Fannish Friday: my favorite fanvids part 1

[lirazel]

I am picky about fanvids. Considering how picky I am about fanfic, this should come as no surprise. But most fanvids I start, I x-out of before 30 seconds pass. It just takes a lot to make the genre work for me, but when it does, it REALLY works! Imo, a fanvid has to have a good song (usually with a beat), dynamic and interesting editing, and some kind of thesis statement--and "their love is so beautiful!!!" can absolutely be a thesis statement. (Also preferably not dialogue. There are a few times when I've seen that done well, but not very many.) It's really hard to make a good vid! I admire good vidders more than I can say!

So I'm going to share with y'all my favorite vids from over the years, the ones that have stuck with me the longest, the ones I revisit again and again. (Well, if I can find them. Some have disappeared from the internet.) I'm going to do half of them now and half later!



+ Leverage: Parachute - Hardison/Parker/Eliot

Watch on YouTube

Possibly my most-rewatched-fanvid of all time! I never ever ever get tired of it. The opening beats of the song instantly bring me joy because I know I'm going to see one of the best fanvids of all time about one of the greatest OT3s of all time. Perfect in every way, from the choice of song, to the editing, to the moments thingswithwings chooses to highlight. This is the joy of shipping a great ship in concentrated form, and I bless it for that.

+ Battlestar Galactica: Clint Eastwood - Gaius Baltar

Watch on YouTube

I don't know why I find this one so completely hilarious and perfect, but even though I mostly don't have BSG feelings anymore, I still have all the feelings about this particular video. Who would have thought that a Gorillaz song would make for such a perfect Baltar vid?

+ The Untamed: a love that won't sit still - Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji

Watch on Vimeo

(Untamed) a love that won't sit still - Aria from Aria Woods on Vimeo.

The newest vid on my list, but I suspect it may one day rival "Parachute" for most-watched status. A lot of this is that I love the song so much--VIENNA TENG!--but it really is perfect for LWJ's pov and the editing is so lovely. I'm obsessed with overwhelmed baby!LWJ and also with how calm and secure he is in his love after he grows up, and this video encapsulates that journey so beautifully. It makes great use of the musical bridge, too.

+ Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Origin Stories - Spike + Slayers (especially Nikki Wood)

Watch on YouTube

Talk about a thesis statement! This one's is: It's Nikki Wood's fucking coat. It's a stone-cold classic for a reason.

+ Shut Up! Flower Boy Band: i hope it's gonna make you notice - Su-Ah/Jihyuk

Watch on YouTube

This one is so sweet and quiet, just like this most underrated of ships. This pairing snuck up on me as I was watching this show lo these many years ago, and this vid is a great overview of why.

Comments

[sophia_sol]

lol I backbutton out of vids regularly too, but mostly because I hate the song, or because it's doing the thing with editing in too much of the original source's audio to interrupt the song, and that offends my aesthetic sensibilities! But if the song/audio seems promising I'll stick it out much longer to see what the vid is saying.

I will put this on my list as a type of rec list to consider making! :)

[lirazel]

I've seen, like, three videos in all my years that implement the original source's audio well. THREE. And yet people are using it more and more these days, and I am not fan!

:D

[sophia_sol]

HARD AGREE