sqbr: calvin and hobbes with a duplicator, Copyright violation: ho! ( not intended to encourage copyright violation) (yay copyright)
Sean ([personal profile] sqbr) wrote2008-12-15 12:26 pm
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Vidding against the source

After last swancon I and Cam got inspired to create a panel about vids which create something new from canon, but we eventually realised we had very different things in mind so it never happened. But I was inspired by this discussion to put together the preliminary notes I made into a post.

Imagine I put some clever meta about vids here :) In short: most vids just try to distill a certain essence from canon (humour, a relationship, angst, etc) but don't actually deviate from the source that much, just choosing which aspects to highlight.

Which is fine, but these are the different sorts I could could think of that don't do that: they either create a new altered version of canon, deconstruct it, or create something totally different.

Sticking largely to canon but having a very different take
These go beyond just "showing the POV of someone other than the main characters", although the boundary can be blurry.


Constructed reality
Creating a totally new story using the original footage.

  • Untouchable A constructed reality vid for Buffy, tells a very different Buffy/Angel/Spike vid to canon but is interesting to watch with canon in mind.
  • Alternative trailers Recutting "The Shining" as a heartwarming story of a man and his step-son, for example :)


Illustrating a song/scene/trailer soundtrack which tells a particular story
These tend to be a subset of constructed reality, but often don't have to try as hard to make images and story match, so you get weird juxtapositions between images and lyrics.

  • Stargate Cantina Stargate=Star Wars, the evidence is clear :) More amusing now I've seen the episode "1969"
  • Papa Don't Preach Odd little Torchwood/Dr Who constructed reality vid. Ianto is pregnant with the Master's baby!
  • Whatever Angel's adventures as a gay man in LA. Very amusing.
  • Quid Pro Quo A scene from Clerks with visuals mostly from "Descendants of Darkness". My appreciation for the vid does rely somewhat on the context I got from thefourthvine's rec.
  • The Narutrix "The Matrix Reloaded" trailer soundtrack and Naruto visuals. This is utterly hilarious and works on multiple levels, especially if you're familiar with both sources (and I've only seen a teeny bit of Naruto)


Crossovers (these tend to be constructed reality)

  • Dueling Videos: Under Ice A mashup of FLCL and Evangelion to a mashup of "Under Pressure" and "Ice Ice Baby". Awesome :)
  • Tainted Donuts What could make more sense than merging "Cowboy Bebop", a story of bounty hunters, and "Trigun", the story of a fugitive? Plus doughnuts, of course.
  • The Prince and Kappa Crosses the tall egotistical redheaded guys from "Revolutionary Girl Utena" and Saiyuki. Not life changingly wonderful, but cute :)


Adding subtle outside footage or computer manipulated images (mainly to create slash :))

  • Crash (subtle) and Your love is just a lie (less subtle) Sam/Dean Supernatural vids. Squick the hell out of me but it is interesting on an intellectual level.
  • The Writer Merges scences from "Stargate Atlantis" with a movie one of the actors was in to make a while new story. Not the best vid, imo, but an interesting technique.
  • Climbing up the walls Very creepy but effective Heroes/Supernatural/Firefly incest vid


Using the source to not so much tell a story as create strange art

[identity profile] ataxi.livejournal.com 2008-12-15 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
Next time I'm extremely bored (REALLY bored*) and have fast internet** I will go and watch every one of these. Seems like a rather comprehensive introduction to the method. You're going to make a name for yourself as a sort of Fan-Scholar if you're not careful: you do meticulous referencing as well as callow opinion-making!

* more bored than I am now, as I use my last five minutes of battery before hitting the tent
** faster than they have anywhere on Easter Island

[identity profile] tommmo.livejournal.com 2008-12-15 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
Alternative trailers Recutting "The Shining" as a heartwarming story of a man and his step-son, for example :)

Have you seen the recut of the Mary Poppins trailer to make it look like a horror film? It's absolutely brilliant.

[identity profile] ataxi.livejournal.com 2008-12-15 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
Next time I'm extremely bored (REALLY bored*) and have fast internet** I will go and watch every one of these. Seems like a rather comprehensive introduction to the method. You're going to make a name for yourself as a sort of Fan-Scholar if you're not careful: you do meticulous referencing as well as callow opinion-making!

* more bored than I am now, as I use my last five minutes of battery before hitting the tent
** faster than they have anywhere on Easter Island

[identity profile] tommmo.livejournal.com 2008-12-15 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
Alternative trailers Recutting "The Shining" as a heartwarming story of a man and his step-son, for example :)

Have you seen the recut of the Mary Poppins trailer to make it look like a horror film? It's absolutely brilliant.