Lost Video Island

[LVI Council]

LVI's Featured Member for October is.....Sophie (benlinusisagoodguy)!



A member since 2007, Sophie has over 140 vids on-site and has earnt herself a whopping 117 Viewer Picks in that time! Well known for her comedic videos, her brilliantly manipped AUs, and her ability to create atmospheres that capture the viewer, Sophie was an obvious choice for this month's Featured Member. Here's our interview with benlinusisagoodguy!

1) What got you interested in vidding?

I think it was just stumbling on a few Lost fan videos on youtube, I remember finding Paul's videos think it was his "rominator" video and was so impressed, and I thought "heh I can have a go." Started messing about with WMM and kinda worked up just from there, with help from tutorials etc.

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

A thing I tend to do and sometimes it can be a chore but worth it after, is to start a new project file and then cut an episode down. Like I pick the "main/important" scenes or if I think something would look artisitc etc and I delete the random/unesscary scenes. Till then I have about 10/15 mins of footage to play with. It just makes vidding a little bit more easier/quicker to work with.

3) What are your favorite current fandoms?

Well Lost will always be in my heart. It was my first show that really got me into the whole fandom thing. Meeting great people online etc, so I'm thankful for that show. But my current fandoms, is The Walking Dead. As some of you may know lol. My best friend asked me if I was going to watch it. I hadn't heard anything about it and looked it up on youtube seeing the trailer for the first season, and knowing I was a horror fan I was gonna love it and I am officially hooked and obsessed rofl! I have read all the comics now since s2 finished and I'm a fan of both the comic and show. Other shows I like to watch are Doctor Who, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Person of Interest.

4) What was your first vid and what is your favorite vid you've done?

Oh Gosh! My first vid was a Bocke vid ROFL (not surprising is it?) looking back it at now its so cringey to watch lol!
Favourtie video to choose? I have so many I think Ben Linus "One Week" i adore coz its just so funny, and "John remembers" because again it was a funny moment. But my current fav atm is "no church in the wild" from Walking Dead. Rick's strut at the beginning says it all LOL.

5) Do you have any goals as far as skill improvement or dream projects?

I would like to suss out Adobe After Effects, I've messed about with it a few years now, mainly using templates and creating something out of them, but I would really like to learn how to use it and make something on my own.
Another goal/dream is that the actors/actresses/writers/producers etc from the walking dead get to see some of my videos. In the past two of my videos went "viral" and it got a little bit crazy. They were Hurley: "Party in the USA" and a Lost/Baywatch crossover. Jorge Garcia posted the Hurley one on his own blog because everyone kept asking if he had seen it. Carlton Cuse tweeted it as well as another writer from the show. lol
I wouldn't want the big hype lol! Just seeing that they appreicate the work etc, I did tweet Norman Reedus a link to "baby shot me down" when I uploaded it and he responded within minutes saying it was amazing. To hear feedback from them does make you feel a little proud.

6) Your videos all have very strong atmospheres, do you have a firm idea of the colouring and effects you want to use before you start a video, or is it something that develops during the vidding process?

Usually it starts with a song, if I hear something and I can picture the scenes in my head thats when I know im starting a new project. Usually I will listen to the track over and over and I will jot down scenes I think will fit well etc. I usually put in the scenes that come to my head in first and then sort fill in the gaps.
Coloring again I base it on what type of song it is, if its like a fun pop song then I tend to go light colours, if it's rock/dark/dubstep type of music then I go dark with my colouring and will use grunge type textures. For me it really depends on the music you are using. But I will play about with colours for hours before I've even started working on the actual video. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I will mess around until I know its right.


7) You've created some impressive manips in your AU vids, what advice would you give to vidders who are trying to make believable AU scenes?

Do your research! Look up the actors/actresses other work they have done, there might be useful scenes you can use. Try to think off good scenes that could match up well.
Use voiceovers it helps to tell the story better. When I work on my "annie" vids I tend to watch a lot of Evangeline Lilly work mainly just listening to see if there is anthing useful to use. Kinda like I do with cutting down episodes I do the same with voice overs in an episode if I think it would fit in the story I'm trying to tell I will use it.
Another thing is colouring, for me I can spend hours just adjusting a scene from lost or something so it would match up with the other scene from the walking dead. For example in safe and sound when they in the bar "Annie" (Evangeline Lilly) fits in perfectly that she was there when they get ambushed. If you match the colours to both scenes you are using it looks more believeable.


Feautured Videos:
Party In The U.S.A - A fun-flled Hurley vid which picked up a lot of attention!
Safe & Sound - An emotive The Walking Dead AU vid with Sophie's OC character 'Annie'.
The Walking Dead (S2 tribute) - A tribute to the second season of The Walking Dead with an intense atmosphere.

Congratulations, Sophie!

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

[emmasholi]

Congratulations, Sophie! I loved hearing your answers!
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[Im1oftheOceanic6]

Congrats Sophie! I love your Ben Linus 'One Week' vid,it is so funny. That is really cool that your work has been seen by people like Jorge and Carlton.

Macaila

[Uruviel]

Congrats Sophie! I really enjoyed your interview!
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Heather

[Brooke]

Congratulations. I had no idea Norman commented; how exciting. (I adore him)

Your answers were so fascinating!!!

[HobbitRockGod]

Congratulations, Sophie!
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art by me&tammy

[eloramoon]

Congratulations, Sophie! I really enjoyed your interview!
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[Wildcat]

Congratulations, Sophie!
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*~Summer~*

[xSoppySofax]

thank you everyone
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