Discotheque

Vid
Title:	Discotheque
Creator:	Matt Savelkoul
Date:	1998 or earlier
Format:	VHS
Length:
Music:	U2
Genre:
Fandom:	Xena: Warrior Princess
Footage:
URL:	vidder's web page
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Discotheque is an early VCR Xena vid by Matt Savelkoul.

Vidder's Notes

In 2004, the vidder offered background on his vidding:

"I actually started making Xena music videos in December of 1997 and I made a total of 128 music videos over the next six years or so. I started making my videos before the digital revolution of massive Gigabyte hard drives, so all my vids were done analog, the old fashion way, tape to tape, so there are no effects shots in them whatsover (the split screen you mentioned is actually from the episode Lyre Lyre itself.)

As far as I know, I was one of the first ever people to start making Xena music videos. In July of 1998, I came to the attention of Creation Entertainment and for the next three years they used pretty much all of the videos I made to introduce various stars and stuff at conventions. They were also really nice in giving me free tickets to all of their shows, so during that period of time I was fortunate enough to meet nearly all the casts of both Herc and Xena.

I've started the process (finally) of digitizing my music videos into my computer - mostly for storage reasons and I don't want the original master tapes to deteriorate. The quality of the vids is actually pretty good, with the final third done on SVHS from the commercial tapes of the seasons that Davis/Panzer released from their mail order catalog."

Reactions and Reviews

"...a terrific Xena-Herc-Twankey-everybody comedy vid that doesn't seem to use any special transition effects at all."

"....I was wrong about it having no special transition effects - it does have that one multiple split screen effect. (Which wasn't my favorite bit, but not as annoying as the SFX in 'She Bangs'.)

I love what you've done with all the circular motion in the early part of the vid - the wheel spinning, the released gods whirling, etc. Great timing of clips to moments: I laughed out loud at Herc and Alternate!Nebula to 'You're confused' and at the Joxer (or is it Jace) headturn to 'Ahhh'. I also like the 'quiet' stretches in the vid with ethereal shots of Gabrielle and Twankey descending.

Two other bits I liked particularly: - the clever sequence where you continue the motion from a clip of Twankey spinning her umbrella to Xena drawing a scarf through her hands to Aphrodite dancing, that was really well done. - the sequence that starts around 4:30 with the women dancing & stomping their feet, timed to match the 'Boom' vocals.

Really a terrific vid, with an energizing, happy feel to it, and it's just such a blast to see Herc and Twankey and Xena & Gabrielle all together in one vid. The only real complaint I have is that I wish the source was better quality. :-)