TXF-Vid: Scully PoV - Metal Heart

[astarte]

Artist/Song Title: Garbage - Metal Heart
Subject: The X Files, Scully PoV, Vid-Challenge Season1: Paranoia
Summary: ’But now that we know for sure they're telling lies when they say, no one gets hurt and therefore nobody dies.‘ Paranoia is knowing all the facts.
Length: 03:59 | Size: 64 MB | Format: 720x400 - AVI - zip
Links: megaupload, mediafire, permanent link

While in the mists of vidding 'Matches to Paper Dolls' I said to xandra_ptv, 'We should do a TXF vid-challenge. One vid per season.' Xandra being who she is said, 'Sure.' Because this is the stuff I randomly throw at her to see if something sticks. Finding the right song on such short notice was an hair-pulling experience I will repeat in about, uhm, NOW. The season itself holds up pretty well when you consider it was filmed 1992/93, they had some really cool scenes for TV back then. So this vid happened, mostly because I found S1-Scully precious and her hair wasn't as bad as I remembered, which can only mean that S2 will be hilarious in that department.

Comments

[xandra-ptv.livejournal.com]

I still can't believe you did it love. I thought I'd have to wait until Monday.

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Oh, my gosh, I have no words for how much this delights me! I love how fresh and exciting and immediate you make XF S1 seem. It's awesome to see a vid for Scully at this point in time, and I adore the song you chose. Plus, your editing style has always been one of my very favorites in fandom, and this did not disappoint. Really, really gorgeous. So cool that you thought of doing this!

[wendelah1]

This is wonderful. Scully is my favorite character, The X-Files is my favorite show, the first season is my favorite season. So much happened in one season. This made me want to start a rewatch.

Great lyrics, too, for this show.

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Okay, so first off, favorite moments. Um, my favorite parts of this vid are almost entirely the choruses, but I want to try to give a few other specifics as well:

- Over the lyric "world is round", everything from Scully scanning old newspapers to Scully in the woods during the pilot, holding her gun on the sheriff.

- The clip of Scully and Mulder giving each other wary, intense looks during 'Ice'.

- The entire second repeat of the chorus, especially Scully squinting and looking closer at [whatever Mulder is showing her], and the arial shot of Mulder and Scully standing in the crop circle at the end of 'Gender Bender'. I wish you'd held on that a little longer. I don't know, it just feels so right the way the tempo of the song kind of slows at the exact moment we get that arial shot. I would have loved another second to really feel the impact of that shot.

- I also like the way the crop circle and the stop watches play literally on the word "round" in the chorus.

- Scully looking at Mulder in the hospital during 'Beyond the Sea', over the lyric "for I think I'm done". Good emotion.

- Scully in her bright red suit giving Mulder a coy look as they walk along. I can't remember which episode that's from - 'Shadows'?

I think this is a pretty sophisiticated vid, and a fairly challenging one for the viewer as well. Conceptually it's very rich and complex. It's rapid and relentless, and it doesn't seem to have a clear, simple narrative or any key emotions, which makes it feel quite murky - but in a deliberate, moody sort of way. I think you captured Dana Scully's character in S1, and her experience of S1 incredibly well. You're like the Scully-whisperer where vids are concerned. Plus the song is a truly excellent Scully track (and there are very few Scully tracks I really like).

I'm surprised that you took such a serious, somber look at S1, because in contrast to the later seasons it's easy to see S1 as the "light" season. But I'm really glad you took a darker approach, because really, there was a lot of frightening and foreboding things that happened in S1. I think this vid captures Scully's youthful innocence and vulnerability, while also illustrating the beginning of her transformation as a character, and the ominous events that sank the hook in her, ensuring that she would be drawn relentlessly forwards into the darkness.

And I love how much conspiracy and paranormal material you used. That's another sophisticated thing: focusing on what the characters are focusing on, and creating a sense of the characters through their work, rather than always focusing on the characters themselves. I love that.