Vid: Life for rent

[bop_radar]

I am spamming LJ today, it seems. But lo, I have finished a vid! :-)

Title: Life for rent
Song: by Dido
Footage: Friday Night Lights
Character: Tyra
Spoilers: through 1.13
Size: direct download Disclaimer: I threw this vid together on a whim. I'd been suffering from the vidding mopes and needed to free myself up. This song came on, it made me think of Tyra, so I through it down. I greatly enjoyed making it and still enjoy watching it but it is no masterpiece. It's unbetaed, so you have been duly warned!

Notes
The actress who plays Tyra is incredibly talented. On Smallville and the Aquaman pilot she played cold, invulnerable and chilling characters, bringing a real sense of menace to the screen. In Friday Night Lights she is vulnerable and sensitive, but still has an inner strength. She's also supernaturally beautiful and she was a pleasure to vid--I could stare at her for hours!

Tyra is one of my favourite characters on Friday Night Lights and I was delighted to be able to explore all her relationships in this vid. I didn't want this to be a shipper vid because I don't think Tyra is defined by any one relationship. Tyra wants to seize her life and make something of it, despite being stuck in this deadend town. She wears her heart on her sleeve, a characteristic I have always found attractive. She's not a saint, and she knows it, but she also knows that loving herself the way she is is part of buying into her life and making something of it. But she's also prey to the usual human vulnerabilities--particularly where relationships are concerned. She gets angry and frustrated, but she's got a loving heart.

I'm particularly a sucker for Tyra's relationship with her mother. I loved their fairground scene. Apart from the visual candy, I loved the way it subverted the cliche of the fairground date. This 'date' is part of Tyra's commitment to her mother, who also functions as a reflection of part of Tyra herself, something I was able to play with in the vid. She loves her mother, but she is also able to tell her what a loser she is when it comes to men. As Tyra says: 'my worst fear is to become you'. But by loving her mother (and that part of herself) Tyra is succeeding in buying into her own life. Tyra's a character on a journey towards strength and I think that's why I find her so interesting and attractive.

Lyrics
I haven't ever really found a place that I call home
I never stick around quite long enough to make it
I apologize that once again I'm not in love
But it's not as if I mind
that your heart ain't exactly breaking

It's just a thought, only a thought

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

I've always thought
that I would love to live by the sea
To travel the world alone and live more simply
I have no idea what's happened to that dream
Cos there's really nothing left here to stop me

It's just a thought, only a thought

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine


While my heart is a shield and I won't let it down
While I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try
Well how can I say I'm alive

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

Cos nothing I have is truly mine

Cos nothing I have is truly mine

Cos nothing I have is truly mine

Comments

[talitha78.livejournal.com]

This is great. The editing is so seamless; it seems effortless, and yet every cut is perfectly right for the music. It was also very easy on the eyes, and easy for me, as a non-viewer of FNL, to understand what you were saying about Tyra's character. I especially liked all of the scenes with her mother.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Eee! Thank you! *g* FNL footage was really different to work with because they use a lot of handheld cameras, but I found I could make that work to produce a sort of flowing, natural look... I think! And yes, the scenes with her mum are my favourite too! I think they're where I really hooked into her, and they're so beautiful and expressive.

Thank you for watching! *hugs*

[ender24]

i just jump in to say, I love your song choice :)
otherwise, i cannot tell you vid wise anything, coz i so cannot connect to it since the shows really , i know nothing about it!
but that girl looks great!
/is shallow/

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Awww, thank you! And yes, I understand--it's hard if you do not know the show. It was sweet of you to watch anyway! *hugs*

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I can't figure out how to download it. :cries:

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Um, click the sendspace link and scroll down to where there is a red flashing arrow? It points at the link.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you. I looked all over that page and somehow didn't see the link. I was hoping to start downloading before I went shopping, since the predicted download time is 2 hours.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey, please don't feel you have to watch it! You don't even watch FNL! You are too good a friend. *hugs*

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Of course I'm going to watch your vids! I liked it, even without the context--the song seemed to go really well with the clips, and it does make me want to watch the show, because that main female character in the vid seems very compelling. (I was curious to see how much I would get of the plot without knowing anything going in, too).

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yay! She IS very compelling! Tyra's one of my favourite characters but there are lots of other characters I like too. The ensemble cast is very strong, which is a real strength of the show. I'm glad that this vid works for people that don't know the show--so far noone that actually watches it has left feedback, *lol*!

[kristiinthedark.livejournal.com]

Ok. I've never seen this show, you know that. But having said that? I *loved* this. I got a real feel for the character in just a couple minutes, which is awesome. Great job with the pacing and the song choice and just overall YAY.

I'm so happy you're doing this, because obviously you are good at it, and I have a feeling you're just gonna get better. ♥

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Awww, sweetie! You watched it anyway! *bounces* You liked it?! Wheeee!!!

And hey, I saw Little Miss Sunshine last night!!! *squeeeeeeeee* OMG, Olive was SO CUTE! Now all your icons are even more made of win to me! ;-) It was so so funny and adorable--loved it!

[kristiinthedark.livejournal.com]

Yes, I did like it! A LOT! :D And of course I watched it. I totally support you in your vidding endeavors. *nods* I'm just so excited by it all! I'm living vicariously!

And YAY for Little Miss Sunshine! Olive is just THE CUTEST EVER. And, god, that dance? And the song? *loves*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are a good friend! *hugs*

The dance!! Oh, god, I never expected that in a million years! I was trying to imagine what it could possibly be throughout the film, but that trumped all. HA! And Miss California bopping away to it was really cute! And when they all got up on stage?! Cuuuute! I really liked Dwayne too. He was hilarious. Especially when he finally spoke and was so concerned for Olive. Definitely 'for the win'!!

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

Butting in to say that Little Miss Sunshine has quickly risen to the status of one of my favorite films EVER. It's SO damn funny, and I completely heart Olive and Dwayen, and who knew Steve Carell could be so sexy as a gay Proust scholar?

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

HA! Yes, Steve was wonderful! It was all just so wonderfully quirky. I loved the scene at the start when he was explaining why he committed suicide. So funny! And I loved Dwayne's vow of silence because I remember feeling like that as a teenager. (My partner really liked Dwayne too because he too had wanted to be a pilot when he was younger but failed the entrance exams. And he even had had the same plane poster in his bedroom! Hee!) And Olive was such an adorable little sprite. The scene with the icecream nearly broke my heart--so I was so pleased they scripted in Miss California saying she ate icecream!

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

My favorite scene is where Frank (Steve Carell) tells Dwayne about Proust saying all the years he didn't suffer were a waste, and that high school years are the highest quality suffering.

I think what I love about the film is the everyone in it fails in some spectacular way, but they get through it with each other (without it in any way being sappy or formulaic). And I agree, I was *so* happy Miss California ate ice cream. Though my favorite Olive bit is probably when she dedicates her dance to her grandfather and then tells everyone he's in the trunk of their car. ::Giggles helplessly::

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, that Proust conversation was for the win! High school years ARE the highest quality suffering, I'll testify to that! *still scarred*

Yeah, I loved the way everyone's failures undermined the father's wanky nine steps (reminded me of my management consultant father SO MUCH). Because Dwayne's colourblindness is outside his control, and who would WANT Olive to win that contest?! Yes, the dedication to grandpa in the trunk was brilliant! And I loved Dwayne's flipout about how fucked up the contest was. Bless! And 'I think we can live with that' from Frank at the end.

(I'm posting with Hiro because he's the closest thing to Olive-cuteness!)

[bloodygoodgirl.livejournal.com]

So awesome hon. I don't watch FNL (which is crazy cause I love football and pretty men) but I could definately see how you felt about the character and the song just fit every scene. Yay!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I don't watch FNL (which is crazy cause I love football and pretty men)
Hey, yeah, that IS crazy! Why is that?

Thanks for watching anyway and I'm so glad you 'got' it anyway. YAY! She's very expressive.

[brandil.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous vid!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! An actual FNL watcher! *clings to you*

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

What a lovely portrait of Tyra! It shows so well how strong she is, yet how fragile at the same time. She's a great character, and I really think you've done her justice here.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Thank you! I'm so delighted you watched and enjoyed this and I'm very flattered that you think I did Tyra justice--I agree that she's a wonderful character, combining both strengh and fragility. Thanks for the comment!

vid link

[lorelei9507.livejournal.com]

Do you think I could get a downloadable version? It looks great.

Re: vid link

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm delighted you like it! Here you go: http://www.sendspace.com/file/d50qfb

[lorelei9507.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, this is lovely. It's amazing how young they all look/feel to me now -- this is so clearly a S1 vid, at least for me as a viewer, and I feel like they've all come such a long way since then! But I love the way you've juxtaposed the different people through whom Tyra has tried to define herself -- Tim, Jason, that guy from the oil company whose name I don't even remember anymore, and then her mother, who is a mirror for her in all sorts of ways. Really beautiful. Thank you for this!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was made during S1, yes, and very much shows that. I can't remember oil dude's name now either! But I'm thrilled it stands up to watching as it's one of my personal favourites--Tyra needed a vid!

[magnifica7.livejournal.com]

The awesomeness of Tyra - you captured her wonderfully!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I love Tyra and though this is one of my earliest vids, it is still one of my personal faves.

[ciaan]

Awww. I hadn't seen the show yet when you posted this, but I've watched it now and now I've watched the vid! It's a really good portrayal of Tyra. Made me tear up. I've been thinking I should rewatch S1, and this brings it all back. <3

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! I love Tyra. Season 1 was such great television. :)

[emmiere.livejournal.com]

What a lovely vid. It took me awhile to love Tyra, but I can't imagine NOT loving her now and everything in this vid is exactly why.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Thanks heaps! Yes, she seemed abrasive to me at first but she grew on me quite quickly and took over my heart--FNL characters sneak up on me like that! :)