ext_9094 ([identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] bop_radar 2008-10-12 08:49 pm (UTC)

I worry that I'm being too literal often
*hands you a membership card* Yuh. Welcome to the world of beginning vidding. I have spent two years angsting about that! Because the one thing I saw hammered home time and time again in vid meta was 'don't be too literal!!!' And one day I've got a whole post in me on that subject because you know what? Literalism has a place. And yes, a lot of beginner vids do rely (too) heavily on literalism and it doesn't always work--but I think that's not because 'literalism = bad' but because they don't use it as one tool in a repertoire of tools. Does that make sense? I think if you pick and choose where you're literal and if you are literal to a purpose then it can be very powerful.

Regardless, being lyrics-oriented doesn't mean being literal necessarily. I'm very lyrics oriented as a vidder too (word person!) and ok, maybe I still am a little more literal than some vidders, but I have made my peace with that and I like my vids, damn it! :) And I think you can be very in tune with lyrics and tease meanings out of them without being literal.

Also I heart literalism in *other* people's vids--when used cleverly. It can be comedic, it can anchor an otherwise amorphous vid, it can be pointed, it can be used to draw attention to a metaphor... it's an important skill. But it's like any narrative choice--if it's the only trick in your bag then it will limit your vidding.

So this comment has two points:
1. I don't think being 'lyrics-oriented' necessarily means your vidding is 'literal'.
2. Literalism has a place!

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