Quite frankly, I couldn’t choose between these two vids. I’m intrigued by the way two people can take the same song and the same film, and create two completely different videos.

Vidder: Majestic klo
Musical Artist: Imagine Dragons
Length: 4:05
Vidder on LJ: None, as far as I can tell.
Vidder’s Website: Majestic klo

Why this must be viewed: Majestic klo creates a really interesting and lengthy Marvel comics based intro (listen carefully to the audio), and includes clips from Thor and the Iron Man films as well as the Avengers. I like the way the film clips are matched to the music, the way the vid concentrates more on the characters than on the action, and there are some very professional looking segues between clips. Majestic klo’s interpretation of the heavy gasp portion of the song is particularly amusing.

Radioactive by Majestic klo

Vidder: Huush95
Musical Artist: Imagine Dragons
Length: 3:05
Vidder on LJ: None, as far as I can tell.
Vidder’s Website: Huush95

Why this must be viewed: In contrast to Majestic klo, Huush95 takes the same song but chooses different clips from The Avengers, adds clips from X-Men 3, and creates a completely different vid. There’s an interesting symmetry to some of the scenes: Iron Man raises his hands, then Magneto does the same; Wolverine makes an amazing leap, then the Hulk makes a similar leap; one set of heroes takes a stand, and in the following scene…well, you get the gist.

Radioactive by Huush95

Vidder: hippowithnoodles444
Musical artist: Massive Attack, Craig Armstrong, Sigur Rós
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: Unknown
Vidder's website: hippowithnoodles444 on youtube
Why this vid kicks ass:

It's an HBO war miniseries mash-up of awesome! Band of Brothers is the fandom most analogous to Generation Kill - a fictionalized account of real military guys who didn't ask to be written about, etc - and the vidder here seamlessly moves between 1944 and 2003, between the Army and the Marines, between two vastly different wars, showing us how war has changed. And how it really hasn't. A fantastic take on the bonds of brotherhood, then and now.

Band of Brothers/Generation Kill Super Trailer

Vidder:  ItsJustSomeRandomGuy
Musical artist: I think he wrote it himself
Pairing:  None
Vidder on LJ: none known.
Vidder's website:  http://www.itsjustsomerandomfansite.com/
Why this vid kicks ass:

When Batman and Iron Man get together to discuss sequels, Iron Man reveals a unique way to respond to his critics and explain the bigger
picture for his company's (as well as other company's) film slate.  (Marvel/DC/Mac/PC Parody/Review )

This guy has done a ton of vids, spoofing the Marvel and DC movieverses using the Mac/PC commercial format.  They're good vids, but far and away the best one is this one, which turns into a musical of Iron Man explaining the Marvel movie strategy to Batman, while Superman tries to defend the DC movies.  It's hilarious, partly because it's so true.  The more you know about comic book movies the funnier it is, but my parents who know almost nothing about comic book movies still enjoyed it.

Hi, I'm a Marvel... and I'm a DC: The Musical

Vidder: Jekesta
Musical Artist: Patty Loveless
Pairing: none
Vidder on LJ: jekesta
Vidder's Website: Here
Why this vid kicks ass:
Oh my. Some of the most beautiful scenes from Riptide, interspersed with short snips from various other shows and movies. PERFECTLY matched to the music (You're All I think About These Days).

I watch this thing over and over, it's hilarious and beautiful.

Embedded (on LJ) from BAM Video Vault
Download link

*wipes away a single crystalline bead of brow-sweat*

Can you believe it? Here we are at the end of this gargantuan rec set! I don't know about all of you, but I need a gin and tonic and a bit of a lie down. :)

I hope you've had fun this month; it's certainly been a pleasure for me to share all these favourites with you. I always enjoy an excuse to go back and rewatch fantastic vids.

Happy New Year!

Vidder: eruthros and thingswithwings
Musical artist: "Angel of the Morning" by The Pretenders
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: eruthros and thingswithwings
Vidder's website: eruthros' Vid tag and thingswithwings' complete list of fic, vids, podfic, and meta
Why this vid kicks ass: I'm finishing up this set with what is, perhaps, the best loved songvid tribute to rare fandoms: eruthros and thingswithwings's ode to the mega fic exchange, Yuletide. It has every pairing you can conceive of, and a few you probably can't, and it's so lovingly put together it will leave you both awestruck at the brilliance of it and smiling with happiness. It's that kind of vid.

One-Night Fandoms: A Tribute to Yuletide

Vidder: SE
Musical artist: Amanda Ghost
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: sol_se
Vidder's website: fannish.flux
Why this vid kicks ass: Today's vid is a gorgeous journey into a surreal dreamscape, in which sol_se's editing matches up echoing images from different source texts. The result will linger in your mind for a long time.

Filthy Mind

Vidder: tearful eye
Musical artist: "the living" by natalie merchant
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: tearful_eye
Vidder's website: my vid masterlist
Why this vid kicks ass: tearful_eye has one of the most distinctive styles of any vidder I've ever seen -- beautiful cuts, gorgeous use of repetition, and a relentless build that starts off slow and ramps you up and up until you're left limp with emotion and awe. "Care to Stay" is about the many character deaths there have been in recent fan shows, and it's heartbreaking.

Care to Stay
Warning: Deals with depression and suicide

Vidder: Isagel
Musical artist: "Creep" by Stone Temple Pilots
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: isagel
Vidder's website: vids tag
Why this vid kicks ass: I would never in a million years have thought I'd love a songvid about amputees. But OMG, Isagel brings it, and I totally do. I really can't do justice to this vid in words, just believe me that it's worth it and click on the link. Go on. Shoo.

Half the Man
Warning: Violence and frontal nudity (fuller warning given on splash page)

Vidder: such heights
Musical artist: "Slow Lynch" by Sebastien Tellier
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: such_heights
Vidder's website: Fanworks Masterlist
Why this vid kicks ass: Another recent trend in vidding has been multi-fandom vids which explore a particular theme, often related to kink bingo cards. Today's rec is such_heights's gorgeous essay on hands. It will make you yearn to reach out and touch someone.

Many Hands

Vidder: LithiumDoll
Musical artist: Eartha Kitt vs Giant Jr
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: halcyon_shift
Vidder's website: Alter Idem
Why this vid kicks ass: To finish off the 'awesome women' theme of the last couple of days, I offer, "I want to be evil," which is one of the cleverest matches of song and source it's ever been my pleasure to watch.

I Want To Be Evil

Vidder: Foomatic
Musical artist: Northern State
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: foomatic
Vidder's website: vids tag
Why this vid kicks ass: Today's rec continues with the theme of awesome women being awesome, but this time with an edge sharp enough to cut.

Girl 4 All Seasons

Okay, so we're heading into the final stretch of this rec set, and it's time to look at some of my favourite multi-fandom vids.

Vidder: arefadedaway
Musical artist: Superchick
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: arefadedaway
Vidder's website: vid tag
Why this vid kicks ass: This vid is about awesome women being awesome. Watching it makes me want to climb mountains, run for Prime Minister and basically complete multiple impossible feats before breakfast. It'll get your blood pumping too. Maybe that makes it sound like a health tonic, but believe me, it tastes much better. :)

One Girl Revolution

Vidder: Speranza and Seah & Margie
Musical artist: Sparks
Pairing: None... or many and various
Vidder on LJ: cesperanza and flummery
Vidder's website: Speranza's Fiction and Vids by Flummery
Why this vid kicks ass: To wrap up meta week, I leave you with this serious meditation on the fannish use of metaphor. *serious face is serious*

Metaphor

Vidder: thingswithwings
Musical artist: Angelo Badalamenti, from A Very Long Engagement (instrumental)
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: thingswithwings
Vidder's website: complete list of fic, vids, podfic, and meta
Why this vid kicks ass: thingswithwings says that this vid was inspired by Henry Jenkins' research into slash, in which he said that "slash is what happens when you take away the glass" between two characters like Kirk and Spock. This vid is a gorgeous meditation on that theme, showing exactly why fans have such a fascination with the barriers -- both real and metaphorical -- between all our favourite characters.

The Glass

Vidder: OTW (directed by Francesca Coppa and edited by Laura Shapiro, sound editing by AbsoluteDestiny)
Musical artist: Various
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: None
Vidder's website: Vidding History Projects
Why this vid kicks ass: I kicked off meta week with songvids about songvids, and so now it seems appropriate to rec a project that takes this idea of vidmeta to its logical conclusion -- documentaries about vidding, made by vidders.

Not long ago, the Organization for Transformative Works interviewed a whole heap of vidders about vidding, sampled their work, and created a series of snapshots that showcase their art and philosophy. What a neat idea! I love the voices of fans talking about their passion -- it's so rare to get a chance hear fans' real voices -- and I also love that this series has been made by vidders, using the skills they acquired through vidding, and that it's unashamedly pro-fanworks. I fell in love with vids all over again when I watched this.

Vidding

Vidder: counteragent
Musical artist: Thomas Dolby
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: counteragent
Vidder's website: My vids
Why this vid kicks ass: counteragent has a real gift for remixing disparate sources and styles, and forging them into something seamless, with it's own narrative drive and logic. This songvid is a perfect example. It's gorgeously framed with the trappings of the cinema, beautifully matched to the music, and at the same time working as an elegant showcase for Charmax's vids. Such a clever piece of work.

She Blinded Me with Science (a Charmax tribute)


This recommendation is part of a set, which includes three of charmax's vids (links go to the recs):

Multi-fandom - I'm your Man
Lost and Delirious - Cry Me A River
Multi-fandom - Seven Nation Army

Vidder: Charmax
Musical artist: Patricia O Callaghan
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: charmax
Vidder's website: Bronze Ambition
Why this vid kicks ass: Made for the International Day of Femslash, this vid is a glorious celebration of friendship, romance, crossdressing, and women generally being awesome with other women. Need I say more?

I'm your Man


This recommendation is part of a set, which includes:

• charmax's vids: Lost and Delirious - Cry Me A River , Multi-fandom - Seven Nation Army, and
  
• The commentary She Blinded Me with Science (a Charmax tribute) by counteragent

Vidder: Charmax
Musical artist: Effcee
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: charmax
Vidder's website: Bronze Ambition
Why this vid kicks ass: The theme of this vid is very simple: it is an ode to robots. Killer robots! Seven types of killer robots rampaging across time and space! And yes, it is made of win.

Seven Nation Army


This recommendation is part of a set, which includes:

• charmax's vids: Multi-fandom - I'm your Man, Lost and Delirious - Cry Me A River and
  
• The commentary She Blinded Me with Science (a Charmax tribute) by counteragent

It's meta week in Songvid Oddity land! (And yes, how ironic is the timing, given this week's meta about meta? :)

There's been a trend in the last year or so of meta vids which reflect on what it is to be a vidder, and what vidders love about the art form. I'm going to try and give a sense of what that conversation looks like, and that means posting more than one rec at a time for a couple of days. Bear with me while I wrangle all the cross-links. Hopefully it will all be worth it!


Vidder: bradcpu
Musical artist: Various
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: bradcpu
Vidder's website: Sticky post: My vids
Why this vid kicks ass: kiki_miserchic is one of the most unusual vidders out there. Her stuff is always gorgeous, and interesting, and often confronting. In this vidder profile, bradcpu captures what makes Kiki tick as an artist, combining an interview with excerpts of her vids. As well as being a brilliant introduction to Kiki's work, it's a stunning piece of work in its own right.

To make the experience richer, you might want to watch a sample of Kiki's vids (I've recced three below) before you watch this vidder profile.

August Vidder Profile: kiki_miserychic
Warning: The video excerpts included in this profile contain profanity, nudity, sexual images, and violence (including a torture/disembowelment scene from the movie "The Cell").


This recommendation is part of a set, which includes three of kiki_miserychic's vids (links go to the recs):

Multi-fandom - She's Awesome
The Cell - Bootystyle
The Fall - Once Upon a Time

Vidder: kiki_miserychic
Musical artist: "Glass Danse" by The Faint
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: kiki_miserychic
Vidder's website: vid tag
Why this vid kicks ass: This is like a short, sharp kick to the head, with a pounding beat, relentless movement, and glorious women in the centre of the frame. Awesome, indeed.

She's Awesome
Warning: Violence


This recommendation is part of a set, which includes:

• kiki_miserychic's vids: The Cell - Bootystyle, The Fall - Once Upon a Time, and
  
• The DVD commentary August Vidder Profile: kiki_miserychic by bradcpu

Vidder: Ferd
Musical artist: David Bowie
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: ferdalump
Vidder's website: ferdalump's channel on YouTube
Why this vid kicks ass: To close out our week of dancing, I offer you one of my favourite feel-good vids. It's finger-clicking; it's got love and dancing and people being goofs. It's just downright happy-making.

Modern Love

Vidder: Barkley
Musical artist: Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: barkley
Vidder's website: Barkley's Vids
Why this vid kicks ass: In fandom there's a grand tradition of people putting things together that just should not work, and yet, beyond all sense, somehow they not only work, they are glorious. For example, this songvid's premise is:

Stargate: Atlantis + Xanadu = rollerdancing space explorers.

Oh, yeah... *waves hands in awe* That's what I call absurd perfection!

Xanadu (scroll down)

Vidder: Jescaflowne
Musical artist: "Can Delight" by Master Blaster
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: jescaflowne
Vidder's website: Elefantpaw
Why this vid kicks ass: Look, all I really have to say about this vid can be compressed into just three words: dancing, cheer-leading superwomen. I KNOW, RIGHT! And it's even more awesome than it sounds.

Can Delight (scroll down)

It's that time of year again! Time to spread seasonal joy and eat too many mince pies.

In that spirit, I'm presenting an array of Songvid Oddities this December for your delectation. These are awesome vids which are unlikely to otherwise be recced on the Van, because they are: a) in tiny fandoms; b) multi-fandom; c) putting the 'odd' back into Oddities. I don't know about you, but category 'C' are my favourites. :)

I'm kicking things off with a week of dancing, because who can resist dancing!

Vidder: Buffyann
Musical artist: "Starlight" by The Supermen Lovers
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: buffyann
Vidder's website: Vid Tag
Why this vid kicks ass: This vid is a tour de force of editing to the beat (and whoa, those are some seriously toned beats). I defy you not to end up clicking your fingers and jiggling in your seat, and probably earwormed as well. Go, and behold the dancing!

Starlight

Title: Between the Bars by kiki-miserychic
Musical artist: Chris Garneau
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Length: 2:30 minutes
Author on LJ: kiki_miserychic
Author Website: vid tag
Why this must be watched: I've decided to rec a songvid for crossover day, for one simple reason: it's awesome. It takes the Arthurian myth from so many different sources, and weaves it into something that shines new light not only on Prince Arthur and Merlin in Merlin, but on why this story has endured for so long and still contains so much power.

Between the Bars

Yes, yes, yes! We are there yet!

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit boggled. When I set out with the crazy idea of reccing a vid every single day this month, I wasn't entirely sure we'd make it this far. But here we are. The very last rec of this monster set!

The really scary thing is that I could have kept right on reccing for a while yet before running out of good small fandom or multi-fandom songvids. There are just so many awesome vidders out there, and I hope this set has given you some inkling of the amazing quality and range of their work.

Anyway, enough from me. I hope you've all enjoyed the trip as much as I have. Happy new year!


Vidder: Seah & Margie
Musical artist: Sheldon Allman
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: flummery
Vidder's website: Seah & Margie's Vids
Why this vid kicks ass: Was there any other songvid I could have ended the set with? I think not. This is the ultimate vid about vidding. It's sharply edited, it's funny, it has all our favourite characters doin' their thang... but most of all, it's a celebration of the grassroots, newfangled awesomeness of songvids.

*licks vid*

Tasty too! ;)

Walking on the Ground (scroll down)

Vidder: Lim
Musical artist: Regina Spektor
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: lim
Vidder's website: some vids by lim
Why this vid kicks ass: When it was released, this songvid ate fandom. It's easy to see why: it's an anthem to fangirls and the way they love and invest in stories and pictures and characters -- all the things I've tried to encapsulate in this rec set. Saying anything else about "Us" would be hype for the sake of it; this vid speaks for itself.

Us (scroll down)

Vidder: Mamoru
Musical artist: Aqua
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: mamoru22
Vidder's website: The Cell
Why this vid kicks ass: I knew right from the start that I wanted to include some meta vids in this set, and no one does meta vids like Mamoru. In fact, the challenge was to pick which one I wanted to rec! In the end I chose "Cartoon Heroes" because it stands alone without any need for knowledge of the Stargate canon or fandom. And also, of course, because it is supremely awesome and hilarious. Of course the characters in these shows are cartoon heroes, and Mamoru makes the point with so much style.

Cartoon Heroes (scroll down)

Vidder: giandujakiss
Musical artist: Rockapella
Pairing: Various
Vidder on LJ: giandujakiss
Vidder's website: Monsters from the Vids
Why this vid kicks ass: We've already touched on my love of zombies once in this rec set, so I'm sure you're not terribly surprised to see I'm reccing a whole zombie-themed songvid today. The thing you need to know about this songvid, the thing that makes it stand head and shoul... various body parts above other zombie songvids, is that "Zombie Jamboree" has dancing zombies.

Yes. I know! That was my first reaction too.

giandujakiss is a genius.

*bops off to re-watch the dancing zombies*

Zombie Jamboree

Vidder: AJ
Musical artist: Clint Mansell
Pairing: None
Vidder on LJ: Unknown
Vidder's website: AJ's Music Videos
Why this vid kicks ass: Oh, Jet Li, how pretty and violent you are. In this gorgeously stylised vid, AJ presents us with a love letter to the grace of Jet Li as he punches, kicks and swordfights his opponents to a standstill. There's no one like Jet Li for this kind of cinematic violence, and this vid makes me want to spend the whole day curled up watching Jet Li's back catalogue.

Jet Li Retrospective