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Information

• Member: Soul Bro Ryu
• Studio: Nightrunner Productions
• Title: At the Chime of a City Clock
• Premiered: 2005-03-27
• Categories:
  • Action
  • Drama
  • Other
  • Character Profile
  • Serious
  • Romance
  • Sentimental
• Song:
  • Nick Drake At the Chime of a City Clock
• Anime:
  • GunGrave
• Comments: Nightrunner Productions: Video #014
  Folk Ballad
  Sci-Fi Crime Drama
  Program Used: Adobe Premiere 6.0
  Video Format: AVI (XviD Encoded)
  OP Credits Music: "Good Times Roll Pt. 1" - RJD2, "The Horror" EP
  
  Well, here we are again at the end of another project and I couldn't be more pleased. Where I ended "Madness" (previous video) on a sour note because it took me so long, "At the Chime of a City Clock" was far more pleasing to complete because I did it in a much more normal time-frame (2 1/2 Weeks).
  
  I know what you're thinking. He rushed this for JACON, this video is going to suck and have low pre-production. You'd be right to think that too, but since I've had the concept and notes for this video dating back to January 6th, 2004, I already knew what this project would end up being like waaaaay before it was finished on March 25th, 2005. In bullshit theory, I've actually been working on this one for a long time too, I just only started to manifest it on digital celluloid within the last couple of weeks. (Ironically, the JACON committee never recieved it...) Regardless, I'm elated on how it turned out and I hope fans of the series will like it and get what I was trying to say about Brandon and the decisions he made about Maria, Big Daddy, and Harry.
  
  I was hit with the concept of this video on my birthday last year (also on January 6th, 2004), when Anime-One had posted Episode 14 of "GunGrave", when the show was still airing in Japan. Having played the game, I already knew the events in the episode were going to be explored in this one, but I didn't expect how well it would be done. I wrote a post in my journal here about it on that day that I watched it, and to make a long story short, I was completely floored. It almost felt like a movie, and they even put the episode title at the end of the episode, which is something I predicted they'd do. ^_^
  
  The day before, I heard "At the Chime of a City Clock" by Nick Drake on one of the local College Stations around here and instantly fell in love with the song. I never knew about Nick Drake before that point, although I had been exposed to him before; there was a Volkswagon Beetle Commercial that used "Pink Moon" in it, and I thoght the song was unique, but not as stirring as "Chime" was when I heard it. I immediately went home to find every track from Nick Drake I could, especially "Chime", finding out whatever info on this mysterious artist I could as well.
  
  The internet didn't disappoint. There are quite an abundance of websites dedicated to the late Nick Drake, a revelation that you find out about the man quickly. The mystery about his demise has yet to be dechiphered, but he lived a very depressed life with music being one of the few things that brought light into it. Still though, he's a very interesting person and a talent appreciated too late by most, but if you'd like to learn more about the man and his music after watching this video, peep this website - The Nick Drake Files.
  
  I was until after I aquired the song that I realized the lyrics and mood of the song would fit GunGrave to a "T", specifically the earlier half when Brandon is still mortal. Some lyrics I'd be left on my own to interpret in my own way ("For a stone in a tin can..."), while others we're no-brainers ("And he will lose, If he won't choose, The one he may confide in...). Once I made the connection between the show and the song, mapping out the video on paper and in my mind was child's play. However, since "Madness" used up the resources on my laptop and GunGrave itself had yet to release on DVD in the U.S., I was left to wait until everything fell in place. Well, at least I had the song!
  
  By mid-Feb., that finally happened when I picked up GunGrave Vol. 4, and I couldn't be happier. And once "Madness" was completed a few weeks ago, I jumped right on this one. To sum up the idea behind the video, I focused it on Brandon's life with the strict intention of not showing anything from his time as "Beyond the Grave". Those expectations fell fast when I reached the first lyrics (A city freeze, Get on your knees...), and had to compromise using the footage that fit those words best: Grave landing on the bridge and sliding through the snow, falling to his knees shortly after because his body isn't fully activated. Threw a clip of Mika Asagi and Dr. Tokioka for good measure too, since I was there.
  
  After that, present day becomes a memory as I go back to Brandon's past, with a montage of the events that tore apart his friendship with his best friend, Harry MacDowell, and the withdrawal of his desire for Maria. In order to stay in both their lives and protect them, Brandon had to make some hard decisions, becoming Millenion's best sweeper and getting a lot of blood on his hands in the process. I'm sure it was a factor he didn't care much for, but dammit if the man wasn't good at it even when he was clumsy at most other things, especially at being social. Despite his sins and his quiet nature, Brandon Heat is a very complex and likeable character, and to watch him face his demons in his life is truly compelling. I just hope this AMV does it justice.
  
  I don't expect anyone who hasn't watched the series to care for it much, but for those who really felt GunGrave, it's my greatest wish that you cats like it. Still, feel free to to be honest if you review it - it's definetly a project I'd like feedback on.
  
  Until next time,
  Soul Brother Ryusynoke
  0503.26
  
  EDIT: I noticed on other computers the codec I used wasn't as clean as I hoped and artifacts show up here and there. I'm working on a recompressed version where this isn't the case, but in the meantime, forgive me for the inconvienience. It's still very watchable, regardless, I just wish it encoded right the first time.
  
  PS: Turns out that the upload for this video never fully made it to the JACON AMV contest in time, or was completely overlooked, so I've entered it for the AMV contest at Anime Festival Orlando 6 instead. Maybe this time, I'll get the chance to see it on the big screen, but the way AMV Contests have been changing, you'll be lucky to even see a video you made in front of an audience, even if you entered three. I went to JACON '05 this year, and the one video I made DID get shown, however, my friend and fellow AMV creator, Leroy ("animeniakproductions" here on the .Org) made three and not one was premiered in front of the main contest audience at all. Turns out that the contest started 40 minutes late, and they didn't have the consideration to at least rearrange the playlist to highlight every creator who had entered. I figure that if you go through the trouble to make entertainment for others, then pay to go to the con your supporting - just to attend the AMV contest you created something for - you should at least have something of you admissions shown.
  
  There was a AMV-review held in a smaller room afterwards, but with everyone talking and no one paying attention to the videos on the screen, it's hard to gauge audience reactions and comments on what you made then it would be if it was presented in the proper setting. Way to go JACON staff, after all the years of hearing how well done your contests were, the one year I attend, it comes off like amateur night. I don't mean to rant, but I just want to get across how disappointed I was in that fiasco and I hope that AFO6 dosen't turn out the same way.
  
  Keeping my fingers crossed,
  Soul Brother Ryusynoke
  0507.24
  
  BTW, here's the lyrics again for those interested:
  
  "At the Chime of a City Clock" by Nick Drake.
  -----------------------------------------
  A city freeze
  Get on your knees
  Pray for warmth and green paper.
  A city drought
  You're down and out
  See your trousers don't taper.
  Saddle up
  Kick your feet
  Ride the range of a London street
  Travel to a local plane
  Turn around and come back again.
  
  And at the chime of the city clock
  Put up your road block
  Hang on to your crown.
  For a stone in a tin can
  Is wealth to the city man
  Who leaves his armour down.
  
  Stay indoors
  Beneath the floors
  Talk with neighbours only.
  The games you play
  Make people say
  You're either weird or lonely.
  A city star
  Won't shine too far
  On account of the way you are
  And the beads
  Around your face
  Make you sure to fit back in place.
  
  And at the beat of the city drum
  See how your friends come in twos;
  Or threes or more.
  For the sound of a busy place
  Is fine for a pretty face
  Who knows what a face is for.
  
  The city clown
  Will soon fall down
  Without a face to hide in.
  And he will lose
  If he won't choose
  The one he may confide in.
  Sonny boy
  With smokes for sale
  Went to ground with a face so pale
  And never heard
  About the change
  Showed his hand and fell out of range.
  
  In the light of a city square
  Find out the face that's fair
  Keep it by your side.
  When the light of the city falls
  You fly to the city walls
  Take off with your bride.
  
  But at the chime of a city clock
  Put up your road block
  Hang on to your crown.
  For a stone in a tin can
  Is wealth to the city man
  Who leaves his armour down.
  ---------------------------------------