Lost Video Island

[LVI Council]

This month’s featured member is the incredibly talented Ali (aradnea)!



Ali has been a part of LVI since 2008, and her 37 videos have all earned gold VPs and CPs! Her vids are always very well edited and entertaining, and range from AUs to shippy vids to ensemble vids and character studies. All her vids are done with equal amounts of talent and dedication, and we’re always excited to see what else Ali has to offer!


1) What got you interested in vidding?

I remember it was somewhere between second and third Harry Potter movie I was following this fanpage called Mugglenet (still kicking) and saw the very first fanmade video in my life. As I recall, YouTube did not even exist yet, so in order to watch videos you had to download it on your PC. Which, with my slow connection, took hours. I watched couple of those videos and after awhile I started swapping music in them, for something more "fitting" Of course, I never published any of those "swapped" videos
Then LOST started and I loved it so much that I wanted to make my very own music video about it. I started downloading clips and episodes. And the rest is history

2) Do you have a tip, trick, or technique to share?

Kill the song Pick a song and listen to it over and over again, until you know every word and every sound in it.
Side effect: once you are finished with the video, you probably won't be able to listen to that song for a long time.
Happens to me every time

3) What are your favorite current fandoms?
Glee, Fringe, The Hunger Games - those are the ones that I vid most, but there are many many more

4) What was your first vid and what is your favorite vid you've done?
My first video ever was LOST ensemble vid to some fast beat song. It was made in Windows Movie Maker and aside from hitting some of the beats, it was totally unedited. I remember that I got only one comment that said something like: "thanks, I was looking for that whole scene"
My favourite? Gee, that's a tough one. I got couple of favourites and each for different reasons. Can I name 3?
Ramalama - cause it was my first video that ever won anything.
It's been awhile - cause with this one I used effects and transitions that I couldn't figure out before.
The funeral - cause it took me a long time to finish and in the end I was really proud of it.

5) Do you have any goals as far as skill improvement or dream projects?
I would love to be able to do awesome manips using advanced masking skills. I like to think that the only thing standing in my way is my laziness, but I don't really know if I have the skills yet. I guess that vidding is a very dynamic branch of art, where you can always learn something new.
As for the dream projects: if I could edit videos and get paid for it, it would be a dream come true

6) You have made some awesome AU vids. How do you go about coming up with storylines for them?
Well, part of the AU videos (especially the ones that I do with Nina) are based on a role playing game.
But aside from that, believe it or not, I just go with the flow. I almost never have a vidding plan when I start to make a video. I have some ideas for couple of scenes and that's it.
Maybe that's why I have so many unfinished projects

7) You seem to vid for a variety of fandoms with all kinds of music. Do you choose a song before deciding to vid something, or do you pick a fandom first?
I do both, actually. Sometimes I come across a perfect song that I know will match some fandom perfectly. Like it was with Lost and Found for Glee or Dance on our graves for Fringe. I listen to that song and I see glimpses of scenes that I want to edit. Then I just have to fill in the blanks and voilà
Having idea for a video first is so much harder. Sometimes I literally spend hours searching for a song that will be of use. And usually those projects end up being unfinished. But sometimes they go pretty well, like Fairytale I remember that I wanted to vid Once upon a time and I wanted it to be uplifting, so I just typed in "fairytale" on YouTube. And I got pretty lucky

Featured videos:
Fairytale - Once Upon a Time - A fun, upbeat, and clever Once Upon a Time ensemble vid.
The Hunger Games - Sail - a rockin' Hunger Games tribute that perfectly encompasses the chaotic storyline
Dollhouse Movie Trailer - a superbly edited, intense, movie-style trailer for the TV show Dollhouse

Thanks for being such a great member of the site, Ali!

(Don't know what the Featured Member is? Read here to learn more. )

[Ninu]

Wow, I'm so proud of my little girl Especially, since she was the one who actually got me into vidding, taught me so much in it and simply is such a great friend for... wow. It's like 5 years now

Congratulations on your interview, you really deserve to be picked for it. Luv ya ♥

[Im1oftheOceanic6]

Congrats Ali!

Great interview!

Your 'Fairytale-Once Upon a Time' video is one of my all time favorites. It always puts a smile on my face.

Macaila

[Uruviel]

Congrats Ali! Great interview, I love what you said about the song choice! I'm like that too, I'll vid a song that I am totally obsessed with, and once the vid is done I am no longer obsessed.

[Brooke]

Congratulations; it was really interesting reading that because I love to make AUs as well.

[aradnea]

Hey guys.

Thank you so much

I am so proud to be a part of LVI. I seriously love this awesome community.

<3

[KajaM]

Great interview, Ali! It's so cool that you got interested in vidding through Harry Potter, aww! It's one of my all-time favourite fandoms and yeah, I've been visiting Mugglenet over and over again as well in the past