The Mercy Seat: A Felix Gaeta Video Tribute

[falafel_musings]

Title: The Mercy Seat
Song/Artist: 'The Mercy Seat' by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica 2003
Description: A tribute to the hysterically tragic life of Felix Gaeta. This video includes surreal religious depictions of Felix's own personal idol, Gaius Baltar, a few shady characters like Zarek and Crazy Eight who like to kill people

Comments

[mrine]

Wow! I've never seen a fanvid before, but I really like yours. That song just perfectly encapsulates the story of Felix Gaeta, and you found some really striking clips.

Ah, I love it when lyrics express something so uncannily, it's like something in the universe aligning. I think the way you feel about Nick Cave and his music is how I feel about Isaac Brock (of Modest Mouse / Ugly Casanova). They are both darn good at that universal truth thing.

Also, your description/warning made me laugh. All the lovely things we have come to expect from the average episode of BSG. Of course; couldn't have it any other way...

I've never bothered to tune into the BSG podcasts, (and maybe you've already heard them), but I came across a transcript of one and it described a deleted scene of sorts from the episode "Unfinished Business" that I would loved to have seen. Since you, too, are a fan of the trials and tribulations of BSG's most put-upon mutineer, I thought you would appreciate it: Reply

[falafel_musings]

If you've never experienced fanvids before you should see the work of the two vidders I've mentioned in my dedications. They'll show you how amazing a fanvid can be. And they've both made Felix vids.

Cave does evoke things that are otherworldly and profound with his music and lyrics. I've not heard of Isaac Brock. Is there an album of his you'd recommend?

Yes! I've heard of the planned Felix Vs Sharon boxing match. Man, it's a shame they didn't film it. I didn't much like the creepy murderess Eight in the Webisodes but Sharon is the one woman I ship Felix with. Well, Gaeta/Boomer at least.

[mrine]

Hmm... I suggest Lonesome Crowded West or Building Nothing Out of Something. :) I see you are a fan of Radiohead and Tom Waits too! I'd say Modest Mouse is somewhere in between those two, sound-wise.

[falafel_musings]

Thanks! I'll definitely check them out. I'm always looking for new music recs.

[elliotsmelliot]

Congratulations! You have every right to feel accomplished. I imagine this was a lot, a lot, a lot of work!

Personally, and I think we have discussed this before, I am not a fan of vids and cannot get into even the best of them. However, I was really interested to read your meta. To me the technical side and the thought process is more interesting than the final product. It sounds like you found the right balance of mood, lyrics and images.

I want him to stop eating my soul now.

I hope he has. You deserve peace too!

[falafel_musings]

Actually, I made this quite quickly. The hardest part was figuring out how Windows Movie Maker worked. After I got into the swing of it, I was fine. I finished it faster than I finish most of my fics!

That's cool if you're not into vids. This one is certainly NOT the best of them. I think that's partly why I've never vidded before. The vidders I like and aspire to are too damn good!

Any excuse to meta on Nick Cave. I could write a thesis on his songs. I love them (even though they often kill me).

Yeah, I think I've got the 'my favourite character died again' tributes out of my system, though I still want to write more Felix/Gaius fic. But I'm loving Mad Men and West Wing too at the moment, so that's a relief. The last WW ep I watched Toby was going all woobie over the Poet Laurette played by Laura Dern! Aww, that made me melt.

[elliotsmelliot]

Wow, I would have guessed those types of things take ages. I think one of the reasons I am not into vids is that I am not into music. I've never heard of Nick Cave and find it hard to connect with a new song in that format.

Ah Toby and his 'touch of the poet'. That was a fun episode. What season/storyline are you in?

[falafel_musings]

Making vids is rather like making a collage. Once you have all the bits and pieces you just go through the song pasting them together in a pattern that suits you. I used to love collage making when I was in art school.

I'm very near the end of S3! I'm guessing Bartlet's re-election might be the S3 finale. Josh/Amy still sucks. Why won't she go away and quit breaking up the Josh/Donna dream team?

Recently there was a great storyline with CJ and Charlie pranking each other. Charlie is the coolest. Jed/Charlie are definitely my OTP. I could enjoy a whole episode of Jed babbling on about some obscure subject while Charlie smiles patiently and nods along with him.

[cylune9]

Thank you so much for the dedication!!!! I feel so proud of your work (yeah, like a proud parent!) and it's just amazing. Even more so when you know it's your very first. Congratulations again!

That song interpretation was great too and added so much to how you see the vid (I wish I could also write such good narrative about my vids *sigh*)

Warnings: Dark themes including depictions of execution, suicide, murder, violence, kidnapping, amputation, drug use and insanity. All the lovely things we have come to expect from the average episode of BSG.

I don't know if I should laugh of cry...

[falafel_musings]

Heh! I do feel like you and Kaja are my vidding parental figures (do you want to be the mum or the dad?) Thanks again for all your help. If this vid turned out good, it's mostly because I was trying to keep up with the high standard that you guys set.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry over my warnings either! If those things aren't happening TO Felix they are happening close to him. They really put this guy through the wringer.

[falafel_musings]

I remember before I watched your vids, I didn't think very much of fan vidding. I just thought fans grabbed a bunch of random clips and set them to music without much attention to detail. I can clearly remember watching Lunes 'Hallelujah' and being amazed by how artistic a vid could be. I think watching great vids by you two and vidders like Belxf and Nicole_Anell have taught me a lot even before I tried making my own vid.

Hehe! I'm sure you'd make a great dad. Kinda weird that my father is a year younger than me though...

[prophetkristy]

....

....

zomg.

That was chilling. And touching. And fitting. Could you be any more amazing??

(I haven't rewatched "The Oath" / "Blood on the Scales" yet, I need more distance. Even the brief scenes--still affecting.)

[falafel_musings]

Thank you so much! I rewatched The Oath/BotS for the first time this Sunday. It was less nerve-wracking the second time around. They are really exciting episodes, but the ending is still a gut-punch. I still cried.

[daybreak777]

Yay, your first vid! There's nothing like the accomplishment of finishing the first one. I am sorry that it's taken me so long to comment. This was a complex vid and I had to chew on it a while. As someone said above this vid reminds me of your fic, deep, emotional, and a layered emotional ride

[falafel_musings]

Oh, wow. Thanks so much for the feedback! I was just pleased to learn you had seen this, because your own Gaeta vid 'Broken' was a big inspiration for me. It was a good vid to reference because it didn't have effects, just really good editing, a strong narrative and your character study worked so well with the lyrics.

It has taken me a while to realize but once Felix set out on his path (like once you are in an electric chair) there really was on only one way out. Yes, that is a great observation! Felix did commit to his mutiny. He knew that it was a dark path there could be no turning back. He had to see it through or die trying