My FFVIII music video, and the story of it's creation
For those who just wanna watch a AMV, click the link
http://files.filefront.com/FF8___Sup.../fileinfo.html
But for those wanting a bit of a slice of life to go with their FFVIII fan service, read on.
This is a AMV I made a while ago, I would like to say a bit about this video.
I've always been fascinated by the theme's of redemption, perseverance, suffering for noble causes. I guess this could be why I like the story of Don Quixote so much. Years ago, I started dabbling in the hobby of making a few AMV's, but with using Final Fantasy footage. A few of the ones I created were fanciful creations, simply for fun. But during this period that I was dabbling in this hobby, a string of tragedies hit my life. The darkest of which were the ending of my engagement , very badly I might add, and the death of a close and dearly loved family member. This was the last AMV I made, and I feel a certain fondness for this one.
During this period of my life, I became very fond of the Superman Song by Five For Fighting. Superman is a character we all would think has it easy, he is arguably the strongest superhero in existence, he comes from a family that loved him dearly, he has a great job and superb education. He has the girl that everyone else dreamed of being with, he has the heart of a true gentleman. But the "Superman Song" depicts a very different image. A man struggling with his identity. Lamenting over a home he can never know, family he lost long ago that he doesn't know what they look like. A man who knows he doesn't truly fit in, despite how he desperately wants too. A man carrying burdens and angst beneath the exterior of greatness. I think I related as many people seemed to think I took these tragedies very well, I never let anyone see me weep (I did that in private). I continued to be active in my social circle, often giving advice to others and putting on my best face. I started dating again casually not long after the end of my engagement (more to keep me from lamenting on my loss, but others seemed to think I was doing great). As I worked on my last AMV, I sought images that could convey the sense of melancholy, loss, and heartache I was feeling at the time. It is ironic that the images I choose all came from my LEAST favorite final fantasy (In fact, I cant stand the main story), FFVIII. Though I dislike the lead characters, I found the characters of seifer and Laguana to be interesting and likeable, and attempted to focus on them as much as possible, as well as focusing on creating more then a morbid video. I tried to create a video that embodied the same hope I was desperately clinging onto at the time. A hope of better days and a lighter heart in the future. I ended the video on a happy note... a tone of fulfillment and joy, despite the darkness and angst portrayed in the video. I see this not as so much a happy ending, but a representation that joy, and hope, and love, often coexists with heartache, and sadness.
As for the video itself, As I watch it there are times when I cringe. I mean really there are moments in there where you can tell I was filling up space and was out of ideas. I worked on this video for two months, but in the end, with a FF AMV, there is only so much you can do if your just focusing on a small collection of characters. I honestly tried to avoid moments of "just filling up space", but I suppose it was unavoidable. Yet there arent very many of those moments, and overall I feel as if this video came together in a way that I am very proud of. During the first verse some may feel as the video lacks a certain sense of direction, but I was actually taking a "Chapter by chapter" approach to the AMV. With a clear cut beginning, middle, crisis point, climax, and epilogue. I feel the majority of this video has a strong emotional strength, and the images and direction is some of the best I've ever done.
As for me, this video was made almost four years ago. there are times when the old aches return, anniversaries and certain thoughts, smells, sights, and sounds bring back the sense of loss. But this is rare, I mostly focus on finishing school, enjoying my time as a tutor, dating, practicing martial arts, finishing my schooling, and just having fun and enjoying life. On a side note, I often use the techniques I learned to create slide shows for my church, using photographs and video clips along with key songs.
To end off on a moral note. Through the aforementioned ordeal, If I learned anything, it was that being a "Superman" (as Nietze, the renaissance philosopher who created the term, would put it) is not so much being free of suffering, but like the comic book superman, being able to endure it. I guess that's why I like that song so much, and why this is my favorite of the AMV's I made. and If I made this video as well as I hope I did, I hope to convey a message to those who watch it. That, like Laguana learned in the game, despite loss, despite heartache, despite tears and wishful thinking, there is always, always, something to be grateful for and to give thanks for.
I hope you enjoy this video.
Ishin Ookami (AKA DaRonin in certain circles).
