Remake, Remix and Redo: Where is that Button?

[sisabet]

So, this exchange about "White America" got me to thinking...

While I think the original vid is not well made in any sense (and I absolutely agree with boniblithe's interpretation as it was also mine),  I am not annoyed that someone didn't make a good vid. That shit happens. I am annoyed that the way it was presented to the con, and now online, took more effort than the actual making of the vid.

I'm also annoyed that it wasted a great opportunity to make an incredible vid to close Vividcon. I mean, I know there is the possibility that the vidder was not just lazy, just not good at vidding (which I am more than able to forgive as I SUCK sometimes as well), but the whole wink, wink nature of it is just Not. Cool.

However, something is really apparent -  we so wanted this vid to exist and to say what we wanted it to say (whatever that was) that people were tying themselves up in knots trying to find an interpretation of this vid (one I would argue cannot exist because it SUCKS).

So, um - why not remake it? I mean, Mely, bless her, proposes the vidder put out a revised draft. I say she has more faith in humanity, than I.  It just smacks too much of trolling, almost - you know? Something posted anonymously to inflame but with no actual content = trolling, at least IMO, I could totally be wrong.  I just don't actually trust this person, whoever she may be, to do it. I also don't trust that if she does post it that she wouldn't attack herself anonymously and create this other drama, but I also read fandom wank waaaaaayyy too much.

But, we have the technology. And this vid does deserve to be made, so why not? Why not make this a video meme - "My take on 'White America'" - I mean, it can be as loose or what as you want it to be, as far as relating to the original. You wouldn't even have to use the song, there are so many others out there that would work for all of these wonderfully complex vids that people want to see.  Maybe even a minute of coherance - just a section. Make me a vid that doesn't make me want to claw my eyes out and I'll love you forever. Seriously. 4-ever. Just like in the back of your high school yearbook.

Comments

Perpetually on a tangent

[thuviaptarth.livejournal.com]

I mean, Mely, bless her, proposes the vidder put out a revised draft. I say she has more faith in humanity, than I.

*nervous* This is a good "bless her," right, not the fuck-you "bless her" you and Lum talked about once? Sometimes I don't know how to translate Southern to New York.

p.s. "Women's Work" = my happy feminist critique place. Happy!

Re: Perpetually on a tangent

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

YES! This is a good blessing. If it wasn't, I'd say "bless her heart."

These things are subtle. Here, it just means you are being a lot nicer than me and I am not nearly as willing to believe in the good intentions of this vidder.

[danegen.livejournal.com]

Hi, sorry, saw this while poking around on the Vividcon friends page.

But, we have the technology. And this vid does deserve to be made, so why not? Why not make this a video meme - "My take on 'White America'" - I mean, it can be as loose or what as you want it to be, as far as relating to the original.

Oh, yes, please, that would be lovely. Talking is great but no substitute for vids. Bionic vids.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

You had me at the Deathproof icon.

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

The only plausible-for-all-three-sections interpretation of the vid that I heard at VVC was astolat's. (Which I posted about on the White America vid-post page). And I feel that was mostly because she is smart enough to find a pattern in anything, not because the vid's intent was all that clear.

Anyway, I hope that people will take you up on your challenge. I don't mind being criticized in fandom (and I do feel like the vid was clearly a criticism of fandom), but I really want to know what the criticism is actually supposed to BE.

[elz.livejournal.com]

I would love to see that! Go, go remix culture!

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

It's almost refreshing, in a way. I was in such a feeling of despair that everyone was smarter than me and seeing deep messages, or at the very least, trying to figure them out, and I just couldn't FIND them nor did I feel like spending hours rewatching it and trying to find them. And therefore I didn't deserve to call myself a Vidder of Substance and I should hang up my hat and go sit on the Group W Bench.

But then I remembered sometimes people just want to make a vid. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. There are people who will look for meaning in everything, down to the direction the ant is crawling across the sidewalk. Me, I think I'm perfectly happy sometimes just with the pretty and the shiny and a good song. Sure, this song and this source could be used to say SO much. But why does it have to? Why does my brain have to work so hard all the time. Whhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[morgandawn.livejournal.com]

brilliant idea. a remix challenge!

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was kinda stunned into disbelief by the sheer amount of discussion this vid generated at the con simply because I was pretty sure it was shit even then (based on one viewing).

Clips to music, Boni. Damn clips to fucking music.

Side-note: Someone suggested during dead dog a Buffy Vidder Cabal panel for next VVC- the vidders that came out of Nummy Treat and the like. I'm pretty excited, actually.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

Yes, she is a smarty-pants but this vid, alas, is not.

I'd actually LOVE it if the vid was a criticism of fandom - I am not one for endless discussion of a topic (I get distracted easy) but make an argument in vid form and I AM THERE! So, yeah - I hope someone will take this up. I'd do it but I am a mass of vid-ennui who is also post-con.

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

whoo!

[anonymouse08.livejournal.com]

At the risk of making you think I'm trolling...

Yes! I sincerely hope people take you up on this suggestion. (I'd personally kill to see your own take on the song, but I've thought that about quite a few of his songs after Without Me, so I'm sure I'll survive if the urge doesn't strike you. ;])

This entire thing has been an experiment on a lot of levels, some involving the vid and some going beyond it, and for what little an (ostensibly) anonymous opinion is worth, I can't imagine anything much better than a full-on remix. (I wasn't planning on popping up again under this journal, but I couldn't contain my excitement at the thought of it.)

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

I don't mind being criticized in fandom (and I do feel like the vid was clearly a criticism of fandom), but I really want to know what the criticism is actually supposed to BE.

This was my reaction exactly.