Vid: Calling the Moon (BtVS; Willow, Willow/Tara)

[butterfly]

Calling the Moon
by Dar Williams

Summary:
Love, magic, and a moment of grace.
(spoilers up to Buffy the Vampire Slayer 7x22 -- Chosen)

(divx file 42.6 MB; zipped
smaller zipped wmv file available here)

Many thanks to paraviondeux for lending space and to jic for support and advice. Feedback is always appreciated.

I know what it's worth
to tug at the seas
and illumine the earth.

Comments

[bell]

It took me a while to formulate a response to this.

I haven't watched many music videos, and the ones I have been mostly of a humorous nature. So I think my... inexperience with this media format has influenced my reaction, because I'm not used to 'reading' them. For example-- am I supposed to make an immidiate link between the words of the song and the images? How much of the video's source material should I take into consideration when watching? And so forth.

The reasons I downloaded this video was, in order, because: a) you'd made it and I know how much effort you put into your creative endeavors; b) CALLING THE MOON; c) Willow/Tara!

Let me be honest. The changes you made to the song for the purposes of your video threw me off. I honestly can't say if the changes weren't perceptible to anyone who can't recite the lyrics off the top of their head because to me the modifications were extraordinarily jarring. Each time, with every viewing, it takes me out of the video for a few seconds.

I was also wryly amused that you introduced Oz (the werewolf!) into the video, given that you associated the moon image most strongly with Tara (with Willow following in her footsteps after her death?). Especially because you included a clip of Willow, while with Oz, looking up at the moon-- reminding the viewer of Oz's werewolfness! Or was that more of a, Willow is looking for Tara (the moon) even when with Oz? I don't know.

I also thought it was interesting that for the lyrics "I can see so much from this cold height" you chose to use clips from Restless. The scenes where Willow walks throw the sea of curtains always felt like a moment of confusion on her part, so the linking of the two was mildly ironic for me.

That aside, you have done a beautiful job putting these images of Willow and Tara while doing justice (or at least so I felt!) to one of my favorite songs of all time. The three times I've watched this, tears did not fail to spring to my eyes at the transition of the warm oranges to Willow in black, "don't make sense of me, night." Willow's grief comes across so clearly... and I think I liked the changes in coloration that you did with the segments of Tara after she died (to highlight the fact that she's gone)-- it certainly made me feel all the sadder.

I also like how you put Willow's spell in Chosen in the context of her love for Tara. This not being text the reasons for that aren't entirely clear to me... perhaps she was able to do that spell because of what Tara had taught them during their time together-- because Tara had transfered her moon-ness to Willow? Perhaps she was able to "illuminate the earth" because she had overcome her grief (though the clips of her screaming & crying before the glowing-hatchet don't indicate that) and embrace her memories of Tara? Like I sai, I don't know.

I'd be interested in hearing why you made the choices that you did for this video! :D

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the detailed response (you're really good at those!).

The changes you made to the song for the purposes of your video threw me off. I honestly can't say if the changes weren't perceptible to anyone who can't recite the lyrics off the top of their head because to me the modifications were extraordinarily jarring. Each time, with every viewing, it takes me out of the video for a few seconds.

I know how you feel. There's an extremely good vidder who picked one of my favorite songs to use with a character that I love... and they switched around two of the verses and it throws me out every time that I see the vids, at least for a little while. Because I know how the song should go. What I do with my vids is play around with the audio editing until it sounds all right to my roommate, who is my General Audience.

That aside, you have done a beautiful job putting these images of Willow and Tara while doing justice (or at least so I felt!) to one of my favorite songs of all time. The three times I've watched this, tears did not fail to spring to my eyes at the transition of the warm oranges to Willow in black, "don't make sense of me, night." Willow's grief comes across so clearly... and I think I liked the changes in coloration that you did with the segments of Tara after she died (to highlight the fact that she's gone)-- it certainly made me feel all the sadder.

Thank you! I actually cried a bit while I was collecting the footage, which impressed me, as I was doing it with no sound. Willow's grief for Tara just aches.

I'd be interested in hearing why you made the choices that you did for this video! :D

I hope to write some notes up on it (and the other vids that are note-less) at some point. It's definitely on my to-do list (sadly, my to-do list is very overpopulated -- I need to stop liking things!).

Thank you again for pointing out everything you liked and all the things that threw or confused you. It's all very helpful. Thanks!

[bell]

Thanks for the detailed response (you're really good at those!).

Entertainment isn't fun until I've analyzed every square inch of it. :D

I'll look forward to the notes~.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Entertainment isn't fun until I've analyzed every square inch of it. :D

It can make things much more enjoyable!