Vividcon: Vid Review Notes
These are my notes taken from this year's Vid Review about this year's Vividcon Premieres. For the record, these aren't my own personal thoughts about the vids. These are simply some of the comments and such that came up during this morning's discussion of the vids.
The Adventure (Harry Potter) and Barton Hollow (Homeland) will not be talked about during regular vid review. They were chosen for In-Depth Vid Review which will take place this afternoon.
Raise Your Hand (Marvel movies): It was a wonderful team building vid: about the team coming together in the source but also putting the source together to create a team. Very broad range of Avengers-related vids throughout the vidshow. Felt very meta: about people with different backgrounds and interests coming together to create something new (i.e., just like fandom).
60 Feet Tall (Haywire): A lot of people didn't know the source, but the movement was gorgeous and drew your attention. It was hard to actually figure out the narrative without being familiar with the source. Having seen the source, not knowing what's going on is very true to the movie.
Dilema (This Corrosion) (Tesis): There was no blurb in the program; not a good idea considering very few people were familiar with the source? The song drew people's attention.
Fields of Coal (Unusuals): Wow, all of the actors are very familiar. The vid really did a good job of showing that the characters are all very broken, but they always have their team to back them up. This vid, unlike others from the fandom, really made people curious about the characters' stories. It was hard to figure out exactly what was happen without knowing the source.
Forever Yours (Medley) (House M.D.): Deeply reflects the EPIC FEEEELS!!! A little long for a funny vid. Felt more like five individual vids rather than one long vid. Worked very well when watching it with a group of a people rather than as an individual. The vid distilled everything that a non-fan might want to see about House and Wilson; it was a compilation of the best House/Wilson moments. Needed a stronger framing device. It was very obvious that the vidder loves the pairing.
According to You (Sherlock): Song choice = so wrong that it's right. It was hard to tell whose POV the vid was from at the very beginning. Major sucker punch at the very end. Didn't think that the song led up to the ending; it came out of nowhere. Some of the set-ups were better than others.
Let Me Put My Love Into You (Bitch Slap): Women who kick ass (and other parts as well). It was awesome to see a vid like this about women instead of men. Very complicated feelings about the vid: changed mind several times throughout it. The source is still exploitative despite the vid being made by and for women. The song choice made it feel like it was giving viewers permission to enjoy the vid despite the source.
Hologram (Iron Man): FEEEEELS!!! It was a love story without a love song; Rhodey and Pepper are Tony's support. OT3! You only saw the first Rhodey's face; with everything from IM2, his face was covered. It was about Tony's epic manpain. Tony's epic self-centered manpain. And how that prevents him from connecting deeply with Pepper and/or Rhodey. There was yearning going on, yearning to get out of the manpain. Very hard to connect to emotionally because Tony's manpain is so ridiculous and over the top, and the vid made it seem very serious and like actual depression.
Ljósiš (Farscape): Vidder's very first vid ever. The vidder understood that, in an instrumental vid, new instruments could be used to introduce new characters. It was hard to understand what the vid was trying to say because of the structure. It really felt odd that nobody but John, Aeryn, and Moya were shown in the entire vid. The pairing in the show as very complex, and it felt odd to see them in love with no major issues for the entire vid. It was very clear that the vidder was simply trying to show how much they love the pairing; it wasn't hard to figure out the story in the layers. The instrumental song choice kept it from going over the top.
Lateralus (Fringe): It was a very smart vid by a very smart person about very smart people. The vid was gorgeous. The dialogue worked very well; it didn't step on the music like dialogue does a lot of the time. The length of the intro didn't feel long because it felt as if you were being drawn along the spiral into the vid. The vid showed that there were consequences that spiraled out. Even if you're not familiar with the source, a lot of the story comes through. If you are familiar with the source, it's even more details and complex.
White Rabbit (Puella Magi Madoka Magica): It was very visually stunning with a lot of surreality. The song choice was extremely appropriate. It was hard to follow the story without being familiar with the source. The surreality really worked for the vid. The length felt long to some people and not to others. Psychadelic trips aren't short.
Masters of War (Pegasus Rising Remix) (Stargate Atlantis): Most of the other vids in Premieres were "fuck yeah!" but this vid was "fuck no!" Rodney's quote at the very end of the vid didn't work very well; it broke the mood. It would have worked better at the beginning, since the vid went from fairly lighthearted to very dark and the quote was fairly lighthearted again. The dialogue worked very well because it showed how fandom's interpretation of the show is skewed. "John Sheppard, you creepy motherfucker." The vid tapped into feelings about colonialism. This is an argument made a lot by people who love the show. The people who wrote Stargate had absolutely no idea what they were writing or what they were doing. As someone who hasn't watched Stargate, the last line of dialogue actually helped make it clear what the vid was saying.
Possession (Legend of the Seeker): The vid has been vidded a lot, so some people might not be able to recontextualize it. The vid was very beautiful and layered. The song was absolutely perfect for the vid. The vid gives a really strong sense of history. The double pairing was a little confusing at first for someone who didn't know the source.
You're a Sweet Little Headache (Highlander: The Raven): Lucy! The vid was adorable, and the length worked very well. The song choice was great for Amanda. The audio editing could have been done better. Lucy totally would have thought of Amanda as a sweet little headache.
Grave (Disney): The de-Disneyfication of the story was very interesting. The creepiness at the beginning didn't quite mesh with all of the clips of Maleficent. It would have worked better if there was more mystery at the beginning while setting the mood. The blurb and listed fandom didn't quite fit with the vid and made it hard to get into the vid at the very beginning. Being in the POV of the villain definitely helped the creepiness factor. The narrative was a little muddy, but the ending was perfect. The princess is still enthralled, whether it's by the prince or still by Maleficent.
SSB (Red Tails): The vid didn't need the quote at the beginning. It was hard to read because it was too fast, so only a few words really had time to stick out but those words were dark. The song choice was perfect. The editing was very well done; the song worked very well with the visuals. If you are familiar with the song, the quote's not necessary, but if you aren't then it really works well. Way to get patriotism and counterculture into the same moment.
The Lightning Strike (Multifandom): The vid could have been such an epic fail, but it really worked well. What do these three guys have in common? Awesome boyfriends. The inclusion of the art worked so well because it shows how these stories have impacted history and culture so much over the centuries. As someone who hadn't seen Alexander or Kings, the art helped explain what stories and characters were being focused on. The final clip of the fire still burning really helped show not only the relationships but the stories themselves. Fandom extends back through time.
Ramalama (Once Upon a Time): The vidder takes advantage of the colors and saturations of both worlds. The song made the source feel larger than life, which worked well since it's fairy tales. This vid knew how to end; it built up to the end. "I wish the show was this good." The vid was a celebration of the show's beauty. The percussion invoked Wizard of Oz.
Say Aha (Alien films): Fuck yeah, Ripley! The editing was brilliant. The vidder didn't waste any time showing how awesome Ripley is, yet it still kept building and building. The use of the director's cut of Alien really helped make the vid since it expands so much.
Girl in the War (Justified): Perfect song choice for the character and storyline that was being focused on. You don't get to see Justified being tender very often. Despite not knowing the souce, the story was coherent. The vid felt somewhat off timing-wise at times. Knowing the song, the fact that it was edited to be shorter was very disorienting. The ending of the vid missed some of the emotional heights that the season itself ends.
Long, Long Time Ago (Destino): The vid didn't recontextualize anything or change anything, which was disappointing since the source was only seven minutes long in the first place. The vid was very reminiscent of Fantasia; it was very pretty, the music was lovely, but there wasn't much of a plot.
Smack My Bitch Up (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo): The vid is beautifully edited and put together, the song choice is gorgeous... but the use of both versions of the movies was very distracting. The inclusions of both versions of the movie made it even stronger, invoking an idea of violence against women in general rather than simply an individual case and how some women react. It was confusion when the music changed halfway through the song, and it made it hard to follow the plot because it was difficult to see the continuation between the two parts. As someone who hates the song, the movies, and the book, the vid was hated; if the vidder's intent was to make it unpleasant and show how dark the narrative is, though, then it works.
Evening Waltz (Local Hero): Is it Scotland or is it Greece? Instrumentals are hard, especially with an unfamiliar source. As someone who loves the movie, the vid was wonderful. A song with lyrics would have worked better since so many people aren't familiar with the source, especially in a con setting.
Non Plaustra Vade! (Harry Potter): Fuck yeah, Harry Potter! Is the vid really saying anything that the source itself isn't saying or is it just a summation of the eight films? The vid was very layered, but you can still enjoy the vid even without going into anything but the top layer. Very reminiscent of Lum's BtVS "The End of the World as We Know It" vid from years ago. The vid was very epic. The music choice was perfect and really fit the journey.
Rude Boy Resort (Iron Man): The song choice was outstanding and fit perfectly. There were a lot of subtle clip connections, especially as the vid progressed. It was a story of growth as a person, of getting back up. The structure of this vid didn't just retell the movie.
How It Ends (Hugo): Aw! The vid was really sweet. The song started out sadly, making people not familiar with the source think that it was going to have a bad ending, but then it gets more lighthearted as it goes along and ends with a happy ending after all. The vid added emotion that was completely missing from the movie and made the film so much better. The narrative was very well put together; as someone who didn't know the source, the plot was very clear. The movie got too bogged down; by streamlining the story, the vid was very effective.
Everything Is Wrong (Community): It was awesome seeing a Britta vid. The clips with the bagels at the very beginning and end explained Britta so well for fans who could read into it more than someone who wasn't familiar with the source. While it's a Britta vid, it still shows that the others feel the same way as her sometimes. The ensemble is still very important. The vid was very personal; Britta is you, and you are okay. Britta has the potential to be so much more, and this vid shows everything that Britta is and could someday be. FEEEEELS. Holy shit, I'm Britta, but it's okay to be Britta because she's a good person. It's not just a character study, but it's also a study of how she's been characterized by the show. This is how the writers want us to read her, and this is how we read her.
Games (Sherlock): The story the vid was telling wasn't quite clear. The song was very distracting because so many songs by the artist have been used for Sherlock vids in the past, but this one was very well edited. It was obvious that the vid was trying to tell the viewer something, but we're not as smart as Sherlock. As someone who really dislikes Sherlock Holmes, I loved this vid. The dissonance of the music worked very well. It felt more like a John vid than a Sherlock vid. Sherlock is the gateway drug.
How I Got Over You (The Wire): It was very easy to follow the source if you didn't know it, but the vid was absolutely devastating if you were familiar with it. The fact that the vid focused on the kids made it even more heartbreaking than just watching the show, where that was only an aspect of the show. It was a little difficult to figure out which kid/kids were the focus of the vid as someone who wasn't familiar with the source. The vid undercuts the song; the song says if only someone cared, but there are actually so many people who cared.
Carry On (Captain America): Perfect song choice. STEVE FEEEEELS was a great summary. The various Marvel movie vids circled around Avengers without actually having enough source to use. The vid shows how Steve is the heart of the Avengers, but there's an Avengers-sized hole in the center. Almost like a donut.
I'm Gonna Be... (Glee): It was great to see such a smart character study considering how much the fandom tends to focus on 'ships. The vid shows Rachel's journey from loner to part of a group. The show tries so hard to make people hate Rachel, and the vid shows just why we can't hate her. The tone of the vid was very different from the vidder's usual style.
Real Wild Child (Lost Girl): It was short, adorable, and fun just like Kenzi herself. The vid was disappointing because the shots of Kenzi were too static; the editing and clip choice didn't do what the song was trying to do. The blurb says: "Kenzi is awesome. That is all." There's so much more to her, though. Part of the reason it felt so static is because the source doesn't have quite enough visually to support it.
Anything For Love (Thor): There's a very good reason this was the last vid. A++. The vid was so much more than just Thor, and the vidders didn't spoil the joke by announcing that in the blurb. This vid was the meta and the love and the facepalming; everything to love about this whole fannish enterprise. The headdesking is very appropriate. The vid talks to vidders but also the fannish experience in general. I could see myself and my own friends doing this exact same thing. The vid unfolded very well; there wasn't just one twist, there were lots of them. It just kept building. The fact that
astolat dressed up as Thor at Club Vivid the night before made it even more appropriate.
This entry has been crossposted to Dreamwidth, and it currently has
replies there. Comment on whichever site you prefer.
The Adventure (Harry Potter) and Barton Hollow (Homeland) will not be talked about during regular vid review. They were chosen for In-Depth Vid Review which will take place this afternoon.
Raise Your Hand (Marvel movies): It was a wonderful team building vid: about the team coming together in the source but also putting the source together to create a team. Very broad range of Avengers-related vids throughout the vidshow. Felt very meta: about people with different backgrounds and interests coming together to create something new (i.e., just like fandom).
60 Feet Tall (Haywire): A lot of people didn't know the source, but the movement was gorgeous and drew your attention. It was hard to actually figure out the narrative without being familiar with the source. Having seen the source, not knowing what's going on is very true to the movie.
Dilema (This Corrosion) (Tesis): There was no blurb in the program; not a good idea considering very few people were familiar with the source? The song drew people's attention.
Fields of Coal (Unusuals): Wow, all of the actors are very familiar. The vid really did a good job of showing that the characters are all very broken, but they always have their team to back them up. This vid, unlike others from the fandom, really made people curious about the characters' stories. It was hard to figure out exactly what was happen without knowing the source.
Forever Yours (Medley) (House M.D.): Deeply reflects the EPIC FEEEELS!!! A little long for a funny vid. Felt more like five individual vids rather than one long vid. Worked very well when watching it with a group of a people rather than as an individual. The vid distilled everything that a non-fan might want to see about House and Wilson; it was a compilation of the best House/Wilson moments. Needed a stronger framing device. It was very obvious that the vidder loves the pairing.
According to You (Sherlock): Song choice = so wrong that it's right. It was hard to tell whose POV the vid was from at the very beginning. Major sucker punch at the very end. Didn't think that the song led up to the ending; it came out of nowhere. Some of the set-ups were better than others.
Let Me Put My Love Into You (Bitch Slap): Women who kick ass (and other parts as well). It was awesome to see a vid like this about women instead of men. Very complicated feelings about the vid: changed mind several times throughout it. The source is still exploitative despite the vid being made by and for women. The song choice made it feel like it was giving viewers permission to enjoy the vid despite the source.
Hologram (Iron Man): FEEEEELS!!! It was a love story without a love song; Rhodey and Pepper are Tony's support. OT3! You only saw the first Rhodey's face; with everything from IM2, his face was covered. It was about Tony's epic manpain. Tony's epic self-centered manpain. And how that prevents him from connecting deeply with Pepper and/or Rhodey. There was yearning going on, yearning to get out of the manpain. Very hard to connect to emotionally because Tony's manpain is so ridiculous and over the top, and the vid made it seem very serious and like actual depression.
Ljósiš (Farscape): Vidder's very first vid ever. The vidder understood that, in an instrumental vid, new instruments could be used to introduce new characters. It was hard to understand what the vid was trying to say because of the structure. It really felt odd that nobody but John, Aeryn, and Moya were shown in the entire vid. The pairing in the show as very complex, and it felt odd to see them in love with no major issues for the entire vid. It was very clear that the vidder was simply trying to show how much they love the pairing; it wasn't hard to figure out the story in the layers. The instrumental song choice kept it from going over the top.
Lateralus (Fringe): It was a very smart vid by a very smart person about very smart people. The vid was gorgeous. The dialogue worked very well; it didn't step on the music like dialogue does a lot of the time. The length of the intro didn't feel long because it felt as if you were being drawn along the spiral into the vid. The vid showed that there were consequences that spiraled out. Even if you're not familiar with the source, a lot of the story comes through. If you are familiar with the source, it's even more details and complex.
White Rabbit (Puella Magi Madoka Magica): It was very visually stunning with a lot of surreality. The song choice was extremely appropriate. It was hard to follow the story without being familiar with the source. The surreality really worked for the vid. The length felt long to some people and not to others. Psychadelic trips aren't short.
Masters of War (Pegasus Rising Remix) (Stargate Atlantis): Most of the other vids in Premieres were "fuck yeah!" but this vid was "fuck no!" Rodney's quote at the very end of the vid didn't work very well; it broke the mood. It would have worked better at the beginning, since the vid went from fairly lighthearted to very dark and the quote was fairly lighthearted again. The dialogue worked very well because it showed how fandom's interpretation of the show is skewed. "John Sheppard, you creepy motherfucker." The vid tapped into feelings about colonialism. This is an argument made a lot by people who love the show. The people who wrote Stargate had absolutely no idea what they were writing or what they were doing. As someone who hasn't watched Stargate, the last line of dialogue actually helped make it clear what the vid was saying.
Possession (Legend of the Seeker): The vid has been vidded a lot, so some people might not be able to recontextualize it. The vid was very beautiful and layered. The song was absolutely perfect for the vid. The vid gives a really strong sense of history. The double pairing was a little confusing at first for someone who didn't know the source.
You're a Sweet Little Headache (Highlander: The Raven): Lucy! The vid was adorable, and the length worked very well. The song choice was great for Amanda. The audio editing could have been done better. Lucy totally would have thought of Amanda as a sweet little headache.
Grave (Disney): The de-Disneyfication of the story was very interesting. The creepiness at the beginning didn't quite mesh with all of the clips of Maleficent. It would have worked better if there was more mystery at the beginning while setting the mood. The blurb and listed fandom didn't quite fit with the vid and made it hard to get into the vid at the very beginning. Being in the POV of the villain definitely helped the creepiness factor. The narrative was a little muddy, but the ending was perfect. The princess is still enthralled, whether it's by the prince or still by Maleficent.
SSB (Red Tails): The vid didn't need the quote at the beginning. It was hard to read because it was too fast, so only a few words really had time to stick out but those words were dark. The song choice was perfect. The editing was very well done; the song worked very well with the visuals. If you are familiar with the song, the quote's not necessary, but if you aren't then it really works well. Way to get patriotism and counterculture into the same moment.
The Lightning Strike (Multifandom): The vid could have been such an epic fail, but it really worked well. What do these three guys have in common? Awesome boyfriends. The inclusion of the art worked so well because it shows how these stories have impacted history and culture so much over the centuries. As someone who hadn't seen Alexander or Kings, the art helped explain what stories and characters were being focused on. The final clip of the fire still burning really helped show not only the relationships but the stories themselves. Fandom extends back through time.
Ramalama (Once Upon a Time): The vidder takes advantage of the colors and saturations of both worlds. The song made the source feel larger than life, which worked well since it's fairy tales. This vid knew how to end; it built up to the end. "I wish the show was this good." The vid was a celebration of the show's beauty. The percussion invoked Wizard of Oz.
Say Aha (Alien films): Fuck yeah, Ripley! The editing was brilliant. The vidder didn't waste any time showing how awesome Ripley is, yet it still kept building and building. The use of the director's cut of Alien really helped make the vid since it expands so much.
Girl in the War (Justified): Perfect song choice for the character and storyline that was being focused on. You don't get to see Justified being tender very often. Despite not knowing the souce, the story was coherent. The vid felt somewhat off timing-wise at times. Knowing the song, the fact that it was edited to be shorter was very disorienting. The ending of the vid missed some of the emotional heights that the season itself ends.
Long, Long Time Ago (Destino): The vid didn't recontextualize anything or change anything, which was disappointing since the source was only seven minutes long in the first place. The vid was very reminiscent of Fantasia; it was very pretty, the music was lovely, but there wasn't much of a plot.
Smack My Bitch Up (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo): The vid is beautifully edited and put together, the song choice is gorgeous... but the use of both versions of the movies was very distracting. The inclusions of both versions of the movie made it even stronger, invoking an idea of violence against women in general rather than simply an individual case and how some women react. It was confusion when the music changed halfway through the song, and it made it hard to follow the plot because it was difficult to see the continuation between the two parts. As someone who hates the song, the movies, and the book, the vid was hated; if the vidder's intent was to make it unpleasant and show how dark the narrative is, though, then it works.
Evening Waltz (Local Hero): Is it Scotland or is it Greece? Instrumentals are hard, especially with an unfamiliar source. As someone who loves the movie, the vid was wonderful. A song with lyrics would have worked better since so many people aren't familiar with the source, especially in a con setting.
Non Plaustra Vade! (Harry Potter): Fuck yeah, Harry Potter! Is the vid really saying anything that the source itself isn't saying or is it just a summation of the eight films? The vid was very layered, but you can still enjoy the vid even without going into anything but the top layer. Very reminiscent of Lum's BtVS "The End of the World as We Know It" vid from years ago. The vid was very epic. The music choice was perfect and really fit the journey.
Rude Boy Resort (Iron Man): The song choice was outstanding and fit perfectly. There were a lot of subtle clip connections, especially as the vid progressed. It was a story of growth as a person, of getting back up. The structure of this vid didn't just retell the movie.
How It Ends (Hugo): Aw! The vid was really sweet. The song started out sadly, making people not familiar with the source think that it was going to have a bad ending, but then it gets more lighthearted as it goes along and ends with a happy ending after all. The vid added emotion that was completely missing from the movie and made the film so much better. The narrative was very well put together; as someone who didn't know the source, the plot was very clear. The movie got too bogged down; by streamlining the story, the vid was very effective.
Everything Is Wrong (Community): It was awesome seeing a Britta vid. The clips with the bagels at the very beginning and end explained Britta so well for fans who could read into it more than someone who wasn't familiar with the source. While it's a Britta vid, it still shows that the others feel the same way as her sometimes. The ensemble is still very important. The vid was very personal; Britta is you, and you are okay. Britta has the potential to be so much more, and this vid shows everything that Britta is and could someday be. FEEEEELS. Holy shit, I'm Britta, but it's okay to be Britta because she's a good person. It's not just a character study, but it's also a study of how she's been characterized by the show. This is how the writers want us to read her, and this is how we read her.
Games (Sherlock): The story the vid was telling wasn't quite clear. The song was very distracting because so many songs by the artist have been used for Sherlock vids in the past, but this one was very well edited. It was obvious that the vid was trying to tell the viewer something, but we're not as smart as Sherlock. As someone who really dislikes Sherlock Holmes, I loved this vid. The dissonance of the music worked very well. It felt more like a John vid than a Sherlock vid. Sherlock is the gateway drug.
How I Got Over You (The Wire): It was very easy to follow the source if you didn't know it, but the vid was absolutely devastating if you were familiar with it. The fact that the vid focused on the kids made it even more heartbreaking than just watching the show, where that was only an aspect of the show. It was a little difficult to figure out which kid/kids were the focus of the vid as someone who wasn't familiar with the source. The vid undercuts the song; the song says if only someone cared, but there are actually so many people who cared.
Carry On (Captain America): Perfect song choice. STEVE FEEEEELS was a great summary. The various Marvel movie vids circled around Avengers without actually having enough source to use. The vid shows how Steve is the heart of the Avengers, but there's an Avengers-sized hole in the center. Almost like a donut.
I'm Gonna Be... (Glee): It was great to see such a smart character study considering how much the fandom tends to focus on 'ships. The vid shows Rachel's journey from loner to part of a group. The show tries so hard to make people hate Rachel, and the vid shows just why we can't hate her. The tone of the vid was very different from the vidder's usual style.
Real Wild Child (Lost Girl): It was short, adorable, and fun just like Kenzi herself. The vid was disappointing because the shots of Kenzi were too static; the editing and clip choice didn't do what the song was trying to do. The blurb says: "Kenzi is awesome. That is all." There's so much more to her, though. Part of the reason it felt so static is because the source doesn't have quite enough visually to support it.
Anything For Love (Thor): There's a very good reason this was the last vid. A++. The vid was so much more than just Thor, and the vidders didn't spoil the joke by announcing that in the blurb. This vid was the meta and the love and the facepalming; everything to love about this whole fannish enterprise. The headdesking is very appropriate. The vid talks to vidders but also the fannish experience in general. I could see myself and my own friends doing this exact same thing. The vid unfolded very well; there wasn't just one twist, there were lots of them. It just kept building. The fact that
astolat dressed up as Thor at Club Vivid the night before made it even more appropriate.
This entry has been crossposted to Dreamwidth, and it currently has
replies there. Comment on whichever site you prefer.