I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)

Vid
Title:	I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
Creator:	Randym
Date:	May 1994
Format:	VHS
Length:
Music:	I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meatloaf
Genre:	meta, humour
Fandom:	Blake's 7
Footage:	Blake's 7, Tom of Finlandia, Suzan Lovett and Leah Rosenthal fan art and other gay themed art
URL:
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I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) is a fan vid edited by RandyM.

The vid offers a commentary on slash fan fiction in Blake's 7 fandom. The POV character is Avon, singing to Blake that he do anything (for Blake) for love. However, on the words "But I won't do that" the vidder cuts to external source of slash fan art and other gay erotica. While some fans felt that the vid was critical of slash fandom, most see the vid as a humorous, tongue and cheek look at slash and what one of TV character might actually say if confronted with a room full of women writing erotica fan fiction about him and his best friend.

The vid was selected to be shown at the Experimental vid show during first Vividcon in 2002.

Vidder's Comments: 1994

In August 1994, the vidder wrote:

As I think I made clear at MediaWest, those weren't freeze-frames in my latest batch of videos. They were still photographs and/or art that I camcorded. It's the technique Mary van Deusen used in that poignant video about her grandfather, and that Ken Burns used for The Civil Bar. Likewise, the Tom of Finland video is not from a movie; I camcorded his art out of a book that sweet, smutty Sarah kindly loaned me. Taking a telepic and then camcording it is a roundabout way to get a freeze frame, but it's cheaper than TBC technology, the conventional way to get clear video stills.

I'm so glad you liked "I'd Do Anything For Love." I was nervous about the reception that that particular video would receive. It's very explicit, which wouldn't go over well with the anti-slash contingent, and it sort of makes fun of slash, which might be taken the wrong way by the pro-slash contingent. That vid provided the most harrowing moment of MediaWest. My life flashed before my eyes when it was shown at Sue's party while Leah Rosenthal was in the room! I was suddenly sure that Leah would take umbrage at my use of her art in the video. (I suppose I should have asked permission, but I'm shy, not to mention lazy.) To my immense relief, no one had a cow. Leah took it as it was intended: as a humorous tribute. She even asked me for a copy. (Whew!)

A Different Vid

A second Blake's 7 vid was made to the same song and same slash pairing (Avon/Blake) but it was made by another vidder and was meant to be a serious take on their relationship. The song itself was popular and versatile enough (the singer never defines what "That" is in the song, allowing the vidder to use it to fit the TV show) and was remade in other fandoms. Ex: Tolbran used the song for The Professionals, letting Bodie do the Meatloaf lines, and Doyle the girl's lines.

Reactions/Reviews

When the vid was shown at Vividcon in 2002, one attendee declared that the vid was funny, in a sad kind of way. Others felt that choice of song was apropos to what the vidder was trying to say and the use of artwork was an interesting way to get the point across. They felt that the shots of Avon's shocked face after the shots of the artwork were hilarious. Finally watchers came away with the impression that the vidder was trying to say that Avon just couldn't bring himself to commit fully to the relationship between him and Blake, lending the vid a bittersweet feeling.

Sandy Herrold wrote:

Starts with a Lovett picture for the credit -- fan art is rare enough in title credits that it possibly existed as a subtle warning. Then the mere fact that having Avon say "I would do anything for love" is as unlikely as a rain of toads is another warning, at least to most B7 fans. Perhaps unfortunately the initial clips are so good that that if you don't know Avon well...you could believe the vidder really believes those opening lines, until the first "But I won't do that." The explicit fanart clip on that line is funny, but best part is Avon's look of horror afterward. Only about 10 fan pictures - strangely I remembered more - and once or twice a clump of them. Liked the vid more than I remembered.