So You Want to Be a Vidder: Five Not So Easy Steps

[sisabet]

First of all - I used to get at least one email every week that was simply:

I have a great idea for a vid about Spike, and it is ____. If you won't make it, can you get the clips to me so I can and will you also tell me how you assemble the scenes over the music?

Lately, I have to admit - that has slacked off considerably. Of course - all site directed email goes to Dawn and she made some noise recently about how much she shelters me from a lot of the correspondence (she does forward any and all feedback - at least I think she does). My blood pressure has dropped as a result.

And I hope and pray that that kind of request is just from someone who is new to fandom in general, or possibly is only used to a very isolated segment of fandom. Much as Kirk explored strange new worlds and sought out new life and civilizations - there are a ton of fannish enclaves I have never heard of. Some I have. In the case of Haven and the Mulder and Scully Beanie Baby Porn dolls? Some I wish to never speak of again.

Perhaps where she hails from fannishly, it is fine and dandy to demand that someone basically give you clips and software and do all of the grunt work so that your "vision" of the perfect video can be achieved. Anything is possible. She could also be completely new to fandom as a social sphere so she does not realize that the same rules of conduct apply.

Or she could just be an ass. Yeah, maybe she didn't have any idea how much work would be involved to fulfill her request - but where I come from asking someone to do something and not having any idea what that something actually is - well that is the sign of an ass. JMO, YMMV.

Since I am positive she does not think that she is an ass - well now a simple email has created a conflict in both party's perception of the other. So let's discuss how this could have been prevented, shall we?


So You Want to Be a Vidder?

You have the perfect Idea with a capital "I" for a vid. It must be made. Great. I am thrilled to hear it - this is what you need to do:

Step 1: Initiative

You want to make a vid? Be prepared to learn. Be prepared to research. Be prepared for a lot of frustration. You don't want any of this - you just want a vid? Well, then buy a vidder at auction. Seriously, either accept that you will have to actually do some work or sweet-talk/cajole/threaten a vidder into making if for you or get over it.

There is no Entitlement in Being A Vidder. Say this with me now and say it slowly: No Entitlement in being a vidder. It is okay. I'm here for you. I know this is hard. I struggle with it everyday.

We are not owed a fandom. We are not owed source. We are not owed free software. We are not owed webspace. We are not owed feedback and accolades. We are not owed inspiration.

We operate on the fringes (more on that later) and we have to stay that way. We have to be creative in means of getting the source we need. We have to be creative in how we share the product of our work. We have to be creative in how we learn our craft. There is no entitlement in being a vidder - but there is a ton of creativity.

But no one owes you this. We all learned - some had a better roads than others, but dude - that is just life.

So - show initiative - be ready to work and learn and figure things out by yourself.

Step 2: Research

First of all - vidding is not new. You did not just now invent it. Vidding has been around for at least thirty years and there have been many different methods of distribution. There are still many other ways to get videos other than the internet. Some of the best vids you have never seen have never been online. Learn Your History.

Yeah -and also? Learn how to vid. Learn how to aquire source. Figure it out - but how?

Well, use your resources. The yahoo vidder group. The LJ communities focused on vidding - look and see who is a member of these communities -- find vidder live journals and blogs. Email vidders whose work you admire and ask them what software they use.

DO NOT GO ONLIST AND SAY "Hi all. I want to vid. How do I get started?" If you want to do this - go back and reread "Step 1 Initiative" because you missed something there.

DO READ the archives. They are your friend. They also seem like Greek to you - what are these people talking about?

It can be difficult - I know.

The archives will have links to tutorials that vidders have created. This is great stuff. The archives will also have discussions about software and problems and comparisons. The archives are a resource.

LJ is also - albeit a bit more difficult to navigate - a resource. There are these crazy insane people on LJ who sometimes act as either an information portal or just an organizer of data. Their memories are a thing of beauty. Off the top of my head I can list permetaform's memory category as one of the best all inclusive collections of technical and discussion and Deep thoughts on vidding places to go.

The AMV (http://www.animemusicvideos.org) - while, yeah, an anime vid place, has excellent technical guides. These guys know their stuff and explain it well. Seriously, they take you by the hand and say: "This is your computer. Here is what we are going to do." It quite rocks. Also - watch some vids. This leads me directly into Step 3.


Step 3: Watch Some Vids and find a Mentor


You need to watch vids. Vidding is its own fandom now. I am not making this up. Vidding is its own fandom. You want to vid? Great. You only want to vid in your fandom? Fine and dandy. You only want to watch vids from your fandom? Huh.

Well, I'd have to follow that up with a question: Do you want to be good? Because see - vidding is its own fandom and vidding is also art. You can make art. The representation of video footage set over music in such a way as to communicate or elicit a response from an audience - that is Art. It is also a craft and you have to learn it and if you never watch a video that does not feature Clark and Lex or John and Aeryn or Buffy and Spike -- then you won't learn your craft.

Seriously - if I only watched Buffy vids from the time I started vidding, then I would be convinced that all vids had to feature Buffy jumping off the tower.

If I only watched Methos-featured vids - I would think the same thing - just with the painted nose.

You have to watch good vids (not hard to find) across fandoms you don't know to understand things like structure and pacing and to just see what it freaking possible in this medium. Find a vidder you like and find her rec list. Or ask her for some recs - ask her for her most influential vids that she has seen. This is not entitlement - this is discussion about a shared passion. Big difference.

So you've seen some vids and buy now you probably have a vid that you have seen that blows you away. This is wonderful. You are amazed a human being made this vid. Well - tell the vidder this and study her work. How does she do it? What are her thought processes when she gets ready to do this. Find her LJ and read it. If she doesn't have an LJ send her an email. If she doesn't have email - send her a letter.

If you have no idea who she is - ask around. People will know her. You can even ask this onlist. Someone will email you with who she is and how to get in touch with her.

Study what she does. Study it a lot. Write to her and ask her why she made some of the choices she did. Ask her what her ultimate goal was with this vid. Be respectful and thoughtful and again - this will be discussion - not entitlement. Most vidders love to talk about their own work. Trust me. Ask about complicated POV vids (For example there are dual POV vids like "Kryptonite" or ones where the POV shifts or moves or is actually that of an object "Jig of Life", or where the POV is completely internal to a specific character and explore the Unreliable Narrator concept "Mr. Brightside") - there is a ton of stuff to discuss and you need to talk about it. It will also mean you are talking to an experienced vidder about vidding. This is something wonderful.

DO NOT send the first email to this woman and say "Hi, I loved your vid _____ and I am making my own __/__ vid and was wondering if you will help me with it?" I mean - you could and I know many vidders that actually would help you if you approached it this way - but dude. We are busy. I don't have time to beta the vids from people I know, much less strangers.

But if I am in an actual dialogue with someone who is interested in vidding and wants to discuss process and what-not with me... well that is impressive. Someone who actually cares about learning the craft. Well all of a sudden this person has moved from being a stranger to being this cool person that I just met and she has some interesting ideas and damn we need more vidders like this that actually care about the process and I can't wait until I see what she comes up with.

See the difference?





Step 4: Stay Out of Trouble

Pay attention to the fandom rules - they are the same rules you grew up with and they still apply and will always apply. If it applies in fanfic - it applies in vidding.

Also - educate yourself about copyright violation and remember - it is not just footage from a movie or tv show you are appropriating. It is also a song. Learn about the music industry and make informed choices about how you distribute your videos.



Step 5: Welcome Critique

You are not perfect. You have things you need to learn and constructive criticism is the best way for you to learn.

Actually - just go and read taraljc's essay If you can't say anything nice... come sit over here by me. It is about fanfiction, but you will come to realize that many many things people say about fanfiction, will just as aptly apply to vidding.


Now I am tired. I am finished. Add what you want to this in comments and I am outta here. Or - if you have any questions - ask em.

Comments

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Seriously - if I only watched Buffy vids from the time I started vidding, then I would be convinced that all vids had to feature Buffy jumping off the tower.

If I only watched Methos-featured vids - I would think the same thing - just with the painted nose.

::imagines a vid featuring Buffy jumping off the tower... with a painted nose.::

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Carrying METHOS! Or Methos jumping off the tower with a painted nose. To "My Heart Will Go On"

::head explodes::

[absolutedestiny.livejournal.com]

I still find it weird and wonderful to read things and find the vidder to be referred to as "she". Of course it's accurate but I'm not used to this. Not that I approve of a male hegemony or anything, just that it's not part of my experience as a former amv creator.

Time to get in touch with my feminine side, I suppose :)

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Honey, you're coming to VividCon. You're gonna get in touch with a lot of feminine sides.

[astolat]

This is awesome.

You have to watch good vids (not hard to find) across fandoms you don't know to understand things like structure and pacing and to just see what it freaking possible in this medium.

And this is SO SO SO SO true. Aside from the reuse of source, I think in a lot of ways you learn more from watching the vids that aren't in your fandom(s), because when it's your fandom, you are inevitably affected by the squee and the love and while that is fun, it is also distracting from picking up the craft, and makes you more forgiving where you should be watching with a critical eye.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely right. I know if it is a pairing/fandom I love - I start the vid much more ready to love and enjoy.

Sometimes I watch a single vid for hours because the vid is amazing and everytime I watch it I see something new. Sometimes I watch a vid on repeat for hours because "Look! Pretty people moving to the music! And omg he loves him sooooo much!"

These are two very different things -- and I am happiest when these two things collide.

Amazing vids about a fandom I adore? Bring It On.

Actually - just bring me the amazing vids. I'll learn to adore a fandom.

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

because when it's your fandom, you are inevitably affected by the squee and the love and while that is fun, it is also distracting from picking up the craft, and makes you more forgiving where you should be watching with a critical eye.

Yes! I completely agree. My brother once asked me why I was watching a Jeremiah video (morgandawn's "Highway"--which I think is brilliant), since I've never seen a single episode. He said, "but it won't mean anything to you" and while, that's true to a (limited) extent in terms of character & story background details, if the video is constructed with thought & planning, and executed in a way that makes sense in its own right, then you don't *need* to be inside that fandom to enjoy & understand it. I have to say some of my favorite videos are of shows I've never seen, and I've learned a lot from them because I'm not distracted by my own preconceived notions & biases.

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

I used to be amazed at how demanding and lazy people could be when I first got into online fandom. I've seen so much of it I'm not surprised, but I still have to shake my head in disgust at how much people want done for them.

I've thought about making videos but I realize how much hard work it is and I don't really have the driving ambition to tackle it.
I started making icons several months ago and although it isn't as involved as vidding, I think some of the same learning steps apply. I looked at other icons and made note of what I liked and didn't like. From tutorial sites, asking advice, and trial and error I found out how different effects were done and practiced them until I liked how things came out. Even though I haven't made my own screencaps I hunted them down and downloaded them myself.

I'm happy to fulfill icon requests when people make them and it's rarely a tall order, but for someone to want you to do all the dirty work of making vid clips and pointing out how to edit them! Yeesh!

It's official.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I love you. Marry me. You will have to have the kids, but I will take out the trash and read the software manuals.

[piper47.livejournal.com]

::applauds::

I have more thoughts, but I shoulda left for class like ten mintues ago... ;) I'll return

[linzeestyle.livejournal.com]

When I get out of class and am at home on my own computer and no longer embittered by the concept of environmental psychology as a practice, I will re-read this and have actual thoughts and comments. But you? I love you. And I think this needs to be written - tatooed even - on the head of every newbie and wild vidder who has ever acted as though They Invented Vidding. Also, it should be branded on the asses of the X Files fandom at large, but that's a personal issue that I have to deal with. *G*

In the case of Haven and the Mulder and Scully Beanie Baby Porn dolls? Some I wish to never speak of again.

Am I the only person that will never again be able to see beanie babies without also hearing cheesy 80s porn music in my head?

Linzee

[piper47.livejournal.com]

Am I the only person that will never again be able to see beanie babies without also hearing cheesy 80s porn music in my head?

No... and I hate you for that. :-P

[nerdanel.livejournal.com]

I have submitted by IM the following request to f1renze:

omg hi my name is bethany and i am totally like one of ur biggest fans n-e-wayz i have this really kewl idea for an angel vid but i do not kno how u do dis thing called vidding so could you please like make the vid for me and also tell me how you put the scenes over the song and also please give me vidding software and teach me how to use it thank you love n kisses bethany


I am sure that it will work, and that it will result in her making my perfect Angel vid for me. [-o<

>:) Even not being a vidder, I can imagine how frustrating that idiocy must be. I think that there's some tendency, when you want to do something that seems new, demanding, and intimidating, to turn to someone "older and wiser" in the field and ask for help. There's some sense in which you wish they could take over, be the mentor, show you the way...and that your understanding can just magically develop as they do so. Of course, for any of us who have ever leaped into something new and uncharted, whether RL or fandom, we know that this doesn't work, and that ultimately, the initiative has to come entirely from "us" as neophytes. It's sad that many would-be vidders don't realize the same, but then, it's likely that they will never make that first vid.

*speaking as someone who has been wanting to vid for months, but hasn't sat down to try it. Still, I NEVER emailed or IMed anyone asking them to do everything for me, or to spell it out while I watched, although I've talked at length with vidder friends about the process*

[f1renze.livejournal.com]

I love this post so much that I read it over and over and lost track of time.

Love this part especially:

You want to vid? Great. You only want to vid in your fandom? Fine and dandy. You only want to watch vids from your fandom? Huh.

Well, I'd have to follow that up with a question: Do you want to be good?

It may seem harsh, but it's just so true. One of my favorite intellectual life lessons is that comparison invites abstraction. I can't tell you how much I've learned from watching vids in other fandoms. Not just the many aspects of delivery, but also how to think about vids. It's just one of the ways we learn - we align things we experience with prior knowledge and then we do it again and viola - we see something new. And importantly, this new lesson is free from the context (i.e., fandom) in which it was acquired. It's like we get smart and stuff.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

well astolat makes such a good point above your good point where she mentions that having no attachments to the things happening in the vid can actually help free your critical eye.

[klia.livejournal.com]

This should be required reading for *every* vidder, because it has something that applies to every single one of us.

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

While I agree that it is somewhat obnoxious, I still feel a little left out. How come annoying newbies don't ask me how to do stuff? I know stuff. I'm smart. I can even explain how to do technically challenging things step-by-step.

I feel unloved.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

I can ask Dawn to forward some to you.

You are smart and know stuff - we like to keep you all protected-like just for us, though.

::is selfish::

Now - the next time someone comes on vidder and pipes up that they are new and "How do you learn to vid?" then I expect a dead serious and lengthy reply from you.

[piper47.livejournal.com]

I really don't have anything brillant to add to this, just that it needed to be said. I've never been in a position where I had someone hounding me to perform for them, like that's what I was excepted to do.

My only common problem in vidding is watching vids I made and actually put a lot of effort and emotion into, being remade into bad videos ( not that mine were great ) and then they are proclaimed as *brilliant*. That's the fandom I come from. They stay very secludeded and don't realize that vidding is an art, it isn't for everyone and you can't just stay locked so tight in your own fandom. You have to branch out and look at what other people are doing. That's how we grow.

I finally got it, I didn't realize how important it was that all vidders watch what others are doing, regardless if it is in your fandom or not, because it allows you to learn new things and see things from a different view. It's not like stealing... it's about growing and getting better at what you do.

And you are right about vidding being it's own community. I think that's important to know as well. Because yes, maybe you make this incredible vid, but no one from that fandom cares or pays attention. If it really is good, other vidders will see it and tell you. And that's more important anyway.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

My only common problem in vidding is watching vids I made and actually put a lot of effort and emotion into, being remade into bad videos ( not that mine were great ) and then they are proclaimed as *brilliant*. That's the fandom I come from.

You have the right - regardless of the fandom - to demand that your vids not be used as source. If anyone has a problem with that stance - then direct them to one of the many "explanation" pages that popped up pre-and post-Grey Day.

I still think that you were just stuck in a bad neighborhood with that particular fandom. There are tons and tons of enclaves and maybe you just haven't stumbled across the right neighborhood.

I know Linzee sometimes gets discouraged and thinks that ALL of X-F fandom is at the Haven, but that is not true, either. The Haven has been around for a very long time and a lot of people are there -- but I know a ton of X-F people who have probably never heard of it, or avoid it like a plague. Or who can hang there and take a lot of it with a grain of salt - but most of their XF thoughts are posted somewhere else.

[linzeestyle.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd have to follow that up with a question: Do you want to be good?

This, to me? Is key. This is the part no one wants to hear and yet it is the part that is what vidding is all about. We're all going to be judged by the same standards - it doesn't matter if you got into vidding as a craft or if you got into vidding because you wanted to see how many times you could make Mulder and Scully turn purple to Celine Dion, there are still standards by which EVERYONE should and will be judged - and if you don't abide by those standards, no matter how pretentious or "OMG NO FUN" they are, your videos will be bad.

Of course, to me the most frustrating thing is the people that don't care. They have no desire to improve upon themselves as long as they get the proper amount of love and adoration and the even more frustrating thing? Is there will always be people who are willing to give them that adoration, for the most idiotic drivel, so long as they keep producing it. Hey, look at Shakerbaker...

Your brain is a beautiful thing. I so wish I was going to VVC - then I would get to see conversations like this held in *RL* and not just online and I would die of joy. :sniff:

Linzee

[kitkatbyte.livejournal.com]

!! Wonderful. That totally needed to be said.

I, too have gotten the "tell me how to vid!" e-mails... and the most annoying thing to me is -- they need to be more specific. I mean, someone fully intending to, say, do an oil painting wouldn't just walk up to a painter and go, "tell me how to paint!". They would research it on their own first, and then when they have specific questions like "what kind of brush is best for ___" or whatever, *then* they would ask. We aren't exactly running around holding "___'s school of vidding" signs. Although, you never know when a vidding newbie will turn out to be very good... that's why I tend to help them. I am a really picky/harsh beta, though, and not everyone can deal with that ;))

[snowshoegirl.livejournal.com]

Kinda OT and I don't mean to turn you into my personal tech support person BUT...

When I dl'd "Whatever" and Lum's "Mr. Brightside" in Media Player format, they would jump-cut when played. The music was fine, but the vid would sorta stick on a clip and then jump ahead to a clip out of sync with the song.

Does this sound like my pc's lack of video memory is the issue or do I have an incompatible version of Media Player? "Whatever" was the first time I had that problem.

Sorta on topic: I've been a lurking vidder fangurl for a few years now and I'm constantly in awe of the vids that are produced and the discussions that result because of them. Thank you all for sharing!

[foxytime.livejournal.com]

Anytime that has happened to me it's been because the render of the video screwed up (due to my computer's inability to cooperate with my video software half the time - aka it uses a lot of memory that my computer doesn't really have, I push it's limits).

I've never actually created music videos myself, but I shoot and I've edited some of my own short (student) films.

~Cassie

[foxytime.livejournal.com]

Step 4: Stay Out of Trouble

Pay attention to the fandom rules - they are the same rules you grew up with and they still apply and will always apply. If it applies in fanfic - it applies in vidding.

I'm confused by this tip. The way I view fanfic must be different than how you view fanfic. I feel fanfic there are no binding rules, it's fiction - do with it what you please. It's the creativity that is important, not fandom rules that prevent you from going out and doing smthg that hasn't been done before. JMHO of course.

~Cassie

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

I think this is more of an etiquette thing than an artistic standard.

[ladysorka]

I, yes. I have close to 7 GB of vids on my harddrive that I love to death, so nowI'm trying to teach myself how to vid - I am, right now, taking notes on lyrics and listening to this one song over and over and re-watching DVDs and noting source positions, and...

And I fully expect when (if) I ever manage to finish the thing, that if I'm absolute crap someone will tell me I'm absolute crap.

But I've never actually approached a vidder. ...maybe I should do that. Anyway.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

You *have* to approach a vidder. Seriously - there is nothing like discussing vidding with someone who has experience and loves it.

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

Amen! You've stated it perfectly. I get so many of those emails, and since most of them are well-meaning, I never know quite how to respond. (I think the latest one was a couple days ago.) I have to say, that I am one of those that try to help & direct them to help, no matter how ridiculous the email. I think I give people too much benefit of the doubt, and that you're right--a lot of them are just asses. Because I remember when I was first learning how to vid & rip dvds--I didn't ask someone to tell me how. It never would have crossed my mind. I wanted to learn, so I looked it up & taught myself. Yes, that took a lot of time & effort on my part, but it was important to me & I'm glad I did it. I learned so much by trial & error, and working things out for myself (I still do). I wouldn't be half as good a vidder (which is not to say I'm *good* or anything) as I am if I'd just asked someone to hand me everything on a silver platter, doing all the grunt work for me.

But I probably bring a lot of those emails on myself. When I first set up my website, I added a clip request page, thinking that, since I collected & ripped a lot of source, I could help other vidders who needed that *one* particular scene to finish their vid & didn't have access to getting it any other way. I like discussing people's vids & helping if I can. (And because I hated seeing how much clip theft was going on. Again, I give people the benefit of the doubt on that matter. But again, when I first started & was ignorant to "rules" or whatever, I never would have considered lifting a scene from someone's video!) Now I'm thinking that adding that page might have been a mistake. I get a lot of emails like "Can I have all the Spuffy scenes?" or "as many Daniel scenes as you can" Excuse me? Huh? I meant it to be an aid for last resort, in addition to the way you'd make/get most of your clips. Not as someone's only source. I can certainly understand why Impish Eyes stopped posting clips. But I guess I'm a hypocrite since I made the offer in the first place.

Sorry to rant. Meant to just say I agree with you, lol!

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

::pets you::

You tried to help and people took advantage of that.

I think the next time I get an email like this - I am just gonna reply with a link to this post.

[wendylouwho.livejournal.com]

Wonderful post. It should be a must-read for any new vidder.

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

I didn't even see this on my own friendslist but through metafandom.

Anyhoo - I agree. Everyone who says that they want to vid should immediately be given this on a t-shirt, button, and tattoo: There is no Entitlement in Being A Vidder.

I've only ever gotten a couple of those emails and I always point them to Permetaform's big post o' vidding meta and the Vidder and Nummy Treats lists, and wish them well.

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this.

Nothing in it is news to me, but it's all good to hear anyhow.