Ask me about my writing, arting, vidding...

[aragarna]

Since all the cool kids are doing it, let's try this!
You've read the rules, so just go ahead, ask me something. I can't garantee very deep analyses, but I'll do my best.
And since I don't do only writing, you can also ask me about any other of my artist activities.

My fanfic Masterlist is here (it needs some updates...)
My video Masterlist is there
and my arts are just all over the place....

Comments

[dennih23.livejournal.com]

What inspires your videos? Do you hear a song and think oh, that would make a good video? If so, is there a song you want to make a video for but haven't yet?

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

Ah good question!
It depends actually.
Sometimes, I'd hear a song and I would think of White Collar (my brain has been so WC-washed that I listen and watched everything thinking of White Collar).
Like In a Jailhouse, I had it in mind for a long time and I've always thought the first part was so fitting! But the second part not. But then Peter did get arresteed! So, I spent the entire hiatus waiting for footages of Peter in orange to make that vid. ;-)
If I didn't Have You is another exemple were I heard the song and thought immediatly about Peter and Neal.
Or sometimes, I hear a song and think it'd be a good song for fanvid in general, and then the show takes a turn that fits that song. (That's what happened for Skyfall)


Other times, I just want to do a specific vid, like my NCIS vids or my most recent one about Carnivale. It's been in my head for ages. So then it's a matter of finding the right song. Which I always find more tricky. Particularly for the Carnivale video because pop songs don't really fit the Carnivale universe and I had a hard time finding one that would fit Jonesy and Carnivale. I actually tried several.

I find it easier to have the right song and then it's only a matter of illustrating the song than trying to find the song that matches my idea.

And I particularly like when I find a song that tells a story, where the lyrics make sense in the context of the show. I often use the song as a guide and a narrative (though not always).
I can't just take a song that I like just because I like it, if it doesn't fit a minimum what I'm vidding.
And finding the right song for the right story helps me focus on the relevant material. My biggest issue when vidding White Collar is the insane amount of material to go through and I can't remember everything by heart...



There are actually several songs I have in mind that I want to vid. In particular, I have found the perfect song for Mozzie. Won't tell you, I don't want to ruin the surprise. ;-)
I also have a perfect friendship song, and there's a Moby song that I've had in mind for quite some times though I wasn't sure if it could fit the show. But I think after this season I should be able to make it work. :-)
In all I think I have 6 or 7 projects pending... (2 being requests from Elr and RC)


I always find it easier to vid during hiatus, because there's enough time with no new material. So hopefully I'll be able to go back to more vidding soon. :-)

[dennih23.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering, and looking forward to your next videos - especially one for Mozzie :D

[nieseryjna.livejournal.com]

What is your favorite medium? Writing, art or vidding?

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

The 3 are very different. I wouldn't say I have a favorite.

Art is the one I have the most experience with. I've been doing some sort of digital art ever since I have been in contact with a computer. And I started more actual photoshop-sort of manips to make my own wallpapers for my desktop.
Making art can be pretty quick and easy. For simple stuff, it takes less than an hour, so it's almost immediate. I have a picture, I play with it, et voilà, Tim is looking gorgeous on my desktop.

On the contrary, vidding is a long process and can get tedious. Re-watching episodes to find the right scenes takes a lot of time, and I need to find myself "in the mood" for vidding. But when I'm in the mood and I'm launched, it's really cool, building the video bits by bits, finding the exact right scene, for the exact right moment, finding the rythm. There's a sense of watching your creation come to the world.

And writting, I'd say, it's in between. But it's very different, because I can sorta write in my head at any time. I think about it, and when I've time I write stuff. It can be 5 minutes here and there, or much more, if I feel inspired.

For anything that I do, I need to find an idea first. Whether it's art (like a screencap I want to make a wallpaper of) or it's a vid for which I have the song and I know what key scenes will fit or it's an idea I have for a story, it all starts in my head.
But for art or vid, you can't really see it until you're on your computer and actually making it. While with fanfiction, I can spend days just thinking and changing things in my head. The maturation process for writting is probably the longest.

So, for each of them, the process is different, and whether I want to do art, vid or write, it depends on my mood, and the ideas that pop in my head. But I like being able to do all three because they're different activities. So, when I don't feel like doing one, I can try another. That way I've always some projects to work on. :-)

[elrhiarhodan]

When you write Peter/Elizabeth, what do you think about?

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

I think El is one damn lucky wife LOL

More seriously, I don't really think consciously about any specifics, but I try to make them sound like they sound on the show.
And above all, they love each other immensely, which for them means they'd do anything to protect each other. They can't live without each other. And it's an equal love. Peter treasures El, but El treasures Peter too. I'd say Peter is more protective, while El is more possessive, but they have a complete trust in each other, they share everything and most of the time, they understand each other very well and especially their insecurities.

Also, I think that there're a part of projection on my part. They're pretty close to what I look for in a relationship, so I find it relatively easy to imagine what they're likely to do or say.
I might end making them a little more ideal than they are. Especially since the die-hard romantic in me prefers focusing on the positive aspects of their relationship and all the potential cuddles and fluffs.

[leesa_perrie]

Have you ever made artwork that has inspired you/others to write fic based on it? Or made a vid that has inspired fic?

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

Well, I have 3 artworks that got picked up for the Reverse Big Bang, so that's going to be a yes soon. :-)
Otherwise, no, I never wrote fics based on previous artwork nor did it inspire anyone. But I don't really make any art as potential prompts. Unless I do cover art, my artworks are mostly just pretty things. They don't tell any story.

[sholio]

Do you have any particular way that you prefer to write -- for example, do you prefer writing at coffee shops, or listening to music, or at home in total quiet? Or can you write anywhere/anyhow?

[aragarna.livejournal.com]

I can probably write about anywhere and anyhow. I can't seem to command my moments of inspiration.
Strangely the best place for me to write is work. Where I can't seem able to focus on my work, can't seem able to write a line on my scientific paper, that's when I find the best focus to write a bit of fanfic.
I often write fanfics bits by bits. It takes a serious amount of time...
Lately, I've found inspiration late at night. I'd grab a notebook and a paper and would write 1, 2, 3 pages...
I'm kind of overwhelmed by all the ideas, episode tags, episode squees, icon making, etc... right now, so I have a hard time focusing on anything for very long. But once the season is over, I should be able to focus more, and quietly on one project at a time. Maybe write something longer.