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buffyann
buffyann
27 July 2007 @ 12:16 am
New Vid - Battlestar Galactica - Headlights  
It's done. Finally. I thought I would never finish this one with the source on a external hard drive that made impossible to have a preview sometimes... but whatever, it's done and out of my hands now. I hope you'll enjoy it :)



Description : This is an attempt at showing Starbuck's struggle through life and through her "destiny" path. It focus mainly on season 3 (spoiler for season 3 as a result).
Song: Headlights by Archive

Download (zipped-wmv)
Length : 3min34

Zipped avi (720x544) - 74Mo (Best quality)
Zipped wmv (640x480) (45 Mo)
Streaming (Imeem)

Audio Commentary
As part of the whole "if you have questions on my vid process" meme, I did this commentary :)
Audio Commentary  (43 Mo)


Lyrics
They're telling me it won't be long
The door is shut
The suits are on
Too bright to be day
To hurt anyway
Still there's no view
No green, no blue

The headlights above
They don't know love
You smile to please
I try to care

You break my heart
you break my heart

I love you here
I love you here


Notes
I loved the "space" sound of the song and its "gliding"/floating feeling, almost like being high lol. so I really tried to use that the more I could to portray the character being haunted and lost and confused. One of the other interwined theme to me is starbuck's refusal to be happy and her reject of others. How everything seems painful for her and how she'strying to make sense of her life in the middle of all this.

I began vidding this one trying to do something different than what I did before. Like I talked about during my LJ complains, I took a different approach and I feel it has a different
result, though it'd be impossible to explain exactly how with words. Changing fandom and having something like BSG as a source probably played a big part in this. It inspires you differently. The source is incredible.

Editing wise, I played a lot with internat motion to give a swaying feeling and I played a lot with intercutting too. It felt like the road to take to enhance the feeling of life going faster than the character can process. I also add fun creating this circle pattern in the intro, cause the music was so interesting there.

I had a lot of problem with the ending. Mainly because I didn't want it to be about a shipping stupid thing just because of the lyrics. I didn't planned on having Lee in the
vid at all at first but he kinda swooped in there anyway. I still hope that ending works. *cross fingers*


Comments are love. :)
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Current Mood: happy
 
36 comments | Leave a comment
 
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awkward paws[info]obsessive24 on July 26th, 2007 11:39 pm (UTC)
This is unbelievably beautiful. You completely outdid yourself on this one! I LOVE the music, the mood it invokes, and how well you utilised it. All the action feels distant and dreamy, but at the same time there's such a sense of underlying madness as well. I'm usually not a big fan of ghosting, but I loved how you did that here to increase the feeling of instability. It really fitted the sound of the music.

The internal motion is beautiful, I especially liked what you did with the on-beat light flares and thought it was gorgeous how you addressed both the flowing instrumental/vocals as well as the underlying beats. Absolutely fantastic pacing all through.

Some of my favourite moments:
- the start, with the repeated motif of the circular thing. (I know there's a name for it, but it's been a while since I watched BSG and I can't remember what it's called. :D )
1:55 - this shot (and change in music) gave me chills. The camera motion on beat in the clip is fantastic.
2:11 - I really loved how the plane transitions right from her eye there.

Fantastic vid! I definitely think it's the best I've seen from you yet. Brava!
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 27th, 2007 05:34 am (UTC)
wow. Thank you SO much. There's nothing like waking up in the morning and seeing such a cool review :)
I'm happy to see you "felt" and got the vid. Always cool to know people enjoy it besides you. :)

I'm usually not a big fan of ghosting
I strongly fought with myself on whether or not I should leave those in or out.

it was gorgeous how you addressed both the flowing instrumental/vocals as well as the underlying beats.
This made my day. I think it was the biggest challenge with the vid and why I felt it was so interesting to vid this song as well. I loved the potential of the song and all its layers but there's always a scare you won't be able to bring your editing to the necessary level the song requires if that makes sense.
So I'm really pleased with your comments on this :)

Thanks again for reviewing, it means a lot and I'm so happy you loved the vid :)
awkward paws[info]obsessive24 on July 27th, 2007 05:45 am (UTC)
"I'm usually not a big fan of ghosting"
I strongly fought with myself on whether or not I should leave those in or out.
I definitely think it worked here at all times. Normally I don't like it because the effect feels unnecessary or overused, but for your vid I thought it was entirely appropriate and matched the music really well.
Jo[info]canadiangirl_86 on July 27th, 2007 03:18 am (UTC)
That was excellent, and the music was really beautiful.

Well done!
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 27th, 2007 05:35 am (UTC)
Thanks :) and thanks for taking the time to comment :)
Dualbunny: Lee champagne[info]dualbunny on July 27th, 2007 06:28 am (UTC)
This is a really beautiful vid. :D I really love that intro section. You did such a wonderful job creating and sustaining such a dreamy feel in a vid that moves along quite quickly. I think the added external motion did a lot to keep that going, in addition to the great attention paid to the internal motion of the scenes. And I enjoyed all of the effects work in general--it all worked together incredibly well.
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 27th, 2007 07:27 am (UTC)
Thanks so much for commenting. Means a lot.
I'm glad you enjoyed the intro because I was excited about it and it was a fun thing to do and play with.
The kind of dreamy athmosphere and how it moves like being in a sort of trance is what I liked the most so I'm really happy to know it really transpired :)
Thanks a lot :)
Charmax: Starbuck thumbs up[info]charmax on July 28th, 2007 05:30 am (UTC)
This video is wonderful and had me choked with emotion
I love this. It's quite a different feel from other Starbuck vids I've seen. You really captured the destiny aspect so well with the hypnotic music and editing style. It really feels as if everything is happening out of Kara's control, that she is being called to that circle thingamabob.

I particularly enjoyed your intro section and the way you introduced the circle pattern and then later when it's more chaotic and she throws paint up the wall that was great too.

It's really quite sad and moving and makes me feel for Kara so very much.

I'm off to rec it in my journal now.
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 28th, 2007 07:37 am (UTC)
Re: This video is wonderful and had me choked with emotion
First, thanks for commenting. and for reccing :) means a lot.

It really feels as if everything is happening out of Kara's control, that she is being called to that circle thingamabob.
That's really one of my fav thing about the vid so thank you for saying that.

I'm very glad you enjoyed the circle pattern thing and how it came back over and over. I had doubt about it along the way but I decided to do as I felt so I'm glad it worked for ya :)
jarrow: bsg-starbuck_blur[info]jarrow on July 28th, 2007 06:13 am (UTC)
Holy crap. Wow. About halfway through I kind of snapped out of a daze and realized that the vid had completely sucked me in, taking me out of reality. I honestly don't think a vid has ever fully done that before, or at least not to the extent that this one did. I was mesmerized. I'm still a bit hazy now.

What an absolutely gorgeous vid. The flow, the motion, the beats, the intercutting, the fluid chaos...you have done something incredible here. My mouth is still hanging open. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 28th, 2007 07:39 am (UTC)
Thanks *so* much for this great feedback. It put a giant smile of happiness on my face.
I honestly don't think a vid has ever fully done that before, or at least not to the extent that this one did. I was mesmerized.
I love creating "atmosphere" vid, as I call them. and your comment about being "sucked in" is one of the best I can get. This is such a incredible thing to say. Made my day :)
Thank you.
jarrow: bsg-starbuck_glare[info]jarrow on July 28th, 2007 03:22 pm (UTC)
You're so welcome! I always feel kind of bad when I can't give more specific feedback than a general squee, but this vid really did leave me a big puddle of enthralled happymush. It's going to take several more viewings (twist my arm, hehe) to deconstruct it and sort out favorite parts. I'll have to get back to you then ;-)
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 28th, 2007 04:39 pm (UTC)
I always feel kind of bad when I can't give more specific feedback than a general squee
Don't be. it's nice enough to take the time to comment at all. :)
"big puddle of enthralled happymuch", that's the weirdest and most hilarious sentence I have ever heard LOL but I'm glad it had this effect on you ;)

I'll have to get back to you then
Definitely looking forward to that if you can :)
Ambassador Dummy Dummy Dumb Dums[info]crickets on July 28th, 2007 03:06 pm (UTC)
Wow that was gorgeous! Very well done and very moving. Lovely.
buffyann[info]buffyann on July 28th, 2007 04:37 pm (UTC)
Thank you very much :)
kiki_miserychic[info]kiki_miserychic on August 2nd, 2007 03:53 pm (UTC)
No green, no blue
It’s so murky and dusty, much the same as Starbuck herself. The layering is beautiful and the motion is superb. With the music and the editing, whole world is created and I stared at it for the duration of the vid.
buffyann[info]buffyann on August 4th, 2007 09:11 am (UTC)
Re: No green, no blue
Thanks so much for commenting and for the sweet words :)
I'm glad you enjoyed it and its athmosphere :D Thanks !
EBStarr[info]ebstarr4 on August 4th, 2007 03:20 pm (UTC)
I loved this! The tone and atmosphere was so perfectly rendered, very eerie and almost distant. This is going to be one of those videos I watch over and over, thanks for posting it!
buffyann[info]buffyann on August 4th, 2007 03:29 pm (UTC)
This is also one of the best compliment you could give me so THANKS. :)
Coffeejunkii: starbuck: i want to believe[info]coffeejunkii on August 21st, 2007 03:27 am (UTC)
i really enjoyed this, thank you!
buffyann[info]buffyann on August 21st, 2007 02:50 pm (UTC)
Thank you :D
williwawz: kara dreaming[info]williwawz on November 28th, 2007 09:15 am (UTC)
Wow! That was a beautifully executed vid! I loved your intercutting of all the mandala/circle imagery in the beginning to match the beat of the song-just wonderful. Kara is a pilot and this vid has the most scenes of vipers and kara together that i have yet to see in any Kara vid-and the editing worked to give the "lost and searching" impression that you sound like you were trying to achieve. I'm saving this vid and it will certainly be rewatched.
also...I MUST have that song-Love it!
Bravo!
buffyann[info]buffyann on November 28th, 2007 09:41 am (UTC)
Thanks a lot for taking the time to comment :)
And the intro was certainely very fun to play with, with such an interesting song :)
the editing worked to give the "lost and searching"
Definitely was the point so thanks for pointing it out :) The "lost" kinda mood was totally what i was trying to convey :)

There's an HQ version of the vid I posted here if you're interested.
there are many copies: BSG: xxx starbuck by side_of_zen[info]projectjulie on January 4th, 2008 09:53 pm (UTC)
you've captured Kara's downward spiral into utter devastation so beautifully in this vid -- it feels very true to season three, painful as that is. the song is haunting, and well matched to your lovely, evocative use of images of the eye mandala and paralleling of different dimensions of Kara's life (flying and boxing, for example).
buffyann[info]buffyann on January 5th, 2008 09:45 am (UTC)
Thank you for taking the time to leave this lovely comment ! means a lot, thank you :D
aycheb[info]aycheb on January 22nd, 2008 07:32 pm (UTC)
Love. An unusual song for Starbuck vid but the hypnotic centered beat perfectly captures her in Maelstrom, letting go, falling into her destiny, feeling her life, all her battles, flash by her. The inclusion of Lee as a witness works wonderfully. I especially love the way the central focus of every shot is maintained to create a sense of moving in inexorably towards the eye of the storm.
buffyann[info]buffyann on January 22nd, 2008 10:48 pm (UTC)
Thank you so much for this wonderful review ! and I'm glad the ending with Lee works for you since i had my doubt with that :) Again, thank you !
counteragent: vid free[info]counteragent on January 24th, 2008 06:23 pm (UTC)
That was simply mesmerizing. Beautiful expression (and I mean that in the sense of "aesthetically pleasing" as well as "thematically elegant") of Starbuck's inner chaos.

Dang, I can't believe I haven't seen one of your vids before. Now I will stalk you. :D
buffyann[info]buffyann on January 25th, 2008 09:34 am (UTC)
Thank you very much !!! The "mesmering" is a great compliment :D Thank you !

and stalking me won't take long. I have, like... 3 vids...
The sanest lunatic you've ever met: bsg: starbuck[info]sdwolfpup on January 25th, 2008 06:35 pm (UTC)
This is a very beautiful vid. With your excellent sense of movement and timing, and the sound of the song, the whole vid felt like it was floating, which worked perfectly.
buffyann: dreams[info]buffyann on January 25th, 2008 07:25 pm (UTC)
Thank you very much for commenting ! I'm glad you enjoyed it ! thank you !
giandujakiss[info]giandujakiss on May 27th, 2008 01:57 pm (UTC)
This is absolutely gorgeous! Loved it.
buffyann: dreams[info]buffyann on May 27th, 2008 06:02 pm (UTC)
oh thank you so much !!!
fehrlybrendan: unfinished business[info]fehrlybrendan on August 10th, 2008 05:56 pm (UTC)
Beautiful video. It's absolutely stunning.

Wonderful job. :)
buffyann[info]buffyann on August 10th, 2008 07:22 pm (UTC)
Thank you very much :)
(Anonymous) on August 14th, 2008 05:02 pm (UTC)
Hello
I'm new here, just wanted to say hello and introduce myself.