VividCon 2006 Report - Part 4 (Wherein I talk about a little something we call: Premieres)
We left off with sitting in the front row of the Premiere show, Laura next to me, the lights dimming and the room erupting into wild applause. Let's get to the Premiere show!
Intro vid by snoo and tzikeh - I don't know whether to be amused or frightened by the fact that I knew, from the very first lines of text, that this was going to be a Snakes on a Plane intro vid. Too much time at Snakes on a Blog for me, I think. Anyhow, it's hilarious. Samuel Llama Jackson! Don't talk or sing during the vids, motherfucker! *giggles madly* Brava, ladies.
Pants by Jill, Kathy, and Kay (Multi) - Hilarious. Truly. Although there were a couple times the pants were so tight I was certain that they were walking funny after that. *shifts uncomfortably* I also have honed my ability to identify Due South clips to a razor's edge! I'd be embarrassed if I didn't get a little jolt of joy every time I see one.
God Says Nothing Back by Morgan Dawn (Supernatural) - This vid didn't leave much of an impression on me at the con other than the fact it had Amy Acker. :) I liked the song a lot and liked the vid in a general sense. In re-watching the VVC DVD, I'm enjoying it quite a lot more and I'm able to make out some of the smaller things (that first slam of Dean into Sam when the drums start up, the blood drop at 2:15) that make it a quality video. There are some uses of ghosting here that I don't get, like when they're in the car and looking at each other at 1:27, although I love the overlay effect at 1:37, especially with the choral sound underneath it.
Crazy by Jill (Life on Mars) - I loved this video. Yes, I'm still high on LoM, and I had somehow never heard this song before so it was fresh and awesome to me, but it's also a really good video. I love the structure of Sam alone to Gene to him and Gene. I love the "who do you who do you who do you think you are" section, especially Sam's dorky karate hands. Hee! The POV shifts are quick but they worked for me. And I love the use of so many two-shots at the end.
There by Gwyneth (BSG) - I found this vid uneven, in that some parts of it I loved (the "can you hear me out there" and "little surprises me" come immediately to mind) and other parts didn't work for me at all (the inclusion of Adar in the first stanza, the first "presence in the air"). Overall I like the vid and think the sort of soft view of Roslin is interesting and works very well. (And saying "soft" doesn't mean "weak," either.) She's had to make a lot of hard decisions, but that doesn't mean she doesn't regret them or they don't affect her, and I like that the vid shows the emotional cost to Roslin.
David by e^y (Angel and Buffy) - I must admit that I don't think I understand what the vidder was going for with this vid. I think the vid is saying that Angelus is like puppet!Angel in that they're both twisted reflections of Angel, and that getting involved with Angel means having to deal with these alternate forms, except Angelus is evil and scary and Puppet!Angel is made of felt and his nose comes off. I also personally was so distracted by the song saying "David" when the actor is named "David" that I couldn't ever fully engage. That being said, I did find part of it very funny ("blah, blah, blah"; "Mr. Bush, he says") and if you look past puppet!Angel, there is some thought-provoking questions raised about Buffy and Nina and Angel's predilection for blonde superheroes. Heh.
Be So Glad by sisabet (Farscape) - I had seen an early version of this vid and have had many months to replay it and soak it in and love it. I loved it from the first, because it's Stark and it's John and it's them being so desperate and so driven and having these death wishes except they are bound together by light in so many forms (Stark's light, Aeryn's light, Zhaan's light) that they always keep moving forward together. Stark isn't the only one who always leaves their encounters transformed, it's just not as obvious for John. I especially love the section connecting John/Aeryn and Stark/Zhaan.
Summer Dress by Tray (Hellboy) - As most people know by now, this vid was shown at the start of the second half of Premieres due to DVD burning mix-up. I don't recall much of it now, unfortunately, except for the distinct contrast of the reds and blues, and then the way they came together at the end. It was a colorful vid.
Grapes of Wrath by Dualbunny, tzikeh, and AbsoluteDestiny (BSG) - This little vidlet cracks me up. That's a load of Joads! I love that the Centurions are Caterpillar tractors, and how things go from bad to worse with Baltar. HEE.
Monochrome by sweetestdrain (Carnivale) - I'm pretty sure I've told sweetestdrain how much I love this video, but just so you all know, too: I love it. I like that it's a look at Ben, that it starts out slow and mystic and gets sharper and quicker, just like the show did with him. The vid makes great use of Carnivale's stunning use of film. Still one of the most beautiful shows out there, and rich and resonant with symbols. The image that I always think of when I think of this vid is the snake charmer whose name I've forgotten (ack! Ruth Ann?) with her arm outstretched and a boa constrictor wrapped around her; it's a slow, dreamy clip and it's just gorgeously used here. The song is also fantastic, I love that it's a waltz and the singer's voice is perfect for Ben. And great ending shot.
One Day Late by Dualbunny and Gerry (Firefly) - My show. This vid made me cry, I admit it. It still makes me teary watching it again, because it's Firefly and because I still love and miss the show like burning. I love that the vid starts out funny and kind of goofy (much like the crew), that there's nothing too serious going on, and then the vidders build to the serious while still having giggly moments in there. And you know what's coming if you've seen the movie, although I hoped perversely that they wouldn't include the scene with Wash even though it would have stood out if it wasn't there. I love how the message from Serenity becomes the sunlight, and there are a few brilliant transitions like that that tie show and movie together seamlessly. I thought the end scene was very fitting for Firefly and while in any other fandom it would have bothered me, it fit the show perfectly. I also adore that it's about the crew as a whole, even if the "I" portion is River, and no one gets left out. The crew! The love! STUPID FOX. (And, DB, *excellent* credits.)
Like Sisyphus by Drae (Stargate Atlantis) - I like the idea that the vidder had, but about halfway through I felt she had made her point and that the song and the idea did not support the entire 3:45 of the song. I imagine if I'd had a stronger attachment to the show, it would have engaged me longer, but even then I'm still not sure it worked for so long. I also was distracted by how fast the opening scroll of text went, and I spent a good portion of the beginning of the vid trying to see if I could piece together what it said and if it had a really strong impact on the vid.
Lullaby by Eunice (Dead Poets Society) - This is another vid that made me cry. I love the vidder's use of book, of course, but also the field (springtime and then winter), and the flocking birds. The scenery stands out really vividly for me in this vid, and I like how it added to the emotional impact.
Statistics by KK (Bones) - I've seen about an episode and a half of this show, which was just enough for this vid, because I totally bought what the vidder was selling with it. I liked the vid and the focus on friend and familial relationships, especially Bones' brother. And the male voice didn't bother me. I'm finding, just as a side note, that for the most part it's not male or female that pings for me, but the quality beyond that (rough, soft, loud, mellow) that speaks more to me for characters.
William Goldman's The Princess Bride: Even More Abridged by Dualbunny (The Princess Bride) - I thought this was very clever, especially the Melodrama meter (which: hee!) and the dun-dun-dun! beginning guitar chords and how the old video game comes after "most impressive." I love this movie and the vid made me want to re-watch it in full.
Ghost Song by Greensilver (Supernatural) - At the con, this was the SPN vid that stood out the most for me because it had a narrative I could most reliably follow, and it seemed the most colorful although I think that's probably the blood. Heh. I also distinctly remember (and still get a shiver) at the window moving when the music starts making that odd scratchy sound. SO CREEPY. Very well done.
Walk The Line by Abby (Penguins) - I never ever thought this would work, not even in a joking way, and yet it worked completely for me. I was enchanted by the penguins, I loved that it went from the adults to the babies and then the babies growing up, and I like that the vidder only hinted at a literal "walking the line" at the beginning, and then stuck with the meaning of "walk the line" through the rest. Totally adorable.
Can You Feel by f1renze and Killa (Buffy and Angel) - I was getting a little towards brain burnout when we hit this vid, and my memory of it at the con is indistinct. Watching it on the DVD, though, I see that it's a sultry, moving look at Spike and Angel and what binds them together.
Subterranean Homesick Blues by Luminosity and tzikeh (X-Files) - As I said during the vid review, I have about 2nd grade reading level of X-Files anymore, so most of this vid went right over my head, but I was still entertained and engaged by it, and I got the overall picture (if you'll pardon the pun) with the last image of all of those scenes becoming Mulder's face. This is a vid that I'm rewarded by re-watching because as I get more familiar with it I can pull out slightly more of what's going on each time.
At intermission I didn't do anything of particular note. I don't even remember exactly what I did, except I'm pretty sure I was nervous again because my vid was in the second half. Heh.
Life during Wartime by speranza (Stargate Atlantis) - I love the little reference to M*A*S*H in the credits of this vid; I thought that that was a neat trick by the vidder to give you a sense of what to expect, the mixture of tragedy and comedy and irony that was going on here. I didn't get much out of this vid during the show, but re-watching it on the DVD I enjoy it more each time. It's got some really clever interpretations ("three passports and two visas" comes to mind).
Ragged Ass Road by f1renze (Prison Break) - The vidder knows how much I absolutely LOVE this video, and it worked as the perfect pimping tool for me because I am now totally entrenched in the show. Such marvelous use of imagery here, the tattoos, of course, but also the origami swan, the elements of the escape, that scene in the electric chair OMG. And the TOE. Augh. I love this vid so much.
I Remember When by Keely (Buffy) - I did not expect to like this vid as much as I did. I thought it was a remarkable look at all of Spike - funny and tragic and badass and stupid and just all of him, and structured wonderfully with some really great use of cutting and parallel images. The ending shot was probably the best of the entire con, cut off at exactly the right moment. And I took the first "I'm better than him" to be Spike saying that about William, although if that's true, then my only nitpick with the vid is the inclusion of Angel there is a bit confusing. But I love this vid and that's just a tiny, tiny thing.
Ophelia by Andraste (Babylon 5) - I have no comments on this vid since I'm not watching it due to fear of spoilers.
Evening on the Ground by Lithium Doll (Supernatural) - This is another one that didn't make a strong impression on me at the con but that I'm enjoying a lot on the DVD. I like how antagonistic it is, and I love her use of the lady in the white dress disappearing behind the telephone pole. She's got some really interesting cutting effects that add a lot of spice, and the image of Dean under the red "liar" sign stands out vividly to me.
Be Like Water (Isolation Mix) by butterfly (Stargate SG-1) - I liked this vid a lot at the con, and I still like it on re-watch. The transition at 1:21 seems awkward to me, but the emotion and the rest of the cutting (like the intercuts between Jack and Daniel rolling the tennis ball back and forth) are all strong.
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Lithium Doll (Farscape) - Very cute. The outlining of the characters was inspired.
Comin' Up From Behind by bunniqula (Bound) - Whew, this was hot. Great, great song for this vid, and I love how still Jennifer Tilly's character seems, while the other woman seems so full of energy, even if the actual motion differences aren't that remarkable in the vid. I love this vid. And I never would have guessed that the tint wasn't from the movie; it fit perfectly.
Hurt by Destina (Brokeback Mountain) - I still haven't seen the movie, though I know the story. I agree with the consensus that very few source media would be able to handle the real gravity of this song, but that BBM does and that Destina also structured the vid perfectly to make the most of the pain. Because: ouch. Painful.
There Is Too Much Light In This Bar by AbsoluteDestiny (Life on Mars) - I love this vid! Fast and funny and mind-blowing at the end. I want to shout out certain moments with it (most smoulderingly pissy! walks - no, wait - SWAGGERS! And I'm all out of heroin!). Awesome.
That Don't Impress Me Much by Dianne T. DeSha (Doctor Who 2005) - I thought this vid was cute, although I think it would have worked better if Mickey had been included, too, or Jack and the Doctor had shared more time at the end.
Big Gun by Keerawa (Farscape) - I had seen an early version and offered some beta comments on this vid so I have a bit of bias towards it, but I thought it worked better than the general consensus seems to suggest. There is a moment about 2/3 of the way through where the vid shifts so that it's specifically going against the lyrics, which I saw some folks commenting on as a negative. I liked the dissoance because it gave more depth, taking her from being a Peacekeeper to falling in love and to her experience with Talyn!John and back to being a Peacekeeper again. I liked this vid.
Alice In Wonderland by AbsoluteDestiny (Labyrinth) - Perfect fit of source to "song." Very funny and very clever.
Fix You by SDWolfpup (BSG) - Mine.
Media Vita by Melina (Rome) - I haven't seen Rome, but I know the major events that happen, of course. What I liked most about this vid was that she takes the death of Julius Caeser and ties it to this other character that I don't know and by relying on viewer knowledge of Caeser, she managed to make me care about this other character as well. I love the use of blood to bring the characters together at the very beginning, and then how she shows them connected again at the end, and the feeling that one had to die so the other could live. I got lost in the middle when I saw this at the con, and while on re-watch I am more aware of the relationships each man has and the use of symbols, a lot of it is still out of reach for me on a specific level.
Seems Like A Long Time by Barkley (Supernatural) - This was the toughest SPN vid for me to get into. Rod Stewart, from the very, very, very little I know of Dean, doesn't seem like it would fit, yet I also don't know enough about Dean that I'm happy to believe the vidder when she tells me that it does. Heh.
Bukowski by shalott (House) - I haven't watched House, either, but damn did I love this vid! It's sharp and funny and easy to follow with the limited knowledge I've picked up about the show. Great, great use of close-up shots and exasperated hand gestures and very well-timed. Someone at the vid review remarked that they would have liked it to linger on some of the reaction shots and I think I'd like to see that, but I also think the pace is so strong that holding shots too long might be detrimental to the vid overall. Perfect song, and the vidder totally made me believe in House/Wilson.
Black Mask by Belinda (Batman Begins) - I actually felt the beginning of this vid was too fast, that the images were coming so quickly it never gave my eyes a chance to track at all, and I end up a bit cross-eyed when watching that part. The reveal of the black mask on the lyrics "black mask" didn't bother me during my first watching, but in re-watching I do feel that a more metaphorical approach might have worked better for the vid, especially since the vidder has built such a dark, bleak look at Bruce Wayne up until that point anyway.
I Put You There by Laura Shapiro and Lithium Doll (says Buffy in the con book, but I'd call it Fandom Meta) - A really great vid that I enjoy more with each re-watch. I love the little touches: the fangirl signs, the LJ pencil being used to draw the cage, the shoes (which I didn't fully understand until my third time through the vid). This is very cute and very clever and was a perfect way to end the show!
After Premieres ended I tried to tell a few people how much I liked their vids but I'm always pretty useless immediately post-Premieres, especially if I have a vid that's showing, so I made my way to the bar to prepare for karaoke. *g* I had a Seabreeze (my drink of choice!) that was mostly alcohol and very little juice and waited around for the karaoke set-up in my post-Premieres high. I made a gametime decision to sing the role of Gregory in 'La Resistance' (AbsoluteDestiny successfully guilted me into it and, frankly, I'm really glad he did), so I sprung it on par_avion who very generously stepped aside and let me do it, even though she had actually practiced. Bless her.
Karaoke opened and we were all sufficiently buzzed enough to be excited about it, so we filed into the rows and settled in but never actually settled down. It was an absolute BLAST and everyone seemed to have such a good time, from all the singers to those just watching. I laughed the entire time, including when I should have been singing. My group of eight went up for La Resistance and they all did a fantastic job. I sang with little skill but tons of enthusiasm so I think that made up for it. I also was part of the back-up crew on "Killing in the Name Of" and had lots of fun yelling "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" with the other women who were up there. The entire karaoke portion of the evening was a success. Kudos to AD for putting it together so brilliantly, and for singing so brilliantly, too!
We headed back to f1renze's room afterwards and I had a cosmo expertly mixed by f1renze, and a half-popped bag of popcorn (this is why I should never get the cheap stuff, I'm telling you!) and some water and we (f1renze, sweetestdrain, Greensilver (who was in an out throughout), sisabet, AD, taraljc, I'm pretty sure, Lum, others?) watched vids. Lots and lots of vids, until I fell asleep on f1renze's bed to the sound of vidders talking all around me. I remember saying this then, and I have to repeat it now: it is so comforting to just lay there, half-asleep, weary from a day filled with fun and nervous excitement, and listen to the sound of fans talking, being smart and funny and adorable and thoughtful, drifting on their words and letting their voices wrap comfortably around you. One of my favorite moments of the con. Greensilver came back in about 2:40am to come get me since when she'd last left I was in that mostly asleep stage (I do remember I saw one vid that people thought I'd been asleep for, heh), and I had woken up just moments before she came back, but we all scattered anyway because it was late. I was in bed by 2:50 and, I'm sure, fast asleep by 2:55. Heh.
We've crested the halfway point! Just Sunday, and then for myself a wrap-up of Monday, too.
Intro vid by snoo and tzikeh - I don't know whether to be amused or frightened by the fact that I knew, from the very first lines of text, that this was going to be a Snakes on a Plane intro vid. Too much time at Snakes on a Blog for me, I think. Anyhow, it's hilarious. Samuel Llama Jackson! Don't talk or sing during the vids, motherfucker! *giggles madly* Brava, ladies.
Pants by Jill, Kathy, and Kay (Multi) - Hilarious. Truly. Although there were a couple times the pants were so tight I was certain that they were walking funny after that. *shifts uncomfortably* I also have honed my ability to identify Due South clips to a razor's edge! I'd be embarrassed if I didn't get a little jolt of joy every time I see one.
God Says Nothing Back by Morgan Dawn (Supernatural) - This vid didn't leave much of an impression on me at the con other than the fact it had Amy Acker. :) I liked the song a lot and liked the vid in a general sense. In re-watching the VVC DVD, I'm enjoying it quite a lot more and I'm able to make out some of the smaller things (that first slam of Dean into Sam when the drums start up, the blood drop at 2:15) that make it a quality video. There are some uses of ghosting here that I don't get, like when they're in the car and looking at each other at 1:27, although I love the overlay effect at 1:37, especially with the choral sound underneath it.
Crazy by Jill (Life on Mars) - I loved this video. Yes, I'm still high on LoM, and I had somehow never heard this song before so it was fresh and awesome to me, but it's also a really good video. I love the structure of Sam alone to Gene to him and Gene. I love the "who do you who do you who do you think you are" section, especially Sam's dorky karate hands. Hee! The POV shifts are quick but they worked for me. And I love the use of so many two-shots at the end.
There by Gwyneth (BSG) - I found this vid uneven, in that some parts of it I loved (the "can you hear me out there" and "little surprises me" come immediately to mind) and other parts didn't work for me at all (the inclusion of Adar in the first stanza, the first "presence in the air"). Overall I like the vid and think the sort of soft view of Roslin is interesting and works very well. (And saying "soft" doesn't mean "weak," either.) She's had to make a lot of hard decisions, but that doesn't mean she doesn't regret them or they don't affect her, and I like that the vid shows the emotional cost to Roslin.
David by e^y (Angel and Buffy) - I must admit that I don't think I understand what the vidder was going for with this vid. I think the vid is saying that Angelus is like puppet!Angel in that they're both twisted reflections of Angel, and that getting involved with Angel means having to deal with these alternate forms, except Angelus is evil and scary and Puppet!Angel is made of felt and his nose comes off. I also personally was so distracted by the song saying "David" when the actor is named "David" that I couldn't ever fully engage. That being said, I did find part of it very funny ("blah, blah, blah"; "Mr. Bush, he says") and if you look past puppet!Angel, there is some thought-provoking questions raised about Buffy and Nina and Angel's predilection for blonde superheroes. Heh.
Be So Glad by sisabet (Farscape) - I had seen an early version of this vid and have had many months to replay it and soak it in and love it. I loved it from the first, because it's Stark and it's John and it's them being so desperate and so driven and having these death wishes except they are bound together by light in so many forms (Stark's light, Aeryn's light, Zhaan's light) that they always keep moving forward together. Stark isn't the only one who always leaves their encounters transformed, it's just not as obvious for John. I especially love the section connecting John/Aeryn and Stark/Zhaan.
Summer Dress by Tray (Hellboy) - As most people know by now, this vid was shown at the start of the second half of Premieres due to DVD burning mix-up. I don't recall much of it now, unfortunately, except for the distinct contrast of the reds and blues, and then the way they came together at the end. It was a colorful vid.
Grapes of Wrath by Dualbunny, tzikeh, and AbsoluteDestiny (BSG) - This little vidlet cracks me up. That's a load of Joads! I love that the Centurions are Caterpillar tractors, and how things go from bad to worse with Baltar. HEE.
Monochrome by sweetestdrain (Carnivale) - I'm pretty sure I've told sweetestdrain how much I love this video, but just so you all know, too: I love it. I like that it's a look at Ben, that it starts out slow and mystic and gets sharper and quicker, just like the show did with him. The vid makes great use of Carnivale's stunning use of film. Still one of the most beautiful shows out there, and rich and resonant with symbols. The image that I always think of when I think of this vid is the snake charmer whose name I've forgotten (ack! Ruth Ann?) with her arm outstretched and a boa constrictor wrapped around her; it's a slow, dreamy clip and it's just gorgeously used here. The song is also fantastic, I love that it's a waltz and the singer's voice is perfect for Ben. And great ending shot.
One Day Late by Dualbunny and Gerry (Firefly) - My show. This vid made me cry, I admit it. It still makes me teary watching it again, because it's Firefly and because I still love and miss the show like burning. I love that the vid starts out funny and kind of goofy (much like the crew), that there's nothing too serious going on, and then the vidders build to the serious while still having giggly moments in there. And you know what's coming if you've seen the movie, although I hoped perversely that they wouldn't include the scene with Wash even though it would have stood out if it wasn't there. I love how the message from Serenity becomes the sunlight, and there are a few brilliant transitions like that that tie show and movie together seamlessly. I thought the end scene was very fitting for Firefly and while in any other fandom it would have bothered me, it fit the show perfectly. I also adore that it's about the crew as a whole, even if the "I" portion is River, and no one gets left out. The crew! The love! STUPID FOX. (And, DB, *excellent* credits.)
Like Sisyphus by Drae (Stargate Atlantis) - I like the idea that the vidder had, but about halfway through I felt she had made her point and that the song and the idea did not support the entire 3:45 of the song. I imagine if I'd had a stronger attachment to the show, it would have engaged me longer, but even then I'm still not sure it worked for so long. I also was distracted by how fast the opening scroll of text went, and I spent a good portion of the beginning of the vid trying to see if I could piece together what it said and if it had a really strong impact on the vid.
Lullaby by Eunice (Dead Poets Society) - This is another vid that made me cry. I love the vidder's use of book, of course, but also the field (springtime and then winter), and the flocking birds. The scenery stands out really vividly for me in this vid, and I like how it added to the emotional impact.
Statistics by KK (Bones) - I've seen about an episode and a half of this show, which was just enough for this vid, because I totally bought what the vidder was selling with it. I liked the vid and the focus on friend and familial relationships, especially Bones' brother. And the male voice didn't bother me. I'm finding, just as a side note, that for the most part it's not male or female that pings for me, but the quality beyond that (rough, soft, loud, mellow) that speaks more to me for characters.
William Goldman's The Princess Bride: Even More Abridged by Dualbunny (The Princess Bride) - I thought this was very clever, especially the Melodrama meter (which: hee!) and the dun-dun-dun! beginning guitar chords and how the old video game comes after "most impressive." I love this movie and the vid made me want to re-watch it in full.
Ghost Song by Greensilver (Supernatural) - At the con, this was the SPN vid that stood out the most for me because it had a narrative I could most reliably follow, and it seemed the most colorful although I think that's probably the blood. Heh. I also distinctly remember (and still get a shiver) at the window moving when the music starts making that odd scratchy sound. SO CREEPY. Very well done.
Walk The Line by Abby (Penguins) - I never ever thought this would work, not even in a joking way, and yet it worked completely for me. I was enchanted by the penguins, I loved that it went from the adults to the babies and then the babies growing up, and I like that the vidder only hinted at a literal "walking the line" at the beginning, and then stuck with the meaning of "walk the line" through the rest. Totally adorable.
Can You Feel by f1renze and Killa (Buffy and Angel) - I was getting a little towards brain burnout when we hit this vid, and my memory of it at the con is indistinct. Watching it on the DVD, though, I see that it's a sultry, moving look at Spike and Angel and what binds them together.
Subterranean Homesick Blues by Luminosity and tzikeh (X-Files) - As I said during the vid review, I have about 2nd grade reading level of X-Files anymore, so most of this vid went right over my head, but I was still entertained and engaged by it, and I got the overall picture (if you'll pardon the pun) with the last image of all of those scenes becoming Mulder's face. This is a vid that I'm rewarded by re-watching because as I get more familiar with it I can pull out slightly more of what's going on each time.
At intermission I didn't do anything of particular note. I don't even remember exactly what I did, except I'm pretty sure I was nervous again because my vid was in the second half. Heh.
Life during Wartime by speranza (Stargate Atlantis) - I love the little reference to M*A*S*H in the credits of this vid; I thought that that was a neat trick by the vidder to give you a sense of what to expect, the mixture of tragedy and comedy and irony that was going on here. I didn't get much out of this vid during the show, but re-watching it on the DVD I enjoy it more each time. It's got some really clever interpretations ("three passports and two visas" comes to mind).
Ragged Ass Road by f1renze (Prison Break) - The vidder knows how much I absolutely LOVE this video, and it worked as the perfect pimping tool for me because I am now totally entrenched in the show. Such marvelous use of imagery here, the tattoos, of course, but also the origami swan, the elements of the escape, that scene in the electric chair OMG. And the TOE. Augh. I love this vid so much.
I Remember When by Keely (Buffy) - I did not expect to like this vid as much as I did. I thought it was a remarkable look at all of Spike - funny and tragic and badass and stupid and just all of him, and structured wonderfully with some really great use of cutting and parallel images. The ending shot was probably the best of the entire con, cut off at exactly the right moment. And I took the first "I'm better than him" to be Spike saying that about William, although if that's true, then my only nitpick with the vid is the inclusion of Angel there is a bit confusing. But I love this vid and that's just a tiny, tiny thing.
Ophelia by Andraste (Babylon 5) - I have no comments on this vid since I'm not watching it due to fear of spoilers.
Evening on the Ground by Lithium Doll (Supernatural) - This is another one that didn't make a strong impression on me at the con but that I'm enjoying a lot on the DVD. I like how antagonistic it is, and I love her use of the lady in the white dress disappearing behind the telephone pole. She's got some really interesting cutting effects that add a lot of spice, and the image of Dean under the red "liar" sign stands out vividly to me.
Be Like Water (Isolation Mix) by butterfly (Stargate SG-1) - I liked this vid a lot at the con, and I still like it on re-watch. The transition at 1:21 seems awkward to me, but the emotion and the rest of the cutting (like the intercuts between Jack and Daniel rolling the tennis ball back and forth) are all strong.
The Adventures of Robin Hood by Lithium Doll (Farscape) - Very cute. The outlining of the characters was inspired.
Comin' Up From Behind by bunniqula (Bound) - Whew, this was hot. Great, great song for this vid, and I love how still Jennifer Tilly's character seems, while the other woman seems so full of energy, even if the actual motion differences aren't that remarkable in the vid. I love this vid. And I never would have guessed that the tint wasn't from the movie; it fit perfectly.
Hurt by Destina (Brokeback Mountain) - I still haven't seen the movie, though I know the story. I agree with the consensus that very few source media would be able to handle the real gravity of this song, but that BBM does and that Destina also structured the vid perfectly to make the most of the pain. Because: ouch. Painful.
There Is Too Much Light In This Bar by AbsoluteDestiny (Life on Mars) - I love this vid! Fast and funny and mind-blowing at the end. I want to shout out certain moments with it (most smoulderingly pissy! walks - no, wait - SWAGGERS! And I'm all out of heroin!). Awesome.
That Don't Impress Me Much by Dianne T. DeSha (Doctor Who 2005) - I thought this vid was cute, although I think it would have worked better if Mickey had been included, too, or Jack and the Doctor had shared more time at the end.
Big Gun by Keerawa (Farscape) - I had seen an early version and offered some beta comments on this vid so I have a bit of bias towards it, but I thought it worked better than the general consensus seems to suggest. There is a moment about 2/3 of the way through where the vid shifts so that it's specifically going against the lyrics, which I saw some folks commenting on as a negative. I liked the dissoance because it gave more depth, taking her from being a Peacekeeper to falling in love and to her experience with Talyn!John and back to being a Peacekeeper again. I liked this vid.
Alice In Wonderland by AbsoluteDestiny (Labyrinth) - Perfect fit of source to "song." Very funny and very clever.
Fix You by SDWolfpup (BSG) - Mine.
Media Vita by Melina (Rome) - I haven't seen Rome, but I know the major events that happen, of course. What I liked most about this vid was that she takes the death of Julius Caeser and ties it to this other character that I don't know and by relying on viewer knowledge of Caeser, she managed to make me care about this other character as well. I love the use of blood to bring the characters together at the very beginning, and then how she shows them connected again at the end, and the feeling that one had to die so the other could live. I got lost in the middle when I saw this at the con, and while on re-watch I am more aware of the relationships each man has and the use of symbols, a lot of it is still out of reach for me on a specific level.
Seems Like A Long Time by Barkley (Supernatural) - This was the toughest SPN vid for me to get into. Rod Stewart, from the very, very, very little I know of Dean, doesn't seem like it would fit, yet I also don't know enough about Dean that I'm happy to believe the vidder when she tells me that it does. Heh.
Bukowski by shalott (House) - I haven't watched House, either, but damn did I love this vid! It's sharp and funny and easy to follow with the limited knowledge I've picked up about the show. Great, great use of close-up shots and exasperated hand gestures and very well-timed. Someone at the vid review remarked that they would have liked it to linger on some of the reaction shots and I think I'd like to see that, but I also think the pace is so strong that holding shots too long might be detrimental to the vid overall. Perfect song, and the vidder totally made me believe in House/Wilson.
Black Mask by Belinda (Batman Begins) - I actually felt the beginning of this vid was too fast, that the images were coming so quickly it never gave my eyes a chance to track at all, and I end up a bit cross-eyed when watching that part. The reveal of the black mask on the lyrics "black mask" didn't bother me during my first watching, but in re-watching I do feel that a more metaphorical approach might have worked better for the vid, especially since the vidder has built such a dark, bleak look at Bruce Wayne up until that point anyway.
I Put You There by Laura Shapiro and Lithium Doll (says Buffy in the con book, but I'd call it Fandom Meta) - A really great vid that I enjoy more with each re-watch. I love the little touches: the fangirl signs, the LJ pencil being used to draw the cage, the shoes (which I didn't fully understand until my third time through the vid). This is very cute and very clever and was a perfect way to end the show!
After Premieres ended I tried to tell a few people how much I liked their vids but I'm always pretty useless immediately post-Premieres, especially if I have a vid that's showing, so I made my way to the bar to prepare for karaoke. *g* I had a Seabreeze (my drink of choice!) that was mostly alcohol and very little juice and waited around for the karaoke set-up in my post-Premieres high. I made a gametime decision to sing the role of Gregory in 'La Resistance' (AbsoluteDestiny successfully guilted me into it and, frankly, I'm really glad he did), so I sprung it on par_avion who very generously stepped aside and let me do it, even though she had actually practiced. Bless her.
Karaoke opened and we were all sufficiently buzzed enough to be excited about it, so we filed into the rows and settled in but never actually settled down. It was an absolute BLAST and everyone seemed to have such a good time, from all the singers to those just watching. I laughed the entire time, including when I should have been singing. My group of eight went up for La Resistance and they all did a fantastic job. I sang with little skill but tons of enthusiasm so I think that made up for it. I also was part of the back-up crew on "Killing in the Name Of" and had lots of fun yelling "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" with the other women who were up there. The entire karaoke portion of the evening was a success. Kudos to AD for putting it together so brilliantly, and for singing so brilliantly, too!
We headed back to f1renze's room afterwards and I had a cosmo expertly mixed by f1renze, and a half-popped bag of popcorn (this is why I should never get the cheap stuff, I'm telling you!) and some water and we (f1renze, sweetestdrain, Greensilver (who was in an out throughout), sisabet, AD, taraljc, I'm pretty sure, Lum, others?) watched vids. Lots and lots of vids, until I fell asleep on f1renze's bed to the sound of vidders talking all around me. I remember saying this then, and I have to repeat it now: it is so comforting to just lay there, half-asleep, weary from a day filled with fun and nervous excitement, and listen to the sound of fans talking, being smart and funny and adorable and thoughtful, drifting on their words and letting their voices wrap comfortably around you. One of my favorite moments of the con. Greensilver came back in about 2:40am to come get me since when she'd last left I was in that mostly asleep stage (I do remember I saw one vid that people thought I'd been asleep for, heh), and I had woken up just moments before she came back, but we all scattered anyway because it was late. I was in bed by 2:50 and, I'm sure, fast asleep by 2:55. Heh.
We've crested the halfway point! Just Sunday, and then for myself a wrap-up of Monday, too.