Scribbled out the truth with their lies, your little spies.

[rogueslayer452]

I'm almost caught up with Legend of the Seeker, I have like only three episodes to go with the second season and then I'll be ready to watch with the rest of the fandom once it returns with newer episodes! \O/ Downloading them at this very moment, and once I do I'll give my further thoughts into what I think.

I will say this though: Richard/Kahlan = Dean/Castiel. Like, honest to God. ♥

I've been thinking about certain things lately, like what certain contributions others do in fandom that I would like to learn how to do someday. Fanvidding, for example. I'm always so fascinated by the immense talent some vidders have in the fandom world, mostly because I really wish I had that talent myself. I have dozens of fanvid plotbunnies roaming around in my head and nothing to do with them, only hopeful wishing. This happens a lot when creating a fanmix, or just in general, whenever I hear I song I think suits perfectly for a character or pairing I immediately have scenes going around in my head on how it would make a nice fanvid. I've started looking at different programs specifically for video editing, such as Sony Vegas, and even searching through tutorials and read what others say about their process of making fanvids and such. And I have to say, I have the utmost respect for the lot of you who do. It seems so time consuming and a lot of hard work. I know, it's a matter of practicing and getting the hang of it through trial by errors, but it seems all so technical and complicated, speaking as an outsider not knowing of the process entirely. ;)

That's my wish, that one day I'll be able to accomplish the task of vidding something, given I have the time and the patience for it, since learning something new takes a lot of. But I'm hoping that I'll get to do that in the near future, because with all these ideas and concepts swarming around in my head, you know my creations will be epic shit.

Comments

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about vidding. I have so many ideas for it but it just seems like a big jump to take somehow.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Just looking at all the different directions of things to tweak and adjust, it kinda gives me a headache. I get frustrated whenever I'm trying to create a particular graphic or a cover for a fanmix, can you imagine going through making a full fanvid?

[lodessa.livejournal.com]

And yet I do imagine it... all the time.

[effervescent.livejournal.com]

Ack, how are Dean/Castiel anything like Richard and Kahlan? I adore Richard and Kahlan!! (No Dean/Castiel bashing, I just...don't get it. -g-)

But anyway. Legend of the Seeker is awesome :D I really, really hope it gets renewed.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

There are plenty of reasons, bb. The important reason I find is how Castiel is Dean's guardian and protector and how much he's willing to give up, even die, for him, much like how Kahlan is over Richard. There's also the factor that Castiel believes in the goodness inside of Dean, that no matter what prophecy says Castiel believes in Dean and his quest to fulfill it, again very much like how Kahlan values Richard. Both Dean/Castiel and Richard/Kahlan have sacrificed and saved each other's lives countless of times, fought beside each other sometimes when all the odds are against them. And even though Richard as a lot more self-esteem than Dean does, they both suffer from having prophecy shoved down their throats and they often defy it, and even though both Kahlan and Castiel have lived believing in such things, like prophecy and destiny and the old ways, their experience and love for their charges has them reconsidering situations that others in their position wouldn't have.

Yeah. There are other connections and parallels, some of which I may just make a post dedicated to how they both relate to one another, but those are the ones that are heavily convincing to me. Besides, I also love Richard/Kahlan almost as much as I do Dean/Castiel, so of course I would see those connections. :)

It's also given me interesting concepts for ideas, such as what if Castiel was a Confessor. Or, what if Kahlan was an angel sent to protect Richard, and the Sisters of the Agiel are the archangels; Cara being one of Heaven's fiercest warriors. ;D

[squeemonster.livejournal.com]

I love vidding and I am constantly frustrated with it. It's an ongoing learning process, especially for me since I'm still very much the novice. There's still so many things I don't yet know or understand about it, and oh man, don't even get me started on all the fancy special effects vidders are doing nowadays. It just blows me away and is extremely intimidating.

When I'm in the middle of a making a vid, it completely consumes me. I obsess about it, day and night. And it is such a slow process for me. I honestly have no idea how some people are able to kick a vid out in just a day or two. It takes me weeks usually, especially since I work full-time. I can start working on a vid at 9:00am on a Saturday, work until midnight or 1:00am, get up on Sunday and start working at 9:00am again, work until 10:00 or 11:00 that night, and still only have maybe 10 seconds worth finished on the vid. And that's if I've already got all my scenes picked out and ripped from the dvds.

If I sat down and tried to figure out how much time I've spent vidding it'd probably be close to around 1000 hours or maybe a little more. That's for less than fifteen vids--I can't remember how many I did before SPN (a few BtVS, The Office, BSG, and House), but I think it was 6 or 7. So about 75-100 hours per vid, when you're first starting out, is a very rough estimate of how much time you might spend.

But, with all that being said, I don't regret taking up the hobby for a minute. It's extremely addictive. ;D And fun. And educational. And exhilarating--when you get that one movement right on the beat and it all comes together even better than you thought, or when you discover something that you had no idea would work and it works PERFECTLY? Yeah, that's an awesome feeling.

Whoa, I had no idea I'd have so much to say. ;D Give it a try! It's a huge learning curve, but the only way you'll learn is to just jump in. And if you ever have any questions or need help, let me know--I still don't know much about it myself, but I'll do my best to help.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I find your insightful descriptions on vidding very helpful, bb. :)

It's certainly something I would be interested in learning because it seems like so much fun and definitely an educational experience to learn more and more about video editing, but at the same time the same frustrations about the amount of time and effort one puts into just a few seconds which might takes hours/days to complete into perfection. And knowing me, I can sometimes be a perfectionist with my projects. But I know, the learning curve is perhaps the best thing because you're learning something new and exciting, and the more practice you get into it the more you'll understand it.

I definitely want to learn how to vid someday. But the interesting thing I'm encountering is where should I start? What programs should I use (and where to download them)? What about tutorials -- which ones are the easiest to follow and where can I find them?

[squeemonster.livejournal.com]

There's two communities that I follow that I don't know if you are aware of yet, but they may prove helpful: fan_vids and vidding<--especially that one. If you go back and look at previous posts through these, you'll find LOTS of helpful info for newbies.

As far as which program to use, I would suggest looking through those comms and seeing what programs people talk about most and giving those a try--most of these editing programs will let you d'load a free trial version. That's the best I can tell you about that--the only way you're really going to know which one is right for you and which one you find to be the most user friendly and has the most perks you're wanting is to play around with them yourself and to see.

The program I used on my old PC was Cyberlink PowerDirector. I liked it okay enough, but it did crash on me a lot (that's something that you'll cross quite a bit with most programs, at least for PCs, which is why the "Save" button is your best friend when vidding--use it frequently). And not many people use PowerDirector, so you will have problems finding tutorials on it. When I first got my Mac I used the iMovie software that came with it to make several of my latest vids, then I broke down and bought Final Cut Express, which is what I used on my latest vid. It's been quite a trip trying to learn that program--I still only know how to do maybe 25% of all that it has to offer, if that much.

If you have any other questions, just let me know! Now I'm jonesing to get started on my next vid. ;D

[http://users.livejournal.com/sapphirestar_/]

whenever I hear I song I think suits perfectly for a character or pairing I immediately have scenes going around in my head on how it would make a nice fanvid

this happens to me all the time. it's amazing, of course, because i enjoy the images, the creativity, and thinking about what scenes would go where in the song, and all that, but i've never actually made a fanvid. my sister's made some, and i know she's got many others already planned, but i've never actually managed to take that leap. i should, though, because it really seems like so much fun. i know it can be incredibly hard and time-consuming - especially if you plan it carefully before actually doing anything with it - but, ultimately, i think it'd really be something to be proud of.

so here's to us actually making fanvids someday! we'll get there, bb, i know it! :D

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yes, that is exactly how I am too, bb. Of course you gotta wonder how often making a fanvid is much easier said than done, since it does take a lot of time and precision to get what you envision in your head actually into the video itself. I know I would get incredibly frustrated if I spent hours on just a few seconds of a fanvid. But I definitely agree that when played out just so it'll be a sense of accomplishment, and even if it isn't perfect you'll feel proud knowing you did it.

It's something I'd like to try someday, when I have the right program, especially with all those effects (not overdone though, like some people do, but just enough to sharpen and manip if possible). It just sounds like so much fun and, just like riding a bike, once you get the hang of it it'll be easy as pie. ;D

[secondstar.livejournal.com]

please please tell me you are going to read the sword of truth series. PLEASE.
haha.

talk about epic richard/kahlan and just FUCKING AMAZINGNESS.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I've considered it, especially since apparently there's a lot more BDSM featured than on the show along with the epic Richard/Kahlan goodness, lol. But I've also been told that I should stop after the first few books because the later books ruin everything, so I'll take that under precaution as well.

[secondstar.livejournal.com]

HAhahahaaaa. Yes. there is BDSM. hours and hours worth (i listened to the books) I actually just relistened to Wizards First Rule and am now on my second listening of the second book. The Denna torture is 3.5 hours long if you listen to it.

No you shouldn't stop. You should skip the pillars of creation because richard and kahlan aren't in it and you can just read about it on wiki and be fine. That is what I did. BUT NO. The end is so epic and so... MY GOD RICHARD RAHL IS SO FUCKING AMAZING.

tv!richard ain't got shit on real!richard.
I loved LOTS first season but have sense stopped. I may pick it back up again.

But the books are so fucking amazing I can't even begin to describe to you how much I love them. Seriously. As soon as I was done? I just finished in feb... as soon as I was done I started them all over again. I couldn't NOT listen to them.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

You listen to them, like audiobooks? That's very interesting. :)

I'll give them a shot, even though fantasy books really aren't my realm and while I love the show I don't know if the books will have the same effect on me. But I can't knock it before I've tried it. But I tend to take heed to the warnings that others have said to me especially about the later books. But we'll see how I like the first book and go from there.

DEFINITELY PICK UP THE SHOW BB! I loved S1, but I'm loving season two, like fucking whoa. Cara especially has become an ultimate favorite of mine, next to Kahlan of course.

[secondstar.livejournal.com]

yeah audiobooks :D :D
Well I listen during the day while I paint. I paint faster when I listen to audiobooks instead of music.

Man. Well. I hope you love the books. They are amazing and Cara doesn't come in until book three... MAKE IT THERE! haha. WFR is so bone chillingly awesome. I call the books the "shit is going down" books because well... SHIT IS ALWAYS GOING DOWN.

and kahlan is so badass in the books.

See, I don't think I explained WHY I stopped. I watched some of season two. I stopped right before I came back to flat rock because I spent too much time getting angry and couldn't separate the books from the show.

I am not saying the show isn't good. It is. But my expectations of the writers and everything was too high. Maybe I will go back when I care less?
That doesn't sound right either. I was ok with a lot of the changes (which you don't know about) but some were just too much. Cutting out characters who are amazing and important plot lines and things like that.

All I ask is someone let me know when Warren shows up. Or if Nathan does.

I heard they recast Nicci as a blonde which is AS IT SHOULD BE.

I would like to see a live action show of Stone of Tears, the second book. I do not like the "plot of the week" based stuff that the show does.

I do want to know why Zedd was in a dress and Richard had blonde hair though. LOL.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Hee, I think this why I prefer watching the show all the way through before getting into the books. Since I am so not familiar with them it makes it easier for me to watch without getting critical, but I guess for fans of the books the differences and changes might get under the skin (as it does for most people dealing with adaptations and comparing those to the original material). But I really really love the show. It's amazing yet so cracky and even ridiculous, but that's the reason why I love it so much. I have nothing to compare it to so it makes it even more fun.

We all have our reasons though which is why I think it doesn't matter as long as we enjoy Legend of the Seeker in any way possible. ;D

I do want to know why Zedd was in a dress and Richard had blonde hair though. LOL.

It's one of the crackiest things ever, because princess!Cara? lawlz!!!

[secondstar.livejournal.com]

oh my. that gif. HAHAHAHAHAHA.

I think watching the show first would be a good plan! HAHA. I mean both are awesome. And if you can separate them that is even better.

Cara in the books is awesome. So Bad Ass. And kahlan. OMG KAHLAN. talk about strong female characters. Nicci is awesome too.
:3

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

MY FAVORITE: CARA AND ZEDD. DANCING AWKARDLY. LOL TALK ABOUT HILARITY AND PURE CRACK! XD XD XD

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I know, just the process of the entire thing is completely time consuming in and of itself. But surely those who have tried and experimented and done it for so long are the ones that make those stellar videos that are out there, and much kudos to them for doing so.

There's so much I want to explore in this field, to take that step further in creating something by editing clips and making my own fanvids, because it's all so tempting.

[silverusagi]

I feel the same way about vidding. I want to try it, but it just looks so complicated, LOL. I have enough on my hands with fic and graphics.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It does seem very difficult and complicated, doesn't it? Though I know that once understanding the mechanics of how to work such programs it would be easier, but even then it would still be a learning experience. Heh.