On the seventh day of Christmas, gwyneth gave to me...

[gwyn]

One new video...

OK. IN MY DEFENSE I wasn't gonna do this Christmas vid because it would be done after Christmas, and I mean, what fun is that? But I was listening to this song only on Christmas day and it yelled at me that it was perfect for About a Boy, one of my favorite movies. And I was like, yelling back, because I mean it was Christmas already, and the holiday would be past once I finished it, and that was that. So it packed up its bags. Or pretended to, because then little by little, it knocked louder and louder on the vidding hind-portion of my brain, you know, that tiny little nugget-sized place hidden behind the madder oblongata or something. Just knocking, night and day, going "maaaake me maaaake meee maaake meeeee" in this teeny tiny voice.

So I had to make it, even though I didn't start till yesterday. Ahem. I just squeaked under the wire, then, for the year, but according to tradition, I'm only into the seventh day of Christmas, so take that! And I have five, count 'em, five more to go if you know the lyrics to the song. And also I was busy with Yuletide, so ptttthhhh.

Anyway. This is unbeta'd, mostly because I was really happy with it, and I loved that the song has the hopeful yet melancholy of the movie. If you don't know the book or the movie, it may not hold much for you at least in the way of sense (like, it'd be hard, I think, to understand why Will hates Christmas so much and the reason he lives life the way he does). But I hope you like it anyway. Happy New Year.

Always Winter
Fandom: About a Boy
Song: In Like a Lion (Always Winter)
Artist: Relient K
File: Divx 36MB
It's always winter, but never Christmas.


Streaming: http://vimeo.com/2683570
Apparently Imeem is limiting quantities of files and told me I had too many videos. So I am trying Vimeo this time. I'm not happy that I went to so much damn trouble to crop the letterbox bars out and then it just adds them back in when I embed this, but this is the only streaming video I can embed right now. If you'd like a much better quality view, DL it from my site (which is no longer password protected) or go to the Vimeo page. The password is: olive

alwayswinter_aab from gwyneth on Vimeo.

Comments

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is absolutely wonderful! I love it!

[mackiemesser.livejournal.com]

I'm incredibly impressed that you knocked this out in such a short time! I think it's really lovely,and the music fits very well with the story.

[keiko-kirin.livejournal.com]

Yay! Vid! And Happy New Year!

I haven't seen this movie, even though I've wanted to for a long time -- this gives me the immediate motivation to borrow it & then I am so watching this vid.

[wistfuljane.livejournal.com]

I felt this vid was very in tune with the film, to the tone and characterization. It made me miss and love the movie even more. *loves*

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

Gwyn, I ADORED this. Wow. I've watched it a couple of times and you're right, that song fits the movie amazingly well (both of which I love). This has just such a wonderful feel to it, and you nailed the mood change and ending perfectly. And it looks so gorgeous! How did you get it to look like that?

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

The emotional arcs of the movie really come through, and the song suits the film perfectly. Success! \0/

[treelines.livejournal.com]

Here from sdwolfpup; thank you for sharing the vid. I really enjoyed your choice of music.

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

This is utterly gorgeous. And heartbreaking. And awesome.

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

aw, this is absolutely gorgeous... so lovely.

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Awww this is wonderful! You are a master at using unknown source to a song that makes me cry. And this vid was perfectly matched for that purpose and you do a great job of conveying their emotions and journey. I especially love when Hugh Gran't character came over playing guitar in front of the school and then his smile. Just such a heartwarming vid, it's perfect for the holidays :D Thanks for making!

Also, Tony from Skins! Sooo cute.

[keiko-kirin.livejournal.com]

Hey! I just watched the movie, and watched the vid. Really good. You're right about the song having the same tone as the movie -- a very good match. Well made and hopeful.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!! I'm glad i made it, even though it was a little Christmas past. ;-)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

In my head, I had replied to all the comments, but apparently, in reality, I did not. So I am finally saying thank you -- I'm amazed that I knocked it out fast, too, because I normally am not a speedy vidder at all. I think there's a lot to be said for vidding movies, and for being really deeply into your idea. ;-)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you! (Apparently, I had this idea that I'd responded to comments, but never did!) I think that was the one thing I wanted to do most -- convey the feeling of the movie, and that song really felt like it did.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I have no idea how I managed to think I had responded to comments and didn't, but for some reason I've labored under the suspicion that I had. Anyway! Thank you so much! It is totally bizarro world when you're telling me that something looks really gorgeous -- I think a lot of it is simply the movie itself, but one thing I found out when I started using MPEG Streamclip for the Professionals vids remasters was that it really amazingly improved the look of just about everything. I initially was using it only for the title cards because they fuzzed into nothingness otherwise, but it has really helped a lot with the video quality overall and being able to deinterlace things.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you! (Yes, I know, v. late, but for some reason I thought I had answered comments!) Why are the movie vids so often the ones that come most from my heart?

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank YOU for dropping a line! It is always wonderful to know that people have enjoyed something you made, and I really appreciate it!

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, thank you thank you!! I'm sorry it took me so long to reply, for some reason I had it in my head that I'd responded to comments, but of course, I hadn't. But I am really appreciative and I am glad all the moods came across well. It's such a complicated story, even though it seems like it isn't.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! I had a wonderful time making it, and it's always great when you know it works for other people. (And by the way, I love your icon!!)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you so so much. And I am extra special glad to know that even if you weren't familiar with the source, it worked for you. I always worry about that, especially with movie vids. That's one of the things I love most about this movie -- that it is heartwarming without being in the least bit treacly.

And that actor who played Tony, I swear, he's been in everything! He was also in Keen Eddie shortly after this movie was made, along with the other young boy who's in the vid briefly toward the end. They get around!

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Yay, thank you!! I hope you liked the movie -- it's truly one of my favorites, as is the book, and one of those things I've wanted to try for a long time.

[mackiemesser.livejournal.com]

Since I can't figure out how to vid, period, I think it's amazing that anyone manages to do it at all, much less quickly and well! I do imagine that having less source material and an idea that clicks is a huge help. I also forgot to mention in my earlier post that I liked seeing a vid from something that hasn't been vidded a million times before--it was very refreshing.