[SGA vid] Welcome Home

[permetaform]

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Welcome Home | .wmv (624x346, 36.1mb) | .avi (624x346, 43.9mb) | mirror here (thank you paranoidangel_!)
_{Source: Stargate Atlantis (Spoilers up to The Siege III)
Song: "The Blood of Cu Chulainn", by Mychael and Jeff Danna
Summary: Her, city}

Thanks: Much love and thanks to aurora_84, nel_ani, and sisabet for the feedback and advice, and also to lierdumoa and absolut3destiny for audiencing! =D

"Let us resolve that she shall dream dreams deeper than the sea and higher than the clouds of heaven, that she shall come forth crowned and transfigured with her statesmen and wizards and saints and sages about her, with magic behind her and miracle before her."

_{-Vachel Lindsay}

Notes: It's been awhile since I've let myself cut loose on the cutting, partially because I've been experimenting in style and effect and partially 'cause I was testing my threshold of pain/irritation with not molesting every beat. This vid felt like a sigh of relief after all that, what with the massive beat-whoring, finally getting the RAM able to handle the type of vid I've been wanting to make, and finding SGA. Which, just...::waves vaguely at old meta posts:: yeah.

Oh, and there's like huge numbers of things I tried to say about Elizabeth and Atlantis in the vid, all mixed up together, so there are a very many equally valid interpretations of the vid. Hell, I'm not even sure of all the things I put in there, but I'm very curious as to what themes or stories or impressions that those watching the vid might get, so don't be afraid to tell me what you think!

(I would recommend using VLC Player to play the vid, it's free, or you can look at this guide. Also, apparently there's a compatibility problem with playing the vid in Quicktime.)

Notes part 2: The wierd and uncomfortable feeling that occurs before the music starts? That's on purpose; it was my goal that Atlantis is creepy and uncomfortable and wrong...until the expedition came, woke it up, and let it breathe.

Notes part 3: Wow!



::bounces and glomps everyone::

Thanks to everyone who'd nominated and voted for me at the Stargate Fan Awards, it won for Weir's catagory!

Comments

[swanswan.livejournal.com]

Oh I love love love love it!!! You can tell that it's written by someone who loves Atlantis (the show and the place) and I'm not even going to correct the fact that I wrote "written" instead of "vidded" because it actually expresses well the fact that this felt crafted in a way that I can usually only properly analyse with fic. It's just like - Yes!! Someone else sees it too!!! The impression it gave me was one of... history pre-existing, like they all arrived on Atlantis and the city already knew what would happen to them, like it was ready for them to live their lives and fight their fights there. I loved that Elizabeth was made Queen of Atlantis here, how you showed the best of her, who I love when I think of her. The sweep of the video was amazing, how it told its story through these swathes of imagery becoming narrative, how you framed it in its opening shots by showing Elizabeth on her first day and at ten thousand years old. I loved Rodney's close-up (shallow!!) and the clips of the city under attack. It made me want to write the story you made, which is, in my own mind, the best way of expressing how much it affected me. Wonderful story.

[permetaform]

::GLOMPS:: wow, your *feedback*. ::glows:: I'm so happy it worked and worked so well for you, I'm glad it's a coherent story 'cause it's an instrumental vid and that it's "legible". (and god, Rodney has the prettiest "tragic" faces ever)

The impression it gave me was one of... history pre-existing, like they all arrived on Atlantis and the city already knew what would happen to them, like it was ready for them to live their lives and fight their fights there. I loved that Elizabeth was made Queen of Atlantis here, how you showed the best of her, who I love when I think of her. The sweep of the video was amazing, how it told its story through these swathes of imagery becoming narrative, how you framed it in its opening shots by showing Elizabeth on her first day and at ten thousand years old.

::buttprints!!:: I hadn't hit on those words to think of this vid, but yes, yes, that too.

[climb-on.livejournal.com]

Oh my god you made an SGA vid to that song, that is AWESOME! SONG!

Very, very nice. :D I wish I could offer more coherent feedback - but very, very nice. Absolutely lovely.

[permetaform]

Hee! Yeah, I had been saving that song for something special ever since I first heard it in Boondock Saints. Along came SGA and I *thought* it wouldn't work, yet the more I listened to it...and the vid-bunny bit and I was weak. ::wry grin::

I'm glad you liked it! Thank you!

[loligo.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous.

[permetaform]

=D thank you!

[aurora]

Wheeeeeee! You finished it. *bounces*

I love the final version. The adjustments only made it better, especially in that scene. It turned out great!

Congratulations!!

[permetaform]

::nods:: I had to get this thing off my brain before it drove me nuts. I'm glad that the adjustments works! ::bounces::

[entropic.livejournal.com]

I've been watching this for the last half hour, trying to come up with something more intelligent and coherent than just bouncing up and down and going "Eeeeee!" I've managed to upgrade to "Eeeeee! Swooshy! Shiny!" which contains words, at least. ^_^

[permetaform]

=D HEE! Good enough for me! It was so fun playing with internal motion in this vid, I'm glad you liked it!

[svmadelyn.livejournal.com]

Wow, that--I loved that song, and it's like--it's like someone said, hey, make a vid of why people love this show and then you *did*. Actually, I'm going to use that in my rec. *grins*

As far as impressions--hmm. I'd almost say this was a little John/Elizabeth shippery toward the end there, but I think it's more of--the two commanders, the two who have the most on their shoulders type thing, but either way--I really enjoyed that part of it too.

[permetaform]

=D thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

And yeah, the difficulty of talking about Atlantis at all is that you have to talk about John; and Elizabeth and John certainly *do* vibe together amusingly. I get a mom/son feeling from them too sometimes, that comes and goes depending on the ep, and much of the two commanders thing you're talking about too. =) They're just *fun*.

[astolat]

Oh, lovely lovely lovely -- the timing, the flow of movement, perfect matching of your narratives to the mood of the music. The motif of the eyes opening is especially terrific, such a beautiful build up to the rising from the bed. This is the Elizabeth who lives in my head. I don't know that I find any one 'narrative' for this vid, it just carries me along with it breathlessly.

[permetaform]

::gape:: I--wow. Thank you!

The eyes opening part was one of the first segments laid down and prompted the rest of the vid, the entire first section continues to be one of my favorite parts. And yeah, Elizabeth, =) I'd wanted to vid Atlantis and she kinda just snuck in and I'm just so glad that it made sense in the end.

[turtlespeaks.livejournal.com]

I. . . I am speechless. Seriously. That was so wonderful. It was everything I love about SGA, and more. It's just. OMG, wow.

I'm just so amazed at this vid. It's just so good.

It's like you show Elizabeth, John, and Rodney's roles in Atlantis. I always see Elizabeth as the Queen/Ruler type person, and John and Rodney are like her Adviser and Chief Commander. And this Vid kinda accents this, espcially with the music.

But the vid works so well. It's got everything that is fantastically wonderful about the visual aspect of the show, then you have this undercurrent of emotions, especially Elizabeth's (it feels so much like an Elizabeth vid to me, with John and Rodney in supporting roles), running all through it. And I think someone talked in the comments about how it was like Atlatis was waiting for them and welcoming them. The whole thing is so well edited and the music just fits so well.

I am just amazed. This is really wonderful. Thank you for making it! It's my new favorite.

*HUGGLES YOU*

[permetaform]

::huggles back:: oh wow, thank you!

And yeah, I don't think you can talk about Atlantis without acknowledging John and Rodney and they have this triumvrate thing going on. I'm so glad you've gotten that from the vid and glad that it worked for you!

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

Wow. That just went into the favorites folder. Excellent vid.

[permetaform]

=D thank you!

[justabi.livejournal.com]

I so love this. It's like Atlantis is saying, "Where have you been all my life, Elizabeth?" and Elizabeth is like, "Right back at 'ya," and all the people on Atlantis are like, "OMG ELIZABETH I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!" except John and Rodney who she has to babysit. And I so love that.

[permetaform]

HEE! Yes! XD

I'm glad you like it! I just...sometimes I think Elizabeth's sekritly a slasher and sometimes I think that she and Teyla and Zelenka's looking at each other and wondering if they're the only adults in the entire city. ::giggles::

[seperis.livejournal.com]

I already told you how much I love this, but seriously, it totally *captivated* me from the first scene. That was fantastic Elizabeth.

[permetaform]

::GLOMPS:: Elizabeth needs more love, like seriously; I'm so glad it worked for you!

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

oh, this was really beautiful! i'll need to rewatch it a few more times to even start an interpretation but it just really worked! thank you!!!

[permetaform]

oh wow, thank you! I'm just glad that it seems to be working for so many people despite the song choice!

[sweetvalleyslut.livejournal.com]

God, that was *beautiful.* I actually teared up a bit. So many people use that "Rising" footage in vids, but you made me look at in in a whole new way. And a lot of the shots you chose were such cool, tiny things, that I never even noticed watching the episodes.

And Elizabeth! All the things I like about Elizabeth. The combination of the fast-paced action and all the sweet emotional moments was just great.

[permetaform]

=D thank you! and thank you for the comment about the Rising footage, I knew going in that the footage was used a lot and I'd have to work to make it fresh again, so I'm glad that it's use in this vid worked well.

And yay for the Elizabeth love! ::highfives::

[cofax7]

Oh, that was marvelous. I'm always impressed when people can tell stories without lyrics, and yet you do. Elizabeth and her strengths and her choices--her trust in and her care for her people. And yes, the way she should be, the way they keep telling us she is (even if they're not that good at showing it to us).

I like this a great deal: it's a gorgeous piece of music and the editing and clip choices all flow together wonderfully. I love that the pretty CGI on SGA gets us so many beautiful vids.

Thank you!

[permetaform]

Oh, that was marvelous. I'm always impressed when people can tell stories without lyrics, and yet you do.

Thank you, I'm glad that it worked so well for you! I knew going into this is that the music would throw people off because it's instrumental and because it goes so ear-breakingly high-pitched at certain points, but people seem to like it. Would you like me to yousendit the music file?


Elizabeth and her strengths and her choices--her trust in and her care for her people. And yes, the way she should be, the way they keep telling us she is (even if they're not that good at showing it to us).

::nods:: yes. ::glomps::

[amalthia]

I loved this vid! the editing, the song, Elizabeth! what a great vid for her character. I loved the fast forward effect and I think you mirrored? some shots beautifully. I also loved the timing...um overall great vid! :)

[permetaform]

::highfives the Elizabeth love:: =D


I think you mirrored? some shots beautifully.

::ponders:: are you talking about that last sequence with Elizabeth welcoming John home mirrored with Atlantis welcoming John from The Rising?


Thank you! I'm glad you liked the vid! ::hugs::

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so beautiful! It's like a love song to Atlantis. I love Elizabeth's POV on everything. And I would really like to try and find a copy of the music somewhere.

[permetaform]

=D thank you! And yeah ::wry grin:: it sorta *is* like my sappy love letter to Atlantis. I was worried initially that the music might be a turn-off for some people 'cause it's an instrumental, but the commenters seemed to like it.

I've uploaded the song on yousendit:
http://s11.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=07OAS9X0WBMN924WU8KX90TDX8

It's one of those that I'd heard and loved even before I'd started vidding and was just *sitting* on forever. I'm glad I'd saved it for SGA. =)

[luthien.livejournal.com]

This was really wonderful, exactly what I always want a songvid to be. You've got the images working seamlessly with the music, rising and falling and stopping and starting and changing mood together. But, really, while I admire the technique that went into creating it, it's the overall feel of it that I'm left with. This is a great character study and... situation study. I love the way you've presented Elizabeth in the context of her place and her people. Thanks.

[permetaform]

it's the overall feel of it that I'm left with. This is a great character study and... situation study. I love the way you've presented Elizabeth in the context of her place and her people.

Thank *you* for leaving such lovely feedback! I'm glad that it connected with you emotionally.

[voleuse.livejournal.com]

Oh, lovely! I adore the music (though I don't remember where I first heard it), and I really like what you've done with the editing and timing. Beautiful.

[permetaform]

thank you! The editing for this was just ::flails:: I can't describe it, it just went so abnormally smoothly. It sorta fell together...

Perhaps you heard the song from the movie Boondock Saints? That's when I first heard it, and then I ran to a computer to find and download it. I've been sitting on the song for a looooong time, and am so glad I'd waited until SGA to vid it.

[kalikahuntress.livejournal.com]

The best Elizabeth video ever, thanks so much for this:)

[permetaform]

=D ::highfives the Elizabeth love:: Thank *you*.

[jenlp.livejournal.com]

Here via astolat's rec:

That was just gorgeous - the music and the clips were so beautifully woven together. I have to use the word flow again, same as everyone else, because it really does flow beautifully. There's just so much there - the wonder of discovery with its attendant danger, triumph, loss, (more danger!), their developing interconnectedness with each other and with the city. And the city is a character! I love it when that shines through. Elizabeth firmly at the center of it all, with Atlantis, as everything whirls around (events of the show, and the movement/music of the vid) - perfect.

It's so rich, that I feel like I shouldn't even start to pick out specific moments, but... the part with John coming home as Elizabeth comes down the stairs, and then the cut to John in the same place, looking around for the first time, and then back to Elizabeth with the "welcome home" hug - is lovely (and transcends any shippiness) - Atlantis from strange new place... to home. And then the second to last shot of Other Elizabeth as she's looking around after shutting down the city so that she can try to save them all and allow for everything that we just saw to play out. Yeah. That was fabulous.

OK, I should stop babbling now. Loved it. Thanks for sharing!

[jenlp.livejournal.com]

Er, not that I think shippiness is bad; just that that particular moment, in this vid, came across to me as much more than a simple J/E moment. If that makes sense. Did I say I was done babbling? I really am this time.

[themonkeycabal.livejournal.com]

pointed here by cofax7

This is a really, really fantastic vid. The editing was so well done. And the music? Perfect. Well told, truly.

[permetaform]

thank you! I'm glad you like it!

[sage]

Fantastic. *watches again*

I don't think I can add anything to what they've already said--it just works SO well! I love how you show her as the hub of the operation. Everyone else can fly off the handle, but she maintains a level of quiet steadiness in the face of it all. I think you've captured everything I respect most about her, and that's what I would love for the show to do better. :D

[permetaform]

Thank you! I'm so glad that it stands up to multiple viewings! And yeah, she and Atlantis are just...*there* and everyone swirls around and are protected. =D

[tigs.livejournal.com]

I think I've watched this three (or is it four) times now, and I totally love it. I don't normally have totally strong feelings towards Elizabeth, but this--I think someone above said it, how you showed all of the best of her here, and you did. It's so totally an Elizabeth I want to see more of, more moments like these. Absolutely wonderful.

And this song, omg. I am so totally in love with it. I have a feeling it's going to be on repeat for a few days. :)

[permetaform]

=D I'm glad it stands up to repeated viewings! I'm glad you liked the vid so much and that you liked Elizabeth in it, thank you!

I have a yousendit link to the song here, if you'd like:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/permetaform/319048.html?thread=4567112#t4567112

[ship-recs.livejournal.com]

This is gorgeous. I love it.

[permetaform]

thank you! =D

[grand-sophy.livejournal.com]

Lovely, lovely music and images. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much.

[permetaform]

thank you! I'm glad you like it!