Advice?

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

I'm just finishing up my vid for the Vividcon premiere show, and it's a movie vid, to a film that relies pretty heavily on its plot twists. It's not M. Night Shyamalan, but same sort of issues; part of the movie's concept is the mystery of what's going on.

I've already tested it out (accidentally, and thank goodness she didn't mind) on a friend who hasn't seen the film, and am fairly confident that I haven't given away all the plotpoints, but it's still spoileriffic, by nature.

So, for the vidshow, given that I won't have the option of a neat little summary on my webpage to warn the spoiler-averse to rent the movie first, would it be a kindness to have a pre-vid "Spoiler Warning! If you haven't seen the film and you don't like spoilers, now would be a good time to...er...close your eyes..." title? Or do you think it would distract from the vid itself or annoy viewers/VJ's?

Comments

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

Will there be programs at Vividcon? There were at the vid show at the last Escapade (the only one I've been to.) They showed what vids we'd be seeing, title / song / fandom and vidder... if there's something similar at Vividcon, I think you could consider people amply warned.

Either that or-- is there a vividcon e-mail list, for people going to the con? E-mail the list and tell them all to watch the movie beforehand. ;)

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

Personally, I would be highly amused by it.

[destina.livejournal.com]

I tend to assume any vid I watch will spoil me in some way for the source material. I don't know how it could be otherwise. I don't think a warning is necessary.

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

It would depend on how long the vidshow was and how tired I was of sitting, whether I found it amusing or annoying. As for being necessary or not, I would think any person with a brain would assume that a vid is going to spoil a person for the source material. I hear the audience at VVC is mostly made up of people with brains. But ... you can never be too sure ;) There's one in every crowd!

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

Last year someone did a Pirates of the Caribbean vid and put a warning in front for that very reason, so there is a precident for it.

I also heard several people make appreciative noises for the spoiler warning. I myself thought it was a great idea. She made it funny and part of the vid by using her pirate-y typeface and phrasing the warning as, "Keep a weather eye open, for there be spoilers ahead. Savvy? -Captain Jack Sparrow."

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Yeah, normally I would too - but it's a movie along the lines of (but not) the Sixth Sense, in which the spoilers really might ruin the movie for people, and it's in the premiere show, not set out in the movie vids show, so that's why I'm feeling uber-cautious about it. Because I have actually seen a fan (when talking about why she doesn't like fic warnings) mention this particular movie as one that someone spoiled for her and made her never want to see now, as well as upset at the spoiler-er.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and I don't even really want the amusing reaction, because it's a deadly non-humourous vid. I just - as I commented to Destina -- am oversensitive about the particular movie because it's such a plot-twist-based thing. Not saying people are stupid - I've just never been to VividCon before, don't know if there's to be a program of the actual vids shown in each show available beforehand (it seems like that would be an incredible amount of work for the con staff). So I don't know if it's a matter of "people are responsible for what they choose to watch, don't go to a show that has vids for source you haven't seen" or "anyone watching any vidshow knows the risk of being spoiled; it's part of being a vid fan that you take that risk."

I'm a spoilerwhore and *don't* mind being spoiled, so it's sort of like cooking without tastebuds - I don't know how the non-spoiler-loving world thinks, so I'm possibly overcautious and making a big deal out of nothing.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

I don't know - if there were programs where the fandom was listed, I think you're right - I wouldn't be concerned at all. I haven't been to this con before, so I'm unsure. Offhand, with the sheer number of vidshows and panels-that-will-show-vids, it seems like it might be a logistal nightmare for the con staff to do anything more detailed than the schedule of show-and-panel topics, but OTOH the vidshows are pre-burned to DVD, so there's an advanced list right there. Obviously if I had a working brain (or hadn't posted at 1 a.m. *g*) I'd have thought to ask on the con mailing list.

Which exists, but I don't really want to draw attention to myself on it in terms of my specific vid and whether people have seen the source - I'm half feeling like even poking about for advice here could be misinterpreted as trying to build up hype (for a vid that's definitely not hypeworthy stuff; I'm just a paranoid sort.)

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Ha! I would've been amused too. Though that's a different issue - the distracting from the vid one, because if my warning amused just by its very existence, it would actually set the wrong mood for the vid, which I don't think you could squeeze funny out of with a garlic press.

So it seems like for many it might be unneeded (and possibly make people think I'm paranoid, which I am) but at least a few might be grateful for it. Maybe I'll go for something as straightforward as possible - "Warning - contains spoilers for [movie]" and try to keep it as short as possible for people who don't care about the warning.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

cough*logistical*cough

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

If it's a creepy movie, maybe you could match the mood of that with your warning. I think it's possible to do this kind of thing without taking away from the vid, regardless of what kind of vid it is. sisabet is another one who's really got a knack for making her titles part of the vid. I think we could all benefit from thinking of warnings, titles, etc. as part of the cohesive whole.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Heh - that's possibly good, possibly bad, as the vid itself t'aint funny at all. Though the issue there might just be making a warning card that was as quick and neutrally-toned as possible.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

The Pirates of the Carribean warning worked because the movie was still in the theatres at the time. If you are making a vid for a movie that has been out for some time, I don't think any spoiler warnings are necessary. And yes, we do have programs, and yes, you can write your own blurb. My suggestion would be to put "contains spoilers" in your vid blurb in the program. I (personally) think spoiler warnings for something that's already rentable (or aired this past season or what-have-you) are unnecessary.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

It is a creepy movie, yes. My actual titles are fairly worked into the musc already with no real room to drop a warning except before the vid starts, but I'll ponder a style that would match the mood of the vid without tipping it over into the melodramatic. (I agree; Sisabet is very good with the integration of titles and other ... ephemera? Flotsam? Informational stuffs? Wonder if there's a word for it.)

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The fact that there are programs really solves my issue, I think. I think as long as people know the name of the film in advance, I'm good. (And obviously, if I hadn't been braindead and posting at 1:30 in the morning, I'd have thought to just ask you guys about that first. But I didn't think of the existence of programs until Livia brought it up.)

I agree with you, for my own viewing habits (I also have philosophical confusion over people who want spoiler-protection for tv episodes where the entire season, possibly two, coughBetterBuffyFicscough, has already aired in its country of origin, though I have no problem complying with their wishes) - I've just gone paranoid due to the number of People Whose Brains Don't Work Like Mine that I've come across in fandom.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

if I hadn't been braindead and posting at 1:30 in the morning, I'd have thought to just ask you guys about that first

Hee. No problem. And no need to be paranoid. If someone sees a vid begin, doesn't recognize the source, and decides to keep watching, that is *their look-out* if they are spoiled for something they haven't seen yet. Plus? It's a vid show. There is a 99% chance that there will be *something* each person in the audience has yet to see. That's just a given.

Except me - I get to see everything first. ;)

Runs away, screaming the "BURNINATING" song at the top of her lungs

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

...ok, it's just me, right, whose brain went to the "Wonder if someone should vid/has vidded that..." place?

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

You are really very kind to give such thought and consideration to others about being spoiler-free :)

There is a program, usually, I don't know how detailed it is. You could ask tzikeh, who knows All Things VVC.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

You are really very kind to give such thought and consideration to others about being spoiler-free :) Or possibly just very paranoid about being yelled at by the upset. *g*

Tzikeh sent me an email describing the programs, and they sound like more than I could possibly ask for, both the set my paranoia at ease, and as a viewer. *drools in anticipation*

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

The program is a thing of beauty and I think involved advanced calculus and applied physics to make. I'm guessing on the last part - but the program is *extremely* nice and gives all vids their due. If your vid is out on DVD or VHS - then do not worry about spoilers at all. Seriously - at all.

Last year Zen vidded Hard Core Logo to "Monster" - it was one of the more talked about vids in the premiere show *and* it contained the hugest, massivest spoiler it possibly could have.

I have not seen the movie and I was spoiled - do I care? Nah, not at all cause - dude - *that* was the choice she needed to make to make her vid the vid it needed to be. Also - I have had plenty of time to see this movie and yet I have not. I knew going into the vid that it was source I was not familiar with - so breathe easy. No one will grumble and if they do grumble then they need to chill and I will tell them so. :) Loudly.

::so excited::

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

::so excited::

Like I told Tzikeh, I can't believe the con is only 2-ish weeks away. Nooo! I need more time to freak out!

[sisabet.livejournal.com]

BURNINATING!!!! It is that time of the year again. This is JUST like Christmas only without the religious guilt. YAY!!!

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

One of my fondest memories of last year's premiere show was of Here's Luck sitting quietly with her head down and her eyes shut through all of the Farscape vids. She didn't peek once.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Awww! That's scarily cute very dedicated!

[renenet.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is. The cute dedicated part is that she would have done it anyway, even if tzikeh hadn't threatened to kick her ass.