Vidding chat
Recently I've been having a lot of lengthy and very rewarding conversations about vids and vidding with various LJ friends (some vidders, some vid-watchers). Mostly these conversations have been one-on-one by email or IM, and since I've been discovering that there are other people out there who want to have similar discussions and who have a lot of interesting insights, I started thinking about providing an informal forum for this on LJ.
I know there are vidding communities out there that are already outstanding resources for vidders (vidding and mac_vidding_101 are my to go-to places for tech advice and vid meta), but what I had in mind was something a lot more informal.
Vidding can be very lonely. Even vid viewing can be lonely. I remember when I was not yet vidding myself but was obsessively watching vids and I felt like no one really wanted to hear me go on and on, again!, about what I loved about certain vids. And overwhelmingly I felt like I didn't have the right words to do so anyway. Even leaving feedback to vidders--maybe especially doing so--I felt like I couldn't describe what I was feeling, or why.
Now I make vids myself and I still don't know! I still feel that I don't have the words when I watch a vid with sophisticated effects and want to tell the vidder it's awesome. 'Dear Vidder: the whooshy effect with the sparkles at 0.32 was kickass!' (Subtext: how the fuck did she do that? I wish I could. OMG, I suck!)
I'm not alone. I know that. But so often we don't actually talk to each other about it. Or maybe some of us do, but I'm finding there's quite a lot of vidders out there who don't have anyone else to talk to.
So what I had in mind was making a regular weekly post about vidding and inviting discussion about different subjects: song choice, clipping, storyboarding (or not storyboarding!), effects, credits, different narrative styles, use of motion, colour, etc. They won't be 'teach-y' posts, and they won't be 'how-to's. Sorry, but I don't have the skill! I also don't believe there's only one way to learn this stuff, or one way to vid. I know a wide range of vidders who vid for different purposes, with different aesthetics, in a range of different styles. What I'm hoping is that this will be an opportunity to trade ideas and thoughts.
I might sometimes rec a vid I think is a good example of what we're discussing, or invite you to do so--sharing vids with others has been a really valuable experience for me. For instance, in reccing vids to daybreak777, I've come to discover that our tastes differ in terms of type of narrative we respond strongest to. That's a really useful thing for me to remember when vidding: not everyone likes the same type of structure, and each have their own strengths.
The most important thing to state is that everyone would be welcome. If you've made one vid, then feel free to talk about what you learned making it. If you've never made a vid but watch them, then tell us what works for you and what doesn't. Or even just tell us why you don't watch vids. Trust me: we'll be interested!
daybreak777, my partner-in-crime in this idea, has made a preliminary poll for all vid-watchers and vidders, to find out if you are interested in participating but also to find out if you're not, then why not: Are you too shy? Too busy? Not interested?
I'll bear the results in mind in picking early topics, but for this week, I simply ask: what do you think? Are you interested? Do you have any reservations? What would make it work (or not work) for you?
Any/all thoughts welcome. :) Help us find the words!
I know there are vidding communities out there that are already outstanding resources for vidders (vidding and mac_vidding_101 are my to go-to places for tech advice and vid meta), but what I had in mind was something a lot more informal.
Vidding can be very lonely. Even vid viewing can be lonely. I remember when I was not yet vidding myself but was obsessively watching vids and I felt like no one really wanted to hear me go on and on, again!, about what I loved about certain vids. And overwhelmingly I felt like I didn't have the right words to do so anyway. Even leaving feedback to vidders--maybe especially doing so--I felt like I couldn't describe what I was feeling, or why.
Now I make vids myself and I still don't know! I still feel that I don't have the words when I watch a vid with sophisticated effects and want to tell the vidder it's awesome. 'Dear Vidder: the whooshy effect with the sparkles at 0.32 was kickass!' (Subtext: how the fuck did she do that? I wish I could. OMG, I suck!)
I'm not alone. I know that. But so often we don't actually talk to each other about it. Or maybe some of us do, but I'm finding there's quite a lot of vidders out there who don't have anyone else to talk to.
So what I had in mind was making a regular weekly post about vidding and inviting discussion about different subjects: song choice, clipping, storyboarding (or not storyboarding!), effects, credits, different narrative styles, use of motion, colour, etc. They won't be 'teach-y' posts, and they won't be 'how-to's. Sorry, but I don't have the skill! I also don't believe there's only one way to learn this stuff, or one way to vid. I know a wide range of vidders who vid for different purposes, with different aesthetics, in a range of different styles. What I'm hoping is that this will be an opportunity to trade ideas and thoughts.
I might sometimes rec a vid I think is a good example of what we're discussing, or invite you to do so--sharing vids with others has been a really valuable experience for me. For instance, in reccing vids to daybreak777, I've come to discover that our tastes differ in terms of type of narrative we respond strongest to. That's a really useful thing for me to remember when vidding: not everyone likes the same type of structure, and each have their own strengths.
The most important thing to state is that everyone would be welcome. If you've made one vid, then feel free to talk about what you learned making it. If you've never made a vid but watch them, then tell us what works for you and what doesn't. Or even just tell us why you don't watch vids. Trust me: we'll be interested!
daybreak777, my partner-in-crime in this idea, has made a preliminary poll for all vid-watchers and vidders, to find out if you are interested in participating but also to find out if you're not, then why not: Are you too shy? Too busy? Not interested?
I'll bear the results in mind in picking early topics, but for this week, I simply ask: what do you think? Are you interested? Do you have any reservations? What would make it work (or not work) for you?
Any/all thoughts welcome. :) Help us find the words!