you deliberately try to or not.
Do you think that vidders put a piece of themselves into their work?
Yes. I think the more energy they spend honing the vid, the more of them you see. Sometimes that energy flows into them quickly, and sometimes I think it's a slow burn. Whether there's any large difference between the two in the end, I'm still not sure. Even bad/careless vids tell you something. Even if it's just "OMG look at me!".
Or do you think it's just a sort of technical exercise or something in between?
It's always a technical exercise. How much of themselves they want to put into their vid (or any other artwork) is always up to the creator. When they choose to put in less, whether for reasons of laziness, disinterest, or just not being that concerned about it, the vids become less individual.
Sometimes what the vidder chooses to put in is their interest in technical aspects like effects. I think how and what kind of effects are used when they're used heavily says just as much about the who the vidder is as a vid that clearly shows someone working through an emotional space. It's just a bit harder for some of us to read. Which can lead to reading them as colder--which they may be, but that still says something fairly significant I think.
Can you draw the line in what you can teach a person re vidding and what has to just come from within that person?
It's there. How to use software and gather source and edit music is as teachable as how to crosshatch and use perspective. You can even slip in suggestions on how to find inspiration and what you may want to think about as you refine initial ideas. What you can't do is teach them to *want* it.
Do you think that vidding illuminates anything about you TO you? Something that you may not have been aware of?
Fairly regularly. Not neccessarily in a "Wow, turns out I am [insert amazing revelation]!" kind of way, but since part of my own vidding goal is to create emotional resonance, I find out what resonates with me. Most of the time I know at least some of what I want to bring out before I start a vid, but I adore how having something that focuses me on it and how I react to things so often dials my love of the source/idea up so many notches.
Have you ever been pimped into a fandom by watching a vid? Elaborate?
Sure. And if I wasn't so prone to putting things off I'd have actually sat down and watched the fandoms I want to because of vids by now. ;D Some of those are Carnivale, Hex, Deadwood, and a host of movies. It's rarely one vid though. Usually there have to be a couple that look strong if the source is more than a movie.
Have you ever had a vid "made to order?" How did you feel about it once it was finished? Was it anything like what you wanted or expected?
I've been on both sides, and have definitely enjoyed the experience either way.
Making a vid to order for someone else: Still working on that actually. ;D I've had a blast doing this. They have all been collaborations where the final decision was left up to me. If that was different, my opinion might be different too. As it is, I love playing with ideas other people have given me. But maybe I've just been lucky with the quality of the ideas. :)
Having a vid made by someone else: I haven't been disappointed yet. In fact, I've been wonderfully surprised by what's come out of them. I love that other vidder's brains work differently than mine. It makes whatever idea I had seem new all over again. My disclaimer to this one would be that I've only done this with vidders who's work I enjoy already.
What are your favorite types of vids? Universe vids? Arguments? Lyrical? Mood pieces? AU's? Something else?
Good ones. :D Vids that don't require me to study up before being able to capture something from them, and to a lesser degree, vids that don't require me to suspend my disbelief too much. If you want to convince me of a really obscure pairing that isn't supported by the source, it's more likely to happen with a fic than a vid. But like everything else in life there are exceptions, so it's not like I don't like extreme AU's on principle. Also, vids that don't bore me. What bores me is a fuzzy constantly changing body that depends on how much sleep I've had, which fandom is resonating the hardest with me, and how patient I'm feeling that day. :P