The Ultimate Love Song
Feb. 26th, 2008 10:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
violachicGiving these accolades is far overdue, as this went down about a month ago, but there was a happenstance that made me fall head-over-heels in love with both Jonathan Coulton and Wil Wheaton. Some of you, by that simple and vague description, may already know what I'm talking about.
Well, it revolves around this fan video by a young woman who, on Youtube, goes by the name "CupcakeAndTea". If you watch that video, it is apparent that CupcakeAndTea isn't a proficient singer, nor is the video much more than her singing with a few props. But clearly, she is a fan of JoCo, and wanted to show how much she loves this song by making a fan video.
Now, I'm not in fandom. I mean, I sort of am, by association, and I have some interests that overlap with fandom, but I myself am not in fandom. What I have noticed, though, by observing those around me who are, is that fandom tends to be tight, and those who are celebrities- writers, singers, actors, etc.- are really part of their own fandom, rather than setting themselves above and apart.
So when CupcakeAndTea started getting a slew of comments on her video that were rude and cruel, Jonathan Coulton responded with this blog entry, which is kind of an open letter to the people being wankers to the poor girl. In my opinion, the most profound part of it is where he says:
I've never understood things like fanfic and fanvids. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against them; I quite literally don't understand why people are compelled to make them. But this incident reminds me that for whatever reasons people do them, and however they turn out, its about creation. Its about people going out and creating, because something they read or saw or heard inspired them to. Its also about having the courage to put whatever you've created out in the public eye, risking the kind of backlash CupcakeAndTea got for posting her video. She must know she has a timid voice; the fact that she took her timid voice, recorded it, and placed it in the most public of mediums, means she's got guts. More guts than I do, that's for sure. So even if I don't understand it, I'll always support the creation of fanfic and fanvids.
So after reading the blog, Wil was impressed by JoCo's attitude, and decided to spread the love on his own blog, pointing out two very appropriate web cartoons. Sorry, I'm not linking to them, if you want to see, you need to click through to Wil's blog. Apparently, there are a bunch of other bloggers who talked about this, but I don't know who most of the are, and I don't read their blogs regularly. You can see a list of them on this video response CupcakeAndTea made after all these awesome people discussed her online.
I've been meaning to write about this since it happened, but its also a really long introduction to the video I'm about to post, which is a fan video someone made of "Skullcrusher Mountain", using World of Warcraft characters.
I think this song would make a good song for a first dance at a wedding. What do you think?
Well, it revolves around this fan video by a young woman who, on Youtube, goes by the name "CupcakeAndTea". If you watch that video, it is apparent that CupcakeAndTea isn't a proficient singer, nor is the video much more than her singing with a few props. But clearly, she is a fan of JoCo, and wanted to show how much she loves this song by making a fan video.
Now, I'm not in fandom. I mean, I sort of am, by association, and I have some interests that overlap with fandom, but I myself am not in fandom. What I have noticed, though, by observing those around me who are, is that fandom tends to be tight, and those who are celebrities- writers, singers, actors, etc.- are really part of their own fandom, rather than setting themselves above and apart.
So when CupcakeAndTea started getting a slew of comments on her video that were rude and cruel, Jonathan Coulton responded with this blog entry, which is kind of an open letter to the people being wankers to the poor girl. In my opinion, the most profound part of it is where he says:
Believe me, I know, I spent nine years in a day job because I was afraid to do it. So it drives me nuts to see people lobbing bullshit negativity into the crowd - if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. And if you don’t have a piece of yourself to contribute, keep quiet. The rest of us are working here.
I've never understood things like fanfic and fanvids. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against them; I quite literally don't understand why people are compelled to make them. But this incident reminds me that for whatever reasons people do them, and however they turn out, its about creation. Its about people going out and creating, because something they read or saw or heard inspired them to. Its also about having the courage to put whatever you've created out in the public eye, risking the kind of backlash CupcakeAndTea got for posting her video. She must know she has a timid voice; the fact that she took her timid voice, recorded it, and placed it in the most public of mediums, means she's got guts. More guts than I do, that's for sure. So even if I don't understand it, I'll always support the creation of fanfic and fanvids.
So after reading the blog, Wil was impressed by JoCo's attitude, and decided to spread the love on his own blog, pointing out two very appropriate web cartoons. Sorry, I'm not linking to them, if you want to see, you need to click through to Wil's blog. Apparently, there are a bunch of other bloggers who talked about this, but I don't know who most of the are, and I don't read their blogs regularly. You can see a list of them on this video response CupcakeAndTea made after all these awesome people discussed her online.
I've been meaning to write about this since it happened, but its also a really long introduction to the video I'm about to post, which is a fan video someone made of "Skullcrusher Mountain", using World of Warcraft characters.
I think this song would make a good song for a first dance at a wedding. What do you think?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2008-02-26 05:48 pm (UTC)seriously. like the cutest fangirl ever.
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Date: 2008-02-27 05:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-27 05:31 pm (UTC)But there is a huge contingent of gamers who care only about graphic quality, and Microsoft cannot hope to release a new video game that looks worse than the current best looking video game. And Big Business is just beginning to grasp the idea of user created content. It's one thing to pay a bunch of artists to make a video game and sell that game to folks on the street... but if you can get the folk son the street to make the game, well then you don't have to pay the artists! And people will do it! Brilliant.
Anyway, this has little to do with your post (although it is related, somewhat, as JoCo represents to non-cynical face of user created content, also known as 'encouraging people to be creative') but I think it's awesome. Sure, music videos made from World of Warcraft characters are pretty crude, but they are a hell of a lot better than the music videos that J. Random Everyone could make a few years ago. Just wait until the next generation Sims games! Feathers, Cadillac and Tom Cruise will look better than ever!!!