Fandom Snowflake Challenge: Day 2

[rogueslayer452]

Day Two: Rec at least three fanworks that you didn’t create.


VIDEO ESSAYS

→ Sarah Z: I really enjoy Sarah's content, she only has a handful of videos so far but is quickly gaining popularity. Most of her videos are basically critiquing shows and things in media. She's very articulate, does her research, and while she can be opinionated and express her own thoughts on certain issues, she presents her arguments constructively in hopes for the discussion to continue on instead of simply stating her opinion as fact. I, personally, just really love her voice and the way she speaks, and her personality is very likable which adds to the enjoyment of watching her content. I think my favorite video of hers so far is "J.K. Rowling and Authorial Intent", followed closely by "What Is (And What Isn't) Queerbaiting?"

→ Jenny Nicholson: there is something so charming about Jenny Nicholson and the way she presents her sense of humor that it's hard to not get sucked into watching her videos, even if you have no idea of the thing she's talking about. She makes a lot of uninteresting things sound really interesting just from the way she discusses or rants about them. It's fascinating. I also love her speaking voice because the way she talks, her sarcasm and sardonic humor is something that is so appealing to me. If there is one video to kind of demonstrate what most of her channel is like, I would have to say "The Grim Dystopia of A Christmas Prince", which is essentially her own theorizing of the really bad Hallmark/Lifetime-esque movies on Netflix that I had no idea existed, but I subscribe to her theories because it makes the movies look more interesting and entertaining than they are. Overall, her channel is filled with a variety of things from reviews (both good and bad), critiquing and discussions, ranging from shows and movies to even amusement parks.

→ Lindsay Ellis: I feel like most people know who Lindsay Ellis is, she's been around for a while so she's no stranger when it comes to media criticisms, video essays, and reviewing things. I don't always agree with the things she has to say, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate when I see certain issues and topics being discussed. One of my favorite videos of hers is, "That Time Disney Remade Beauty and the Beast", where she not only rants about the movie as a whole, she also talks about the metatextuality of the recent string of live-action remakes of Disney animated movies and why it's completely unnecessary.


FANVIDS

→ Daisy Johnson – In The End by XMadMystery
Character / Fandom: Daisy Johnson, Agents of SHIELD
Personal Commentary: One of the things I love about this fanvid in particular is how it tells a story, from the placement of the clips and editing, it's telling the narrative of Daisy's emotional journey throughout the entire series, a heavy emphasis on the fifth season and everything that came to that point. I love the coloring of the video, the editing where the beginning shows her inner struggle while the latter half of the video entirely focuses on action and fighting sequences, all perfectly timed to the music, it just all comes together so beautifully. I especially love the song choice, the "In The End" cover rendition is gorgeous. The video does feature spoilers from S1-S5, nothing too specific but just as a precaution nonetheless.

→ Se7en Devils – Sidney Chambers by rhosvideos
Character / Fandom: Sidney Chambers, Grantchester
Personal Commentary: There aren't a lot of Grantchester fanvids out there, so finding this one was not only a good find it was also one that really stood out to me. The music choice is perfect for Sidney, since as a character he is very tormented and dark, despite wanting to do good and wanting to help people he is also haunted by his own past, realizing that he cannot save everyone even if he desperately wants to. The video is brief, but effective with the scenes chosen. It does have spoilers since the video specifically focuses on the second season arc.

→ Amy Dunne – The Devil Within by panama
Character / Fandom: Amy Dunne, Gone Girl
Personal Commentary: Gone Girl is one of those movies where I feel like there should be more fanvids out there than there are, but nevertheless, I just love this video for many reasons. It focuses entirely on Amy Dunne, and the music choice is also very brilliant because the lyrics are a perfect fit for her ("you'll never know what hit you, won't see me closing in / I'm gonna make you suffer, this hell you put me in / I'm underneath your skin, the devil within") and it correlates with the scenes they edited together with her scheming and everything.

→ The Expanse Revival Fan Trailer by Ed. A - LitosHQ
Character / Fandom: Multi-Character, The Expanse
Personal Commentary: If there is any non-spoilery fanvid recommendations I can make for The Expanse, it would be this one. This fanmade trailer was created after the show was saved by Amazon and renewed for a fourth season as a means to celebrate its miraculously return, along with getting more people who didn't know about the show to start getting invested with it. As a fan of the series myself, I highly recommend people watch this. There are no spoilers for any of the plot, just the concept of the show in itself. It is very well done and features a fanmade remix of the main theme of the show, making it extra special to watch and get hyped up for the upcoming forth season, which will be premiering sometime this year on Amazon Prime. Overall, this fan trailer was incredibly well done, amazingly edited and something I can recommend to people.

Comments

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I remember Lindsay Ellis from her Nostalgia Chick days as well, although knowing what I know now, I can see how this is more fitting for her. (Of course, she's also older. I think we're about the same age, and how you snark/recap changes a lot between 20-something and 30-something.) I like that she's critical without having to be shocking, and even in her NC videos fulfilled this as well. I also love the approach she takes to things that I could see going south very quickly, like her review of RENT, which... is a very difficult musical to criticize without sounding terrible. For the record, I loved RENT when I was in my late teens and early twenties. Now, I see its flaws in a way I didn't when I was a more idealistic college kid. I still like it, especially for the music and for the overall message, but I also agree with a lot of Lindsay's criticism because I see it as well.

I also loved the Beauty and the Beast one.

I'll have to watch Jenny Nicholson's The Grim Dystopia of The Christmas Prince. I saw the trailer and it definitely didn't seem very good. Netflix released a lot of Hallmark-esque movies this year, and I'm not really sure why. At least The Christmas Chronicles seems original. (I didn't watch that one either, so I can't really say for sure.)

I do wish LJ still had essays like those videos, though. I'm starting to wonder if those kinds of video essays haven't almost replaced LJ meta essays/recaps? have to admit it's easier to get back into a video I was watching (if I can't watch it all at once) than a meta essay, so can see it from that side of it.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I remember Lindsay Ellis from her Nostalgia Chick days as well, although knowing what I know now, I can see how this is more fitting for her. (Of course, on top of the apparently really shitty things happening at TWTG/CA, she's also older. I think we're about the same age, and how you snark/recap changes a lot between 20-something and 30-something.) I like that she's critical without having to be shocking, and even in her NC videos fulfilled this as well. I also love the approach she takes to things that I could see going south very quickly, like her review of RENT, which... is a very difficult musical to criticize without sounding terrible. For the record, I loved RENT when I was in my late teens and early twenties. Now, I see its flaws in a way I didn't when I was a more idealistic college kid. I still like it, especially for the music and for the overall message, but I also agree with a lot of Lindsay's criticism because I see it as well.

I'll have to watch Jenny Nicholson's The Grim Dystopia of The Christmas Prince. I saw the trailer and it definitely didn't seem very good. Netflix released a lot of Hallmark-esque movies this year, and I'm not really sure why. At least The Christmas Chronicles seems original. (I didn't watch that one either, so I can't really say for sure.)

I do wish LJ still had essays like those videos, though. I'm starting to wonder if those kinds of video essays haven't almost replaced LJ meta essays?

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I remember Lindsay Ellis from her Nostalgia Chick days as well, although knowing what I know now, I can see how this is more fitting for her.

Yeah, from the whole Channel Awesome situation I'm glad that she's been able to distance herself from that and kind of start anew on her own. I also like that she's still doing media criticism but has matured from her original content. I really like that she's expanded too, for example doing the It's Lit! series for PBS. That's pretty awesome.

And yeah, things like the RENT video could definitely have turned south had it been anyone else. I also still love RENT, even with its flaws it's one of my favorite musicals and I don't think I'll ever stop loving it. As I mentioned though, I don't always agree with her on certain things in some of her videos, however I appreciate the amount of research she does to make her arguments and gaining a different perspective.

I'll have to watch Jenny Nicholson's The Grim Dystopia of The Christmas Prince. I saw the trailer and it definitely didn't seem very good.

I wasn't even aware of these movies until I saw her video. Her breakdown of them is hilarious, but her theories are even more amazing because, obviously that's not what was intended for these movies (they're not that deep, lbr), but her assessment of them is just so convincing you kinda wish it was. I guess when something is just that bad, you gotta have fun with seeing the alternatives of the "what if?" instead. But really, it's a fantastic video that I hope you'll find enjoyment in. I know I did, as I do with a lot of her videos.

I do wish LJ still had essays like those videos, though. I'm starting to wonder if those kinds of video essays haven't almost replaced LJ meta essays?

In truth, you got to find someone who is willing to put the time and effort in writing these kinds of meta essays. The fandom community on LJ some years ago was filled a lot with them, but sadly once people migrated elsewhere that it has fallen out of style to do it (esp since now a lot of people here nowadays are like "I don't do fandom, only daily life" or "I like media, but I don't like talking about them" which is disconcerting on many levels, imho). Even on Tumblr where some people still kinda do this, often those posts get hijacked and it just gets lost in the void.

Video essays have existed for some time, but they're becoming more and more common nowadays, which is exciting but it's also concerning when it comes to actual written meta. I don't think video essays will replace them necessarily, but I do wish more people would write them and get it noticed. I know that some are still being written on non-LJ platforms, but it's a matter of finding ones that are written to engage with the readers instead of just being a mere opinion piece, if that makes any sense.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs! :)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! :D I hope you enjoy.

[tabaqui]

Oooh, The Expanse vid! :D

I love love love that series, and the books, too - so damn *good*. It's been a while since there has been some really good sci-fi out there, and The Expanse just pings all my buttons just right. :D

Thanks for sharing!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I totally agree, The Expanse is such outstanding scifi, it truly is on another level in comparison to everything else out there. Not since BSG have we had a scifi series that really hits that particular mark especially when it comes to a political space opera. I'm just so impressed by it, from the story and the characters, the attention to detail when it comes to dealing with actual science and physics, and it just continues to get better and better. I'm just so excited for the fourth season, and hopefully people will watch it so it keeps getting more seasons so they can continue the story.

I have yet to read the books, but I'm itching to, at least with the first book since I know we've gone past that on the show. But I'm really hyped to read them once I find the time. :D

[tabaqui]

YES! To all of this. :D

I hope you get to read the books soon.
And, if you want to read something similar (but older), read CJ Cherryh's 'Devil To The Belt' - it's an omnibus edition of her two novels 'Heavy Time' and 'Hellburner'. Excellent political space opera.

[impala-chick.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm going to check out that Queerbaiting video. That's something I've been thinking about lately b/c of Tumblr discourse.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It's a topic that also fascinates me because, just like you, with the current state of fandom (particularly on Tumblr) since there does seem to be some confusion over what is or isn't considered queerbaiting. There's been a lot of videos out there on the subject, but I really like Sarah Z's breakdown of it, especially when it comes to the history of it within media and with fandom as a whole.

[silverusagi]

I've been working my way through Jenny Nicholson's videos since you linked me the Christmas Prince one. :) And I actually just discovered Lindsay Ellis, funnily enough through the Beauty and the Beast video.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Oh yay, awesome! :D Isn't she just great and entertaining to watch? I mean, I just watched her recent upload where she reads pages from a novel (that I didn't know or care about even after the fact) for about nearly an hour and a half, and only a few people can actually make me excited about having content that long for me to sit and watch the whole thing. And she's certainly one of them.

I knew of Lindsay Ellis before, but I never quite watched her individually until recently. I think the Beauty and the Beast one was definitely the video that got me intrigued by her content.

[silverusagi]

I haven't watched the newest video yet, but I loved Jenny's reading of horrible fanfic, plus the one about the "worst book" that was self-published on Amazon.

I saw from comments above that Lindsay Ellis was Nostalgia Chick, who I remember watching, though I never really got into that site as a whole.