Vid: Unnatural Selection - Battlestar Galactica/Terminator: Sarah Connor

[charmax]

kiki_miserychic & zombiep0rn were the inspiration behind the vid.


Video Title: Unnatural Selection
Song Title/Artist: Pussycats Gone To Heaven (Pixies vs Pussycat Dolls) - DJ Lobsterdust
Shows/Source: Battlestar Galactica, Terminator: Sarah Connor, Terminator movies.
Summary: That body was made to look like a person. We were made in God's image.
***Images of apocalypse and violence that some may find disturbing.***
Length/Format: 3.36, (Xvid, Stream)
Notes:
OK so first off this is so far outside my comfort zone as to be in another continent. This vid is one big experiment designed to help me evolve (geddit?) as a Vidder. Everything from the song (first time using a mashup) to the physical editing process (storyboarded in Premiere but mostly edited in AE) to the tone and themes (my dark side, let me show you it.)

The inspiration for the vid came from the fact that this year marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of "The Origin of Species" and the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth. I've always been struck by the similarities between T:SCC and BSG and I tried to show some of that here. As humanity teeters on the edge of extinction they slide down the evolutionary tree of life whilst the machines evolve into better beings.

kiki_miserychic has written an insightful commentary for this vid over at vid_commentary. A little more of my choices is discussed in the comments.

Unnatural Selection - Battlestar Galactica/Terminator: Sarah Connor - Charmax

Links: Download Xvid (720x400 - 40MB) | Download Xvid (416x240 - 20MB) | Stream@Imeem | Stream@Youtube

Comments

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I think it's a strong contender for my favourite vid of the year--but obviously I can't quite say that yet or people will think I've given up watching other vids. ;)

OK, so THOUGHTS!

It's hard to move past my initial fangirling of your insanely great editing and the smooth way in which you mesh the different fandoms together in a coherent argument. There was no moment I found jarring and I felt such a strong consistent argument through the whole piece--it feels so 'unified' aesthetically, from the font choices through to your control of movement.

Your use of other source material was really exciting too. I sometimes find that a struggle in vids, but not here. I particularly loved the worm on the branch intercut with the Cylons swooping in on New Caprica. I love the strength with which you show that humans are reduced to helpless insects in the face of predatory machines.

I also love the sequence where you show the lone humans (Derek and the BSG cast) in the desolate future.

And despite the disturbing subject, this is a FUN view! Is that bad? ;) I really loved a couple of insertions of humour (or what I found humorous) in the 'rock me, Joe!' moment and the little in-joke about 'Six'. I absolutely adore that that was thrown in there as the very last 'the devil is Six'--almost like an afterthought. The subtle downplay made it funny.

Then I love the way you tie BSG and T:SCC together. I love both shows but am biased in finding Terminator a more succesful/interesting exploration of killer machines. That's just me. But this totally worked for me because the parallels between the two made it not about specific canons (and their limitations) but about the commonalities. At a visual level, I loved moments like the cut from Kara bowing her head to John comforting Charlie.

One of the interesting parallels is the aspect of religion--I hadn't really thought deeply about the way that both shows also draw on classical Christian imagery and references. Both Gaius and Ellison looking towards monotheism.

The final stages where the line 'the one most adaptable to change' comes up are where your argument lifts to a new level, taking it even further. I love that you show human self-destruction in the face of the conflict between man and machine, humans killing themselves, humans killing other humans. And then machines taking over their role: reproducing themselves. Also love the way you use the turtle imagery, showing the Terminators holding the turtle now, not humans.

Cool shot to end on--the ultimate way that machines become 'human' by becoming mortal.

Just: SO MUCH AWESOME!

[charmax.livejournal.com]

If it's still one of your favourites by the end of the year I'll be more than happy.

I really appreciate that you describe it as unified because in a lot of multi-fandom vids the compare and contrast aspect is to the fore and I do love that but not for this vid. I wanted this vid to be about the comparison of humans and machines not the source they were from.

The remorseless and relentless march of the machines intercut with the worm footage is probably the bleakest point of the vid for me and ties into the most painful aspect of the nature of evolution.

I have to admit I did wonder if I'd undermined the whole vid with "Rock me, Joe" but I just couldn't resist it. Likewise I just had to have Six in that section even though it was obvious, I'm glad you thought it was funny rather than jarring.

The religious aspects of both shows can be a little unsettling but I think the most disturbing thing for me was a devout man like Ellison being prepared to use a church as a trap. To commit such an act of violence in a place of worship felt like it posed the question as to whether humans deserved to survive.

I share your preference for the way T:SCC handles its themes but there is just so much more footage of BSG and the human characters in it are so self destructive that the end section of the vid is skewed towards that show. Fortunately, the turtles and Ellison's voice-overs help redress the balance. I'm so glad you picked up on the baton passing element of the turtles because I loved what that imagery says in this context.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the vid!

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

I wanted this vid to be about the comparison of humans and machines not the source they were from.
I think that was completely successful in a way that I think is very hard to pull off so I'm very impressed.

the most disturbing thing for me was a devout man like Ellison being prepared to use a church as a trap
Ohh that is something I hadn't thought a lot about. Wow! Thanks for the new angle on that one. I love T:SCC so much--there's always more to explore! It really repays multiple viewing and reflection.

the turtles and Ellison's voice-overs help redress the balance.
*nods* They totally do. And BSG is great fodder for such things, I agree, even if its execution overall is more flawed.

I think I must go and watch your vid again now... ;)