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The layout/award graphic for this round is from Asia Argento's
The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.
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Best Video: Born to Kill by Ringwench (Award)
Supernatural - relationship studies/overview
Obsessive24: I still haven't gotten around to watching this show, so I'm afraid most of the contextual complexities flew over my head, but all the same I was just blown away by this vid. It utilises the beautiful source cinematography to its full potential, and is an amazingly epic piece with wonderful flow and eerie mood. The editing is just masterful - there are so many moments of gorgeous motion and connection that there's no way I can list them all. The gun motif is so striking, both visually and thematically. My favourite moment is the sequence starting at 2:05 with the time toggle on the shot of the gun, with the lovely blurry transition into the prolonged shot with a slow focus shift to Dean. The mask at 2:34 was another highlight for me. I loved the distortion on the clip at 3:29, followed by the wonderful build-up of tension through to the end until the amazing stillness of the last clip. This is simply an amazing vid and a wonderful winner with which to close our last round.
Txlsplash: A chillingly moody look at Supernatural's Winchester family, and their shady pasts. The video presents a very insightful look into their lives, and does so with mastery. The internal motion is excellent, and the show's beautiful shots are utilized perfectly. There are tons of places where the music matches the movement perfectly. The effects are subtle enough and not overused in order to create a strong impact, like at 2:14. And I am truly impressed that some of the strongest moments of this video come during the instrumental bridge. There are so many favorite moments here: the whole beginning segment sets the haunting mood perfectly. The roll at 0:46. The "Satan" shot at 1:00. Daddy Winchester emerging at 1:40 (goes excellently with the music). The overlays at 2:01. The slow segment at 2:09. I LOVE the whole Meg section starting at 2:35 (awesome). The black fades at 3:23, especially the one at 3:27, awesome shot! The section starting at 4:04 is SO intense. Awesome building, and the climax is great. Love the flat-line ending. I could go on.
Best Video Runner Up: Violent Mood Swings by dragonchic (Award)
The Matrix 1-2 - action
Reviewed below.
***
Best Action: Violent Mood Swings by dragonchic (Award)
The Matrix 1-2 - action
Obsessive24: I loved the way this vid used the music, from the beginning zoom to the guitar whine, to the screaming faces that fit the vocals, to all the great internal motion employed in the action sequences. The rapid on-beat cutting/intercutting worked well with the song and source material, and the pace is extremely dynamic. I also really liked the use of stills and extreme zooms, they gave a very stylish edge to the vid.
Txlsplash: This is an amazingly intense vid using fast-cutting mixed with source footage. The clips are played out enough to create a flow between clips that is breathtaking. The editing style changes from one second to the next, keeping the video fresh. There are lots of notable moments: the beginning overlays, the build up at 0:26, the zoom at 0:56 to end the line, the kick at 0:59 and the ensuing car chase blended with fighting clips, the scream at 1:09 and the lightning-fast drum roll that comes after, followed by the choppy still frames. Awesome. The fighting clips at 1:35 are also great. From there on out, the action escalates. The entire ending montage with the green fog is amazing and intense.
Best Action Runner Up
Joint runners-up, presented in no order:
Animal I Have Become by Jessie (Award)
Angel - action/character study - Connor
Obsessive24: A dark, intense look at a troubled character. I love the pace in this vid, the way speed is used, both in terms of the source footage and also in added changes in speed. The blue-toned colour effects are perfect with the mood, and it's a great action vid also.
Txlsplash: The pace in this video is amazing. The clips are played out just long enough to take full effect. There is a lot of very nice color work in here, too. The black and white flashes accompany the music excellently, like at 0:10 (that is some awesome movement + zooming). There are some excellent, not-too-popular shots that are added in here that stand out. The fighting clips flow wonderfully with the beat, with the cutting at just the right spots; I'm thinking of 0:49 in particular - awesome flow, and also at 1:03. I love the sped up shot at 1:30, and the ensuing fight is cut with precision, getting rid of any excess that could diminish the intensity. There is a great montage of fighting starting at 2:05, mixing slow-motion with fast-intensity. Great picking up at 2:47. And I love the building to the end. Great work.
Feeling Good by Martouf Marty (Award)
Supernatural - action/character study - Sam
Obsessive24: The pacing of this vid is wonderful. I love the dynamic use of slower shots interspersed with moments of extreme action, and I thought the zooms on the bridge starting at 2:34 were gorgeous.
Txlsplash: A great video with much attention paid to motion and flow. I love how the beginning chaos juxtaposes the serene, calm music. Great overlay shot at 0:27. The shotgun blast at 0:39 is awesome. The ensuing fighting clips are cut to create a great impact along with the loud beat. I like 1:12-1:18, cool contrast. I love the black and white part that begins at 1:24. The last chorus builds the action until the climax at 2:34 with the great zooms - I know those can be bothersome to do, but it looks wonderful!
***
Best Mood Piece: Born to Kill by Ringwench (Award)
Supernatural - relationship studies/overview
Reviewed above.
Best Mood Piece Runner Up: Taste of Blood by Buffyann (Award)
Prison Break - overview/character, relationship study - Michael, Michael & Lincoln
Obsessive24: This is a slow-paced vid which works beautifully with the emotional intensity of the subject matter. My favourite thing about it is the lovely use of effects and masks, such as the ghosting at 1:00 and the overlays starting at 1:05. They speak so much about the character's state of mind, and the relationship between the two protagonists.
Txlsplash: A very enthralling, moody look at the two brothers. I haven't seen the entire show, but the love of the two brothers was evident even if it wasn't addressed very often (from what I saw). The overlays bring out the pain and frustration of Michael Schofield in a way that the original footage couldn't do on its own. I love the emotional sequence starting at 3:24.
***
Best Narrative: No Fear by Heather (Award)
Silent Hill - narrative/character study - Alessa
Obsessive24: A fantastically edited vid with great flow throughout. I liked the old film filter on the flashback sequences, they look fresh and really work for the narrative overall. I really loved the way the editing addressed the music, for example the flickering screens at 0:36-0:38, the overlay at 0:52, or the guitar at 2:47.
Txlsplash: A chilling and haunting video, with some great internal movement. The old-film look gives the clips an extra creepy feel, kind of like the video from The Ring. I like the flashbacks of the little girl to her school-days. The video tells relatively linear story of the girl's life, and as it goes on, it gets darker and more unnerving.
Best Narrative runner up: Chasing Cars by Foomatic (Award)
Imagine Me and You - narrative/shipper - Rachel/Luce
Obsessive24: This is a lovely shipper vid with a wonderfully clear narrative. The emotion takes centre stage, and it feels like an honest and moving story between two people who come to be with each other against all odds.
Txlsplash: IT'S GILES! This is a beautiful story told in a very clear way. We are pulled through many different emotions, and come out feeling a mish-mash of things. The video follows a common progression of a movie – introducing the characters, showing their growing love, things going awry, and the conclusion. That this could all be fit into a short video with no dialogue and still have such an impact is truly impressive. Nothing feels crammed or rushed.
***
Best Shipper: Through Glass by Milly (Award)
Dr Who (new) - shipper - The Doctor/Rose
Obsessive24: The use of motion - source and additional - in this vid is just gorgeous. I especially loved the parallel shots of the doctor on a pan down at 0:19, echoed by a pan up of Rose at 0:20. The pacing is excellent with some fast-yet-subtle cutting on the strummed sections, and in contrast there are some beautiful lingering shots in quieter moments. I loved the drastic slow-down on 0:43, and the movement on the overlays straight after. Emotionally, there is a beautiful building of tension throughout which reaches a climax toward the last quarter. An accomplished and extremely touching vid.
Txlsplash: Another video that makes me feel all nostalgic, even though I have never seen Doctor Who. There are clearly lots of good times, great adventures, all worth remembering. I love the overlays at 0:24, they look awesome. The pick-up at 1:40 is wonderful, and the excitement builds from there on. Always a fan of the zooms like at 1:58. The emotional intensity picks up at 2:09.
Best Shipper Runner Up: Summer Lovin' by Leilah (Award)
Grey's Anatomy - humour/shipper - Derek/Meredith
Obsessive24: This is such a fun, cute look at the relationship, with great whimsical editing to match. There are some fantastically funny, tongue-in-cheek lyric associations, and the arrangement of clips show off a lovely sense of pacing, marked by great moments of on-beat motion.
Txlsplash: A very up-beat, happy relationship video. I like how both the voices of the woman and the man are incorporated into the narrative, giving it a very fun, back-and-forth feel. I like how other characters are also incorporated into the narrative.
***
Best Insight: Born to Kill by Ringwench (Award)
Supernatural - relationship studies/overview
Reviewed above.
Best Insight Runner Up: Animal I Have Become by Jessie (Award)
Angel - action/character study - Connor
Reviewed above.
***
Best Overview: Born to Kill by Ringwench (Award)
Supernatural - relationship studies/overview
Reviewed above.
Best Overview Runner Up: Feeling Good by Martouf Marty (Award)
Supernatural - action/character study - Sam
Reviewed above.
***
Awards for Excellence
Awarded to videos that did not win awards in the conventional categories, but both judges thought were outstanding. Presented in no order.
Fallen by Little Heaven (Award)
Angel/Buffy the Vampire Slayer - character study - Cordelia
Obsessive24: This is a beautifully edited video and the use of motion, both internal and external, is superb. I loved the zoom at 0:11, the light at 0:19, the slow movement at 0:29 followed by a similar clip that perfectly echoed the rise of the music. And that's only in the first minute of the vid! Thematically, this is a touching look at not only the character but everybody around her. The sequence from 1:14-1:21 is especially poignant. I loved the correlations between similar clips to show how far the character has come over the years, and the narrative structure is both clear and extremely touching.
Txlsplash: A great insight into Cordelia's character! Lots of great clip/lyric connections. I like the zoom out and then the ensuing zoom in, building up to the first chorus at 0:43. Some great use of overlays as well. I like the smash at 2:47 and the overlays that come after, very cool especially with the blurry movement of the footage.
C'mon C'mon by SE (Award)
Alias - overview/action/character study - Sydney
Obsessive24: Now more than ever I regret not having watched Alias, becuase it's clear that there is a lot of contexual importance in this vid that I'm missing. Having said that, I think the connection between Sydney's past and present, and her relationship to her parents, is made accessible in a compelling way. There is an almost maniacal quality to the editing, a fantastic sense of pace and movement, building up until the last quarter is just a crazy blur of action, and it all comes back to enforce the character and her state of mind.
Txlsplash: A great overview of Sydney's hectic life. Unless I continually watch, I often forget the details of Sydney's messed up past and all the complexities of her present. The show got so crazy at times. But this video really brings home Sydney's character through it all. There are some great clip connections here, like at 0:28 and 0:46. I love the segment at 1:20.
Day by Day by whereistheluv (Award)
Heroes - overview
Obsessive24: This is a great introduction to the series. The editing is beautifully in tune with the cadances of the piano and strings, and the use of the flowing source camerawork is just superb. This is especially impressive considering the limited source available. A fantastic piece of editing!
Txlsplash: This video gives a wonderful overview of the first episodes of Heroes. It's difficult to encompass all of the characters in a cohesive way, but it's done well here. The beautiful cinematography is utilized here, and the great shots create a very moody feel. I love the zoom out at 0:21, and the overlay at 0:44.
Jumper by Sarah Beth (Award)
Veronica Mars - character study - Cassidy aka "Beaver"
Obsessive24: This is an insightful study of a very complex character, showing multiple aspects of his personality and delving deeply into his backstory to show how he came to be this way. I love the highly stylised editing, which echoes the character's fractured frame of mind; my favourite bit is the rapid intercutting of stills from 2:40-2:45, and the great use of time toggle in the ensuing sequence.
Txlsplash: A great insight into a character who was a relatively small part in the story until the end of season 2. I haven't seen past mid-season 2, but from this video I understand the entire bus mystery. The video explores why Cassidy was driven to his crime, and all of the screwed up aspects of his life. His pain and insanity are highlighted here, but in a sympathetic light. There is a great mix of finale-scenes and season 1 scenes (I think). The voice-overs were a great addition.
***
Awards for Achievement in Vidding
Judges' picks from videos that did not win awards in the above categories. Presented in no order.
Obsessive24's Picks:
Collide by becca (Award)
The Office (US) - shipper - Pam/Jim
The thing I enjoyed most about this vid is how external motion - both the camera movement inherent in the source, and the added motion - contributes so much to the emotion of the piece. It's such a tender video, with excellent use of voiceover footage, and even though I don't watch the show I find myself firmly rooting for the couple by the end of the vid.
I Will Love You by Nicole (Award)
Brokeback Mountain - shipper - Jack/Ennis
I love the vibrant contrast in this vid, the blurry framing device, all serving to create a beautiful, nostalgic mood. The treatment of music is sensitive and subtle, bringing the emotion in the story to the forefront.
I Need My Friends by SamanthaJackson (Award)
How I Met Your Mother - ensemble humour
This is a fun vid that put such a smile on my face. The beat-based motion and cute lyric interpretations are so whimsical and work extremely well with the song. A great feel-good vid!
Magneto by Victoria (Award)
X Men 1-3 - action/character study - Magneto
I really enjoyed the use of motion in this vid. There are a lot of great on-beat moments of action, and the use of source external motion makes for very fluid connections between clips. This is a fascinating look at the character.
Imaginary by Carmen (Award)
The Pretender - character study - Jarod
A riveting look into the character's fractured consciousness and how he came to be that way. I especially liked the use of symbolic objects all through the video, and the pacing at the start was excellent.
Everytime by yorkshirewench (Award)
X-Men 2 - AU/shipper - Wolverine/Rogue
I love that there seems to be just a small touch of irony in this vid, as well as a very real sense of romance and longing. Matching the fragile female vocalist to the rough, manly protagonist is a stroke of genius. A tender and well-carried out UC shipper vid.
Txlsplash's Picks:
Paint it Black by Kristin (Award)
Batman Begins - character study - Bruce
There are some great color effects in here, an interesting use of reds and blues, and of course – black. This gives the video a very stylistic, gothic feel. I like the beginning, where we see Bruce gearing up. The section under the waterfall at 0:21 is very cool looking. The flower at 0:45, very nifty looking, the swordfight at 1:45, the segment starting at 1:25, and the split Bruce/Batman scenes.
Every Me, Every You by Zohar (Award)
Doctor Who (new) - season 27 (Ninth Doctor) overview
An enchanting look into the Doctor Who universe, with lots of fun and adventure. I like how the video focuses on the protagonists, but also on everyone who surrounds them. The clip at 1:06, and the dancing at 1:56 are great.
Superstar by Shoopdancer (Award)
Dawson's Creek - character study - Abby
A very intriguing look into a bad-ass character (or so it seems). Just from the video, I get a great taste of the character's personality and how she may stir up trouble. I love the clips at 0:41 and the walk at 0:53.