Vidding Year in Review
I didn't make many vids this year due to feeling like a failure and the constant excrutiating pain, so this should be easy (she said). Links go to the vid on AO3, rather than YouTube or Vimeo, but you can click through to watch them there.
From first to most recent:
Monsters
This was the vid that I made for Destina for Festivids. I stumbled on this song while I was actually wringing my hands about finding the right music for the vid I had in mind--I was working on a project and still formulating things in my mind when the season of Elementary opened, and at the end there was this intriguing music at the end. I could just barely hear it, and there were only about five words sung, but I just thought, wow, that's it. Little did I know what an ordeal it would become to find out how to get my hands on a high quality version of it. The artist who'd released it later changed his performing name, and the only place that had it was UK iTunes, which refused to give it to me, and I spent days trying to track down where it would be in US iTunes or some other place I could buy it. It really was the perfect song, and I loved the slow build, and the energy of the beat behind such quiet words and ethereal sounds. The whole thing was perfect for painting a picture of Jack and the terrible life he has, surrounded by monsters, trying not to become one himself.
Sorrow
I made this for Escapade almost at the last minute. I have been trying to do a vid since I saw Winter Soldier for the first time, and there's just really not the footage I want, so after struggling some more with it, I gave up and did this, which had been sitting in my heart for a long time. I felt like this came together really well, though I was a bit worried it would be over the top; I had someone come look at it unfinished and she said I made her cry, so that made me feel like it succeeded.
Wasp Nest
I'd finished all my Vividcon vids, and while I was working on them, I kept thinking about Natasha--and about the fact that there's this thing I kind of hate where fans decide that a certain fandom or character can only be represented in vids by a certain type of music. I've had that thrown in my face before, when I went, I don't know, off what people consider acceptable, and I really chafe at that. I think it's so narrow and unimaginative and restricting, and all the Natasha vids I've seen are either to these girl power songs or fighty-beaty action music. (Seriously, do you have any idea how many vids there are to Fight Song for her or Melinda May? Gah.) I never see things that feel like an internal conversation inside her heart, or ones that examine other parts of her than just fighty girl power stuff. So I wanted to do that, and I knew people would slam the song as being too soft, and of course…they did. Whatever. I love how this turned out, and I love using vids to explore other parts of a canon or a character than what people expect.
Heroes (We Could Be)
I wanted to make this for Club Vivid for over a year, but I was worried about the intro being beatless, so I asked ahead of time. I felt like it might not fit for the dance party, but it got in anyway, and I was super happy with how it turned out. It was terrible to make though--I spent way too much money on stuff for clips, buying movies and episodes and whatnot. And some of the Agent Carter eps would not work for love or money. Everything was in different aspect ratios…and then I couldn't figure out how to make a thumbnail that conveyed all the women in the vid because I am not an artist and don't have those tools. I asked M'lyn if she would be interested in making me a graphic and she made my amazing title background and thumbnail art, and I love it so much. I stare at it happily all the time.
Titanium
I really wanted to make this back when the show ended, but I decided to wait and make it my Vividcon premieres vid because I didn't have any other ideas. It was definitely a challenge--my iMac's video card died right before the deadline, and I thought I'd lost the hi-def Agent Carter one-shot file that someone sent me, and some of the Agent Carter on ABC eps wouldn't work…it was like being the Job of vidding or something. I thought I'd lost the entire vid too, when they went to replace the video card. Thank god I didn't. Then YouTube banned it. Vimeo had taken down almost all my vids a few years ago, unbeknownst to me, so I was reluctant to put it there, but I didn't have time to get in touch with Critical Commons at that point before I left for the con, so it ended up there. I still wait to find out they've removed it. The worst part is that there are other vids to Titanium on youtube, but I am nervous about resubmitting it. I was really happy with it, despite the torment, and Destina gave me an amazing beta review.
Havoc in Heaven
I put myself up for sale in the Vividcon auction this year, because I'd had such a fun time the last time I did it. I was so lucky to be bought by killabeez--we'd talked about this song for a Sunshine vid before, and when she played it again for me the day the auction was closing, I was sekritly hoping she would buy me so I could do it. We discussed a bunch of other songs and fandoms, but this was the one I thought, yeah, I can do something with this. I have synesthesia, and it manifests in some different ways, but a big one is that sounds have colors. Some things can be quite psychedelic when I'm listening to music. I could feel the visuals of the movie in the musical notes, and despite some tech issues, this came together really well, especially because Killa kind of grokked what I was talking about and she was really good at explaining to me how she saw the story of the vid. It was perfect synchronicity! I'm so glad I made this--it might be a minuscule fandom, but I got to bond with bironic and talitha78 at the con over this, and it's, I felt, not like a lot of other vids you see at Vividcon.
Way Down We Go
The Captain America: Civil War trailer burned a hole in my heart. It gave me so much stuff I was worried about ever seeing in that ridiculously overstuffed clown car of a cast--Bucky and Steve gazing into each other's eyes! A touch! Bucky on Steve's six! Bucky remembering! I was itching to make a vid, and this song arrived in my life right at the moment the trailer did. There's really only about less than two minutes of footage to work with, since so much of the trailer is the damn logos and black space. So I filled it out with Cap 2 stuff, and I think it worked well--it's about 90 percent trailer, and that's still a good ratio. Killa edited the song down for me and also gave it a look before I posted it, and her enthusiasm was really helpful. I loved how it turned out, it may not have been a big hit, but it's one of the few vids I've made I'm happy to rewatch. Someone called it "sexy" and that was exactly what I was hoping for, so mission accomplished.
Thinky thoughts part:
My favorite video this year:
Way Down We Go, just because of the FEELS.
Least favorite video this year:
I don't really have one, I felt like they all had something good about them.
Most successful:
Um…if you judge by hits on YouTube or Vimeo, Monsters. There's definitely some kind of Jack and David contingent on YouTube that I don't see existing anyplace else. I haven't looked at reblogs on Tumblr, but I'd probably guess Sorrow had the most notes. On AO3 and journals, Sorrow seems to be the clear winner. For me personally, though, I just love how Havoc in Heaven turned out, and the reactions of some vidders I admire (and Killa's reaction to her vid!) were so, so gratifying.
Vid most under-appreciated by the universe in my opinion:
Oh, well, I don't know. I mean, they're all okay. I think Wasp Nest just disappeared into a pre-Vividcon, not-girl-fighty song void.
Funnest video:
I think most people would say Heroes (We Could Be) because it's about the ladies of Marvel and my love for them shows.
Video with the single sexiest moment:
Hm. I'm not sure there are sexy moments, per se, but I think the fact that someone called Way Down We Go out for being really sexy would answer that.
Biggest vid fail:
I don't feel like any of them did that this year, but the struggle to make Titanium, and not being able to post it to YouTube, was really hard to handle.
Hardest video to make:
Titanium, for the reasons stated above.
Easiest video to make:
Havoc in Heaven and Sorrow both came together really well, and I loved working with Killa on Havoc. Way Down We Go was definitely the speediest.
Most unintentionally telling video:
I don't know that any of them fit this, but I suppose you can see my Steve/Bucky feels written all over Sorrow and Way Down We Go in an embarrassing fashion.
What's Next?
I have a vid that I'd like to make with someone, that we've talked about for a couple years now. I'd like to make more vids. I don't know what my pain levels, and my equipment, will allow. I'd like to learn AfterEffects, but since I can't even figure out Premiere (or, more to the point, why it doesn't work for me the way it's supposed to), I'm not sure how well that'd go. And I think Civil War may finally give me the footage I need to make the vid of my heart I've been trying to make since April of 2014. But right now, I have to finish this vid I started before the CW trailer dropped, and proabably send that to Escapade.
From first to most recent:
Monsters
This was the vid that I made for Destina for Festivids. I stumbled on this song while I was actually wringing my hands about finding the right music for the vid I had in mind--I was working on a project and still formulating things in my mind when the season of Elementary opened, and at the end there was this intriguing music at the end. I could just barely hear it, and there were only about five words sung, but I just thought, wow, that's it. Little did I know what an ordeal it would become to find out how to get my hands on a high quality version of it. The artist who'd released it later changed his performing name, and the only place that had it was UK iTunes, which refused to give it to me, and I spent days trying to track down where it would be in US iTunes or some other place I could buy it. It really was the perfect song, and I loved the slow build, and the energy of the beat behind such quiet words and ethereal sounds. The whole thing was perfect for painting a picture of Jack and the terrible life he has, surrounded by monsters, trying not to become one himself.
Sorrow
I made this for Escapade almost at the last minute. I have been trying to do a vid since I saw Winter Soldier for the first time, and there's just really not the footage I want, so after struggling some more with it, I gave up and did this, which had been sitting in my heart for a long time. I felt like this came together really well, though I was a bit worried it would be over the top; I had someone come look at it unfinished and she said I made her cry, so that made me feel like it succeeded.
Wasp Nest
I'd finished all my Vividcon vids, and while I was working on them, I kept thinking about Natasha--and about the fact that there's this thing I kind of hate where fans decide that a certain fandom or character can only be represented in vids by a certain type of music. I've had that thrown in my face before, when I went, I don't know, off what people consider acceptable, and I really chafe at that. I think it's so narrow and unimaginative and restricting, and all the Natasha vids I've seen are either to these girl power songs or fighty-beaty action music. (Seriously, do you have any idea how many vids there are to Fight Song for her or Melinda May? Gah.) I never see things that feel like an internal conversation inside her heart, or ones that examine other parts of her than just fighty girl power stuff. So I wanted to do that, and I knew people would slam the song as being too soft, and of course…they did. Whatever. I love how this turned out, and I love using vids to explore other parts of a canon or a character than what people expect.
Heroes (We Could Be)
I wanted to make this for Club Vivid for over a year, but I was worried about the intro being beatless, so I asked ahead of time. I felt like it might not fit for the dance party, but it got in anyway, and I was super happy with how it turned out. It was terrible to make though--I spent way too much money on stuff for clips, buying movies and episodes and whatnot. And some of the Agent Carter eps would not work for love or money. Everything was in different aspect ratios…and then I couldn't figure out how to make a thumbnail that conveyed all the women in the vid because I am not an artist and don't have those tools. I asked M'lyn if she would be interested in making me a graphic and she made my amazing title background and thumbnail art, and I love it so much. I stare at it happily all the time.
Titanium
I really wanted to make this back when the show ended, but I decided to wait and make it my Vividcon premieres vid because I didn't have any other ideas. It was definitely a challenge--my iMac's video card died right before the deadline, and I thought I'd lost the hi-def Agent Carter one-shot file that someone sent me, and some of the Agent Carter on ABC eps wouldn't work…it was like being the Job of vidding or something. I thought I'd lost the entire vid too, when they went to replace the video card. Thank god I didn't. Then YouTube banned it. Vimeo had taken down almost all my vids a few years ago, unbeknownst to me, so I was reluctant to put it there, but I didn't have time to get in touch with Critical Commons at that point before I left for the con, so it ended up there. I still wait to find out they've removed it. The worst part is that there are other vids to Titanium on youtube, but I am nervous about resubmitting it. I was really happy with it, despite the torment, and Destina gave me an amazing beta review.
Havoc in Heaven
I put myself up for sale in the Vividcon auction this year, because I'd had such a fun time the last time I did it. I was so lucky to be bought by killabeez--we'd talked about this song for a Sunshine vid before, and when she played it again for me the day the auction was closing, I was sekritly hoping she would buy me so I could do it. We discussed a bunch of other songs and fandoms, but this was the one I thought, yeah, I can do something with this. I have synesthesia, and it manifests in some different ways, but a big one is that sounds have colors. Some things can be quite psychedelic when I'm listening to music. I could feel the visuals of the movie in the musical notes, and despite some tech issues, this came together really well, especially because Killa kind of grokked what I was talking about and she was really good at explaining to me how she saw the story of the vid. It was perfect synchronicity! I'm so glad I made this--it might be a minuscule fandom, but I got to bond with bironic and talitha78 at the con over this, and it's, I felt, not like a lot of other vids you see at Vividcon.
Way Down We Go
The Captain America: Civil War trailer burned a hole in my heart. It gave me so much stuff I was worried about ever seeing in that ridiculously overstuffed clown car of a cast--Bucky and Steve gazing into each other's eyes! A touch! Bucky on Steve's six! Bucky remembering! I was itching to make a vid, and this song arrived in my life right at the moment the trailer did. There's really only about less than two minutes of footage to work with, since so much of the trailer is the damn logos and black space. So I filled it out with Cap 2 stuff, and I think it worked well--it's about 90 percent trailer, and that's still a good ratio. Killa edited the song down for me and also gave it a look before I posted it, and her enthusiasm was really helpful. I loved how it turned out, it may not have been a big hit, but it's one of the few vids I've made I'm happy to rewatch. Someone called it "sexy" and that was exactly what I was hoping for, so mission accomplished.
Thinky thoughts part:
My favorite video this year:
Way Down We Go, just because of the FEELS.
Least favorite video this year:
I don't really have one, I felt like they all had something good about them.
Most successful:
Um…if you judge by hits on YouTube or Vimeo, Monsters. There's definitely some kind of Jack and David contingent on YouTube that I don't see existing anyplace else. I haven't looked at reblogs on Tumblr, but I'd probably guess Sorrow had the most notes. On AO3 and journals, Sorrow seems to be the clear winner. For me personally, though, I just love how Havoc in Heaven turned out, and the reactions of some vidders I admire (and Killa's reaction to her vid!) were so, so gratifying.
Vid most under-appreciated by the universe in my opinion:
Oh, well, I don't know. I mean, they're all okay. I think Wasp Nest just disappeared into a pre-Vividcon, not-girl-fighty song void.
Funnest video:
I think most people would say Heroes (We Could Be) because it's about the ladies of Marvel and my love for them shows.
Video with the single sexiest moment:
Hm. I'm not sure there are sexy moments, per se, but I think the fact that someone called Way Down We Go out for being really sexy would answer that.
Biggest vid fail:
I don't feel like any of them did that this year, but the struggle to make Titanium, and not being able to post it to YouTube, was really hard to handle.
Hardest video to make:
Titanium, for the reasons stated above.
Easiest video to make:
Havoc in Heaven and Sorrow both came together really well, and I loved working with Killa on Havoc. Way Down We Go was definitely the speediest.
Most unintentionally telling video:
I don't know that any of them fit this, but I suppose you can see my Steve/Bucky feels written all over Sorrow and Way Down We Go in an embarrassing fashion.
What's Next?
I have a vid that I'd like to make with someone, that we've talked about for a couple years now. I'd like to make more vids. I don't know what my pain levels, and my equipment, will allow. I'd like to learn AfterEffects, but since I can't even figure out Premiere (or, more to the point, why it doesn't work for me the way it's supposed to), I'm not sure how well that'd go. And I think Civil War may finally give me the footage I need to make the vid of my heart I've been trying to make since April of 2014. But right now, I have to finish this vid I started before the CW trailer dropped, and proabably send that to Escapade.