BSG Vid: there's a war going on for your mind, laura.

[beccatoria]

Title: there's a war going on for your mind, laura.
Audio: The Flobots, tracks from Fight with Tools.
Video: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Spoilers: Through 4x10 Revelations.
Summary: Laura Roslin and the Cylon Hybrid engage in a rap battle.
Editor's Notes: With thanks to my heroic betas cyborganize and heyiya for many things but most especially for butterfly wings, braille, and for the hybrid.

Direct download available here (55 megs approx). Right Click Save As!

Password: vidses

Watch on Vimeo

Also I'll just take this opportunity to mention that my other videos are available here and I've recently fixed the problems that prevented Hummingbird Song, Ghosts and Tricks from displaying in the correct aspect ratio in many media players.

Cross-posted to galactica_vids and vidding

Feedback, in whatever form, is love.

Comments

[sdwolfpup.livejournal.com]

That was absolutely fantastic! I loved the rhythm of it, and everything from "We are the insurgents" through "braille-studded armor" left me breathless. You really brought out the epic-ness of BSG in this, something that I've been disconnected from lately. I like using Roslin as the frame on which you're hanging the vid, even though she is a small part of that middle section. I look forward to watching this again and getting even more out of it.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really pleased that you feel it merits rewatching, and that using Laura as a sort of framing device works for you. It's a mashup of two tracks and originally I'd planned on making the vids separately, so it's really good to hear that joining them works well!

I hope it holds up on future rewatches!

[asta77.livejournal.com]

Awesome vid! I've just watched it once, but it definitely warrants repeat viewing. The one thing that really stood out for me was the editing. With every vid you do I see your editing skills improve. The effects shots were extremely well done - the 'old film' quality combined with the static. I liked that the technique was strategically used and not overused. And great interpretation of the lyrics. Some of the interpretation was literal, but not too overtly literal...if that makes any sense. It probably doesn't. ;)

I have to say I was amused you used a similar edit of D'Anna and Baltar from 'Rapture' that you used in 'The Ladies' Choice'. :) But it just goes to show how you can take the same footage and interpret it completely differently. :)

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm so glad you like it! And it's always nice to hear that you think my editing skills have improved (and I totally agree, though I feel I didn't so much make this vid as get into a vicious brawl with my editing program and emerge victorious!)

I'm glad the lyrical interpretation worked for you. I kind of do understand what you mean, I think, because the lyrics themselves are a strange mix of literal yet surrealistic, so I wanted to keep a sense of that in the video?

And YES! With the D'anna clip, I'd actually just been working on that section when I got your storyboard for the Ladies' Choice! So I ended up cutting those two sections within days of each other, and I found it terribly amusing, but I figured it'd always be a private joke I'd never be able to share with anyone! ;)

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

That was awesome. I agree with the above comment. On first viewing I really liked the beginning (though the 'we are the insurgents' line stands out), but I bet that will change after multiple viewings. Of which there will be many. :-) Keep vidding Laura to rap music if it produces vids like this!

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm actually a little in love with the "We are the insurgents" line because I was...dying trying to work out how to frame that, and how to bridge the two sections, and the whole vid was this enormous, overwhelming idea. Then cyborganize, my beta, said, "the Hybrid!" and ZOMG the entire vid and the framing device and the point of it fell into place.

So thanks for noticing that because its inclusion was like, a watershed moment in the lifestory of the vid!

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to comment, it means a lot to me. And I do seem to have turned into the Laura and Rap girl don't I? It's such an unlikely combination and yet WORKS SO WELL!

[lelianamckay.livejournal.com]

This was totally amazing. I adore your editing and the atmosphere coming out of this vid. This was very powerful. *thumbs up*

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's so great to hear you enjoyed it and that I managed to maintain a strong atmosphere. And thank you for taking the time to let me know; I really appreciate it.

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely amazing. It's really powerful. If I can think of anything more coherent that that, after I pick my jaw up off the floor, I'll be back.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You are, of course, always welcome back with further thoughts, but thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed it so much so quickly! :D

[nonsenseprocess.livejournal.com]

I've watched this - god, a lot of times by now, because it's so dense and I'm so amazed at what you've done with it, and every time I rewatch it I catch something else. This is the kind of vid I'd love to see a vidder commentary for, even though with the lyrics and rate of cutting it would probably be nearly novel-length. *grins*

I was amazed when I was going through the Flobots website to realize that these songs are actually separate tracks. They seem so incomplete without each other! And putting them together like this, with the hybrid as the framing device, works so wonderfully I can't imagine it any other way.

A few of the sections that leapt out at me:

Professional wrestlers and vice presidents want you to believe them

Sometimes lyrics work bizarrely well with a source, and this really does with the message of the vid you're putting forth. Of all of the people in Season 4 desperately trying to win the war on Laura's mind, Starbuck and Gaius are right up there. ("They shout at you", a few moments later, is also a little bit hilarious. They do shout, at everyone, especially the poor hybrid.)

She's ashamed of her birthplace, but retreat is not an option

I love Athena as the patriot ashamed of her birthplace. The entire Insurgents section works so well for me, with the strangely delivered, almost cryptic lyrics that fit so well and work really wonderfully with that idea of the hybrid partially narrating.

Consider this a distant early warning, the fire's burning

Starbuck's expression at the explosion, and on that violin note, is really lovely.

Pacifist guerrillas move undetected through concrete jungles

Yes! Absolutely! Especially with the message of insurgents, and the characters trying to fight for some kind of upheaval of the current Cylon/Human relations, those two are absolutely the (mostly) pacifist guerrillas.

Hammer the battle cry into braille-studded armor

The motion of Starbuck pulling back her fist to punch Leoben carrying forward into her cutting off her hair is wonderful. There are a million tiny editing moments in this that I just adore, and that's really one of them.

Do not rely on this broadcast alone; we are only as strong as our signal

Oh, man. I love this, especially the hybrid's eyes flashing over that tiny little broadcast signal registering on Starbuck's ship. This vid is so huge and encompassing, I'm amazed by the amount of footage you used and how well you made use of some of the very literal lyrics, like this one. They're just perfect, and it's such a huge, satisfying vid.

Your fate, and the fate of everyone you know, depends on it

All of that work to get to a place where they can all stand on a dead planet and not kill each other all over again. They hope. Man.

This is definitely a vid I'm going to watch a dozen more times, and I'm so interested to see the discussion that comes out of it, and how the final BSG episodes will affect the tone of this in retrospect. It makes me want to see a lot more about the hybrid!

Thank you so much for posting this. It's just the kind of vid I've been hoping to see recently, and I am so impressed by what you did with it.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Wow! What an awesome comment! Thanks for giving me such detailed feedback.

I really appreciate knowing what sections worked for you. For instance, the Athena section on the patriot reporting for duty was one of the first lyric-images I got, as what the section about the distant, early warning. On the other hand, some of the other sections you picked out - like the pacifist guerillas and the braille-studded armour were some of the more troubling parts of the vid so it's really good to see that the eventual choices I made worked well enough to leave an impression.

Another thing that makes me gleeful is that you got the fact that this message has to be received now, and here, on the ruined Earth. That after everything, they still need to win. That this is the sort of dialogue and reflection that needs to occur at this point in the series, perhaps? Because originally I was worried this vid ought to wait until the end of the entire series, but then I realised, no, it's about gearing up for the final stretch, or at least, exorting people to try. To hope, like you said?

Anyway, now my response is almost as long as your comment, but basically thank you. This is amazingly detailed and appreciated feedback and I'm so glad that the vid interests you enough to hold up on repeat viewings.

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

Wonderful, wonderful vid. I don't have the time to say all I'd like to say, but I've given it a little rec at my LJ:

http://emily-shore.livejournal.com/242700.html

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you! Your rec is really awesome, and while I never managed to parse it so elegantly, the section about the things going on in Laura's mind mysteriously mimicking all the major beats of the series made me squee in delight!

Also, I'm honoured to be recced alongside Hera Has Six Mommies and So say we all I (Handlebars). Clearly you have good choice in vids! :p

[chasarumba.livejournal.com]

Such a smart vid with loads of clever, thoughtful connections (absolutely love the "we are the insurgents" shift at 1:20, for instance)! There's a sense of relentlessness to the pacing which is very fitting for the war/battle theme of the vid.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. The pacing was something I wanted from the start and nearly killed my vidding program with so many clips (I still actually use WMM), and eventually I had to render it in about six parts. So it's very gratifying to know it was worth it!

Also, especially after making this vid, your icon = LOVE.

[projectcyborg.livejournal.com]

YAY FOR POSTING!

I'll write an actual review at some point, but for now let me just say that this vid is a masterpiece. It really does make a perfect diptych with Jesus Walks as your greatest work. SO FAR! That was quite the summer we had...

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

YAY FOR REPLYING!

I'd, of course, love to read your review, but in the meantime, thank you! I'm glad you think it measures up to JW. Clearly Laura Roslin and rap is like...my thing. ;)

And yeah. ZOMG SUMMER (well, technically, late spring/early summer, but that sounds far less like the tag line to some cheesy movie about the trials of growing up. I WAS NEVER THE SAME AFTER THAT SUMMER!)

[sol-se.livejournal.com]

WOW WOW WOW! I absolutely adore this! I feel like I need to watch it again to get all the nuances. I love how detailed and subtle and just the way it all flows like a narrative. WOW.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! One of my goals was to keep a sense of narrative structure even though it is, essentially, a crazy and at times impressionistic collage of clips: it's awesome to hear that that worked out for you. And it's always great to hear that someone wants to rewatch a vid. ;)

[bionic.livejournal.com]

I can't even begin to form a coherent response to this video. You are an amazing, amazing artist. I can't even..........

Words fail. There's so much here, can't possibly take it all and ingest it in one viewing. This is just... amazing.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Wow! I'm really pleased that it's being well recieved - to be honest, I was a little worried it was too...weird. It's amazing to me that so many people seem to be enjoying this so thank you!

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

Oh fuck, this is the smartest BSG vid I've ever seen and that's like, crazy because most BSG vids are way smarter than I could ever make.

This is absolutely, 100% amazing.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

*blushes* High praise! I do agree though, that BSG fandom produces some amazingly intelligent vids - I'm really honoured that you count this one among them! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback.

[thingswithwings.livejournal.com]

oh wow, this is AMAZING. There aren't many vids that I watch over and over, but I can already tell that this is going to be one of them, one of the ones that I'll keep watching because I'll keep getting more out of it. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to make some incredibly literal mappings of lyrics onto images without ever seeming simplistic or losing the complicated and difficult thread of your themes - how do you DO that? The section with Boomer and Athena was fabulous, my god. I am just blown away; your editing is so smart, and fits the song perfectly. The opening section with Laura, the little flashes of Kendra, and, and, the hybrid as the insurgence - so many great moments built up to make such a compelling and intelligent vid.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's wonderful to get such thoughtful and detailed feedback: I really appreciate you taking the time to write this. I think that part of the strength of the video is that the lyrics themselves are both literal and symbolic and so that helps me get away with using a lot of literal images in the vid itself? The images then take on the same symbolic/literal duality as the lyrics?

I mean, that makes it sound like I thought about that before I made it - which I didn't, I just...tried to think about the best clips to use and as always I think this vid was made with about 80% guts and instinct and 20% conscious thought!

But either way, I'm very glad that the imagery worked for you and thanks again for commenting!

[nicole-anell.livejournal.com]

I think I actually love this even more than the "Tomorrow" series, which doesn't feel possible. I'm really thrilled and amazed by how *epic* this vid feels, the way you melded all the seasons together in unexpected ways and zeroed in on some pivotal moments that don't usually turn up in vids.

The way it centers and lingers on Roslin with each "there is a war going on for your mind" is perfect. I mean, it's the obvious thing to point out, but that lyric managed to sneak up on me every time.

Early OMFG moments: The Olympic Carrier and airlocking Leoben as the beat first kicks in. "Their embroidered neckties say stop snitchin'" Laura's shaky prayer hands at the transition to the Hybrid section. Guh.

Absolutely flawless movement and intercutting throughout. You used so many edits it could've become disorienting, but instead it just flows and flows.

You played with all the lyrics brilliantly, but I especially love how you used "a group of teenage boys watches a video of a father playing catch with his son." AAAAAH, you rock.

Starting from minute 3:13 to... 3:32? It's just fucking fantastic. (Like, I was trying to single out how awesome the editing is with Hera and Nicky and Cally at the end of that verse, but then I *could not figure out* where to make the End Point Of Awesome, because then the chorus comes in and it's still beautifully edited. And before I knew it there was Tigh/Ellen and Gina/Cain, which are two of my favorite moments in the vid. So I was like "that part from 3:13 to THE ENTIRE REST OF IT is really good." Hee.)

Speaking of Gina, there's something very, very cool about the "butterfly wing" line linking her sweet little hand-touch with Baltar to the occupation of New Caprica. O_O

Very random: I totally love the shot of Anders/Chief like "wheeeeee!" over their bomb. I'm just irrationally in love with it. That sticks out to me every time.

And, you know, *everything else*. This is so, so good. And I cannot believe you made this on WMM! That's awe-inspiring.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you for such wonderfully detailed feedback! I'm glad I managed to convey a sense of everything in one huge mess of convergence. It's very gratifying to know that the fast edits worked to keep the vid flowing rather than falling into confusion. It was something I worried about prior to making it, but surprisingly that worry disappeared while I was vidding. The vid itself flowed even while I was cutting it?

Thanks for the list of points you enjoyed! It's so great to see what other people like, whether it coincides with my own favourite parts of things that I just...totally didn't consider that interesting.

I also loved the "father playing catch with his son," part. But I'm particularly pleased you enjoyed Gina on "butterfly wings." Originally I had more of Caprica Six and Boomer's rebellion there, but my fabulous beta heyiya pointed out I already had them on "pacifist guerillas" and suggested Gina, who I wanted to have more of in the vid. My reaction was OMG GENIUS, and of course, I figured I had to zero in on the most genuine, affectionate, small-scale gesture - the hand touch - before exploding Cloud Nine! So, yeah, that part is a real favourite part for me too because I struggled with it so much. *huggles betas*

Regarding WMM: yes, I am a little insane. Actually, the only thing that really, really narks me about WMM is that I can't overlay, I can only fade. Most other things I can spoof at least sort of, by putting in stupid amounts of extra time and effort. I ought to upgrade, I know it. But...everytime I think about it, I panic about having to learn a new program. And I think I've actually turned into someone who perversely enjoys the insanity of trying to make pretty vids on WMM. Like if I made it easier for myself I'd be cheating somehow? Nuts, I know! ;)

[dualbunny.livejournal.com]

This is a fascinating watch! :D I was completely absorbed by seeing where each new set of lyrics would take the story and your interpretation. I also thought the last third of it in particular was really beautiful from a visual standpoint. Which made for a great build-up all the way through the vid. :}

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The strenth of the song really is its amazing, amazing lyrics: I'm very glad I managed to make good use of that.

Also, your icon = LOVE!

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

This is amazing, intricate work. I love the complexity and your amazing musicality throughout. I couldn't force myself to read too deeply at this point because I am still behind on catching up on s4 and was afraid that if I stared at it too hard I would get spoiled beyond what I have already. But nonetheless I can get an inkling of how the threads all tie up and I love how expansive your exploration of the universe is. Fantastic work, and I'm sure I'll have more to say once I actually get a bit more context in. :)

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm so pleased that you got a sense of expansive complexity, even without the wider knowledge of season four. My goal was to include as much as possible of both Laura and the Cylon storyline: I wanted at least one clip that referenced every notable event in the show regarding both those aspects, so hearing so many people talk about how large and inclusive the vid felt is infinitely gratifying.

I totallyrecommend season four (though it sounds like you're planning on watching it anyway). I think the first half has been my favourite continuous run of episodes since season one. It's not to everyone's tastes, I guess. It's downright strange in places, but that's sort of why I loved it. It was weird and it's certainly moved me to produce more fan material than any other stretch of TV programming ever has!

Anyway, thanks again for letting me know you enjoyed it. It is very appreciated.

[jarrow.livejournal.com]

This is really quite something. I want to rewatch it several more times to really pick up on all the intricacies here, but even just the first time through I was left with a "...whoa" feeling :-) Superb editing, terrific pacing, and a brilliant concept. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[coffeejunkii.livejournal.com]

oh wow. i think i need to see this a few more times to even understand all the lyrics--the editing is very fast. as i was watching it, i felt that the images and words constantly eluded me and i couldn't keept up. but the glimpses i caught on this first viewing were intriguing and i am once more fascinated by what images you choose to pair with which words.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm sorry if it went by too quickly to comprehend: that was something I was worried about, actually, but ultimately I felt it was better to maintain the chaos. The audio track is really intricate and I didn't get all the lyrics the first time I listened either (though by now I could probably recite them in my sleep!) I'm pleased to hear that it was intriguing rather than simply confusing and am glad you think it merits rewatching - I hope you find more interesting things. ;)

Thanks again for taking the time to comment!

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

This pretty much blows my mind. Awesome.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

Also, OMG I love your icon! It's PERFECT!

they construct ransom letters from biblical passages and bleed mascara into holy water supplies

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

It was difficult for me to put my feedback into words because this is a vid that I felt. When I listen to The Flobots, I think and see BSG, so when I watched this vid it felt like, "finally", in the sense that I'm amazed at what you've done. The editing is fantastic on both video. I hope you don't mind my saying that you've really evolved in the vids I've watched. There are so many levels and great lyric interpretations.

I especially admired the NASCAR chariots, bleed mascara into the holy water supply, flash logos, pay no attention to the men behind the barbed curtain, for your protection, holding a picket sign, the 2:20-2:53, once occupied minds, and broken porcelain.

There's such a sense of scope for the source and it feels like it was meant to be. There's a back and forth rhythm in the movement and editing that really gets to me.

Re: they construct ransom letters from biblical passages and bleed mascara into holy water supplies

[cyborganize.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go ahead and reply to this because beccatoria is winging her way to Korea right now, so lord knows when she'll get the chance. I don't know if she told you, but it was your Flobots vid that inspired this! I owe you feedback on Handlebars, but meanwhile I will say generally that YOU ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDDERS and I am rather beside myself with flaily joy that you are TURNING UP IN BSG FEMSLASH! Ahem.

Yeah, isn't this vid AMAAAAAAAAZING?! I feel partly responsible for it happening at all, but not at all responsible for its insane genius. I just mostly sat and watched it with my mouth hanging open going, OMG THE EDITING, HOW DID SHE DO THAT??

Thanks for watching and commenting and reccing!

[demonqueen666.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a vid. That was some truly epic editing, and I mean that in the best way...you got EVERYTHING in there that I could ever possibly have found meaning in from the series (and a few moments I never would've thought of, connected together in ways and with the music and words that just made go WOAH) and after a certain point I was literally afraid to blink.

Well frakking done.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it and that the music and image choices worked for you. I wanted a breathless sense of a crazy trip through everything so I'm glad that I got that across! :D

[njborba.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't know what to say. I think everyone else said it better than I could. My boss was playing Flobots in the office today and it was the first I'd heard them. I really liked their sound and lyrics. So I posted about it on my journal and a friend just sent me to this video. Flobots and BSG... it's been a very good day.

Thank you so much for sharing this.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

World's latest reply!

Thank you for taking the time to leave such lovely feedback! Your boss has awesome taste. The Flobots & BSG = PURE WIN, right? ;)

Thanks again for the feedback.

[luzula]

Oh wow. This vid fills me with joy, and I've rewatched it three times and discovered new things every time. I especially loved the hybrid flashing by at "we are only as strong as our signal".

I'm definitely checking out that album, too, I really liked the music.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I can thoroughly recommend both of the Flobots' albums, they're great!

And thank you for leaving such awesome feedback. I'm fond of "we are only as strong as our signal," too. It was one of the earlier lyrics I glommed onto and I really love how it looks, which is nearly exactly as I imagined it (a rarer thing in vidding than makes sense...)

Joy is what we aim for: I'm glad I could share some!

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

That was awesome!

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[runawaynun.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. The awesomeness of the video is beyond words and I've watched it quite a few times. Just -- wow.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed it! :D