Story Time!!
When I was in my last semester of earning a
B.A. in radio and television, I had a vision that I wanted to try and
commit to videotape while I still had the time and resources to do so. In
fact, it counted as an Independent Study, meaning I earned a couple of credits too.
The vision? A music video for a Billy
Joel album cut called “Sleeping with the Television On”.
MTV had been around for nearly eight years
at this point (yes, they were still airing music videos regularly), and this particular
Joel song came off his 1980 LP Glass Houses... so it
had been around even longer. I don’t even recall how I fixated on that song,
but once I got the green light to proceed, I was all about storyboards, and
casting (aka begging friends and classmates to assist and/or BE in the video...
I hope I gave them free pizza or something), and booking parts
of the Morehouse dorm on a Saturday night for filming.
It was exciting, nerve-wracking, and a few
other “ings” to get my video shot, and to be in charge of the entire
setup. But for me, the MOST fun came when it was time for me to take all that
I’d shot, park myself for an afternoon or two in one of the editing suites, and
piece it all together to match what was in my mind’s eye as much as
humanly possible. The editing process was, shall we say, different 31
years ago, especially at a smallish university in the middle of
In MY day (says the cranky middle-aged woman), it took a lot of time, tears, and patience to get a completed project... but that’s what made a well-done finished project all the more satisfying. Unfortunately, technology overran me a long time ago, meaning I haven’t physically edited anything in 24 years. Once you learn the ins and outs of whatever system one uses nowadays, I imagine the 2020 editing to be decidedly easier in most ways... yet still some sort of a drain on the time, tears, and patience. That’s because editing—especially editing to music, and perhaps even moreso when lyrics are involved—is like piecing together an elaborate jigsaw puzzle that only YOU (the producer/director/editor) can see. That part doesn’t change with time. You wrestle with shot choices, with effects, with transitions... and you wrestle with the nanosecond any of those things are supposed to occur as well. For me, those choices are what make or break a video creation—even if the material they’re working with is pre-existing (e.g. footage from episodes of TGD).
Sheree-Lynn Blizzard and I have plans to talk later this summer, and when we do, I’ll surely ask about her own editing process. If her name sounds familiar, it’s either because A) we’ve discussed her on the blog (and/or in the comments) before, or B) you’re already familiar with her work. Blizzard, in my humble opinion, has set the standard for what #Shea tributes should be. Each creation—and there are 10 in all now; her latest effort debuted last weekend—is a thoughtful mix to an inspired song choice. Early on she chose the music herself; some of the more recent efforts have been requested by viewers. But each video makes the most of the Shaun and Lea video clips available at the time of production, and creates a slightly different vibe for the viewer.
HOW SO?? Why, thank you for asking, and please follow along as we take a little tour of Blizzard’s creations...
(NOTE: rather than go chronologically, I’m starting with the least-viewed ones to date and working my way up)
(ANOTHER NOTE: I’m pretty sure all
of Blizzard’s #Shea videos contain essentials such as First Hug,
First Kiss, and Goodbye Kiss... so assume you’ll find those no matter where you look.Yay!)
“Green Apples” by Chantal Kreviazuk
Released:
Length:
3.6 K views as of
Song type: Ballad
Opens with: Lea teaching
Shaun how to end a date (from “
Highlights include: Lea
driving, Shaun driving, first karaoke
ends w/ “I have apples, do you want an
apple?”
Dialogue includes: “Tequila stat!” “You’re
the only honest guy I know,” “I have apples... do you want an apple?”
Favorite feature: Just the
fact that there’s a song called “Green Apples” that works for this is enough 😊
Mood: Sentimental
Best to watch when: It’s been a
long day and you need a quick, quiet #Shea snack before bedtime
“I Need My
Girl” by The National
Released:
Length:
10K views 6/21/20
Song type: quiet but urgent
guitar ballad
Opens with: Lea in her car,
calling out to Shaun as he sits at a bus stop in the dark (he’d missed his stop
and wasn’t sure how to get back to the apartment, as I recall)
Highlights: Footage of
the grocery-store robbery in “Apple”, Shaun watching
silently as a bunch of accident victims file into ER, and a few other
seldom-seens from S1 that have nothing to do with Lea
Dialogue included: Lea trying
to assure Shaun “You did nothing wrong” (post-road trip accident when
Shaun ran off the road)
Favorite feature: The sequence
about the pine trees
Mood: Pensive
Best to watch when: You only
have a couple minutes, e.g. A typical TV commercial break, and you’d rather
watch something of QUAL
“Shine a Light”
by Banners (Sherree’s 1st-ever #Shea video)
Released:
Length:
33 K views
as of 6/21/20
Song type: uplifting, driving pop
Opens with: “What’s your name?/I’m Lea/I’m Dr. Shaun Murphy, nice to meet you!”
Highlights: Shot of Shaun stressing after a Glassman-getting-him-a-therapist meeting (matches the lyrics well, you’ll note)… Shaun leaving restaurant when she first tells him she’s moving back to Hershey… Shaun floating in the pool several episodes after her departure (all S1)
Dialogue included: “Where are we going/wherever the car takes us/I don’t like the beach/OK, I will let the car know”... ”I like you/Well why wouldn’t you, I’m very likeable” … Ends with “I like Hershey/You’ve never been to Hersh--/Lea’s there”
Mood: Joyous
Best to watch when: You just feel like reminiscing on precisely what drew you to them in the first place.
“Enchanted”
by Taylor Swift
Released:
2/2/20
Length:
5:10
35K Views as of 6/21/20
Song type: Country-Pop power ballad (it’s from Swift’s 2010 album Speak
Now as opposed to her more current work)
Opens with: Lea telling Shaun good night (and heading on into her
apartment) after she drove him home from the bus stop in “Pipes”
Highlights: Lea’s “you’re such an asshat” hallway flirting (again, matching
the lyric perfectly)… Lea introducing Jake… lots of good lyric/video
connections, including “wishing you were at my door” when Lea comes back, scenes
from “Hubert” involving the aquarium/pet store, "Friends and Family” stuff
including Lea trying to coax Shaun into the water
Dialogue included: “What are you smelling…
right now?/Pine trees”… and the S2 finale “Do I Look nice?” exchange
Favorite feature: The “please don’t be in love with someone
else” refrain, when alongside the video chosen, is especially effective.
Mood:
Vulnerable
Best to watch when:
You have time to follow it up with a quick video clip reminder that Jake is in
the past, Carly is in the past, but #Shea is moving on into the future.
Aaaahhhhh
--
“Better”
by SYML
Released:
1/27/19
Length: 4:13
37K views as of 6/21/20
Song type: Mid-tempo ballad (BTW this song was featured in Volume 1 of the
S.O.S. Playlist)
Opens with: “Morning, roomie...” in their first days as roommates
Highlights: Final shots from
“Hubert,” driving lessons, meeting Jake, their first roomie fight, Lea apartment-dancing
and other scenes from “Aftermath” (e.g. go-kart races)
Dialogue included: Some Lea gems from “Pipes,” “Carrots,” and "Hubert”
Favorite feature: The
metaphoric beauty of the last 30 seconds.
Mood: Wistful...
this video in particular feels like the precursor to “You Make Me More”
Best to watch when: You’re
looking for the best of S1 and S2 combined for #Shea
“What
If” by SafetySuit
Released:
11/5/18
Length:
3:53
46K views as of 6/21/20
Song type: Mid-tempo rocker
Opens with: Shaun snubbing Lea at St. B’s (from early in S2)
Highlights include: Shaun leaving apartment key w/Lea to return, Shaun knocking on
Lea’s door after Lea had moved out (from S1), Shaun “going big” w karaoke but
Lea not having it, Lea’s S2 return in the apartment hallway, several bits and
pieces from early S2 that aren’t in many of Blizzard’s other videos
Dialogue includes: “I don’t need your help and I don’t want your help” (Lea to
Shaun when he followed her apartment-hunting), “living w/you will be good for
me... it makes me happy” (Shaun to Lea), “I care that you care” and more from
final scenes in “Tough Titmouse” and “Carrots”
Favorite feature: The edit sequence of their 2 kisses
Mood:
Early-relationship roller coaster
Best to watch when: trying to relive all the highs and lows through the “We’re gonna be roommates” celebration
--
“Dynasty”
by MIIA
Release
date: 4/7/20
Length:
6:02
95K views as of 6/21/20
Song type: Power ballad
Opens with: Lea walking into the apartment when Shaun’s about to confess his
feelings for her
Highlights include: A compressed version of the final three minutes of "Autopsy”...
which is nicely intercut with a few of
their greatest hits to that point (including a little of the karaoke catapult
from "Unsaid”)… then some of Lea’s more emotional moments... "Friends
and Family” footage.
Dialogue includes: Content from the end of “Fixation”… also some of the garage
scene from “Heartbreak”... it ends w/the tail end of Shaun’s “Lea makes me
more” speech w/Lea listening in (from “Hurt”).
Favorite Feature: This video is unique for the fact that the lyrics to “Dynasty”
don’t begin until the 2:30 mark, meaning Blizzard has to make the video captivating
for that long without the benefit of that resource. And she absolutely does.
(Duh!)
Mood:
Sad
Best to watch when: You
want to dig in to the angst-ier feels of #Shea... and as the longest of
Sheree’s videos to date (just over 6 minutes), you could also do some damage to
a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in that timespan. Just sayin’.
“Fall
on Me” By C. Aguilera/A Great Big World
Released:
4/25/20
Length:
4:20
143K views as of 6/21/20
Song type: Power Ballad
Opens with: The earthquake scene where Glassman tells Shaun that Lea was in
the building
Highlights include: Clips reflecting Shaun
& Lea’s perspectives in sync with male/female vocals in song… Shaun and
Lea’s first-surgery freakout at the apartment, multiple cuts from the S3 finale
Dialogue includes: “My life is better with you”... “I AM going to rock it”...
Lea’s words at end of finale… in fact, the whole last 30 seconds of “Fall on
Me” is the final shot from the finale (“I Love You”)
Favorite Feature: With Shaun’s lines about Vera deleted from the final moments of
“I Love You,” it’s much easier to see him processing and understanding that
this is for real.
Mood:
Triumphant
Best to watch when: You're
just another #Shea fan seeking that Hollywood rom-com feeling
“Latch”
by Natalie Taylor
Released:
7/20/19
Length:
3:01
180K as of 6/21/20
Song type: upbeat… if you know the hit version that featured Sam Smith on vocals, it’s a far less techno version... I think it has more in common with the lovely acoustic Sam Smith version that was featured on Dancing with the Stars a few years back.
Opens with: “Thank you, Lea… my life is better with you” (from S2 “Xin” I
think)
Highlights include: Lots of road trip moments, Lea dancing in the apartment, Shaun with
the “Do I look nice?” flowers, pet store scenes from “Hubert”
Dialogue includes: “We can still be friends with benefits,” “You’re the only honest
guy I know”... this video probably has the least amount of show dialogue within
it (of Blizzard’s videos to date).
Favorite Feature: Honestly, it’s the song choice... “Latch” brilliantly connects
them for me. (No pun intended)
Mood:
Optimistic, giddy
Best to watch when:
You need a little lift after spending too much time among the Lea-haters on TGD
social media
THE
NEWEST ONE...
“November
Rain” by Guns N’ Roses
Released:
6/13/20
Length:
5:22
2.5K
views as of 6/21/20
Highlights include: Shaun & Carly’s “closure”, Wyoming trip footage aside from
The Embrace, Shaun and Glassman post-arrest (from “Autopsy”), Shaun’s
“Heartbreak” hole-up from early moments of that episode, a few moments of Shaun
with GhostSteve (in “Hurt”), the FIRST of the finale kisses (not the entire
collection like in “Fall on Me”)
Dialogue includes: “If I tell her that I love her...” (Shaun to Glassman), “I want
to tell you how I feel,” (Shaun to Lea), Shaun & Lea’s argument on the
bridge (but no, Lea’s crushing line is not included)
Favorite Feature: There's a cool buildup to the finale kiss that is different than
the approach Blizzard uses in “Fall on Me”
Mood: The #Shea
roller coaster revisited
Best to watch when:
You like your “Hollywood rom-com" mixed with a little more dramatic grit
Did
you watch them all yet? Do you have a new favorite?
If you'd rather just hang on to a playlist and watch them later, here's the link for that!
Stay tuned for more lists of #Shea videos... as well as that interview with Sheree-Lynn Blizzard herself... coming up later this summer.
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