Vid comments

[gwyn]

I'm putting this up for anyone who wishes to comment on my vids.

Comments

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

Hi

I’ve been meaning to give you feedback on your vids for some time, but RL just got in the way. Therefore the vids have collected a little bit, and I hope it’s ok to take them all at once.
But first let me say that I really appreciate that you make vids in some of the smaller fandoms, like Deadwood and Band of Brothers. A huge thank you for that – and a huge thank you for making such good vids as well. : )
Just a small note, I haven’t much experience with giving video-feedback, and so no grip on the technical terms.

After Rain

I love this one, and I keep watching it again and again. I usually delete some vids on account of hard drive space, but this vid I’ve kept for over five months. (I said I was a little late in giving you feedback). First of all I like the general feel of the vid. You have chosen a modern song, and yet it matches that 1940’s feel Band of Brothers has. I also like the way the lyrics match the clips, often in subtle ways. For instance “You turned and ran for shelter” matched with Nixon reaching for VAT 69.
The effects used are also very effective. I particularly like the close up on Winters face that fades into Nixon out in the rain. The clips that look the title sequence are also a favourite. I cannot imagine how you managed them, but they give the vid that extra feel that truly sets it apart.

And finally I love the positive ending with the juxtaposition between the Toccoa picture of Winter and Nixon, and Winters and Nixon watching the ball game. Would you believe I never caught how the Toccoa picture echoes the final shot before I saw you vid? And I have watched the series a lot of times. I think that is what makes this video stand out for me, in that it adds something to my viewing experience of canon – and enriches it.

Come to Jesus

I will admit it took some time before the connection between the song and the clips clicked in place for me, but when they did it was a thing of beauty. Generally speaking watching your vids is for me like reading a short story. I need to see/read the material several times before I see all the layers. I mean this in a good way, as your vids manage to invoke a subtle storytelling I really appreciate. Come to Jesus is a very good example of this.
This vid to me is about contrast. The most obvious one between the hauntingly beautiful song and the gritty images from Deadwood. More in particular the scenes that stand out for me are the reverend having a seizure while the lyrics go “You have Jesus standing near your bedside”, Bill falling of his chair to “Come to Jesus and let him hold you in his arms” and “Here in heaven you will finally understand” to Al closing the Reverends eyes.
If After rain leaves me happy, this video haunts me. But that’s sometimes good to.

BTW – I understand that this vid is made together with another person? Unfortunately I don’t know who he/she is, but I hope you will forward feedback to them as well.

There

I will admit I had some problems with the beginning of this vid. It might have been the music and that odd rhythm box, and it might have been that the beginning was a long clip of Laura in the doctor’s office – but after the beginning I was hooked. This is a very good character portrait, and it showed the beauty, strength and some times strangeness of Laura Roslin. I also felt that the song fitted the character very well, and the lyrics were a very good match. After repeated viewings I must say that I appreciate the slow, contemplative feel of the video – as it matches Laura. I particularly like when the lyrics go “ Strangers I meet…I keep them at a distance, it’s not the time for me to let them inside” and matches this with clips of Laura and Commander Adama, the security guard and Apollo. This told me a lot about her character. I will not say that this was my favourite video, for that the beginning still doesn’t sit well with me, but all in all I like it very much.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for such lovely and detailed feedback (and yes, believe it or not, I do actually consider even the less positive stuff lovely!). It's such a rare treat to get any at all, let alone such comprehensive thoughts. I can totally understand what you're saying about the beginning of "There" and in a lot of ways, it is very different than most BSG vids (and I got hammered on at Vividcon for it) with that slow intro and the slow music. It's one of those cases where you know going in it won't work for a lot of people, but you go with what you want, if that makes any sense.

I'm especially glad when I can make vids in small fandoms that really connect with people. Especially Deadwood and BoB, which are both so dear to my heart -- it's been just wonderful to hear what people have felt about those vids, and I thank you very much for taking the time to comment on them. It means a lot to me.

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

It was a pleasure! :)

Especially Deadwood and BoB, which are both so dear to my heart

For me too. I will always be grateful to HBO for making them (and the Wire and Rome)as they are some of my favourite shows ever. They have good characters, excellent storytelling and their own distinct aesthetics. I feel in many ways that the storytelling in these series are more akin to a novel than you average tv-show, and it just occurred to me that that is a further point I enjoy with your vids - you manage to encompass that "novel-feel".
And if that doesn't make sense please forgive me, as the coffee hasn't started to work yet.

Also in the case of BoB I'm forever in love with Winters/Nixon. Subsequently much love for your icon. :)