vid - I Fought in a War - Firefly/Serenity

[kiki_miserychic]

Vid Title: I Fought in a War
Vidder: kiki_miserychic, miserychic47@hotmail.com
Musical Artist: Belle & Sebastian
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
For: Brad and Nicky (thanks for being awesome)
Summary: Focuses on Mal, while exploring the relationship and interactions between Mal and Simon.

Download: 30mb avi

I fought in a war and I left my friends behind me
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I would stand with another boy in front of me
And a corpse that just fell into me, with the bullets flying round

I fought in a war and I left my friends behind me
To go looking for the enemy, and it wasn't very long
Before I found out that the sickness there ahead of me
Went beyond the bedsit infamy of the decade gone before

And I reminded myself of the words you said when we were getting on
And I bet you're making shells back home for a steady man to wear
Round his neck, well it won't hurt to think of you as if you're waiting for
This letter to arrive because I'll be here quite a while

I fought in a war and I didn't know where it would end
It stretched before me infinitely, I couldn't really think
Of the day beyond now, keep your head down pal
There's trouble plenty in this hour, this day
I can see hope I can see light

Comments

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

You should HEAR the noises I make whenever you post a new vid, seriously.

Oh my goodness. You're such a fearless vidder. The color, the cuts, the imagination of it all. The texture, the musicality of the song. Oh, oh oh oh, ohhoh. Your vids have SUCH high replay value because they're just so full of STUFF to watchc and see and realize. Sometimes I think I'm just not smart enough to see how you do things.

such a cool vid. Simon. Mal. Oh boys!

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Hhehehe.

Thank you. This year I'm trying to take what I see in my mind and find ways to create it outwardly instead of using the programs to create something not even close to what I see in my brain.

I tend to pack a bit too much into my vids at times. :) Some of it I put in because I think it's shiny.

Sometimes it feels like I'm using a sledgehammer to do something a toothpick could because I'm not very technical. I end up doing things the hard way when there's an easy way I didn't know.

[bradcpu.livejournal.com]

You know, I was watching the whole thing thinking "my god this is so beautiful and so painful and wonderful." And then the end popped up and I got *chills*.

I can't believe you are thanking us. There's nothing we could possibly do that would be worth the vids you've made and given to all of us. Your talent never fails to astound me and to challenge the way I think of vidding.

I think this vid has the most emotionally impactful use of effects I've ever seen from you. The way it flickers and stutters and flashes... it looks so worn, which of course is a brilliant way to carry the weariness of it all even further into the visuals.

It's also the best Mal study I've ever seen. And I've seen a *lot*.

[dualbunny.livejournal.com]

This is very cool to watch. I'm having such a blast seeing how you use your effects in each new vid, and how you arrange the story feelings behind them. In particular with this one I loved getting caught up in how the bright spots and saturation worked to abstract images that would normally have felt very familiar to me.

(Can't wait to see the next one! :})

[padfootie.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was amazing... I especially loved the way you matched images and rhythm! *impressed*

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

"my god this is so beautiful and so painful and wonderful."
Then I did it right. :)

I can't believe you are thanking us. There's nothing we could possibly do that would be worth the vids you've made and given to all of us.
You two were the first people I started "conversating" with about vidding through Firefly vidding fandom. You both helped broaden my knowledge and experience. I wanted to thank you both for that.

I think this vid has the most emotionally impactful use of effects I've ever seen from you. The way it flickers and stutters and flashes... it looks so worn, which of course is a brilliant way to carry the weariness of it all even further into the visuals.
I debated how far to go with the flickering and the gradients, but I figured "what the hell?" and went with it. It's Mal, who tries so hard to survive and thinks he's only an "okay guy", when he's a big damn hero.

It's also the best Mal study I've ever seen. And I've seen a *lot*.
Thank you. I love Mal so much. Him and Seth Bullock from Deadwood are so much alike in that they don't think of themselves as good men, when they are one of the few good people there. (After typing that I realized you don't watch Deadwood...)

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've become an effects whore. I've always loved the flares and colors in Firefly, so I wanted to take it as far as I could.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've had this idea in my head for a while, so I'm glad to finally make it.

[hollywoodgrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah. SO this is the infamous trumpet editing I presume? Jeez, man, for someone who whined about one-handed editing, you have perfected the technique! Jeezus Louisus!

This was great, as usual. You really worked the look of it. Again, you style is uniquely your own. Loved that texture. And the song is just perfect for this fandom. Excellent work!

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. I haven't missed the sound of trumpets since I quit high school marching band.

I'm rather skilled with the one-handed stuff. I can tie my shoes with one and I can write fairly well with my other hand as well.

My vids this year are getting closer to what I see in my brain, which makes me happy.

[hollywoodgrrl.livejournal.com]

My vids this year are getting closer to what I see in my brain, which makes me happy.
Well that's something that I've found awe-inspiring as well as wonko about you. ;) *hug*

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

When I start making vids of dolls with their heads popped off, then worry.

[hollywoodgrrl.livejournal.com]

Nah, man. Then I squee and beg you to teach me how to do it. ;)

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

EHhehe, after watching The Addams Family when I was young, I popped the heads off all my dolls. :)

[aurora]

Oh Mal!! This was very shiny.

[hollywoodgrrl.livejournal.com]

Well. Now this is getting weird. *backs away slowly*

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Hhehehe, that's one of my more normal weirdnesses. I wanted to be Wednesday Addams, who had a doll with the head and body detached.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Sometimes I want to give Mal a hug.

[beerbad.livejournal.com]

Very nice! I especially loved the aging effect you used.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was going for a home movies, memory, war footage look.

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

Oh, my little shipper heart. *clutches* This vid completely encapsulates the reason why I love Mal/Simon. Whether you intended to be shipper or not, I'm reading it very much so, because my reading of the 'ship always begins from the premiss that Mal is looking at Simon from the viewpoint of an older brother or even father. There's this tremendous sense of pride and love and sorrow, watching this younger version of yourself (in a way) struggle through the world that you helped create (and at the same time couldn't change, despite your best intentions). The way that Simon is lit up in the gradient & colouring just pushed that notion so poignantly. And, oh, the pacing absolutely fills me with joy.

And wow, a thanks! I echo Brad with the can't-believe-you're-thanking-us bit. But hey, if you did Mal/Simon cos you know I adore Mal/Simon, then that's pretty damn cool. ;)

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

wow. i seriously adore this vid. it's just awesome! woah...

everyone else probably already said it better than me, but i have to add my own couple (okay, a bit more than a couple, i admit) of words why i love this vid to its tiny little pieces. actually, it's difficult because i don't really know myself ;) but it's a real piece of art - thank you so much for creating it!

first, i love the way you characterized mal. it's moving & painful & beautiful - you can see his bitterness & his humanity & also his vulnerability. i love the way you centered everything around his experience in the war & made him relive the event through his relationship/meeting with simon. it's just... wow (again, i know - can't seem to find the right words at all). if i'm already with simon - of course i already love this just because it's mal/simon - i adore those two. it's one of my absolute favorite pairings, because it's so harsh and beautiful and real.

then of course i love the way you edited everything - the mask & layers & what not. and especially the way you moved between the situations of the war and aboard the serenity with simon & combined them in the end with the scenes from serenity, so lovely & very powerful.

i oviously loved the whole vid, but i have a ouple of moments i love best (doesn't everyone?):
** ~0:20 - where the clip of mal's face in the war changes with one one where he is the spacesuit - i really don't know why but for me this is such a powerful moment - maybe because the situation changes so much & mal is still stuck back there in the war... still the same, maybe?
**1:05ff - many different, fast clips - of the planets/the house/etc. this looks so stunninly beautiful - once more: wow.
** 1:36 -'i'll be here quite a while' and the following musical sequence. so good. i love the way you mirrored (?) the clip to the music, while they are just sitting there, yay!
**2:03ff - when simon is shot in serenity. this is just so powerful *gulp*

erm, yes. i'll just stop now, i think i have babbled enough - at least you can see that i really really like it - & i'm repeating myself, i know :) and now realyl for the last time: thank you so much for creating this, now i really have to go and watch it again, yay!

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

eh, oops. this has gotten a little out of hand - i didn't even notice that the comment has gotten this long. sorry? *lol*

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Oh, my little shipper heart. *clutches* This vid completely encapsulates the reason why I love Mal/Simon.
:) I was trying to go at it from more than one angle, so that it could be taken as shippy on some levels, but not on all.

Mal is looking at Simon from the viewpoint of an older brother or even father.
When vidding I wondered if that aspect would go along with the shippy part. Of course it would. This is the fandom that gave us Crazy Space Incest.

There's this tremendous sense of pride and love and sorrow, watching this younger version of yourself (in a way) struggle through the world that you helped create (and at the same time couldn't change, despite your best intentions).
Thank you, I'm so glad that came through. I thought I was being too intellectual.

I echo Brad with the can't-believe-you're-thanking-us bit.
You're both made of awesome.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

but it's a real piece of art - thank you so much for creating it!
Wow. Thank you for watching and feedbacking. :)

first, i love the way you characterized mal. it's moving & painful & beautiful - you can see his bitterness & his humanity & also his vulnerability.
I love Mal to pieces. He is one of my favorite characters. There's something about him that interests me.

it's one of my absolute favorite pairings, because it's so harsh and beautiful and real.
Ditto. Those two are so great.

~0:20 - where the clip of mal's face in the war changes with one one where he is the spacesuit - i really don't know why but for me this is such a powerful moment - maybe because the situation changes so much & mal is still stuck back there in the war... still the same, maybe?
Exactly. My idea there was that it's still the same for Mal. After the war he's still standing (or floating in space) the same now with the Alliance reflecting in his face because he's still in Serenity (once you're there, you learn to live there).

** 1:36 -'i'll be here quite a while' and the following musical sequence. so good. i love the way you mirrored (?) the clip to the music, while they are just sitting there, yay!
Some of it them are just flipped, but a few frames I exported into Photoshop and flipped just Mal and Simon in the frame, leaving the Serenity background the same, so they changed positions.

Thank you so incredibly much for taking the time to feedback. I greatly enjoyed it.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

No need to apologize. I long for huge and wonderful comments like yours.

[chasarumba.livejournal.com]

I always enjoy your approach to vidding because it's so original, so fresh...and here you've done it again! What I like so much about the way you create the look of the vid is that, sure, there are a lot of effects used (textures, color, aging filters, flickers), but they all work together to create something cohesive.

There's also a feeling of frenetic energy (via the speed ramping and then also the sections with fast-paced cuts, like 1:38-1:50ish), which is really cool when set against a song that's uptempo but sort of mellow.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I tend to like taking things to the extreme.

I love Belle & Sebastian. There's something nice and mellow about them.

[the-drifter.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was deeply beautiful. I love the kaleidoscopic style you have, the fast layering and flickering of the images. And the choice of song was perfect. What a great character study of Mal and his relationship with Simon.

I was wondering ... the .wmv file is a bit garbled at times (squares of the image failing to render properly, it looks like -- I've had the same thing happen to me when saving a vid to a .wmv), and stage6 has bitten the dust. Would you be willing to upload the .divx version to Sendspace or the like? I'd be much obliged -- it's a beautiful piece of work.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I'm still mourning the loss of stage6.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/o0kkb3

[laitorni.livejournal.com]

Your vid is gorgeous! Any chance of a re-upload, even though it's some three years later? The sendspace link has expired.

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Sorry for the delay. 30mb avi (http://www.sendspace.com/file/vpa8ry)

[jadeaffection.livejournal.com]

Hey there!

So I realize I'm ridiculously late to the party but...

I really adore this vid and I was wondering, if it's not too much of a pain in the butt, if you could re-upload it. I would be so happy to be able to download it.

But I understand if you can't. *puppy eyes*

Anyway, great vid! :)

[kiki-miserychic.livejournal.com]

Somewhere along the way I lost the avi and I'm left with some weird, I don't even know what format file.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/z7djec

Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I love getting comments on old vids because I get to watch them and remember how awesome it was to make them.

[jadeaffection.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this! I really do adore the vid... you are awesome! xx