Vidding meme

[sapote]

Vidding meme

1. When did you first start vidding?
January 2007. I had every episode of Torchwood s1 on disk and thought, well, why not now? I did not expect it to turn into anything.

2. What would you say was your inspiration or motivation to start doing it?
Okay, here I usually say "other vidders", especially giandujakiss, bradcpu, and astolat's vids at that point. But to be honest, it was also a video installation I saw at the Hirshhorn in 2004. I'm sure I have the card with the name of the show somewhere, but it was a thing where someone recorded random strangers at bus stops and then slowed the video way down and put it to random white noise. Partially because I have never been trained to look at art at all but had some idea that I knew how to watch movies, I sat and looked at it for like half an hour, and found myself really interested in the details of people's movements. When I started pulling clips for my first vid, the first things I pulled were things that reminded me of that installation.

3. What do you or have you vidded?
Every single thing except one vidlet has been in Whoverse, specifically New Whoverse. It's the only show I consistently download, so it's the only show I tend to have on hand, and of course once I've vidded from something once, sourcewatching for something different from it next time is ten times easier. Also, the production values - especially in Torchwood - are just so high. It's not like SGA where you have real problems with the same camera taking the same shot over and over.

4. Where do you draw your inspiration from for vids? Is it the song? An idea? Someone else?
I have a couple of songless ideas, and since my consumption of new music is pretty low this makes me nervous. I prefer to have the song first, but since I'm insanely picky and bad at finding new stuff this means that I've actually already gone through almost every song that I have and like.

I am starting to ask my friends to share their music just because I need it for vidding. Vidding is, therefore, making me more cultured!

5. What was your favorite video to make or do?
I've got some technical problems in Ladytron, but guys, I vidded Doctor/TARDIS smut. I will never not be proud of that. Plus, the whole thing went surprisingly quickly. I've got some vids in WiP that I think will be my favorites once they're posted.

I should definitely also say The Test because vidding Tosh/Gwen was much more of a challenge than vidding Doctor/TARDIS.

6. What was your least favorite video to make or do?
Teeth in the Grass contained some of my favorite vidding days (you know, the days where I could do no wrong) and some weeks where I wanted to set my whole video editor on fire and never come back.

7. Which video are you most proud of?
Tosh/Gwen, at this moment. Don't think I won't do it again for S2, because it's glorious having a rare pairing. And the challenge of vidding a pairing that Torchwood canon doesn't support is awesome; I think it might have the least support of any pairing except Tosh/Ianto.

8. What's the best feedback or comment you've ever gotten?
I can't really differentiate at this moment, I think I cling to all feedback equally. Though cheerleading in early beta is the feedback that makes the vids go.

9. What is your opinion on clip theft?
It hasn't happened to me and I've never seen examples, so I haven't really formed one. I suspect I would be annoyed. There've been moments where I can't find the perfect clip, and it's in someone else's vid. I've emailed them and asked, and usually the response is ten times more helpful - as far as pointing me towards certain scenes and reminding me not to source narrowly - than taking the clip would have been. Plus then I internet-meet new people.

10. Favorite genre to vid to (comedy, angst, romance, drama, AU)?
See, I never start off planning to destroy the characters with angst; while angst is easy, sometimes I wonder if it's because I haven't achieved as much delicacy with characterization as I want and wind up using broad emotional strokes. The timing in comedy terrifies me, so that's probably something I should try.

11. Favorite pairing(s)?
Since I primarily vid in Whoverse, I feel like there's virtue in being pairing-promiscuous. I seem to really enjoy rarer pairings, since that's more like old-fashioned slash vids: all inference and sight lines. Plus, vidding tension is fun.

12. What just drives you up the wall when it comes to vidding?
I know the clip. I can see it in my head. It exists, and I can't find it, and if I do, I've stylized the clip in my head and it's actually got weird blocking and irretrievable talkyface. I also have a strong feeling that songs have too many lyrics and source footage has too much talking. Instrumentals and longing glances, that's what I want from media.

13. Is vidding a pastime, hobby or something to help gain experience to do more later in life?
I would be real surprised if I ever end up doing this in a professional capacity, though I think I might want to make original vids someday. Enough that if my income allows it in the next year, I think I want a little camera so I can start collecting good-quality footage.

14. What is your latest project or idea for your next vid if your muse isn't dead?
Sweet Charity! \o/ I also have two WiPs that are languishing and need to start sourcewatching from Torchwood S2, a.k.a. the most viddable thing ever. But Sweet Charity is at the top of the list.

15. Finally, what kind of words of wisdom would you offer someone who wants to vid/ is a newbie?

Stay hydrated?
Don't render video with your laptop on your leg unless your laptop is a hell of a lot cooler than mine. Ow.

Laptop still brokers, am using other people's, but I've gotten a diagnosis and am now going to ask various teenagers to fix it for me. This should be an adventure.

Comments

[giandujakiss.livejournal.com]

Okay, here I usually say "other vidders", especially giandujakiss, bradcpu, and astolat's vids at that point. But to be honest, it was also a video installation I saw at the Hirshhorn in 2004.

You told me that before, but it's still ... I can't tell you how flattered I am and how happy that makes me. :-)

I'm like you with music - I don't listen to nearly enough new stuff. I've got to ask around more.

[sapote3.livejournal.com]

<3 \o/

and

I'm resolving to at least regularly download people's fanmixes and musical monday posts as soon as I've got my computer back - and to ruthlessly chuck out all the songs I don't like from them after the first listen, in the interests of developing some semblance of Musical Tastes. People tell me I should try music sites like Pandora and Last.fm, but I'm dubious so far.