About the LJ-MFU Fanvid Vault?

Sparky955 was kind enough t0 dip into the Video Vault of Vintage Fanvids. I didn’t even know there's one on site but apparently! 

So let's chat about MFU fanvids (and yes, it's an art form). There are over 230 vids at last count (in Olly’s playlist) going back over 15 years. I haven't seen one that’s not been fun and inspirational. When watching, don’t forget the details too: date of origin, views,  originator.  Some originators post one-and-done. Others have a channel. And original avatars sometimes return with a new vid which is really inspiring.  

So far I haven't seen a MFU vid older than 2007.  Views go over 25,000+. Not easy then or now. Except for those who are inventive and well-tooled, including freeware.  Motivation (or compulsion, which drives myself) is done by the loving fans who can’t get enough. Pushing through. Definitely discovering through failure. Still grateful for YouTube. Which made it all possible. Turning a creator into a Producer and Director and Special Effects specialist.  Hey, we're just borrowing the characters/actors, that’s all!  Oh, and maybe the settings too, like from a hundred episodes. Creators have clipped the same fan favorite scenes so much, that they have become “stock” footage. Adapted into remixes. The effect sometimes being changed by new music. Qualifying it as a new vid. And grateful that they are.  

YouTube enabled sharing the fandom, visually! And who could’ve imagined. From the original MFU run in prime time during the Sixties, using a tape recorder (I did) just to listen to the episode again. To VCRs in the Eighties which saved our fan’s soul. Then DVRs and DVDs, ohmygad, opening the door to do-it-yourself reproductions. 

In the day, only a few challenges. Like limited and tricky Tech. Videotape quality. Various formats. Much to be taken for granted, today, and easy enough to flick through them.  Also of their day, interesting choices of music. Do we still love Duran, Duran as much? Bravo for when favorites, never go out of favor. And welcome to new classics in the making. 

Deciding how to do a fanvid. Was it the popularity of the song combined with a great subject, to make a fandom “music video.”  Or the love of the series that deserved to be expressed through the music. Which hooked me, at least.  When music is the priority, then truly knowing how to sync it to the clips, just punches up the video's expressions and emotions.

SKELETON KEY  (by educatedinyellow, 2020, 8,200+ views) shared recently at the Canteen Secret Santa Party, based on technicality wins my top prize at the moment.  Though for nostalgia is my all-time favorite is Charmed Life (see below). The creator of the Skeleton Key has a channel full of other subject vids. I exchanged with SK who remained humble, helpful and encouraging! What a nice spirit. Like so many MFU fans seem to be! 

From 15 years ago the pioneers should be celebrated.  Who took hours (make that ditto) of combing through footage. Video tape is S_L_O_W. When taken from a secondary source (you'll notice the watermark) quality is reduced, which effects editing. The fanvids that sparky955 provided (see the links below) are interesting examples that inspired this Post.  A fast-paced 3 minute video can mean mixing dozens (ditto) of clips. To stay under copyright radar, remixing small and previously posted clips helps. Detection of large segments of a repo will be blocked. "Fair Use" is still debatable no matter the wishful interpretation. It's about who's watching what.  A sequence as short as a couple of frames can block public view of the, while not touching any of part of the same episode (is my experience). Some Music Rights consortiums, much tougher than others. Certain songs will never get posted without a permission from the owner (ex. Time After Time, Cyndi Luper). Though YT will auto-permission most songs with a proper credit, denoting not for monetization to the originator. 

The MFU vidding high point began at the beginning, then continuing through MFU’s 50th anniversary. With interest switching over to the 2015 Movie, but not having as much play with limited footage. Another surge in 2016. But a steady stream of MFU original material taken from the series has dwindled.  Focus going over to NCIS with probably as great a fandom of their own. Regarding MFU my hunch is believing that it’s hard to put a new spin on the established fan-favorite clips.

But am not convinced by that.  Over four years ago my first and favorite fanvid ever is  CHARMED LIFE (by nella, 2008, 30,221 views). I could NOT ever get that elegant presentation out of my mind!  But it took over 4 years, not having a single clue or anyone else telling me how to do them. Sarted remixing clips with new music, but wanted to create vids in a unique way.

Namely the vid being interpreted by the music, along with putting the suggestion of a storyline (theme) into the YT intro space. Also adding some trivia and MFU backstory to justify the Post (Fair Use qualifies repurposeful or transformative work).  One original 3-part video took over 3 months, and hundreds of small clips, manually rearranged.  I love the music most of all, including editing that too. Wanting all of it to be playlist worthy by itself, even without the visual. In my file are 300+ minutes of music, still discovering more, easily converted and filed.

So the moral of the tale, is when a fanvid favorite truly catches your heart, give the creator a thumbs up. That person has worked very hard.  But know that any number of views are appreciated! 

From Channel“R” - Thank you Subscribers and Visitors, can’t be said enough!

Your ideas and suggestions based on favorite episodes, along with music are welcomed. If it gets by copyright, it’s all good!

Sparky955's choices:  (and Thank You!)

Russian Dancing Man — RachelJurasic, 2011 13,225 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld-bHLuMPaI&ab_channel=RachelJurasic

The Boys Are Back — Esther S, 2012, 8581 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEYVQnMUjQw&ab_channel=ESTHERS

Bow Wow (I Want Candy) -spotsycool,  2011, 7,386 views 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1iRdJlf2Is&t=75s&ab_channel=spotsycool

Bedroom Toys, 2007, 28,745 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIUwzEonlro&ab_channel=ndannais