Double meaning/ambiguous viewpoint

[PStibbons]

In just about any medium, I love ambiguous viewpoint characters and narrators, and stories that can be interpreted in more than one way. Is the hero brave, or just on a fool's errand? Is this guy a frustrated romantic, or a creepy stalker?

But I don't see that often in AMVs. Many videos are so murky that it's unclear whether they're saying anything; fewer manage to say something, and leave people arguing over what it is. Here are a few that did it for me - any other recommendations, and other interpretations of these?

Jihaku:

Ambiguity: Optimistic or pessimistic?

This video's intensely something, but I'm not sure what that something is.

From the author himself:

Some people said me this video is really pessimistic, others said the message is very hopeful. I'm glad this video bring this ambiguity.

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Chimera:

Ambiguity: Happy-go-lucky video that sympathizes with its lead, or dark satire of harem comedies?

This one came off as to me as being deeply unsympathetic to its fantasizing protagonist. I got this impression from the title (which acts almost like a punchline), the red writing in the notebook at the opening (I HATE YOU), that wonderful, horrible final shot, and the creepy lyrics. ("I could be wholesome / I could be loathsome / Guess I'm a little bit shy / Why don't you like me?")

But I can also see how people might see this as a neon-bright video about getting frustrated with love, or self-deprecating geek humor. That seems the way the opinions leaned.

Either way, those neon hearts sure are pretty.

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I especially like videos where a sympathetic character turns out to be a little less sympathetic than they first appeared, or an unpleasant character becomes unexpectedly likable by the end. Anybody have any suggestions or thoughts?

[Kionon]

Depends on if you're looking for critical analysis of the original source or a video that intentionally obfuscates a source which, if watched, is rather straight forward.

For the former, with Boy at the Piano and my as yet unnamed Shiori/Juri video, I have quite a bit to show about the characters in Utena, and indeed, I find the original source to be pretty ambiguous. This is why I enjoy working with the source. For the record, I happen to blame the characters of Utena generally across the board, Utena included. So when you take relationships like Kozue/Miki and Shiori/Juri, a cursory view of the source would point you to thinking that Kozue and Shiori are antagonists and that Miki and Juri are above reproach. This is not only unfair, it is ultimately inaccurate. Pointing out the views of Kozue and Shiori (and I'll eventually want to deal with Tsuwabuki as well) brings into question how much of the blame really falls on them, and not on their counterparts. I don't particularly like any of the characters in Utena besides Utena herself (who I also have issues with), but I never tire of examining the facets of their interactions.

If you're looking for the latter, I think that is pretty rare, although I've seen it done. The problem arises when you are so familiar with the source that you cannot suspend your disbelief in such a way as to consider the viewpoint in opposition to the canonical view presented in the series. It may be good editing, even great editing, and you may be able to recognise the skill and effort that went into the video. However, in the end, your mind has not been provoked, because you "know" canon and the portrayal is either comedically flawed or such a misinterpretation that it pisses you off. MeriC and VegettoEX's KOR video, Let Me Save You, is one such video. The video competently changes some of the facts in order to present Madoka as... even less wholesome before Kyosuke's arrival than she actually was. I recognise the skill, and I generally agree with Kyosuke's voice, but the implication of Madoka's sexual behavior is in such direct contrast to established facts that not only is my suspension of disbelief impossible to maintain, but I just get pissed off. They slaughtered a sacred cow, and I let them know about it.

[mexicanjunior]

Back when I released this video in 2003...



alot of people thought I was making fun of the anime used while others thought it was a very serious video. I guess that makes it kind of ambiguous.

[dokidoki]

alot of people thought I was making fun of the anime used while others thought it was a very serious video. I guess that makes it kind of ambiguous.

Heh, you thought was a joke when I was being serious...

PStibbons: I don't know if you're familiar with Fushigi Yuugi, but I tried to portray the villains in a sympathetic light here:

[Qyot27]

I think there's also a case where the video is played completely straight with the music and/or plot, but still has multiple subtexts to it because of that. I seem to have done that with Fate Against Will, which follows the plot of Re-Take and the lyrics of the song almost to a fault. "The Killing Moon" itself is often misinterpreted as being a romance song, when in it's actually about death (and as Kalium pointed out when I was getting the video beta'ed, I juxtaposed "the little death" and real death in there too).

[Knowname]

Too many big words but I LOVE the two videos linked there ambiguous indeed

[Castor Troy]

When I originally made this video...



I intended it just to be a fun tribute with no story, but people were telling me how much they loved "the story" and how it motivated them to do better in life.

[mexicanjunior]

Heh, you thought was a joke when I was being serious...

When I saw it at AWA...I just about giggled....

[Sephiroth]

Made serveral and what'll happen is one of three things, Somone will get what your videos doing, someone will have a completely different idea then what you even were trying to do. Third a person will be confused about whats going and probably go watch something with a bunch of After effects work done.

They also don't tend to get into cons, considering that you have a whole audience and several vids competing for peoples attention. Just cause i made a video comedy about suicide doesn't mean that most people saw it that way. Just like Doki makes a rather nice vid IMO about the villians of FY doesn't mean that everyone who see's it will get the aspects of it. We are a somewhat obscure hobbie which now has a majority of people who are winged on stuff like DBZ and Naruto. We all know how smart some *COUGH alotCOUGH* of the fans of those shows are. Probably not, there isn't an expectations or desire for that because hey look it's DEATH NOTE ZOMG LIGHT LOLROFL.

Alot of the people here may be looking for it because you actually make vids, your used to eating a lot of chocolate cake all the time, you might like to try the vanilla cake with nuts because you don't get that nearly enough. Has anyone hear actually seen an audience yell out for a ambiguous vid?

[JaddziaDax]

Something Fishy - the majority reaction is totally the opposite of what i intended.