#but ciri... oooo yeaaah i got them feelings real hard so here i am. sharing the creative process if that is of interest

[kuwdora]

two drafts in one weekend! Cause I finally got my groove back and I'm determined to have this finished before the new year, and I desperately need that dopamine hit...so glad I've been able to claw my way back to this vid. This upload is just the second half of the vid, the Falka and Ciri sections. So I mentioned in my previous post (see above) that the climactic Ciri section I vaguely had outlined as Ciri + family + pain and everything that she experienced in the desert alone. That I also wanted to show Ciri's good memories with her family now that she's alone and struggling. Well I was scrubbing through season 3, thinking about what Ciri has to fall back on now that she's alone, and only has her memories and what she's learned. And then rewatched the whole vid again and again and realizing that this section is perfect to show some of Ciri's moral compass, cause we got some great bits of that in the earlier part of the season. So now this section is more firmly established in a Falka'esque POV, but it's about Ciri and the injustices she's seen and what she'll do to protect others. And to survive. From there I was able to start layering the pain and angst of the good times and fears Ciri has about her family. That escalation to her breaking point and what she'll do to survive. That was just a dream....

some other notes/observations/thoughts:

ESCALATION. CLIMACTIC PAIN. ALL THE CROSS DISSOLVES AND OVERLAYS. Dissociation! Okay, I kept working on this and I'm still working on this wondering how the heck and if I should put Little Horse and his Big Balls in this vid somewhere. Ciri and her unicorn friend in the desert is such a good visual (sans balls, imo) but hmmm. This whole Falka POV about Ciri is really speedrunning Ciri's journey since there's only so much timeline since the vid does not need to be any longer. I am so sooo happy that I realized Ciri in Gors Velen witnessing the wyvern's mistreatment could fit here. I was testing out a lot of Ciri face reactions to the wyvern and that dick on the stage but really liked the one I settled on here. And her saving the kid from the Bonhart (cousin?) -- the kid running away, the happy accidental transition into her scrambling away from the giant desert monster was great thematic serendipity. I'm really happy with how heavy and dense this section got once I started doing some more layering of Geralt and Yen in pain and also their joy of being with Ciri. I'm much happier with the Ciri section at the end than I was in the previous draft, but it's still Not Quite Right. I don't think I'm happy with that view of her eye and being dragged in the desert, though I do like how claustrophobic it is with those tight shots on her face. But there's something with playing with the visuals of the blue tavern imagery and Ciri actually standing in front of the man she murdered. The clip at 1:07 I'm most likely to see if I can find something that fits a little better...but still not sure. I know @littlestsnicket mentioned she really appreciated and loved the final clip in the last version but I told her I had changed it - it's such a small change, but I think it's more evocative and effective way as a Final Clip and closing out the thesis of Ciri losing her religion. In the previous version it was a wide shot of her literally standing in the blue tavern spotlight, alone. But moving to this shot of her walking outside of the spotlight and sitting down, alone, in the dark-- I think that hammers home the sentiment of Ciri losing her religion. That dissociation. Time for Ciri in the Rats era. Also she looks so small when she slinks down to the ground... the pain....

So now that I have a full rough draft down and things are falling into place, I'll be doing all the fine-tuning from here. Swapping out a clip here and there, cleaning up some of the cross dissolves that have some stray frames. Playing with the timing of the cross dissolves. Finally fixing the earlier sections of the vid that had bothersome things in it. Nitpicking now. The finish line is in sight and I'm so excited how it's coming along. Ciriiiiiiiiiiiii.

Naked Vid Draft - VID OUTLINE: Losing My Religion (The Witcher Netflix, season 3. Ensemble & Ciri.)

My next installment of my Naked Vid Draft vidding process series: my fanvid outline.

This post is meant to show how I've (mostly) learned how to outline fanvids over the years and how I think about song choice for some vid projects. I used to do this kind of outline for every single vid and write it down in a text file and keep it in my folder to review whenever I opened the project. These days I just do all of this in my head now unless I find myself struggling mid-way through a project.

You can listen along or just skip below to read the lyrics and my notes to learn about how I see/hear/feel my vid in my head already. I haven't rewatched most of season 3 since the summer. I haven’t even created the project file or started making any clips for this yet. This vid lives in my head and in these notes. All things are subject change once I start vidding but for now this is what it is as I get my start on this project. I've chosen Bellsaint's cover of Losing My Religion for this vid which I'll explain in more detail under the cut.

By reading through the lyrics and my notes, hopefully you’ll also be able to see how I’m structuring the vid. Maybe you'll see the vid in a different way if you come back to watch a completed draft.

I’ve put the lyrics and all my line notes below the cut since this post is already quite long. And also this would count as spoilers for my upcoming vid. (This post is also accountability so I can keep my excitement up and start working on this vid!)

Some vid projects I go into it having a vague emotion or theme or even just a few clips that I know I want to use and that’s really it. Sometimes I barely remember any key visuals, just my “!!! I LOVE THEM!!” Feelings about the character. I just dive into the movie or episodes and I’m just throwing visuals down on the timeline and seeing what sticks. It’s just me having a good time fucking around with the characters feelings or the show’s visuals and it doesn’t really matter how it comes together or what I was thinking before I started it. Usually turns into something by the end.

Other vids, particularly my witcher vids, I have more specific ideas going into the project right down to clip choices and visual climaxes. Because everything Witcher-related is still the top of my fannish obsessions and always on my mind in some way. Dominates my fannish feeds and reading and discussing and etc etc. I have specific things I want to squee and think about with TWN and that ends up in my vids.

Reminder: this is a season 3 only vid so I will only be pulling visuals from season 3.

Song choice/vid concept origins/process notes:

I’ve been making single-season character study vids for Yennefer and Ciri and Fringilla since 2021. I’ve appreciated a specific female vocalist/singer-songwriter with Halsey and Claire Guerrero for the vibes and the lyrics. It’s a musical motif I hadn’t really intended on falling into so thoroughly for the show. But it feels good and right and I enjoy making TWN vids with that music. So it was pretty natural for me to want to vid season 3 again with that vibe/atmosphere in mind.

I really loved season 3 of TWN. What I was really excited to see was how all the events of Thanedd would come together, the Family of Destiny, and I was so excited to see this chapter of Ciri’s journey begin when she’s separated from everyone.

So it’s exciting to have this concept for a season 3 vid. I want it to be very Ensemble but also Ciri. I want to look at the struggle, at the pain, at the grief, and mayhem of Thanedd. While also being able to highlight some of the lovely moments between Ciri, Geralt, Yennefer on the run. And Jaskier also showing up to do his best to help protect Ciri and help Geralt and Yen.

REM’s Losing My Religion has lyrics and a mood that is really perfect for this. I don’t even remember how I circled around to this song, only that I did. I've always been more of a lyric-driven vidder and I love to dig in and think about lyrical associations and emotional beats on certain verses.

I’ve really gotten into vidding musical covers over the years. I find covers to be a really interesting way to take the familiar song and put a new spin on it. A way to add some layers to a fanvid and emphasize certain vibes/atmosphere. Transformative remix art. :)

I found this incredible cover by Bellsaint of Losing My Religion. Not only did I fall so hard for the arrangement and the female vocalist, she ended up sounding similar to what I liked about Halsey and Claire Guerrero that I used for my Yen and Ciri and Fringilla vids. Yummy musical motif. I don’t have thoughts or fleshed out ideas yet for all the lyrics and instrumentals. Like I said before usually once I start clipping and adding things to the timeline, I discover how shots from the season that relate to the emotions/themes/characters will fit into place on the timeline. It’s a fun time.

This vid is ultimately going to be about the grief and struggle and pain of Family of Destiny and how it all falls apart leaving Ciri standing in the rubble. With those those climactic events of Thanedd. Ciri and Falka and The Rats.

This will be a fluid POV. We’re starting with Geralt, moving onto Yen, then Yen and Geralt, then Jaskier, then our Thanedd villains and ultimately Ciri. Everyone is losing their religion.

Pardon the formatting. I've always just slapped lyrics down and write notes next to the line, nothing fancy.

VID OUTLINE: Losing My Religion TWN Season 3: Ensemble + Ciri. LYRICS + VID NOTES

[0:00] Geralt POV in verse 1

Oh life, it's bigger [Geralt with Ciri on the ferry, Geralt sad eyes about the weight Ciri carries] It's bigger than you [Ciri Child of the Elder Blood/ Tor Lara, Everyone wants Ciri?] And you are not me [Geralt sad/exhausted, maybe on the ferry or another safe house?] The lengths that I will go to [Geralt rushing to save Ciri, maybe in the belletyn labyrinth maze] The distance in your eyes [many choices for Ciri haunted eyes, still thinking of Ciri on Ferry looking out at the water] Oh no, I've said too much [Geralt talking to Ciri in Sherrwarrdfijifjs maybe] I've said enough [also a play on TWN Geralt not being talky philosopher/ but also more Geralt sad eyes when he’s trying to keep Ciri safe]

[0:31] Yen POV verse 2

That's me in the corner [fucking TWN putting Yen in the corner, inverting Dear Friend Letter writing, Yen being shut out of the safe houses] That's me in the spotlight [Yen trying to teach Ciri magic and/or Yen and Ciri at market to get portal to aretuza and Yen saving Ciri? Or Yen at Thanedd in the Spotlight. Spotlight of nascent motherhood though..hmm..] Losing my religion [Ciri being mad/frustrated/irritated at Yen, i.e. when Yen pulls her away from applegat blabbing about her visions. Or maybe Yen at Thanedd?] Trying to keep up with you [Yen and Ciri antagonisms at the bathhouse? / Ciri and Yen on the run at the market after killing guy in Keira’s portal shop] And I don't know if I can do it [That One Shot where Yen walks away from Ciri at the bathhouse, Looking Pained] Oh no, I've said too much [Yen snapping at Ciri/ maybe when Ciri blabbing to applegat, or another instance?] I haven't said enough [Yen beautiful face of grief at trying to do right by Ciri]

[1:01] Yen and Geralt POV. Previous two POVs were more about themselves and focused on Ciri. This section of lyrics makes me think of Yen and Geralt about each other - as well as Ciri. And the vocals are kind of layered in the song, it sounds like two voices. It makes me think of all the quiet tenderness of Yennefer and Geralt had in this season.

I thought that I heard you laughing [Yen and Geralt watching Ciri dance at belletyn] I thought that I heard you sing [Yen and Ciri on the lake ice skating, Geralt watching them, maybe also Ciri and Geralt piggyback ride. Trying to sing = Ciri trying to do magic and/or trying to be a normal girl with a family.] I think I thought I saw you try [Yennefer and Geralt looking at each other !!!!!!!!! Trying!!!! To do their best! when they’re camping near Sherwrararrward and belletyn and in the forest on the way to Aretuza.]

[1:16-1:27] Foreshadow/Transition. There’s an ominous ‘oooooh’ with the ominous music in the background here for these 11 seconds. Maybe Ciri and Jaskier watching Yen and Geralt in the woods? Or: will try to bridge a Ciri clip from previous verse to Foreshadow Ciri in the desert, ‘thought I saw you try’ try to do magic.. Trying to summon magic and getting all the visions of Fire and Death. Transition from Ciri + fire/power to vision!Jaskier’s horrific death, then cut to:]

[1:28] Jaskier POV

Every whisper [whispers=secrets, lies and subterfuge. Also: Jaskier rubbing his fingers while in the carriage with Philippa and Radovid. Whisper=small action, Jaskier pain/fire/Rience, and/or from Ciri Vision. What Jaskier will do to protect Ciri, implied heartache/what will he lose along the way.] Of every waking hour [Philippa getting in Jaskier’s face? Keeping him on his toes.] I'm choosing my confessions [Jaskier going to Radovid, Jaskier face of pain and empathy and/or Jaskier singing?] Trying to keep an eye on you [Jaskier and Ciri in the cottage] Like a hurt, lost and blinded fool, fool [Jaskier/radovid kiss, Jaskier looking hurt/betrayed morning after] Oh no, I've said too much [Jaskier singing Ciri to sleep? Jaskier worry morning after when she’s gone? Jaskier’s woogity face when talking to Radovid?] I've said enough [Jaskier’s resolve? Jaskier eyessss.]

[3:35] Thanedd POVs: Philippa, Dijkstra, Vilgefortz.

Consider this [Philippa bending Geralt’s ear about taking sides at Thanedd] Consider this, the hint of the century [Vilgefortz + Geralt + paintings, or walking. Vilgefortz epic stakes. Staff.] Consider this, the slip [I’ve always heard ‘the slave’ instead of ‘the slip’ which has made me stuck on Geralt as a slave to his neutrality, whacking the shit out of Dijkstra and breaking his knee] That brought me to my knees, failed [Dijkstra owtchies howling in pain] What if all these fantasies come [Vilgefortz letting scoia’tael invade? Or Redanian soldiers grabbing Geralt? ?? something] Flailing around [Vilgefortz staff + Geralt. Ciri Beach Running Thanedd falling apart/ ring of fire/but also I’ve done that exact layering/transparency before in previous season 3 vids but hmmmm…something.] Now I've said too much [Vilgefortz beach. Maybe staff thumps to the percussion here, beat beat beat Geralt beat, Geralt losing his neutrality religion, Geralt bleed, Vilgefortz smirk, but maybe Vilgefortz in Tor Lara with Ciri watching Ciri touch the monolith? always circle back to Ciri..... To help transition to:]

[2:29] Ciri POV - Ciri on the run / Ciri in the desert here. Layering Past Ciri with all the memories of Geralt and Yen and Jaskier with the pain she’s experiencing in the desert alone and she’s losing her mind seeing her mother and grandmother. MAYBE also layer in Vilgefortz’ mind warping False Ciri?? Who is Ciri? It’s all just a dream.]

I thought that I heard you laughing [Ciri having dinner with Family of Destiny? / more Ciri/Family - maybe a flash of Desert Falka Vision?] I thought that I heard you sing [More Ciri focusing on Yen and Geralt Trying to Do Their Best. Ciri and Yen in the market? Maybe another layer of Hooded Cloaked Falka?] I think I thought I saw you try [Ciri Family Feels/ action of Tor Lara? Yen and Geralt trying to protect Ciri?] [maybe this is a Falka POV verse?????]

But that was just a dream [Ciri walking at night - blue desert, overlays with Family of Destiny] That was just a dream [Ciri/Family transition/layering Ciri getting dragged on the ground by bounty hunters, or when she’s tied up in the tavern]

[3:09] Ciri POV That's me in the corner [Ciri in the darkened tavern vision with Falka] That's me in the spotlight [Ciri being circled by no-hood Falka] Losing my religion [Ciri + fire magic + visions + visions of death + Falka?] Trying to keep up with you [Ciri fighting alongside The Rats in the tavern? Falka’s fire and fury and rage in her expression in the tavern.] And I don't know if I can do it [Ciri to Falka in the darkened tavern] Oh no, I've said too much [Ciri stabbing the guy / Ciri dissociating to become someone she needs to be to survive] I haven't said enough [Ciri’s face after she kills the guy / tells the Rats her name is Falka]

Messy vid outline is messy, sometimes specific and sometimes ambiguous. Likely to change or have happy accidents along the way.