A big problem is still shots, too. Shots or clips where nothing is actually going on: there's no movement either by the characters in the scene or the camera. Makes for a very dull vid.

I was just watching one of Roach's vids with a filmmaker in the room. After he picked his jaw up off the floor about how much time and knowledge of the source material it takes (I explained to him I can tentatively find scenes to make 1/4 a vid just by running through my mental files -- and that actual vidders will be better than that). Then he started critiquing it.

It was interesting to hear his commentary (however brief) from someone with no knowledge of fandom whatsoever. He wanted more narrative. Thought that the clips could have been selected and had their context manipulated to make more story.

Mostly I thought it was a very boring remix of Lady Marmalade.

Yeah, I'm not overwhelmed by that one either. You want good-vid rec?

ETA: Wait, I've given you good-vid rec before... well, only in SG though, I think.

So a vidder has to balance the story they want to tell with the actual show context of the clip they choose so that there's not too much cognitivie dissonance? Tricky.

Wait, I've given you good-vid rec before... well, only in SG though, I think.

Yes, yes you have.

I was interested in feeding my jones for women fighting -- I'll go through the rest of Roach's vids later.

So a vidder has to balance the story they want to tell with the actual show context of the clip they choose so that there's not too much cognitivie dissonance? Tricky.

Yes and no. Depends on how familiar the viewer is with the source, and sometimes you can work against the source--there's a very funny Stargate vid where a lot of the clips are completely out of context, and yet work. (Come to think of it, one could make an argument something like that for slash vids in general, though in that case it's usually scenes that were intended to be emotionally resonant to begin with.)

But yeah, mostly you have to expect that the viewer's going to recognize that scene, and be all "okay, they're kissing, but it turns out he's shapeshifted! It's not him at all! That's not a romantic scene, it's creepy!"

Bonus BtVS Women (well, and men) Fight Vid: "Fight!" which can be found here. Techno Bach!

Eh. The women-kicking-ass vid set to Lady Marmalade? It was one of my least favorite vids on the set. Too much intro, kinda boring selections of clips, and it went on forever.

Out of the 2003 vividcon set, if I had to pick a couple of vids to show to someone unfamiliar with the concept... let me see, I'll probably pick shalott's "Univited" (source material familiar to most people, matched with a song to a great effect), and Seah and Margie's "Haunted" (kick-ass storytelling; a great recruiter vid for even those with zero knowledge of the show).

Oh! And the hilarious ST vid set to "Razzle Dazzle", for yaks.

Oh! And the hilarious ST vid set to "Razzle Dazzle", for yaks.

I love that vid SO MUCH.

I showed Nutty and Meara the ST vid to "Closer". ::shudder::

That's an instance of a vid with a clear narrative line, and the way the vidders cut down on the cognitive dissonance was to give everything a sepia wash, which removed much of the context. It's one of the few instances of a vid which (a) tells a real story, and (b) a story that's definitely contrary to canon, but (c) really really works. Jaw-dropping.

Second and third the rec for Shalott's "Uninvited". That's brilliant. However much as I like "Haunted", though, I think it must be more powerful on the big screen than on my little monitor. Because I like it, but I don't adore it. (Although I'm having a friend send me VCDs of 05, so... *g*)

"Fight" was fun. And I made my guest watch it, and talk about it from a non-fandom perspective. Which is kinda cool. He is a Buffy fan, just not a Fan. So he was familiar enough with the source material, but not too much.

He did promise that if he ever gets the hardware in his house that he'll make a vid. On the chickfighting theme even. But I think it'll be HK action, not a TV fandom. So my quest is unfulfilled.

"Uninvited" is one of my favourites -- many vids I forget right off. Not that one. I need to find it again. "Closer" was also impressive. But for sheer sticking in my memory, "Gett Off" takes the cake. I've heard the song umpteen times since then, and I always see Daniel in my mind's eye on the "move your big ass 'round this way So I can work on that zipper" line.

Over use of special effects can make a really bad vid. I'm thinking of one in particular that looks like the vidder just used everything at her disposal. However then there are 2 vids by vyra that use a lot of special effects that are amazing.

One is a Buffy/Angel vid to a Moby song that I'm blanking on and the effects match the mood of the music. And her Spike vid to Tool's Schism uses a lot of effects but again it doesn't seem like "See the effects I used!!!"

I'd say when using effects you want an impact and look like in Lord of the Rings rather than the look of Phantom Meance and Attack of the Clones.