Reaction videos

[LateArrival]

So here is a question I pose to anyone still regularly checking in. Do you prefer the reaction format or would you rather just have a five to ten minute video review of an episode?
I keep trying to get my friend to watch the show. It has been a struggle. One excuse he gives is that I haven't come up with a format we can use for YouTube.
So would you say reaction videos like these are best or say more of a Podcast format? And would you rather just hear from someone whom has never seen the show before or would you be more inclined to watch if it were someone who had never seen the show before with a long time fan?
He wants to do videos that react to multiple episodes, but it has become my thinking that attention spans die quickly after the first five minutes. So I lean more toward individual episode reviews that last between four and ten minutes.

BUT what I really want to know is your opinions. :thumbsup:

Am happy to sit through JMS's full-length videos as those are great from beginning to end, but he doesn't show any of the actual episode so has no issues with Copyright or Fair Use. If you were going to show content, then it would have to be short as you would only be allowed a few minutes of material max.

But if you aren't the show's creator and don't have as much to say, a shorter Best Of would certainly speed things up. Was flipping channels last night and stumbled over a 5-ish minute review of the original NotLD - footage included - that covered the plot (pun) from the cemetery to the final gunshot.

As for a single video with multiple reviews or individual videos, wouldn't individuals allow for more copyrighted content per video and more accurate title descriptions: Review of Points of Departure vs Review of Some S2 Eps.

 

[Looney]

No plans to show actual video footage from the show. Screen caps only.

My plan is leave out plot summaries as much as possible. I hate spoilers. But of course this is a big debate. I want to leave it open for people whom have never seen the show, but I think more than likely views are going to come from long time fans.

Thank you for the time and effort. We know all to well we won't be able to get away with any video clips. It is just something one should plan for. Those are things best left to something behind a paywall like Patreon.

 

[Looney]

So I have watch more Medusa. I just watched THE LONG DARK. They have grown on me for a couple of reasons. One I really enjoy how wrong she can be. Two I enjoy how right she can be in predicting as she is watching. Three I like her overall enthusiasm.

BIGGEST COMPLAINT is her saying she might just go watch the next episode when CLEARLY she rarely ever does.

I was quite upset to hear that the Season One departure was spoiled for her early on in Season One. WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE EGOS LIKE THAT?!?!?!?!?!

"Look at me. I'm so smart I know what is going to happen and I'm going to ruin it for you to show how smart I am."

Spoilers are a HUGE debate my friend and I have about our YouTube channel. I feel like we need to do these things because we want to spread the word about the things we see. He wants to follow the logic that YouTube viewers don't watch what we talk about anyway so we may as well spoil things. That just goes against my code. I will spoil things, but only if I know people probably shouldn't watch or read or whatever I am talking about.

That being said, if we do start anything B5 there will likely be a spoiler section at the end so people will have a choice.

 

[Looney]

OMG PEOPLE! THE COMING OF SHADOWS SHE STARTED TO WEEP WHEN SINCLAIR SURFACED. And then I started to weep and then we were both.... You get the gist.

I have to admit this just drives me crazy! I soooooooooooo wish I was with her to discuss these episodes after she watches them. I mean at this point how much does she know? I'm not going to read all of her comments to find out. I know someone spoiled her on Sinclair's departure at the start of Season One, so I wonder if she even reads comments. Anyway thanks for getting me hooked on these.

 

[Karajorma]

Yeah, she's a huge fan of Jeff's. Which is why we were all looking forwards to War without End.



Last video on Patreon is Conflict of Interest but I think it's generally considered poor form to post spoilers for any episode ahead of the one you're actually watching.

 

[Looney]

I REALLY hope Medusa goes back and watches everything a second time. I was looking at the Rangers in the background thread and I think she would greatly appreciate seeing such things.

 

[Looney]

What is it?! Why does it seem like Looney always kills discussions?! :wtf:

Anyway I really wish I had a conduit to talk to Cascade and find out what she knows.

Also, Straczynski's commentaries are so great. I just can't say enough about his Patreon. I am soooooooooooo shocked by how often he posts things. It has been very worth the money.

 

[LateArrival]

Also, Straczynski's commentaries are so great. I just can't say enough about his Patreon. I am soooooooooooo shocked by how often he posts things. It has been very worth the money.

Definitely worth the money (am at the 4 gallons of gas/month level myself) and glad I signed up last year. Aside from his Interesting Posts (most of which we may not speak of) it is fun voting to select upcoming B5 commentaries. It's great that he makes them available to Everyone on youtube after a while, but subscribing means we get to see the commentaries as soon as he uploads them. Have been getting my appropriate B5Books volume out to read his episode introductions, then viewing the commentaries.

Only downside is the Current Commentary Conundrum, since "Late Delivery From Avalon" seems to be behind by 30-ish votes.
,,,and regarding the DtD commentary - Absolutely Nothing happened in sector 83 by 9 by 12!!

 

[Looney]

,,,and regarding the DtD commentary - Absolutely Nothing happened in sector 83 by 9 by 12!!

:guffaw:

One thing a appreciate most is how often he tells me he appreciates me.

I too am giving at the 4 Gallon level. The Gallon level might soon be our new currency, at least until the election.

 

[LateArrival]

What is it?! Why does it seem like Looney always kills discussions?! :wtf:

A question relating to JMS's recent War Without End (Pt1) commentary. He mentioned that had they not managed to negotiate-ish a union contract that was only 30k more than their current expenses-ish, they would probably have needed to move the show to Canada in order to stay under budget. Would that be why shows like Stargate were filmed in Canada? Was trying to learn more about "The Babylon Contract" and the only Search Results that seem to make any sense are over in B5BooksLand: "Babylon Contract (IATSE agreement)" - Vol 5, pg 41" and Vol 7, pg 51.

 

[Springer]

I haven't heard that in regard to B5 before, but I've read that a lot of shows do film in Canada because it's less expensive (or maybe there are tax breaks? Either way, it's more cost efficient for some productions). Off the top of my head I think the first seasons of The X-Files were filmed in Vancouver, and nu-BSG was filmed in Canada too (hence a lot of Canadian actors ). And of course The Lost Tales was filmed in Canada too.

 

[Looney]

Yes that is why shows film in Canada - cheaper.

Also I heard directly from Dylan Neal himself that the reason so many people from Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand are big stars now is because they speak English and will work cheaper. In their own countries they can make decent salaries, but in the States they can make ridiculous money and still be highly cost effective for the producers of the products. Just look at where Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr started vs Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth makes a lot of money, but early on I'm sure he was the cheapest Avenger.

 

[Jan]

Yes that is why shows film in Canada - cheaper.

Also I heard directly from Dylan Neal himself that the reason so many people from Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand are big stars now is because they speak English and will work cheaper. In their own countries they can make decent salaries, but in the States they can make ridiculous money and still be highly cost effective for the producers of the products. Just look at where Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr started vs Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth makes a lot of money, but early on I'm sure he was the cheapest Avenger.

It probably doesn't hurt that there are Canadian Content Laws which mandate that a certain number of Canadians have to be part of productions so if an American production decides to make things in Canada, they've got that part taken care of.

 

[hypatia]

Wouldn't Robert Downey Jr. be a candidate for the lowest-paid Marvel star? He'd come off of a bad period of drug use and was on the brink of looking like he'd go full Johhny-Depp insane. The producers took a chance casting him in the starring role of Iron Man. He wasn't even the highest paid member on that cast, I know that much. The fact that Robert Downey Jr. came through like a champion and really turned his life around is in part what made Marvel the megapower that it is today.

But that would be the exception, due to his havinga very iffy recent history in his life and work. In general, I'm sure your point is a solid one.

 

[LateArrival]

Semi Unrelated Lose End Trivia from a few posts back... This is in regards to JMS's recent War Without End (Pt1) commentary which at the moment is still "exclusive to his Patreon account" and not yet released to the general public.

JMS mentions "The Babylon Contract", negotiating with unions, and finding a way to unionize WITHOUT moving the show to Canada for budgetary reasons. There was a little about this in B5 script books 5 and 7 - "The Babylon Contract" appears to be for studios with shows that cost less than 1 million per episode. But the interesting bit appears to be the name of the episode where both JMS and John Flinn waved their script/director fees to allow for the new union budget to work: Grey 17 Is Missing.


...and to steer things back on topic, have started watching Medusa Cascade reaction videos. Seems she was :scream: displeased :scream: with Garibaldi for betraying Sheridan on Mars.
But then Bester showed up...

 

[Karajorma]

Yeah, I just watched MC's reaction and it's great.

 

[LateArrival]

Earlier today MC posted a Happy Birthday to JMS message on her Patreon page, and he responded with a wonderful compliment of her videos.

If JMS likes what she is doing, that pretty much is the Ultimate stamp of approval. :thumbsup:




...and she has also started the 1st season of Stargate, so when she finishes B5 (hopefully also watching the Movies, Crusade, TLT, and LoTR) there will still be other long-running 90s SF available.

 

[Moonface]

Hi everyone!
long time no see!
I just stumbled upon MCs reactions and gobbled them up like... what is that earth creature called? beak, feathers, gobbles up all the bread crumps you toss them?
cats!
I gobbled them up like cats do breadcrumps.
And then it hit me: hey, I havn't been visiting here for a while, I should tell you about that...

well...

:guffaw:

as always I'm so late to the party it's already time to clean up. (that's why I hate parties, its just work for me )

The only thing new I can bring to the table is this observation: HOW GOOD ARE HER SHORT VERSIONS ON YT!!!! I'm totally floored.
As you know: I made a recap of season 1, and I don't have to do a reaction and reactions to other material and have a dayjob while having an upload schedule. I can take my time and do whatever and I still think her short versions are better than mine. In opposition to other reactors she never butchers the material. I watched groundhog day from kayreacts. That was awful! 90% of the scenes she put in this reaction are just cut before there is any closure. It's just random nearly incoherent sequences. MC on the other hand has the episodes nailed down. If you know nothing about the episode and you watch her reactions you get what's going on and you get the character arcs as well. sure: her cuts are often blunt but I don't care. making a recap of just the episodes is a daunting task already, without having to be sure, that the reaction fits as well.

I mean: why did I even bother making my own...

 

[Looney]

Good to see you Moonface. It doesn't matter how her reactions come off. You make your own reactions because you want to express yourself and give your own unique opinion. :thumbsup:

 

[Karajorma]

Has anyone else tried Babylon 5 For the First Time?


Basically two Star Trek podcasters watching B5 for the first time ever and viewing it through the lens of the show they love. It's pretty good, especially when they come across an episode with a direct Trek connection like Mind War or The War Prayer. It's a review video rather than a reaction video though.