bradcpu ([info]bradcpu) wrote,
@ 2007-08-18 04:37:00
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Entry tags:vid

New vid: "Working Class Hero" (Firefly)


Vid Title: Working Class Hero
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
Song/Artist: "Working Class Hero" by Green Day via John Lennon
Duration: 4:13
Summary: "If you want to be a hero well just follow me." Mal/River via Simon, Zoe, Jayne

856X480 / 35MB / wmv



Enter password: followme

Working Class Hero (Firefly) from Vimeo. (Download available)




"Working Class Hero"
by John Lennon
performed by Green Day

As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and despise a fool
Till you're so fucking crazy you cant follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function youre so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like all the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Hope you enjoy the vid. Please share your thoughts.

Also, I had a couple of non-premiere vids shown at VVC. If anyone would like the links, they're here:

Vertigo (House) - shown in Daughter of Experimental Vids
Living Dead Girl (BtVS/AtS) - shown in Nearly New


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[info]obsessive24
2007-08-18 11:23 am UTC (link)
It's posted! SQUEEEEEEEEE

*paces impatiently while downloading*

*watches*

Argghhh my eyes! The shiny! My eyes!!

*calms down a bit*

Okay, timestamps.

opening - oh, gorgeous setting of the scene.. I feel it's a bit of an HL homage as well. Beautiful flow through to the soldier kid getting shot in the chest. Love the lights on beat. The ensuing few clips just carry that motion so well, with gorgeous little bits of internal motion all through, and such wonderful use of light
0:19 - I'm curious about this shot as I don't remember it at all. Gorgeous moody long shot with lovely shots down below, though.
0:22 - LOVE the movement of the planes flying in
0:37 - you know, that handheldy pull-out on the Alliance ship is one of the BEST shots in the show. And you used it just perfectly here.
0:49 - I really liked the "hit you at school" as a looser connotation as opposed to something more literal.
0:51 - you know I love that shot. Can't get enough of it.
1:02 - love that flow-through motion. You're the master of it, so you would know. Ditto Mal at 1:06.
1:12 - lovely little tie-in of Simon & River turning
1:14 - the ball!
1:20 - again with the clip connections! This must stop, otherwise I will run out of commenting space. :P
1:24 - pan across to blue!!!
1:28 - I love how the light across Mal's face plays over to Simon opening the door.
1:30 - oh my god the light. That's GORGEOUS.
1:39 - the guy in the foreground flashing across on beat gives me a happy.
1:43 - River sitting. Oi, I told you to stop it!
1:46 - love the time toggle on the fill, punctuated by that flame going up
1:52 - took me a couple of watchings to catch the parallel, but I got there in the end!
1:55 - the falling man/the falling statue. SO good. And I love how you pulled it together with the Jayne/Mal shot.
2:01 - jump cut of goodness!
2:02-2:04 - Ooooh, the shiny of that. And then the time toggle on that rogue cop walking forward!
2:09 - TV=bible. Brutal but lovely.
2:13 - light on shoulder on beat. You are sick with your attention to detail! Sick, I tell you!
I don't have much coherent to say about the ensuing sequence, except that it all flows together brilliantly and you did such a fantastic job with the pacing.
From 2:42 onward there's these lovely sticky guitars, which provided a fantastic playground for your new crossfade fetish. Love it, especially Mal on ground at 2:54.
3:00 - funny in the movie, much more poignant here.
3:24 - that light really got me.
I think I'm gradually getting lazy with the timestamps cos I can't handle all the awesome. But 3:46 is a particularly awesome piece of awesome. Oh, the movement. *swoon*
3:50 - dig that flow-through motion
3:53 - Zoe the war amazon! Freaks me out every time.

It's gorgeous and breathless and just so meticulously done. No notes? What's that about? I wanna hear your thought processes on this one.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 07:15 am UTC (link)
Planning to email you with elaboration as I don't want to bore everyone (only you!), but I do want to give you a heartfelt thanks for being such a wonderful feedbacker and being so patient as I whined about the vid over the past month or so. Reading this reply when I woke up today was one of those Big Sigh, weight-off-my-chest moments. Then came the grin as I kept reading.

You really are wonderful.

I feel it's a bit of an HL homage as well
I think pretty much everything I'm doing at this point is an homage to you or to HL - or both.
0:19 - I'm curious about this shot as I don't remember it at all
It was the opening shot of the Dhu Khang flashback at the beginning of The Message. I wanted all of this opening segment to have the feel of a flashback but still feel in the present.

There was a real temptation to go literal with the lyrics since they often referenced images in the series, but I tried to just sort of surround the lyrics with the subject instead of shoving it in the viewer's face.
1:52 - took me a couple of watchings to catch the parallel
Yay, you got it! I thought that was probably the most opaque one.
2:09 - TV=bible. Brutal but lovely
It is brutal, isn't it? That's entirely Lennon's work, just a direct interpretation of the song. I thought this was one of the more literal ties, but I guess sometimes it's better to go literal to get the point across.
2:13 - light on shoulder on beat. You are sick with your attention to detail!
And you're sick in your ability to catch it!
3:00 - funny in the movie, much more poignant here.
I showed it to Kim when I did a finalish draft the other day, and I was holding my breath when it got to this point, desperately hoping she wouldn't laugh. Had a huge moment of relief when she didn't.
3:24 - that light really got me.
Another huge yay over here! I feared that was too subtle to even notice.

As usual, you bring the wonderful. Email coming soon.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]exsequar, 2007-08-21 04:05 am UTC

[info]ruafair
2007-08-18 12:20 pm UTC (link)
Ok I'm not even going to attempt to match the excellent review above... I'd just fail miserably LOL...

But I will say, what an amazing piece of art, and yes it is art.... I'm not a fan of that version of the song (just my intense dislike of Green Day rules over the music LOL) but it did work so perfectly with the tone and pace of the video...

Brilliant video.

Fiona

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 04:43 am UTC (link)
I've never really gotten into Green Day, but every time this song came on the radio the images here just kept beating me over the head. Finally I had enough and just had to make the vid.

I'm flattered. I just want it to be enjoyable, no matter how it's defined in artistic terms. I guess that's true of most vidders and most vids, but it's especially true for this one. Thank you so much for the compliment.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]shoopdancer
2007-08-18 02:01 pm UTC (link)
Holy Shit!!
Excuse the swearing, but it had to be said.

That was all kinds of absolute brilliance!!! OMG!!! I am completely awestruck!! *rewatches*

I wanna give you a proper review, because this video just deserves it! Your editing was so simplistic, yet truly a work of art. The beauty in this video is the comparisons and the fantastic editing that comes with it. Two of my favourite parts, which almost come in succession, has to be at 1:53- 1:59 and 2:00- 2:09. Wow. The comparisons, especially the TV/Bible religion piece is so perfectly crafted, working perfectly lyrically and creating a deeper meaning. Also, the falling man off of the ship, combing with the falling statue was so pleasing on the eyes :P Also, the way you use natutal lights in the clips (I'm not even sure i they were added, as they seem to complement the clips so well) on the beat is so innovative. I especially love, the flame going up in the background on the beat at 1:48 (whether intentional or not) just really showed attention to detail.

I think, another thng that creates such beauty in this video is, of course, your movement. Every clip seems perfectly placed after the other with perfection. You also didn't go zoom crazy, which I think woudn't have worked with this song, so it was pleasing to see that you kept the editing simple.

I don't know what else I can say except it is absolutely amazing and I definitely need to make another vid rec post, just so I can rec this vid :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 04:51 am UTC (link)
Thanks, Shoop! Wow. I'm really blown away that you liked it so much.

I was thinking maybe I was going a little nuts with the comparison shots and metaphors, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. :) No, I didn't do much to the clips in terms of adding lighting or altering it. I think there was a little flicker to highlight what was already there on a couple of clips, but that's it. The lighting in the show is so beautiful that you don't really have to do much to it but throw it onto the timeline and take credit for it.

the flame going up in the background on the beat at 1:48 (whether intentional or not)
Yep, it was intentional. I was trying to compare that to the previous shot of Serenity valley, to kind of emphasize that Mal's still at war.

You also didn't go zoom crazy
Honestly? I'm just not that good at using zooms. Really need to work on that. But I'm glad it didn't seem like I needed them here.

I really, deeply appreciate it, Shoop. Hope you keep enjoying the vid. That's why I made it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]shoopdancer, 2007-08-19 12:38 pm UTC

[info]charmax
2007-08-18 03:07 pm UTC (link)
I knew without watching that I'd love this because it's you plus Firefly plus one of my all time favourite songs. And yet I was unprepared for just how much I love this vid. It is a thing of beauty and awesomeness. I love the time toggles, the cross fades, the motion and the comparisons and the fact that you've blended film and show footage together so seamlessly. I would timestamp my favourite parts for you but basically it's everything between 0.00-4.13. It's the ultimate world weary, cynical, outcast song and the ultimate world weary, cynical, outcast crew and it is all good.

I'm just going to watch it again, and again.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 04:55 am UTC (link)
Wow.

OK, the vid was officially worth it! Seriously feel all justified and content now.

It sounds like the vid really clicked for you the way it did in my mind when I was imagining it... the way I wanted it to be. I'm sure you know how satisfying it is to read that. I wanted it to be anthemic and Firefly-tastic, holding onto that defiant blue-collar (brown collar?) feel the show had. Now I feel like it did. :)

Also...
basically it's everything between 0.00-4.13
New best feedback ever!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]rinalin
2007-08-18 04:55 pm UTC (link)
*is awed*

Just. Fucking. Awed.

There are a thousand moments where I was drawn in, sucked in and amazed by. This song is so perfectly Mal and River... And the scenes you chose, the way that their spliced...

Damn it. Just AWED!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 04:57 am UTC (link)
RINNY! Hey, I had to have a vid that would give me an excuse to show off the LJ background you made me. Have you noticed how well it matches?

I'm humbled by the aweing to the point that I feel unworthy to even reply. So I'll just say "thank you." Err... thank you.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]buffyann
2007-08-18 05:01 pm UTC (link)
YAY, new vid !!!
So I don't know Firefly/Serenity outside of a few glimpse of the movie I saw here and there so obviously, my review will remain superficial and I know there's layers there I did not see.
Now, it didn't have the effect on me as Vertigo did but that's probably related to not knowing the fandom.
You certainely used the song very well and the lyrics guided me through the story and helped me get more context even if I didn't understand every line and had to look at your post after for lyrics (but that's not your fault, I need bionic ears). I liked that the video feels like an almost ironic look at the "society" of this fandom. You don't know if you should laugh or cry, it's almost ridiculous how things works but it still brings pain and characters are struggling to live in this world. I could be totally off with this lol. Just telling you how I felt.
I loved your fades and motion. :)
0:25 Love this shot
0:50 beautiful
0:53 I love seeing this walk intercut with other clips
1:00 I love this here, perfect for the narrative and still visually perfect sync with music.
1:01 "fucking crazy", really nice moment here
1:24 WOW, so intense and PERFECT. R
1:24 - 1:31 This is really my favourite sequence, it's so intense and beautifully done. Incredible.
2:02 Again, you rock.
2:30 Another walk ! it's great again !
2:46 Beautiful fade here.
2:50 Again, beautiful
3:49-3:51 love this moment.

Great vid, brad. Speedvidding certainely works for ya :)



(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:10 am UTC (link)
Oh, I'm so glad you liked it! You've quickly become one of my favorite vidders, and the fact that you enjoyed it despite not knowing the fandom is just wonderful. It's also really great to read the thoughts of someone who hasn't really seen the series because, as we discussed before, that's a different perspective on it.

I'm relieved that it didn't have the same effect on you as Vertigo! Heh. Definitely a different kind of vid.

You don't know if you should laugh or cry, it's almost ridiculous how things works
I suppose you could say the same thing about society in real life. I guess that's why I felt that the song worked for it.

It's neat reading your timestamps and getting a sense for how the vid looks with little fandom frame of reference. It's really cool that you hit on many of the things I was hoping to emphasize - the walks, the transition points in the narrative, and the key moments in the pacing. I don't think I'm the best at instinctive vidding and musicality, but I do always work really hard to pay attention to detail (that's why it always takes so long), so it's really nice that came through.

Speedvidding certainely works for ya
Yeah, you gotta love those month-and-a-half "speed vids". If I really took my time with a vid, it'd probably be done in 2009.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2007-08-20 04:25 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]buffyann, 2007-08-20 04:27 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-20 05:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]buffyann, 2007-08-20 06:00 pm UTC

[info]winterevanesce
2007-08-18 05:46 pm UTC (link)
I just wanted to let you know that this video is amazing!! - like every one says. I love everything about it. The clip selections were perfect. I've never watched Firefly, only Serenity. This is just a really fantastic video and a real treat to watch. Excellent job as always, brad.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:11 am UTC (link)
Thank you so much! It's especially nice hearing that since you've never seen the show. I really appreciate you watching it despite that and letting me know you enjoyed it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]littleheaven70
2007-08-18 10:05 pm UTC (link)
I think Nicky summed it up :o) Lovely flow, pace, clip choice. Fantastic song for the subject matter. *prostrates*

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:23 am UTC (link)
I'm really glad you liked it! This is my first vid with you on my flist, so... no pressure, eh? :)

(Oh I love your icon!)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]littleheaven70, 2007-08-19 05:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-19 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]littleheaven70, 2007-08-19 06:26 am UTC

(Reply from suspended user)

[info]_sharvie_
2007-08-18 11:23 pm UTC (link)
Oh no! You did a vid to GD's version of Working Class Hero and my computer just died. *cries*

I'll be back, I guarantee it.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:24 am UTC (link)
Hope it does the song justice! Good luck with your computer. I've been there. Recently and repeatedly.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]_sharvie_, 2007-09-04 11:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]_sharvie_, 2007-09-04 11:18 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-09-04 05:58 pm UTC

[info]cyren_2132
2007-08-18 11:48 pm UTC (link)
I'm sure more specific thoughts will follow, but right now I'm thinking there couldn't be a better ending to a day of driving and hauling stuff up stairs than using someone else's open wireless service to find a new vid! Very good!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:24 am UTC (link)
Hey, welcome back! We're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Now take my job, please!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]frogfarm
2007-08-19 01:17 am UTC (link)
Stellar work, as always.

(I don't like either the original or the remake of this song, so it probably says more about me that I couldn't think of anything other than, "You know what the definition of a hero is?" :)

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 05:26 am UTC (link)
I couldn't think of anything other than, "You know what the definition of a hero is?"
Yay! That was definitely one of the lines I was hoping to call to mind. (Despite how it might appear at first glance, the vid's not supposed to be very complimentary of Mal.) Had a lot of fun with the lyrics and the different ways to interpret them.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]bop_radar
2007-08-19 09:26 am UTC (link)
Ohh, wonderful! *applauds* Me likey. I suck as a Firefly fan, though I did adore Serenity, but I really appreciated the darkness of this vid. It seems a perfect choice for Mal and I worked my way into it for River (who I never really understood--my issue, not yours *g*). I think my favourite part was the juxtaposing of Mal pushing the guy off the hovercraft thingy/Jayne toppling his statue. And I really loved the last few seconds as well.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 11:14 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, Boppy! I knew you weren't a fan of the show going in, so it means a lot to me that you even watched it.
I really appreciated the darkness of this vid
It is quite dark isn't it? It wasn't like that when I originally came up with the idea. I was all "oh this is gonna be fluffy puppies and rainbows and sunshine," and then I start the project and there are corpses and decomposing bodies everywhere. :P

Also glad that you picked out the Mal-Jayne moment there. I was trying to twist around the "working class hero is something to be" lyric several different ways, and that was one of the key ones.

So glad you liked it!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]bop_radar, 2007-08-21 05:08 am UTC

[info]ladystarlightsj
2007-08-19 02:21 pm UTC (link)
Dloading, thanks for posting. I love this song and love Firefly so it should all be good!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 11:15 pm UTC (link)
Hope it is all good. Or at least mostly good. :)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]lisaatneptune
2007-08-19 07:01 pm UTC (link)
AWESOME! Really great job.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-19 11:16 pm UTC (link)
Thank you so much!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]mranderson71
2007-08-20 12:20 am UTC (link)
Im putting myself under a Firefly/Serenity vid curfew as Im about to commence watching the series/movie very, very soon. (I have a mate who has the whole shebang on DVD).

Yours will be amoungst the first cabs off the rank when Im done.

*austrian accent*

I'll be back.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-20 01:23 am UTC (link)
Man, I envy you. I also pity you.

You're about to watch a series that you'll soon hate for making you love it so much. Ah the sweet sweet agony of discovering Firefly.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]mranderson71, 2008-08-06 02:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2008-08-06 02:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mranderson71, 2008-08-06 11:08 pm UTC

[info]thewatch
2007-08-21 03:50 am UTC (link)
Really good video, great song and some interesting clips used for the editing. Some things you don't see in vids much and a nice mixed perspective on it all.

Really good!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-21 06:30 am UTC (link)
I'm glad the vid looked different from what you normally see. It's nice to have my own voice as a vidder, and to know that it's a voice that's worth hearing. I appreciate you letting me know you liked it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]exsequar
2007-08-21 04:02 am UTC (link)
And you just keep cementing your place as my favorite vidder! God, this is gorgeous. For one thing, the song is amazing - I love Green Day, and I hadn't heard it before! Then, of course, the video is technically impeccable, with an uncanny sense of timing and motion and flow.

But what really strikes me about this video is that you made me feel like I was watching something new. I've watched countless Firefly/Serenity videos, but this took the source and interpreted and manipulated it in ways so elegant and surprising and new, uncovering parallels and layers and connections that I never realized existed. I'm not sure if I could really quantify how you did that, I just know that you took me on a completely new journey through this very small set of source material, and that is a true triumph.

Some favorite moments: River's footsteps falling quietly on subtle beats starting at 00:46; River huddling in the corner of her room followed by River curled up on the bench in Safe (1:43); the parallel between the toppling of Jayne's statue and Mal pushing the man off the mule; the Operative slicing up the Alliance men flowing into Mal drawing the gun at 2:28; the image of Mal with his screwdriver facing off against the sword, so amusing in context but so striking and painful in this narrative; and the entire bridge section, so fluid yet so precise.

This is such a beautiful video. I'm sure I'm missing a lot, but trust me, there will be many many repeat viewings :) Fantastic job!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-21 06:37 am UTC (link)
I'm really flattered! The compliments you're throwing around there are heady stuff, but more than anything I'm just really glad you enjoyed watching it. (You hadn't heard this song before? It's all I hear when I turn on the radio.)

made me feel like I was watching something new
That's a terrific thing to say. One of the most wonderful things I can imagine is finding a new way to sort of rediscover Firefly, and if I helped you do that, even a little, then I'm really proud of the vid. It is a small amount of source material, but it's very dense with emotion and beautiful camerawork - so there's a lot to mine there.

Thank you so much for pointing out your favorite moments, as well. The paralleled images kind of became part of the structure of the rhythm, so I'm glad I didn't paint myself into a corner with those.

I'll certainly email you more about the thought process behind the vid if you want. If you don't feel comfortable giving your email out here, just drop me a line at bradcpu@hotmail.com and I'll reply. :)

Thanks again!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]jarrow
2007-08-21 05:40 am UTC (link)
Very shiny! Beautiful work.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-21 06:39 am UTC (link)
Oh, a comment from my favorite new flister! Thanks so much for watching, and I love the icon. Ha!

I was just off to watch your premiere on the VVC set.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]jarrow, 2007-08-21 03:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-21 07:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jarrow, 2007-08-21 07:04 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-21 07:16 pm UTC

[info]aurora_84
2007-08-21 08:59 pm UTC (link)
This was such an amazing video!!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-21 09:59 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, aurora! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]thedothatgirl
2007-08-22 08:48 pm UTC (link)
*flails*

I've snuck out whilst the inlaws are watching footie on tv to watch this wonderful vid.

I was transfixed, and suddenly I became aware that it was over(too soon) This is so beautiful and I welled up,got all emotional, there they are the BDH in Firefly & the BDM together seamless edited. You really made me want to see the movie again.

Not about to repeat Nicky's time stamps but a couple of things hit me immediately so I'll mention those - 0.58 and 1.04 the eyes move to the guitar strum/chord, and the ball in the hoop at 1.15ish. I loved the time toggling and synched explosion at around 1.47. The parallels with the statue and the man thrown off the mule.

The instrumental section that starts around 2.40 through to 3.03 is awesome and I am sure there'll be ton of stuff I missed on the first 3 viewings. Something to look forward to when I watch it again.

I had never heard the song before either - neither version other than with the Beatles I am not A Lennon fan. I can understand why the idea came to you, so glad you made it. It is truly wonderful. It is now my favourite FF /BDM vid.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-08-23 06:04 am UTC (link)
It is now my favourite FF /BDM vid.

Totally speechless.

... !

I was just relieved when I realized that you weren't disappointed in it. It was such a joy to read your reply, Andrea. Every line made my smile just a bit bigger - cause I know that we're like-minded about the fandom, and how much we love it. So I could identify with what you were feeling.

My first idea for the vid was for it to build the way the series and movie did, toward the big collision with the Alliance; going from lost souls, to reluctant outlaws, to a family, to a group of heroes. Tried to do several riffs on the meaning behind "a working class hero is something to be" in order to get that across. Seeing how it came across to you really makes me think that journey felt right here. :)

The instrumental section that starts around 2.40 through to 3.03 is awesome
Totally inspired by [info]charmax. I envy her layering skills so much it should be illegal. It *can't* be legal to have this much envy.

I can understand why the idea came to you, so glad you made it.
That's such a wonderful thing to read, Andrea. You know I live to entertain you. :) So, wow... favorite FF/BDM vid ever!

Must print out this reply and paste it to my forehead.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]thedothatgirl, 2007-08-23 08:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-23 12:03 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]thedothatgirl, 2007-08-23 04:04 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-23 07:33 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]thedothatgirl, 2007-08-23 07:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bradcpu, 2007-08-23 09:53 pm UTC
Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv
[info]kiki_miserychic
2007-08-24 06:04 pm UTC (link)
Now that I've made Chuck like your vids, I can watch it all big and shiny on my lickable widescreen. First I didn't have the right codec, then VLC decided it would look better desaturated with red, green, and blue interference lines. *this is my sad face*

I can't explain just how much this vid hits me. There's something so Firefly about it that can speak so loudly. It's Mal and it's River and it's you and it's me. It's Firefly and it's everyone. It's a message from Firefly that is far-reaching and as true now as it will be then.

:03 - Right off the bat you use a sweet lens flare effect thingy to go from the simple titles into the vid. The clip choice is wonderful. It's easy to use big epic scenes with fighting and battles to start off a vid like this, but I love that you went the subtle route with longer held cuts of non-explicit scenes. Then the actual battle scenes carry all that much more weight when you used them.
:17 - Great clips to use. Oh Mal. I like your transitioning from Mal in the war and Mal in the movie. There's something about Nathan Fillion looking all sad and depressed that makes me want to hug him and give him lots of puppies.
:30 - OMG, there's so many subtle, nearly unnoticeable editing moments. It's like every syllable and sound is matched to some sort of movement.
:35 - Sometimes I can't believe how well you can utilize the camera work.
:46 - River's footsteps to the music, OMGLOVESIT.
1:04 - Young!River looking up on beat kills me. I think there's time toggling there, so great time toggling, and it's there's not, then great timing.
1:05 - I love the way Mal walks out with three different clips tied together. It flows and is quietly awesome.
1:20's - The way you tie the clips of River together is excellent. The expressions match perfectly.
1:24 - The pan! My god the pan and the blue and the awesome! I want to kill you for your brain.
1:28 - The light! The doors!
1:31 - The light! I'm reduced to semi-phrases and !s.
1:36 - The bumping and music and Simon.
1:40's - All this on beat editing is making me not blink. I think I blinked 3 times when I watched the first time. Even now when I'm watching to give feedback, I start getting caught up in watching the vid and I have to go back.
1:50's - I love this section because it's rife with meaning... which means I had to watch it 50 times and consult a crystal ball to get even an idea of the metaphor (Because I am dense).
In the 2:00's it feels like your editing changes and gets even more amped up. Before you were stating your meaning and now it's being yelled. In a good way.
2:01 - The jump cuts and the time toggling becomes more apparent, which I like because it's taking everything you've used in the beginning of the vid and making it "louder".
TV = the bible... in a desolate way, yep, pretty much.
And you think you're so clever and classless and free / But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see - I dig the way you bring in all the antagonists that work for "the man" and mock them.
2:27 - The follow though of Mal and The Operative is amazing.
2:37 - Love, love, love the framing from one guy to the next.
2:40's - This is what I meant about knowing what clips to put where and how to use them properly for build up. The action scenes here were built up to and it feels like a huge pay off.
3:00 - Oh fuck. That part of the movie always makes me chuckle at least a bit because it's Mal with a tiny knife against someone with a big sword on the surface. It sums up Mal nicely while adding some humor, but here I couldn't even smile at it because it's hard and it's the truth.
There's room at the top they are telling you still / But first you must learn how to smile as you kill - Oh Mal and River. Wonderful editing here as well. It's a powerful section and you weren't too "in your face" about it.
3:26 - Shiny flare!
4:00 - Mal's steps to the beats.
And River pushing up is a rather hopeful ending to go with the song ending.

And there are no notes! Give me notes. I crave notes to go with vids. Or you could just give me your brain.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv
[info]bradcpu
2007-08-25 10:33 am UTC (link)
You know, when I read this my first reaction was - "Oh, Whitney's boyfriend likes my vids! That's kinda cool." Then I realized who "Chuck" was.

You so own me, so I just feel grateful to be in your presence, girl. Seeing a reaction like this - by you - is more than a little overwhelming. (Also feel a bit guilty, as it's so hard for me to express in specifics what it is that I adore so much about *your* vids. They're just... Beyond Everything. And getting farther away.)

It's Mal and it's River and it's you and it's me
Well, you *are* insane with superhuman skills. And I *am* a smartarse at times.

Seriously, I know what you mean. The core of all of this is that Lennon's song was saying the same thing as the series - the same message. And I think it's something that's part of the human condition, so it'll always be there.

I want to kill you for your brain!
I KNEW IT!!!

All this on beat editing is making me not blink. I think I blinked 3 times when I watched the first time.
Ha! I know the feeling. I think for the entire run time of Stronger Forest, my eyes just got wider and wider. By the end I looked like one of those cartoon wolves.

Before you were stating your meaning and now it's being yelled.
There were a lot of times when making this that I thought "man, no one's going to get this." So yelling is good.

One of my favorite things about the project was being able to play around with the lyric "a working class hero is something to be" - make it resigned, hopeful, pathetic, heroic, etc. It sounds like a lot of those twists came through for you, which is reassuring.

I didn't do any notes for this one because I wanted the viewer to connect with it in his or her own way. Hopefully it's accessible enough that people will be able to do that. And there really wasn't a lot of tech involved - it was a very straightforward vid.

I'm really really glad you enjoyed watching it. Maybe it can be the beginning of me repaying you for giving us all Stronger Forest.

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Re: Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv - [info]kiki_miserychic, 2007-08-26 03:50 am UTC

[info]counteragent
2007-08-29 12:44 am UTC (link)
That was amazing! Loved the parallels you drew between Mal and River's backstories.

The movement throughout was exceptionally well done--the vid remained taut and lovely throughout, even though the song is so long and fairly repetitive.

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[info]bradcpu
2007-08-29 07:40 am UTC (link)
I know that music is usually a make-or-break proposition for a vid-watcher, so I'm flattered that you still enjoyed it despite that. Believe it or not, I actually edited the song down by about 30 secs.

Also very happy that you used the word "taut" - I know it's difficult to keep a vid entertaining enough to hold someone's attention for more than four minutes, so I always try to make them as lean as possible, content-wise.

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[info]bananainpyjamas
2007-09-08 04:02 pm UTC (link)
Oh I am soooooooo late. -.- This is always what happens when I watch one of your vids and vow to come back with "better feedback" isn't it? Curse my timing.

My favorite thing about this is the whole feeling of "sticking it to the Man" (er, the Alliance? I don't know, the scary people) that seems so fitting for the song and I'm guessing the show. I don't know, to me the whole thing is imbibed with this disillusionment with and/or resistance to authority. I think it's cool.

Also, you did SUCH a fantastic job with continued motion. The fall back at 1:02 is seamless. And the super-fast pan at 1:24 is magic. What were you saying about not having any magic moments? :P There are also so many great moments of on-beat motion, be it a punch, fall, or a screen going dark.

I really love what you did with lighting throughout. 1:30 is just gorgeous.

The mass of zooms and jump cuts and time toggle starting at 2:02 is just mind-numbingly awesome. Seriously loved that part. And I thought the girl in the billboard was Rogue, heh. Is that book a Bible? Interesting juxtaposition between that and the TV screen.

And whee, I love all the action when the music really swells. You did such a great job of maintaining the flow while keeping things exciting. Firefly looks like it's fun to vid. Really awesome vid Brad! :D But then, I could say that about anything you do. ;)

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[info]bradcpu
2007-09-09 05:11 am UTC (link)
I really appreciate it, DC! I never take for granted that you're going to watch a vid just cause I made it - especially when (1) you're not a fan of the show, and (2) hello! You've got some more important stuff going on over there!

the whole thing is imbibed with this disillusionment with and/or resistance to authority
That's pretty much the concept in a nutshell. It's kind of the common ground between Firefly and John Lennon.

What were you saying about not having any magic moments?
It's funny (the nice kind of "funny") to see you say that because none of those moments felt "magic" to me when I was making the vid. They all felt kind of blue-collar. "Hmm. Yeah, I guess that works." I'm glad that's not how they felt on your end. :)

the girl in the billboard was Rogue
Ha! It was just a random commercial on in the background in one of the eps. That book is a Bible. There's this whole ep where River analyzes religion and tries to "fix" the gaps in logic throughout it.

Firefly looks like it's fun to vid
Oh it is! I bet you'd do a fantastic one!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]millylicious
2007-09-20 05:29 pm UTC (link)
I can't believe I'm this late in leaving you feedback!

First, I just gotta say about that this cover of the song is not a favorite of mine, but you *really* made if work for me in this vid, so kudos for that!

0:03 Love the flare.
0:10 The transition from the ship over the battlefield to the shadow over the village (I hope I'm remember this right, because I haven't seen the movie/series in a while and if I'm mixing things up, it won't make sense) is not only so very pretty, it's also very telling. How the alliance conquered them and still projects a shadow over the border planets.
0:14 Light flaring up over the beat :D
0:16- 0:20 - By giving you no time instead of it all Such a dark and chilling interpretation, but very true.
0:23-0:30 Those expressions on Mal's face are so powerful.
0:36 That pulling back motion is used brilliantly on the beat.
0:40 I think that shot is perfect, it just really illustrates the 'working class hero' so well. With the stick lighting up on the beat also :D
0:46 Very nice transition from Mal walking to River's feet as she walks through the desks.
0:51 The fence turning the corner to hit the beat, that's so lovely. I love how instead of relying on cuts on the beats, you used the internal motion of the source to highlight the music, throughout the vid.
0:58 Dude? Young Simon is Zac Efron? Awesome *suppresses inner teenybopper and continues*
1:00 The pencil/stick drumming on the beats! Up and down too, like the rise and descent in the music.
1:19 I love the clenching of the jaw there, especially on working class hero is something to be, because it's Simon, moving away from the upper class and having to find himself and justify himself in this new environment - it might not be fancy and proper all the time, but what they are, the work they do has value. It's a bit like that group facing up the alliance and screaming 'look at me, look at the weight I have on my shoulders, I'm someone much stronger than you can imagine'
1:21 I love the connection between the two scenes with the same position and expression.
1:24 That's so seemless, it looks like the actual scene! So pretty.
1:33 I really love that shot, but I can't really explain why. But I wanted to point out that I love it.
1:56 I love the connection of those two scenes, Jayne pushing his 'hero' statue/status on the ground, as Mal pushes the man back on the ground. The definiton of hero is blurred here, what does it mean to be one in this context? And then followed with a shot of the two of them (Jayne and Mal) to really tie both together.
2:04 Great speeding up of the source.
2:10 - 2:41 I really like that confrontation of the 'working class' group with the outside world, it really goes back to what I said earlier about Simon, but this time he's moved over to the other side.
2:46 Great follow-up on the motion of the ship going down to Simon collapsing. I also love how starting around 2:40 you really pick up the pace of the song.
3:10 - 3:23 I feel you established a brilliant link between Mal and River here, each of them have their battlefield, Mal being the war and being Miranda.

I love the conclusion too, the climax with all the action and all of their stories coming together

4:02 If you want to be a hero than just follow me That left me very very sad the first time I watched the vid, and it still does it now. The use of the shot of Mal walking through the dead with this lyric is very inspired. It's just so true to Firefly too - you want to be a hero? Prepare yourself for death, pain and suffering. There's no hero here.

I love how you took the Firefly verse and made something that can apply to social studies (yes, I'm going deep, but that's the impression it left me with), the opposition between the classes and the concept of a 'hero'.








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[info]bradcpu
2007-09-28 04:34 am UTC (link)
Thank you so so so much for finding time to watch and say something about this Milly. I'm really relieved that you liked it, especially considering that you're not a big fan of the song. (It's weird: This is the first time I've used a current, "popular" song for a vid in a long, but almost everyone who has replied has said they don't like the song! That'll teach me to listen to the radio.) :)

How the alliance conquered them and still projects a shadow over the border planets.
It's really nice that you picked up on this. :) To me, the lyrics really tapped into the heart of what Firefly was all about, so I was hoping these connections would come through.

0:40 I think that shot is perfect, it just really illustrates the 'working class hero' so well. With the stick lighting up on the beat also
Squee! That was my favorite shot in the source. I went through the Firefly deleted scenes for the first time in a long, long time, and when I saw that shot I thought "Oh man, *that's* the shot! That's the whole vid summed up!" I'm glad you felt the same way. :)

I love how instead of relying on cuts on the beats, you used the internal motion of the source to highlight the music
Sometimes I wonder if I rely *too* much on internal motion, you know? I don't want to get too comfortable with any one thing. But the fact that it works for you is a very nice bit of reassurance.

0:58 Dude? Young Simon is Zac Efron?
Can't you just hear him singing there?

because it's Simon, moving away from the upper class and having to find himself and justify himself in this new environment - it might not be fancy and proper all the time, but what they are, the work they do has value
You know, I had this whole segment just about Simon that was meant to say exactly that - and I had to cut it for length. So it really means a lot that you were still able to get that message from what was left.

Jayne pushing his 'hero' statue/status on the ground, as Mal pushes the man back on the ground. The definiton of hero is blurred here, what does it mean to be one in this context?
They're both rejecting the "hero" status that's sort of being thrust upon them by the needy and helpless (including Mal's rejection of Simon and River). In this context, "A working class hero is something to be" is a statement of disbelief. "Why do they put me on a pedestal? I'm not a hero. No one is."

It's just so true to Firefly too - you want to be a hero? Prepare yourself for death, pain and suffering. There's no hero here.
Yep, that's Firefly. It's a dark and sobering concept, I know. But from another perspective, just going on - knowing what's ahead - makes them heroic in a way. You're right, a lot of this vid is about playing with the concept of "hero" and classes. And it is meant to be bluesy and painful. But I think there's some true heroism in there, too.

That's kind of how I felt about the series.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]__marcelo
2007-10-23 06:12 am UTC (link)
Wow. What a fantastic vid! I love the way it captures the basic feel of the series, the kind of heroes they are. It's very beautiful.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]bradcpu
2007-10-24 04:34 am UTC (link)
Thank you so much! That's exactly what I was going for - the feel of the series - so it's nice to see you say that. Glad you enjoyed it.

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