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morgandawnLike any slash fan, sherrold was often worried how new technology would impact the fandom. The year: 1997 and computer vidding is a few years away and most fans do not have DVDs or DVD players.
"So, I can't help thinking that 5 years from now, we'll be looking at all the vids done so far in fandom (hundreds, if not thousands), and thinking, stone knives and bear claws.
First there's DVD on the horizon. Even if the average fan doesn't turn out to be an early adopter [ed: hahahahaha, fans not adopting shiny new tech, hahahahah], once vidders buy them, they can put their video masters on something that does not wear out. (For example, I have made less than 60 copies of my 2nd MC tape master, and it is already significantly less sharp than it was 6 months ago.)
So, the 50th person that orders a tape will get the same quality as the first; an important step, but still a small one, considering how crappy the *first* tape was in many cases. (Mine included--there are plenty of shows I vid in, even though I don't have a perfect set of 1st generation SP copies).
The next step is to get 1st gen -off-air copies of shows on DVD, and then start spreading those copies through fandom [ed: snail mail torrenting!] Even if it is a while before DVD editing decks become affordable [ed: at least 4 years], having DVD source would be heaven!
The next step after that for new shows, is High-definition TV. Here I see some upsides and some downsides. Yes, the video will be much sharper and clearer, but instead of our old friend, the square screen, the new HD-TV is going to be a rectangular screen, the same aspect ratio as a movie screen. [ed: she had no idea the pain and suffering aspect ratios will cause future generations of vidders].
Why does that matter? Because if directors didn't have a *reason* to pose our boys so darn close to each other, they wouldn't do it; and with a wider screen, they won't have to. Could be the end of slash as we know it! (Though I doubt it. A few years ago, on this very list, some of us here wondering if there would ever be another slashable series (we were in a dry spell), since (a) with the rise of strong women on TV, maybe we'd never get buddy shows again, and (b) even if we did, supposedly, producers were wary now of 'gay' jokes about their male stars, and so they'd be careful not to give us what we wanted. That, of course, was before Benny told Ray to "Get Back in the Closet" and Methos told Duncan, "Mi casa es su casa" and Blair moved in with Jim and....) [ed: this has all happened before, and it will all happen again..except in 123 characters and with animated gif sets]
One more thing about HD-TV; the local news stations that have been testing it say that it is *much* clearer than current video; for example, it shows how ratty their sets are; they have to use more subtle makeup; you can read graffiti scribbled on the newsdesks...it reminded me of Nimoy talking about how an [Vulcan] 'ear' that would have lasted all week on the TV show, needing to be changed after a few hours once they went to the big screen." [ed: Mr Spock, your penis needs replacing. Please report to The Claw].
sherrold was often worried how new technology would impact the fandom. The year: 1997 and computer vidding is a few years away and most fans do not have DVDs or DVD players."So, I can't help thinking that 5 years from now, we'll be looking at all the vids done so far in fandom (hundreds, if not thousands), and thinking, stone knives and bear claws.
First there's DVD on the horizon. Even if the average fan doesn't turn out to be an early adopter [ed: hahahahaha, fans not adopting shiny new tech, hahahahah], once vidders buy them, they can put their video masters on something that does not wear out. (For example, I have made less than 60 copies of my 2nd MC tape master, and it is already significantly less sharp than it was 6 months ago.)
So, the 50th person that orders a tape will get the same quality as the first; an important step, but still a small one, considering how crappy the *first* tape was in many cases. (Mine included--there are plenty of shows I vid in, even though I don't have a perfect set of 1st generation SP copies).
The next step is to get 1st gen -off-air copies of shows on DVD, and then start spreading those copies through fandom [ed: snail mail torrenting!] Even if it is a while before DVD editing decks become affordable [ed: at least 4 years], having DVD source would be heaven!
The next step after that for new shows, is High-definition TV. Here I see some upsides and some downsides. Yes, the video will be much sharper and clearer, but instead of our old friend, the square screen, the new HD-TV is going to be a rectangular screen, the same aspect ratio as a movie screen. [ed: she had no idea the pain and suffering aspect ratios will cause future generations of vidders].
Why does that matter? Because if directors didn't have a *reason* to pose our boys so darn close to each other, they wouldn't do it; and with a wider screen, they won't have to. Could be the end of slash as we know it! (Though I doubt it. A few years ago, on this very list, some of us here wondering if there would ever be another slashable series (we were in a dry spell), since (a) with the rise of strong women on TV, maybe we'd never get buddy shows again, and (b) even if we did, supposedly, producers were wary now of 'gay' jokes about their male stars, and so they'd be careful not to give us what we wanted. That, of course, was before Benny told Ray to "Get Back in the Closet" and Methos told Duncan, "Mi casa es su casa" and Blair moved in with Jim and....) [ed: this has all happened before, and it will all happen again..except in 123 characters and with animated gif sets]
One more thing about HD-TV; the local news stations that have been testing it say that it is *much* clearer than current video; for example, it shows how ratty their sets are; they have to use more subtle makeup; you can read graffiti scribbled on the newsdesks...it reminded me of Nimoy talking about how an [Vulcan] 'ear' that would have lasted all week on the TV show, needing to be changed after a few hours once they went to the big screen." [ed: Mr Spock, your penis needs replacing. Please report to The Claw].
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Date: 2012-09-15 04:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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