VID (really!): The New Age

[promethia_tenk]

So I made a vid . . . my first . . . please be kind *frets*



Title: The New Age
Fandom: Doctor Who, Moffat era, Clara
Song: 'Radioactive,' by Imagine Dragons
Length: 3:04
Spoilers: Through 'The Rings of Akhaten'

Summary: Clara Who

A/N: For Elisi. Who likes vids, I hear ; ) And without whom this would not exist.
This has basically been eating my life for a month and a half.
I assume this song is horribly over-vidded?

Download (32.5 MB mp4, Mediafire)


Lyrics: 'Radioactive'

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive

I raise my flag, don my clothes
It's a revolution, I suppose
We're painted red to fit right in
Whoa

I'm breaking in, shaping up, then checking out on the prison bus
This is it, the apocalypse
Whoa

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive

All systems go, the sun hasn't died
Deep in my bones, straight from inside

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones
Enough to make my systems blow
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Welcome to the new age, to the new age
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm radioactive, radioactive

Comments

[ladymercury_10]

Wow, I'm really impressed! There is some really cool parallel imagery in there. And plus, it's just a really good song. Nice job, especially for your first vid!

[promethia_tenk]

aksldfjsd;askdjf;dkfj, a comment!

<3 <3 <3

[bendingwind]

Omg that was INCREDIBLE. The cuts were awesome and the imagery is perfect and i am sliiightly biased because i'm a liiittle obsessed with that song rn but seriously GREAT.

[promethia_tenk]

=DDD Thank you! I am slightly obsessed with that song as well. Or I was until I listened to it approximately a gabazillion times. I still can't get over that base beat.

[kaffy_r]

Really good song, great consistent imagery - first vid? Really? Fine, fine work!

[promethia_tenk]

First vid. Really : )

Thank you so much.

[elisi]

It exists!!!!



And you dedicated it to me! ♥ ♥ ♥

Everything is beautiful.

[promethia_tenk]

IT EXISTS!

Of course I dedicated it to you : )

And thank you for the pimp!

ETA: finally have a download up!

[owlboy]

I am obsessed with this song/band now because of yOOUUU

and your timing is excellent

[promethia_tenk]

I regret nothing ; )

Thank you!

[purplefringe]

Aw man, this is your FIRST VID? That's not fair! Your first vid is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE this great! The timing and use of the beats is perfect, all the parallels and jump-cutting are fab, and I think there are lots of meta-y layers in here that I shall have to watch many more times to discover. Do you have a download link?

[promethia_tenk]

My very first vid. I am expecting it to disappear and never had existed ANY MOMENT because surely it is not real!

Thank you so much, I am flattered *g*

There is, indeed, a ridiculous amount of meta in there. About three year's worth of built-up meta ; )

I will try to get you a download tonight! Wanted to have one already, but got caught in a place between 'I need this thing done and posted NOW' and 'I really need to go to bed and not be signing up for another online service.'

[purplefringe]

You know, on a 3rd viewing, what I actually find most impressive is how seamlessly all the footage from Akhaten is weaved in there, given that you've been working on this for a month and a half and that ep only aired a few days ago! How much did you have to rejig it, to get it to fit? Or did it just slot right in?

Also - 'I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones' - did you send this song to Murray Gold before he wrote the songs for Akhaten?! "Dear Murray, I am making a vid about the Doctor's emotional journey. Please include some of these lyrics in a symbolically significant song in the next ep. Yours, Promethia'

?

[promethia_tenk]

I am ridiculously pleased with how the latest episode worked out. I really had to change very little--just the immediate line they appeared in. Basically those two sections had been giving me some difficulty. They were ok, but a little meh, especially compared to Amy and her sword *g* And Elisi was especially badgering me to change the Doctor's section, which I agreed should happen but I kept not doing it. And then this episode aired and it was basically like: Dear Promethia, We heard you needed some footage for your vid, so we put this episode together for you. Oh, and while we were at it we decided to work your song's lyrics in, just for kicks. Hope that's ok! Love, the Beeb.

So that was nice of them . . .

But really I think what it works out to is that, on a symbolic level, this is actually a deeply consistent and predictable show. Moff is a tricksy bastard who likes to tell you what he's going to do and then do it ; )

[promethia_tenk]

Have a download for you, finally! Thank you again : )

[purplefringe]

SQUEEEEEEE! Thank you! Shall nab it when I get home tonight.

They were ok, but a little meh, especially compared to Amy and her sword

Amy and her sword is SO EPIC OMG. That footage is glorious anyway, but you really use it to its full effect, I think.

Speaking of the Amy section - I'm really intrigued by that shot of Oswin peeking out, after the Amy-Pond-through-the-ages section - what are you hinting at there? Oswin as the Doctor's family? Oswin as an egg/seed? It's been bothering me! I'd be really interested to know your thoughts about the whole Ponds section, actually.

I love all the Clara/Tardis bits you have going on later, which link her with the Tardis/Idris/Gallifrey.

I....may have been thinking about this too much.*hides*

[promethia_tenk]

Amy and her sword is SO EPIC OMG. That footage is glorious anyway, but you really use it to its full effect, I think.
*grins* Thank you. All the big sweeping, swirling sections were kind of insanely fun to do!

I'm really intrigued by that shot of Oswin peeking out, after the Amy-Pond-through-the-ages section - what are you hinting at there? Oswin as the Doctor's family? Oswin as an egg/seed? It's been bothering me!
Here I was thinking that, as nobody seems to be taking the bait, obviously I've not been nearly shameless enough in my insinuations ; )

Clara who? Clara Who.

Specifically I think she is the Doctor and River's. He's not a monk!

I thought I was pretty darn shameless . . . Though I didn't want someone who disagreed with me not to be able to enjoy the vid. I wanted to toe a line where, whether or not my conclusions proved right, my observations would still be valid.

I'd be really interested to know your thoughts about the whole Ponds section, actually.
<3 Bless you. What do you want to know? There's a lot there! I subtitled it in my head "love is a psychopath," which is a quote from Jekyll which I think basically explains Moff's use of the word in relation to River. Love as a dangerous, intensely focused, animalistic urge to protect one's loved ones. By which standards all the Ponds are psychopaths. I think the Ponds were good for the Doctor in the way that a hot oil treatment is good for split ends: ordinary care wasn't going to cut it, the man needed intensive reconditioning. The other main thing I kept in mind for this section (and the whole vid) was the idea that "all the women are one woman." I think Amy, River, and Clara act, on a symbolic level, as one multi-faceted unit in relation to the Doctor and his growth (and all the apocalypses are the same apocalypse, events of death and rebirth and growth, presided over by them). A sort of maiden/mother/crone triple goddess figure. So I deliberately drew as many parallels between the three women as I could and used multi-generational imagery (like in the "painted red to fit right in" section) to blend them together as much as possible in all their roles and associations. Is that what you're looking for?

I....may have been thinking about this too much.*hides*
If such a thing is possible, then I think we're all in a lot of trouble ; )

I keep meaning to read your huge, rambly meta post, by the way. I started, was loving what I saw, and then life kept interfering. I've still got it open, though!

[purplefringe]

I didn't want someone who disagreed with me not to be able to enjoy the vid. I wanted to toe a line where, whether or not my conclusions proved right, my observations would still be valid.

I think you do tread that line! The parallels are still there, wherever they are leading. More importantly, your observations can be interpreted in different ways, depending on what the viewer's own theories are. I mentioned how much I like the bits that link Clara to Gally/the Tardis, because my personal theories are headed in that sort of direction.

I think she is the Doctor and River's. He's not a monk!

Monks are NOT cool. Seriously - I would REALLY REALLY LOVE her to be his and River's granddaughter, but the random shoe-horned flirting in TBOSJ and the kiss at xmas disconcerted me somewhat. I know he has kissed both he parents-in-law, but this is slightly different.

Love as a dangerous, intensely focused, animalistic urge to protect one's loved ones. By which standards all the Ponds are psychopaths...the Doctor needed intensive reconditioning.

omg YES. That is a great line, that makes so much sense! All that 'I would tear time apart for you' stuff...River doesn't get it all from Kovarian, sweetie. I was interested to hear the thoughts behind this section - initially it made me think of the vid such_heights and I made in the mid-Season-6 hiatus, 'Howl', which was kind of all about that, and also about the weaponising effect the Doctor can have on his companions. But I like this positive spin on it better - the 'reconditioning' effect they have on him, the cauterising of the wound.

A sort of maiden/mother/crone triple goddess figure

Definitely got this! This comes through very strongly in the 'painted red' section - I kind of saw Oswin popping out at the end of that bit as a sort of question. As in, we've seen Amy Pond's whole life, and her whole life in relation to the Doctor. Who/what is coming next? And as I said, I also liked the link to the theme of rebirth, which I associate with Clara.

In conclusion: plz to be making more vids.

[promethia_tenk]

I think you do tread that line! The parallels are still there, wherever they are leading. More importantly, your observations can be interpreted in different ways, depending on what the viewer's own theories are.
It is good to hear that, thank you!

I mentioned how much I like the bits that link Clara to Gally/the Tardis, because my personal theories are headed in that sort of direction.
I possibly hedged my bets there (and threw Elisi a bone, since she likes that one too). But I figure if I'm right, then she really is a little bit TARDIS (through River), if you're right then it fits perfectly, and if she's some other sort of Gallifreyan-flavored thing, then we've got the idea of timey-ness-but-not-necessarily-Time-Lord in there. Plus Idris did play that role of prophet for River's coming, so I'm perfectly happy to co-opt her to do the same for Clara!

Monks are NOT cool. Seriously - I would REALLY REALLY LOVE her to be his and River's granddaughter, but the random shoe-horned flirting in TBOSJ and the kiss at xmas disconcerted me somewhat. I know he has kissed both he parents-in-law, but this is slightly different.
I probably have too many arguments at hand for why I'm basically ok with this, but really it comes down to thinking the collectively weight of four-plus years of accumulated symbolism has more weight than a little accidental incest squick. Strictly in-world, I feel like if the Doctor really did run into a descendant and neither of them had any idea . . . that is what would happen. Otherwise you have to start coming up with explanations for why the Doctor is suddenly not flirting with random strangers.

omg YES. That is a great line, that makes so much sense! All that 'I would tear time apart for you' stuff...River doesn't get it all from Kovarian, sweetie. I was interested to hear the thoughts behind this section - initially it made me think of the vid such_heights and I made in the mid-Season-6 hiatus, 'Howl', which was kind of all about that, and also about the weaponising effect the Doctor can have on his companions. But I like this positive spin on it better - the 'reconditioning' effect they have on him, the cauterising of the wound.
Oh, I completely adore 'Howl,' and it was definitely on my mind when I was doing this section. It's probably still my favorite season six vid, and I remember how . . . fantastically cathartic it was when that first came out in the hiatus between AGMGTW and LKH. Like this explosion of all this stuff that had been eating at me. Season six was a bit rough . . . And I definitely appreciated that accusative edge to it, back then. But I've kind of come to love the Pond family trait? So I watch it a bit differently now, and I wanted this section of my vid to highlight this more positive (if still very dangerous) interpretation. But I totally use "Howl" as short-hand for this whole complex of ideas--both to myself and with other people. I'll say: "It's like Howl . . "

If you've never watched Jekyll, btw, I cannot recommend it enough. It's stunning and only six hours long, and it is like the . . . raw, dark, subconscious of Moffat's Who stripped of all the distractions and embellishments and civilizing layers (definitely not written for eight year olds) and laid out in dense, metaphorical glory. If you've ever had any doubts whether Moffat means all this symbolism stuff to be in there, Jekyll's pretty much proof that he absolutely does.

As in, we've seen Amy Pond's whole life, and her whole life in relation to the Doctor. Who/what is coming next? And as I said, I also liked the link to the theme of rebirth, which I associate with Clara.
In my head, Clara literally popped out of Amy Pond's grave. Like flowers. So convenient, then, that Clara is always surrounded by flowers!

In conclusion: plz to be making more vids.
=D Yay, thank you! Am already ; )

[ms_prue]

Aaaah this is all kinds of brilliant and clever and beautiful! Well done!

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you, very much <3

[lokifan]

Excellent!

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you!

[thisbluespirit]

Wow, this is amazing! Lovely! (And when I saw that moment with Clara that you started with there, I wanted to vid it, and I'm so glad that someone has, because it needed to be done.) ♥

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you for the kind words : )

And I agree: it's a completely beautiful scene. I can't believe there aren't a million vids of it already. (Do you mean specifically that very first shot? Because I love how long she stares at her hand!)

[thisbluespirit]

The whole scene, really - I've only seen the Christmas special the once, not enough to take in more than that initial impression that it was something that would be beautiful to vid. And you did, and it was! :-)

[kass]

Oh, this is thoroughly lovely! I love a lot of the clip juxtapositions -- Amy shooting the Doctor with the water pistol, River shooting his hat -- and you hit a lot of powerful emotional buttons here. And the song, which might have seemed over-the-top for a human POV character, feels just right for the Doctor. I like all the different ways the metaphor of radioactivity can work: the gold light of regeneration, the ways in which he can't help being dangerous to the humans around him. Beautiful stuff. And for a first vid, holy wow! I hope you will make more. <3

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you so much <3

I think the song worked out wonderfully. So powerful and yet very simple for all that? And very flexible. I had a lot of fun figuring out how to interpret things like "radioactive" and "feel it in my bones" and "apocalypse" for each verse. I had a lot of ideas that I wanted jammed in here, so I liked the feeling that I wasn't competing with any complicated lyrics, but that they could be an armature to hang everything on. I'm glad it worked for you as a viewer!

Thank you again. I hope I'll be making more soon too : )

[honeynoir]

Hellooo, this is amaaaaaazing!

I'm really admiring the... rhythm -- the cuts and the beat and the events. Did you get all the important bits of four seasons into one vid? Because I think you did. <3

And first vid what. Vidding talent! (On top of all the other talents, ofc.)

[promethia_tenk]

<3 <3 <3

Thank you! I loooooooove the rhythm of this song, so I'm glad the editing has worked for it : )

Did you get all the important bits of four seasons into one vid? Because I think you did. <3
That was certainly my intention!

And first vid what. Vidding talent! (On top of all the other talents, ofc.)
*g* It is remarkably like writing meta to a beat!

[niyalune]

AAHHHH this is wonderful ! The pacing, the timing, the movement are just excellent. And you used such gorgeous shots ! I also love all the parallels and the meta OMG, it's basically perfect. You're so, so good at this :D

As for the song, it has been vidded a lot in several fandoms, but I love it and I think you made the best use of it I've seen yet.

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you so much! (And sorry for the late reply . . . life /o\) You have such lovely vids; it's wonderful to get such encouragement from you.

As for the song, it has been vidded a lot in several fandoms, but I love it and I think you made the best use of it I've seen yet.
*grins* Thank you, that is good to know. I would be shocked if it wasn't, but the idea had already grabbed on to me, so . . . I did stumble over and watch a few other vids using it, but they all seemed to be approaching it in a much more literal manner. I made sure to stop myself (watching) while I still felt like I liked what I was doing better. Figured it was better to put on the blinders and plow ahead ; )

[calvinahobbes]

This is really, really excellent. I am so impressed with your mastering of source, the way you've combined the clips, and how smooth and intense the movement is throughout. Wow! I'll be re-watching a bunch of times.

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you so much, especially with respect to the movement! I did not expect to get as preoccupied with that as I did, and it is lovely to hear that it was not wasted effort : )

(Late reply is late--I am very sorry.)

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is seriously your first vid? I know nothing about vidding, but this is simply stunning! Great song choice, and the result was stunning. I simply loved it!

[promethia_tenk]

*g* Thank you. Yes, seriously my first vid. Though I think I can safely say that I have been working on it for three years (accumulating ideas), so it hasn't exactly been a small effort ; )

[fannishnonsense]

Wow, this is amazing, especially for a first vid!

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you so much <3

[lonewytch]

OMG your first vid??? Vey impressive, it's brilliant for a first. I adore this song anyway, and this vid totally gave me shivers. Some really interesting mirrors in there.

[promethia_tenk]

Thank you <3 (And thank you, thank you for the pimp. I have been horribly remiss in responding to things, but you made my day!) The song is amazing, isn't it? Still obsessed with it (those drums!).

Some really interesting mirrors in there.
I have resorted to vidding because I can't even imagine how to write meta for this show anymore. Too many layers. Too many mirrors /o\