Lim, Gwyn: Fan Vidders
| Commentary | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Lim, Gwyn: Fan Vidders |
| Commentator: | ReCreate Coalition |
| Date(s): | February 23, 2017 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom: | viding, fanvids |
| External Links: | Lim, Gwyn: Fan Vidders, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Lim, Gwyn: Fan Vidders is a short 2017 introduction to fanvids.
Two fans are highlighted: Lim and Gwyn
The commentary contains two links to vids: "Expo - Iron Man" and "Monsters - Kings - Jack Benjamin."
Excerpts
Vids are fan-made videos that take existing media sources, like a TV show or movie, and create a new, remixed video. These visual “mashups” are popular on YouTube and Tumblr today, but fan viding actually goes back to the 1970s when Trekkies couldn’t hold back their enthusiasm for their favorite show.
Vidders primarily view their product as an art form or even just a cathartic, creative outlet — not for monetization or commercialization. “I don’t sell my vids, ever; most vidders don’t. That’s an important principle for me….I vid for pleasure, pure pleasure,” said fan vidder Lim. “I don’t care if you don’t like them. It’s great when people do like them, because that’s fun and sometimes very interesting and sparks more creative conversation and more vidding, but it’s not the purpose.”
Gwyn added, “For me, vidding is a really different kind of expression. I used to DJ, so I love to use music and marry it with what I’m most passionate about.”
The fanvid community is also notable for being predominantly dominated by women. Vidder Gwyn notes, “Generally, women are used to not seeing the stories we want in the media…we’re used to recontextualizing things for ourselves or making it our own.” In a Hollywood dominated by male producers, directors and screenwriters, vidding has enabled her and other female vidders to explore alternate storylines or character relationships that appeal to women audiences. The tightknit community often pervades many vidders’ lives, leading to decades-long friendships and widely-attended conventions like VividCon.