Festivids ambivalence

[bironic]

Aaaah I don't know what to do about Festivids this year. For the first time, there's a full set of sources I want to request -- movies that have been in my Dear Festividder letters round after round -- and almost nothing I'm psyched to offer or have ideas ready to go for or that wouldn't be a lot of work when I'm determined to really dig into the editing of this long-term auction vid over the winter. It's hard to spark new ideas without seeing people's requests, too.

I basically have to decide by tomorrow morning, because after that I'll be offline and/or busy at this out-of-town conference until signups close.

What to doooo? Sign up with a loose list of sources I know and default if necessary, maybe. Or go in knowing the likelihood of producing a mediocre vid. I'd forgo signups and simply treat hunt after people's letters are posted, except I really do want to receive a vid. :/ :/ :/

From the sound of Twitter during the nominations period, I'm not the only one feeling lukewarm this round. True/False for you?

Comments

[chaila]

I can't deciiiiiiiiide. *whines*

I'm kind of the opposite, I have a solid set of things I feel good about offering but unsure if I have enough nominated things I'm really excited to request. But, if I play, do also want a vid and don't just want to make a treat! Ah. Can't decide.

[bironic]

Been there too, and it's just as tricky! *clings to you in unsureness solidarity*

[aurumcalendula]

I’m excited, although that may mostly be because this will be my second Festivids.
(...I am a bit more excited about the requests I made than most of the sources I’ve offered, though)

[bironic]

Yeah, this will be year 7 for me (and gift vid 23+), and that's got to be a factor. But good that you are excited!

[ride_4ever]

Yays for you continuing with Festivids!

[ride_4ever]

I have nothing vidding-useful to add, but can relate to the general "should I sign up for [whatever exchange] or should I do only treats".

[bironic]

Thanks & sympathies. It worked perfectly for Equinox, and usually for Festivids I'm more into offers than requests, but this year it's all topsy turvy.

[jetpack_monkey]

I am almost certainly skipping this year. I just have too much on my plate and not enough vidding oomph under me.

[bironic]

A loss for the exchange, but good that you're not overextending yourself. <3 Or not over-overextending yourself, heh.

[jetpack_monkey]

I think part of it is that I am taking extra-special care with my Vividcon contributions for this year for obvious reasons.

[bironic]

Ah, right. Early bird. :)

[minoanmiss]

I'm reasonably certain your 'mediocre' will be the recipient's 'beyond my wildest dreams'. *cheers you on*

[bironic]

Honestly I have to fight my perfectionistic tendencies and repeat to myself that not every project has to be knocked out of the park, but I appreciate your confidence! <3 <3

[elipie]

I've been wishy-washy about exchanges for the past 2 years or so but I always end up signing up. I should stop kidding myself. :P

[bironic]

Having seen your Dear Festividder post, I am smiling in sympathy and solidarity. Plus I'm selfishly glad you participated last year, and someone else will be in the same grateful/delighted position this year. :)

[marginaliana]

I know this feeling, too, though not with vids. And I have a horror of signing up and then defaulting, for reasons of my own issues, so I tend to doggedly finish even if I'm not enthused. Which can sometimes be even more frustrating than defaulting would have been, probably. IDK, I have no real advice to offer, just solidarity!

[bironic]

*fistbump*

I've never defaulted on Festivids and it feels weird to sign up knowing it's a possibility, but... we'll see. (There is also a part of my brain that says, 'You have made literally three times as many Festivids as you have received over the years; it's okay if the scales tip the other way for one round.')

[seekingferret]

I'm excited for Festivids! I have a ton of new fandoms discovered while making Warning: Might Lead to Mixed Dancing and I get to request they get turned into full vids instead of just getting two seconds in my vid. And there's enough things in the list that I find interesting to offer.

I think helping with tagmodding also helped- I've been thinking about fandoms and Festivids a bunch for the past couple weeks because of that.

[bironic]

Makes sense, yeah. And now I remember you talking a little at VVC about the potential Festivids sources from your dancing vid! I enjoyed the exuberance of your Dear Festividder letter.

[seekingferret]

:)

Also, watch this, I found it while in the process of rejecting IWTV, and it gives me life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P5NFl4B9FQ

[bironic]

what... is that

wow.

p.s. still chuckling in disbelief, plus thank you for the earworm. :)

[sanguinity]

I'm not signing up this round, mostly because my life is feeling like a LOT right now, and the thought of signing up fills me with mild panic. I haven't even looked at the list of eligible fandoms, because Just. Too. Much.

[bironic]

Yep. As you may have seen, I did end up signing up, but we'll see how this goes re: the matched source and the usual December panic about work and other hobby commitments...

[grammarwoman]

OMG, I am right there with you on the back'n'forth. I love making vids for people, but the timing around the holidays and my procrastination always stresses me out, so I wind up doing everything last minute.

UGH. Decisions!

[bironic]

Right?

Good luck with your own waffling and/or pending December-crunch stress!

[anoel]

I'm struggling a little this year with finding offers I'm excited about making and that I have time for (b/c of other con vids) so I get that. I think I'm going to sign up though because I know I can make a quick vid that will be good even if I'm not super happy making it or it's not the best vid ever. But it will make someone happy and I love participating so I think I'm going to do it.

[bironic]

As usual, you are a voice of reason and optimism. <3

[eruthros]

I am planning to sign up this year, though I'm feeling lukewarm for various structural reasons. Also, I too find it difficult to sign up without seeing other people's signups or reading letters. I wish I could have more detail like the old signup list with the letter links, because it definitely helps to spark ideas and to get me excited about various fandoms.

[bironic]

Totally agree. A good chunk of the fandoms I've offered in previous years were added to my offers list because people pitched them well or had inspiring requests. Signups seem short this year as well, or maybe it's just me or a factor of my being out of state at the same time, because there's no opportunity to check out movies/etc. that other people are requesting that I'm not familiar with, to see if I also enjoy them and can add them to my offers.

Thank you very much for compiling that clear list of requested fandoms, though. Big help, even in the absence of linked letters.

[starlady]

I've been tracking the signups list, and very few of the fandoms listed are ones that spark my interest. I may wind up taking a year off to concentrate on the con vids I have planned for 2018.

[bironic]

Yeah, that seems to be a theme for people too, with VVC ending and whatnot. Good luck with your decision! As you may have seen, I did end up deciding to sign up, which was helped by remembering that you only need to offer 4 sources. TBD how this goes.