Being presumptuous, and vid commentaries

[bop_radar]

Hi! *waves* I'm Bop. I'm presumptuous. I didn't used to be. (Or maybe I did? *ponders entry into Smallville fandom with essays*) But anyway, I am now.

I've seen the word 'presumptuous' used several times in regards to vidder commentaries on their own vids. And I just want to say: I totally get that it feels like that. So if you are a vidder doing a commentary on your own work and feeling self conscious? Just remember that you're not alone. And that there are more presumptuous people than you out there: ME. I'm doing two. Feel free to throw rotten tomatoes at the actually presumptuous person. I'm also doing one on someone else's and I can tell you now, I am waaaaaay more excited about doing the viewer commentary. But! I want more vidder commentaries to read and watch, and I kind of figure the more people do them the less 'presumptuous' it will look or feel. Also, there's nothing in the rules (as far as I understand them) that says you have to have reached a certain threshold of interest level in your vids to make a commentary. I'm pretty sure only two people will be interested in one of my commentaries. But does that matter? Should I not take up 'space' by doing that? I had to struggle with that anxiety before signing up, but I think it's good for the vidding fandom to have more diversity of commentaries as well as diversity of vidders.

If I have recced your vid? Chances are I would like a commentary on it. If I've commented at length on your vid? Ditto. If I watch your vid obsessively and you don't even know it? Same. And I will bounce up to you and tell you so if I run across you worrying about whether to commentary or not. I also can't wait to watch vidder commentaries of vidders I don't know because that seems cool. So, hi, I'm your audience of one. Please don't dismiss me!

In other news? Vidlets are also cool.

Comments

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to decide whether to do a vidder commentary. I would probably either do it on "That Was Another Country" (my recent LOST vid, Hurley focus) or "Strange Angels" (my relatively recent Stargate Atlantis vid, ensemble.) But I vacillate on whether or not anyone would find it interesting; that's the anxiety that's so far keeping me from signing up. *g*

(Also, I would totally love for someone to do a viewer commentary, but I feel weird about posting in my dw/lj saying "somebody please commentary one of my vids" -- that totally feels presumptuous. *g*) Anyway. Hi. I'm being shy, apparently. :-)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Join the presumptuous people! *tugs at your arm* :D Ohhh, was yours the Hurley vid from VVC? That was cool! I watched it but am yet to feedback on it. (Swimming in the oceans of VVC vids still, clearly!)

I say post to your journal! Bat your lashes at your friends... I bet someone will viewer commentary for you. Or you could bribe them by saying you'll vidder commentary if they viewer commentary. :p

We're all shy. Me, horribly so. (Wait til you meet me in person. I'll be the one behind the potplant. No joke.)

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

Kass.... I would LOVE for you to record or write commentary on your Hurley vid! I gave up on Lost a long time ago, and your vid made me CRY! I'm sorry that I haven't left you feedback on it yet; I have been swamped in school work since the beginning of August and mod duties is about all I can handle right now on LJ.

*cough*signup*cough*

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for saying this -- this makes me really happy. I am so glad the vid moved you even though you've given up on Lost!

Okay -- I will sign up to do a commentary. Thank you for encouraging me. \o/

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

AWESOME!!! \o/

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

MAD ICON LOVE. <3

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

Hi ICEMAN ICON!
GK is one of my happy places :D

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

I know! I just started watching it last week and I was almost immediately addicted. And I usually dislike "war" movies and the like. :P

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

I like war movies when they are well done, and GK is VERY well done. I would also suggest Band of Brothers if you haven't seen it yet; it is very different than GK, but just as powerful.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I second that suggestion. But I too love war stories when well done. However I'd say those two series are by far my favourites. So much awesome!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Ohh yes, icon love!

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

Generation Kill is awesome for quotes.

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

I would *love* to read about your Lost vid.

Also, I would totally love for someone to do a viewer commentary, but I feel weird about posting in my dw/lj saying "somebody please commentary one of my vids" -- that totally feels presumptuous.

I put 'commentary on my fanfic' on my LJ Christmas wishlist last year and someone wrote one! And it was glorious!

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

I am going to jizz in my pants when hollywoodgrrl posts her commentary for Marble House.

Just sayin'.

(Presumptuous? Whatevhs!)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Is she doing that?! Whee!

Commentaries = yay!

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

I CANNOT WAIT. I keep peeking at her LJ and her comm to see if she's posted yet.

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

LOL. You might be waiting for awhile. She seems to have a habit of pushing the deadlines, from what I've noticed. :P

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

I don't get this presumptuous thing. Is it presumptuous when an editor/director/actor/producer records commentary for tv shows or movie? NO! If you worked on it without blinders on then there was intent behind the piece, an intent that the audience the vid itself had would be interested in. I love behind the scenes featurettes as much as I love the movies and tv shows themselves, so the more commentaries from both vidders and viewers I can get my hands on the better!

If you enjoy when others talk about the process, why assume that there is no one who would appreciate the same from you? Consider it a way to preserve the memory for yourself if it makes it easier, and then by "accident" you share it with others.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I get it. At an emotional level. I totally get it. I feel presumptuous. It comes from the same place emotionally that thinks of myself as a whiny bitch for making that inclusivity post or that thinks the entire idea of ME making a VID is ... like... I don't know... one of those art cons where the painting turns out to have been made by a five year old. ;)

That said, intellectually? I totally agree with everything you have to say here. I think a lot of us just get trapped in the emotions of feeling like a fraud. It may be different for other people, but that's what it is for me.

Consider it a way to preserve the memory for yourself if it makes it easier, and then by "accident" you share it with others.
Nice! :D I like that idea. And I will cling to it.

[deathisyourart.livejournal.com]

*sigh* One day I will teach all you vidders that confidence is your FRIEND, and that pride in ones work is not a bad thing. Seriously, this is like the vidder version of Catholic guilt, and it needs to go.

*sells it all at 50% off when you are not looking*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

this is like the vidder version of Catholic guilt
*LOL* Um, ok... *bites tongue* Yeah... as someone who finds Catholic guilt incredibly frustrating, yeah, good call.

[diarmi.livejournal.com]

Seriously, this is like the vidder version of Catholic guilt, and it needs to go.

Oh, I love it!:)))

[stacialy.livejournal.com]

This isn't just a vidder thing though. This is an artist-of-any-kind thing. I think there is a fear for a lot of creative people that confidence appears to be cockiness or self-importance. Part of this fear, I think, comes from the fact that many people DO assume confident/successful/popular artists/vidders/writers/whatever are cocky without given them the benefit of the doubt. And that assumption happens because of fears we have about ourselves and our abilities.

Either way, fear, once again, is the root of problems. Damn you, fear!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Good call! I'm not used to considering myself an artist-of-any-kind so I had forgotten to look for the universal pattern there.

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

I have the same feeling a lot of the time when I write about my own fic. That's part of why I haven't done it much. (That and, um, I really have nothing that exciting to say beyond, "I wrote that! It totally works for me, because I'm my primary audience!")

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

HEEEEE. You just summed up what one of my commentaries will be. The other one will be 'I don't really get this vid. It's not really for me.' :p

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

gah, i even feel presumptuous when i'm posting a vid... which is stupid, but i can't help it.

but anyway, i agree: vidder commentaries are WIN! even more so than viewer commentaries :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

But your vids are so arty and gorgeous and I heart them! But yes, I feel presumptuous too posting vids. I still haven't posted any to comms. *hangs head in shame* I'd like to hear what you had to say about your vids! Are you doing a commentary? *hopes*

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

aw. you are really sweet, ♥
but i probably won't do a commentary this round - for one, i've got so much other stuff to do right now. and um... rose_griffes perfectly expressed the other reason ;) i don't think i'd actually know what to say about my vids.

also: whut? you should absolutely post your stuff to vidding! think of all the poor fans that would like to squee over your vids but can't, cause they don't even know they exist!
...i think i haven't even seen any of your vids, huh. i shall remedy this very soon-ish.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Haha, thanks for the vote of confidence without even seeing them! &hearts I'm weird with my comm-phobia. I plan on getting over it soon. It is quite illogical, I know.

[luminosity]

I used to go on and on about my vids. Now, not so much. I just feel like nobody's really interested. *sigh*

I'm really interested in what others have to say about their stuff, though.

NOTE: this is not fishing.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I know you're not fishing, but I think we all feel no one's interested. I'm definitely interested in what other people have to say about their work... part of me putting my own thoughts out there on mine is in the hope other people will too. It's cool to hear you're also interested! :) I guess it's easy to assume experienced vidders won't be so interested in what newer vidders have to say so thanks for breaking down that myth.

[stacialy.livejournal.com]

Some people may not be interested, but others will be. Right? No one will be forced to watch the commentaries or the vids themselves even. Everyone has a choice about what to click on. But if there's nothing to click on, the choice is taken away. I, personally, like the option of getting information from the vidder about their intent.

Just like with our source texts themselves, the meaning is not only produced when the TV show is made and aired. It is made when we talk to our friends about it, make vids about it, write fic about it. So more meaning can be made after I watch a vid if I get to hear what the author was going for and if I hear what other viewers thought of it. And who doesn't want more meaning?

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I heart you. Lovely thoughts.

[thuviaptarth.livejournal.com]

Do a commentary on "The Fifth Circle"! Or "Bricks"! Or the Night of the Hunter vid! Or why "Abbey Road"! Or!

Um. I would volunteer to do a viewer commentary but I'm kind of worn out for now.

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

*chimes in*

"Night of the Hunter! Night of the Hunter!"