Now That They’ve Found Love, Part 3: The Intersection of ASD and Fairy Tale

Words are powerful. When well-chosen, their power magnifies; when used inappropriately, they can metastasize into something quite damning to a conversation… or a document… or social media.

 

Which is why every time I see Shaun and Lea’s relationship described as “toxic,” I’m reminded of the often-quoted Mandy Patinkin-as-Inigo Montoya line from The Princess Bride: “You keep using that word… I do not think it means what you think it means.”

(Quick tip here: Before you seek out Princess Bride memes or GIFs for your next showdown with a Lea-hater, note that the Lea-haters I've witnessed are utterly uninterested in learning about Shaun and Lea's unique characteristics. Consider not engaging with them instead. Seriously. One log won't burn. Off my soapbox I go...)

I tend to think those of us who have been in and/or witnessed a true toxic relationship-- rather than just heard the term batted about in a pop psychology article or two—know at least some of the earmarks like the back of their hand:

 

·         Lack of support

·         Poor communication

·         Disrespect

·         Controlling behavior

·         Resentment

·         Dishonesty

 

They also know any and all of the above is more than an argument, or even a recurring argument. Rather, they are deeply entrenched behaviors and actions that turn a relationship “toxic” over time.  In other words… one angry exchange on a bridge + one alcohol-fueled verbal rant accompanied with a baseball bat does not a toxic relationship make. By definition alone, it simply DOESN'T.

 

But here’s the catch: when one of the two people in a relationship has ASD, the potential for toxicity is significant. The action may not be deliberate, particularly in the case of the one with ASD. But the possibility remains very real.

 

It’s the big picture that we must keep in mind—the one that includes the agonizing #Shea scenes alongside their big finale moment and other greatest hits. The presumption is that Shaun and Lea will grow and mature as their love story develops from here. Autism will continue to light the stage they’re on, though. What vision of love on the spectrum* will TGD viewers ultimately see?

 

(*Love on the Spectrum, by the way, also happens to be the name of a 5-part Australian series about young adults with ASD and their efforts to make romantic connections. It’s currently available on Netflix, and quite interesting… check it out if you can!)

 

--

 

This storyline dives deep into darkness. Now, considering this—why is it that so many in social media have lashed out at Lea for rejection, but excuse Shaun’s misconduct? Because they want their heroes to be all good? Should autism be told as fairytale? 

– from Andreas’ Reddit  A Flawed Hero: The Darkness of Murphy MD

  

I first included Andreas (@AndreasAachen on Twitter, with the awesome, TGD-cribbed tag line Autistic, not blind in his bio) and his lines about autism being told as fairytale when I wrote about the baseball bat scene. And his words stuck with me as I compiled info for this post. Part of the reason for that is something else I learned of via Andreas: Tony Attwood’s book The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome. Andreas tells me Attwood is a leading authority on the subject, so I took a particular interest in Chapter 13, simply titled “Long Term Relationships.”

A QUICK TERMINOLOGY NOTE: As I understand it, “Asperger’s Syndrome” is becoming an outdated term for high-functioning autism. In fact, the revised editions of Attwood’s book are now called The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder), as ASD is becoming the preferred terminology. TGD hasn’t used “Asperger’s” in any of its three seasons; for accuracy and consistency’s sake, I won’t either.

Here are the points of interest in Attwood’s Chapter 13 that stood out the most for me:

·         “Many women describe their first impression of their partner… as someone who is kind, attentive and slightly immature… speaks his mind… has strong moral convictions (with emphasis on “kind” and “speaks his mind”, you’ve got Lea)… The partner with ASD is usually a late developer in terms of emotional and relationship maturity.” (sounds like Shaun)

 

·         “Men with ASD tend to seek a partner who can compensate for their difficulties in daily life – that is, someone from the other end of the continuum of social and emotional abilities.” (while I don’t think this is a description match for Shaun, I do see Lea in an “other end of the continuum” way where he’s concerned. Elsewhere in the text it makes reference to ASD men seeking partners with “advanced social and maternal abilities”; I see that more in Carly than I do in Lea. For whatever that’s worth.)

 

·         In a sub-division of Chapter 13 entitled “Problems in the Relationship”, Attwood discusses how the ASD/NT (short for Neurotypical) courtship is often quite different than the subsequent marriage in that the ASD partner can acquire “a superficial expertise” in the dating phase that they see unnecessary to continue doing once a certain goal (marriage) is obtained. (I’d argue that plenty of NT partners ALSO become something of a different person once married! But I digress…)

What’s interesting about Shaun and Lea in this scenario is that they’ve almost done this backwards: gotten to know how to live together first (with no real romantic goals in mind), then witnessed how each other functions in romantic relationships (with other people), and THEN, after getting all the initial fears and frustrations out in the open, headed for the “courtship” part of the journey. I’ve got to believe this is the sort of relationship “progression” that will work in their favor, at least for now.

·         But one big thing that gets reiterated in the Attwood text is the sense of loneliness that the NT partner feels increasingly in the relationship… through no real fault of the ASD partner, of course: “The initial optimism that the partner with ASD will gradually change and become more emotionally mature and socially skilled can dissolve into despair that social skills are static due to limited motivation to be more sociable. This can be due to the intellectual effort needed to socialize, subsequent exhaustion, and a fear of making a social mistake.”

Although Shaun has so far proven amenable to a number of social situations—especially when he’s with friends—this could definitely become a sticking point in their relationship if the writers choose to venture down that road. Will Lea seek “going-out time” with Shaun as much as he is likely to seek “staying-in time”? How adversely will it affect him if she puts any pressure on the issue? How adversely will it affect her when multiple nights “staying in” lead to him researching the Case of the Week while she grudgingly cracks open her laptop in silence (because, with an autistic partner, this counts as spending quality time together)?

In other words… you know that early sense of Love will make everything work out that can be felt in the early tremors of troubled relationships? Well, Lea could be deep into that vibe as Season 4 begins, with the “trouble” in this case being those underlying concerns she spelled out late in Season 3. What if she finds that Shaun simply cannot handle her (self-proclaimed) selfish, needy ways over time? How would such disappointment manifest itself in her case?

·         Speaking of the neediness issue: “A metaphor for the need and capacity for affection can be that typical people have a bucket that needs to be filled, whereas people with ASD have a cup that is quickly filled to capacity. The person with ASD may not express sufficient affection to meet the needs of his or her partner. However, I have known of relationships where the partner with ASD expresses affection too frequently… As a man with ASD said: ‘We feel and show affection but not enough and at the wrong intensity.’”

One of the things #Shea ‘shippers love to crow about is how much more Shaun and Lea have (already) clicked physically compared to Shaun and Carly. So while it’s hard to imagine a time when their physical affection quotas could be wildly out of sync… get ready. It’s quite possible.

·         And see if this passage reminds you of anything we’ve brought up this summer: “During times of personal distress, when empathy and words and gestures of affection would be expected as an emotional restorative, the typical partner may be left alone to ‘get over it’. I have noted that this is not a callous act; the partner with ASD is probably very kind, but in his or her mind, the most effective emotional restorative is solitude.”

Cue whatever episodes are to come that present Lea struggling with something, and Shaun struggling to understand why his response (or lack thereof) is making things worse, not better. Think “you never once asked what happened in Hershey…” times 15.

·         To understand this challenge even better: “Being alone is often the main emotional recovery mechanism for people with ASD, and they may assume that is also the case for their partner… I observed a situation where a husband with ASD was sitting next to his wife, who was in tears. He remained still and did not offer any words or gestures of affection. Later, when I discussed this situation with him, and asked if he noticed that his wife was crying, he replied, ‘Yes, but I didn’t want to do the wrong thing.’”

Remember when Shaun realized Lea was crying in the “Hubert” episode, and after she explained why, it looked like he was about to reach out and comfort her… but instead, he reached for the fishbowl and left the apartment? I can almost see the ShaunVision® working to prevent him from doing “the wrong thing”, especially since the platonic boundaries of their relationship had been freshly established. Could he touch her hand? Sit closer? Offer a hug? No, she’s not my girlfriend. And I don’t do those things well anyway. What COULD he do? Be a doctor, and do it as soon as possible. Which is exactly what he did—and in this particular case, it made him Lea’s hero.

·         Before all that went down in the “Hubert” episode, we often look to the post-pet shop scene of Lea gazing directly at their new fish while Shaun sits across the room, finding great satisfaction in reading aloud the water conditioning needs of Hubert’s bowl. “Daddy just expresses his love in a different way,” Lea assured the fish. As most of us have already pointed out from time to time, that line (that whole mini-storyline, really) was a brilliant microcosm of Shaun and Lea’s particular ASD/NT dynamic in action. And Attwood’s words confirm it: “The person with ASD may express his or her love in more practical terms… (they) have difficulties with the communication of emotions, and this includes love. When a partner said to her husband with ASD ‘You never show you care,’ he replied, ‘Well, I fixed the fence, didn’t I?’”

So if at this point you’re somewhere between Damn, did Lea read this Attwood book already? She’s already pegged the danger zones so well… and Good God, is there ANY hope to be had for ASD/NT couples? I feel you.

In fact, Attwood proposes three steps to get such faltering couples on the right track: 1) both partners need to acknowledge the ASD diagnosis of the affected partner (more on this in a minute), 2) both partners need to be motivated to be able to change and learn, and 3) both partners need access to relationship counseling, “modified to accommodate the profile of abilities of the partner with ASD, and a willingness to implement suggestions from specialists in ASD, the relevant literature and support groups.”

I know it’s a lot, and I, too, hope Shaun and Lea get a grace period of (mostly) joy before the challenges start a-flying their way. But they already love each other, so we know that element of the “courtship” is completed. And TGD has already laid the groundwork (via previous difficulties) to test their relationship. We know the storms are coming. We see, via writings such as Attwood’s, that Shaun and Lea’s challenges are well-aligned with reality.

So we’re brought back around to Andreas’ question: Should autism be shown as fairy tale?

You know who that decision will ultimately be left to? The TGD writers. Not the producers in general; not David Shore in specific (unless he’s the one writing a given #Shea episode). Just the writers; the very folks who came up with “I don’t care.. but I care that YOU care”… and the story of Hubert… and all the highs and lows that brought Shaun to say “Lea makes me MORE.” 

How often they want to #Shea to reflect typical ASD/NT love stories… and how often they give Shaun just the right words to save a situation… it’s entirely their call.

Because words are powerful.

(NOTE: I said I'd be getting back to the part about both partners accepting an ASD diagnosis... I was referring to another article on the subject that I planned to touch on here, but didn't... I will get a link to it in the comments at some point. Lots to talk about here; not always lots of time to write!)

(I will likely do more posts on this specific topic in the future.)

About 11/2, IG posts, and That One Deleted Scene We Need to Talk About

 

It’s been a hell of a week, hasn’t it?  (Aren’t they all, lately??) But when it came to developments related to The Good Doctor, it was more of a hell-YEAH kind of week. Thank goodness.

 

The big official news: ABC announced that TGD’s season premiere will be Monday, November 2… just SIX WEEKS from this coming Monday! (A not-so-big, official "poster" containing that info can be seen above.)

 

The much smaller, less official news pt. 1: a little over a week ago, Paige Spara (Lea) posted on Instagram a photo from the set, tagged it “Hello Season 4 💌”…

Paige's IG pic on bottom half...

Speculation on what we see in top half

… and the speculation started flying. Wasn’t the picture from the set representing Shaun’s (formerly Shaun and Lea’s) apartment? Or, more specifically, Shaun’s bedroom? OR… was it Lea’s (previous) bedroom? The shea.endgameIG account that I mentioned a couple weeks ago is all over this particular clue.

 

And the much smaller, less official news pt. 2 came amongst a series of IG posts by Sheila Kelley (Debbie) as she documented behind-the-scenes activity…

(This is just a screen grab... try this for playing the video.)

Yep, it’s about 9 seconds worth of video with Shaun and Dr. Glassman (as seen through an on-set video monitor), with the latter at the front door of ChezGlassy, and the former a fair distance down the path. Since the volume on the clip is extremely low, and not much is said, I initially was more intrigued with the shot itself—was this an example of social distancing, TGD-style?—but I should have known #Shea shippers wouldn’t let a little volume issue keep them from making as much sense of the audio as humanly possible!

Especially when the word that comes through the clearest is LOVE!

 

Did you give it a listen? What do you think?

 

I should add, too, that my curiosity continues to be piqued with regards to how soon after the S3 finale that scenes like this are occurring… two days? Two weeks? Longer? A lot of that presumably depends on how fresh TGD writers wanted Melendez’s death to be in the minds of the BVites. On the other hand, we keep hearing that COVID-19 is going to be addressed on the show in some fashion, and that’s a wild card that’s pretty impossible to play.

 

On the other (third??) hand, who cares, we’ll know in about SEVEN WEEKS-!!

In the meantime… I’d like to jump approximately seven weeks backward, for that’s around the time that TGD Season 3 was released on DVD. I’m not sure how many of us splurge for that—me, I’m borrowing a copy from my local library—but one unique feature is the collection of S3 “deleted scenes.” There are 27 in all; a few are so brief (20 seconds or less) that I can’t even tell for which episode they were originally written. But for #Shea purposes, there are three of the 27 scenes worth discussing.

 

“Wake Up” (presumably deleted from First Case, Second Base)—where GhostSteve alerts Shaun to the text on his phone about his first lead surgery, and Shaun does his “I am going to rock it!” declaration from his bed… before

realizing that if GhostSteve is giving him this news, it can only be a dream he’s having… not the real deal.

 

Of course, what happened on the show instead was Lea being there for Shaun’s

great news (and a whole lot of bouncing for joy from the two of them). I’m certainly glad they went with the Lea option on this critical scene, but I’d be curious to know how they envisioned the whole thing if it had evolved from the GhostSteve dream. Seems unusually challenging, at least in theory. Having GhostSteve appear mid-show (also in a dream) was a great alternative.

**

 

“I Have to Go” (from Friends and Family) —a scene which

answers once and for all the question Did Shaun let Carly know he was going to Wyoming before he actually LEFT for Wyoming? (Answer: yes, he did.)

 

Remember how both Lea and Glassy were telling Shaun he needed to communicate with Carly, and then we saw him reaching for his phone, and… nothing more was seen until the threesome was driving up to the Murphy

residence in Casper? What was deleted from the show itself was: a) Carly being very concerned for Shaun while Shaun maintained his “I won’t be sad if he dies” stance, b) Carly offering to come be with him in Casper the following day, only to be assured that wasn’t necessary because Dr. Glassman and Lea were with him, c) Carly looking rather shaken as she stammers “Lea is going with you?”, then looking enormously frustrated as Shaun hangs up shortly thereafter.

 

Followed by… nothing more until the Fractured episode. Which is understandable, given what was going on in Casper. But this scene certainly carries a certain gravitas that remained in Shaun and Carly’s next scene together, when Carly said (paraphrased) “I’m sorry about your father, but hey, why didn’t you answer a single one of my texts while you were gone?”

 

And again in their elevator scene, when she asked “Be honest—is there something going on with Lea that you’re not telling me?” (Before his cafeteria confession about spending the night in Lea’s arms, which came a little later in the episode)

 

**

Which brings us to…

“Medical Records” (from Friends and Family)

 

Now HERE is a scene that should’ve stayed. (In my totally biased opinion, that is.)

 

You should be able to see the clip here, but I’ll summarize it anyway: just after Shaun’s initial meeting with his (dying) father—the one where Shaun says all the angry things bottled up inside before storming out of the house—we find Shaun sitting (and rocking)  on a rock near the street, while Glassman and Lea hang near the Murphy mailbox, waiting for Shaun to calm himself down. Lea suggests to Glassman that it might be a good time for Shaun to go have a drink, and take a break from the family drama. 

Glassman equates that way of thinking to “running away,” adding that of course Lea would suggest it—“isn’t that what you always do?” he snarks. “The hours are too long… you don’t like your boss… you run home to the family business…”

 

“I’ve never run away from—” Lea begins to defend.

“And don’t even get me started on…” Glassman begins to say, speaking over her, before Shaun walks over and cuts both of them off.

“I need his medical records,” he says in reference to the terminally ill Ethan Murphy.

 

Glassman tells him no; he has already studied them plenty. Shaun says he needs to look at them anyway, but Glassman still says no. His point: Ethan is definitely dying, no need to verify it, but what Shaun DOES need to do is decide if “that tirade” (Glassman’s words for Shaun’s earlier outburst) is going to be the way he ends things with Dad.

“What do you want him to say?” Lea counters when Shaun remains silent. “Just because his dad says 'sorry' doesn’t change the fact that he’s a violent, abusive jackass and his mom is totally complicit.”

 

“Yeah, his dad’s a jackass. Join the club,” Glassy responds, apparently in reference to his own behavior towards his now-deceased daughter… which, echoed throughout the episode, is why Glassy feels compelled to then ask, “Is there ever a chance for forgiveness? Ever?? Because now’s the time, Shaun!”

 

Shaun maintains his silence, while Lea remains unconvinced. “His dad ripped a rabbit out of his son’s arms and heaved it against the wall,” she all but growls at Glassy. “He deserves to die miserable and alone.”

 

And just when Glassy looks Lea’s way… almost as if to say Okay, point taken… Shaun pipes up one last time. “I need his medical records…”

 

“No!” Glassy and Lea say in unison.

And that’s where the scene ends.

 

Now as you might recall, the next time we saw these three was at the bar: Lea got a round of tequila shots (which both men declined), and Shaun was studying those medical records after all… eventually reaching the same conclusion as Glassy (“There’s no hope. He’s going to die”). And then came the brief what-to-do-next conversation that concluded with Shaun agreeing to go to the lake with Lea. So… no big deal cutting the “Medical Records” scene from the episode, right?

 

Except here’s the thing. Of the 27 deleted scenes on the S3 DVD, it didn’t seem that any one episode had more than three… except for this one (Friends and Family). Which had a total of FIVE deleted scenes: “Medical Records,” “I Have to Go” (the Shaun/Carly phone call mentioned earlier), and three others relating to the hospital action going on with the star football player while the Casper family reunion played out (one where the player was being admitted, surrounded by his entourage… one where the player’s surgery was nearing completion… and one where the player’s “people” told the BVites they’d done well.)

 

So… again, my totally biased opinion:

 

1)      The three scenes from the hospital were deleted with good reason… they were utterly expendable. (The most dramatic moment was when Melendez got to kick the player’s entire entourage out of the ER, including the team physician.)

2)      The two scenes related to Shaun’s story were deleted because there wasn’t enough time to include them. No, they didn’t create gaping holes in the narrative with their absence, but…

a.       It was unclear whether or not Shaun had taken Lea & Glassman’s advice to call Carly, and consequentially, it was unclear later on what Carly knew about Lea’s involvement in the Casper trip.

b.      While the “Medical Records” scene was arguably more about Glassman and/or Lea than it was about Shaun, all three characters have been intertwined since the “Islands” episode in S1. If Glassy is preaching forgiveness right out in front of Shaun’s family home, it’s important. If Lea is preaching compassion for Shaun’s situation when Shaun is too distraught to voice it himself, it’s also important. If those two “preaches” collide, and Glassy gets thisclose to playing the you’re-no-good-for-my-surrogate-son card (we all know where he was going when he said “And don’t even get me started on…” right?), then… yeah. Fairly important!

 

3)      And while the hospital action of “Friends and Family” did result in one significant development—that of Claire shaking off her risky-behavior phase, and getting herself into therapy— I can’t help but feel they could have gotten that accomplished without a full-steam-ahead case of the week…

 

4)      … Because, as reader Allan Verissimo pointed out when the S3 DVD was released, Shaun, Glassman, and Lea (and even Carly) should have been allowed to carry the episode. Or at least 75% of it, if the remainder was to go towards Claire’s issues. Imagine what we might have been treated to alongside those deleted scenes: more flashbacks… more Shaun and Lea bonding…more Lea and Glassy butting heads… maybe a scene of Shaun with one or both of them preparing for his “I forgive you” speech…? Or even an opportunity for Lea to share something personal without getting cut off by anyone? (I know, I know… pushing it too far, right?)

 

I guess it’s not right to think of it as an opportunity wasted; obviously what WAS included in that pivotal episode was enough to get everyone where they were headed.

 

But I hope… especially for David Shore, and #Shea specialists like Thomas L. Moran, who wrote “Friends and Family”… that they came away from the experience with more conviction to take TGD even farther off the beaten path of St. Bonaventure’s corridors every once in a while. Four seasons into this series, I think everyone involved (including the viewers) can more than handle it. 

 

State of the #Shea EXCLUSIVE: The Sheree-Lynn Blizzard Interview!

If you’re a #Shea ‘shipper at any level—hard-core, moderate, toe-dipper (is that a thing? I’m not sure that’s a thing)—you know about Sheree-Lynn Blizzard’s videos.

If you don't... or, well may we'll assume you're relatively new to all of this... I wrote all about them earlier in the summer. Or, just go to YouTube, type in her name and/or Shaun + Lea, and get acquainted. Take your time. She's now completed a total of ELEVEN music video #Shea tributes.

She's not the only one to produce these; 

I've also featured the

work of others here and plan to feature more in the future. But, for many of us, Sheree-Lynn's work is the Gold Standard.

Which is why it's exciting to present this STATE OF THE #SHEA EXCLUSIVE!

In a straightforward, Q + A format, here's my interview with Sheree-Lynn Blizzard.

(SOS) A classic question to start... Tell TGD fans about yourself! As much or as little as you're comfortable with!

(SLB) I have always been fascinated with the creative side of things through visuals and music.   I love how it can enhance the original story by just the use of a song.   My sister Tina and I use to make 'videos' for the soap One Life to Live and The X-Files just using two VCRs and a cassette player.   We would have to mute the tv and play the song we wanted to use over our "edited" clips.  It of course was a more extensive way of doing it.   But they were fun to create and I found out years later that other video creators started out doing it the same way.   I watch ASMR videos to help with my insomnia and to relax me.  Some of my other favourite tv shows I watch are Outlander, Lucifer, This Is Us, and New Amsterdam.  A few of the artists I like to listen to is 54.40, Taylor Swift, Jann Arden, Hanson, and Sheryl Crow.

(SOS) Tell me about the history of your YT channel... what shows have your done videos for ahead of TGD, and what was your inspiration (were there any other video-makers that got your creative juices flowing)?

 

(SLB) I started my channel Oct 17th, 2008 and the first video I uploaded was of Edward and Bella (Twilight).   In January 2013 I started making video tributes to Rumple and Belle from Once upon a Time. The last video I uploaded before my computer I had at the time crashed was a video on Will Graham (Hannibal) “The Catalyst.” It was almost three years later when I finally got a new computer, and new editing software.   Around that time, I started watching the show Outlander so my first video back to editing was Jamie and Claire “Yellow Light.”    Because the quality of this video from my past uploads was so much better, that was a personal highlight for me.   I then continued with videos of Philip and Elizabeth (The Crown).   I love watching other fan videos and I am always in awe of the talent.  My favourites are ones that are not overwhelming with effects and transitions.   Those who visit my channel can always check out the playlists of my favourite videos.   My latest fave video is from "MaitikaHan" ~Jamie and Claire - Safe.  

 

(SOS) What's your history with TGD...have you watched from the beginning? At someone's recommendation, or on your own? (Was it sparked by a unique interest in autism? Being a longtime Freddie fan? Something else?)

 

(SLB) Well, Bates Motel kept coming up on my

NETFLIX homepage so I thought I would check it out.    At the time NETFLIX only had up to series 4 and by then I loved the show and just ended up getting the Box Set.  I then started seeing promos for The Good Doctor with Freddie Highmore and took notice it was created from David Shore (House).   I found the storyline intriguing and enjoyed Freddie's performance in Bates Motel so I was curious to check him out in The Good Doctor.  

 

(SOS) When did the Shaun/Lea relationship first snag your attention? From the beginning, or with a later exchange between them?

 

(SLB) Right from the beginning, it got my attention.   I was so happy he knocked on her door to introduce himself. That is the reason why I used that exchange in my first Shea video.  I adore their chemistry together and was so thrilled Paige became series regular.    

 

(SOS) How soon after Lea's Season 1 exit from the show did you decide to do your first video for them? How did you come up with "Shine a Light" as your first music choice?

 

(SLB) I remember the "Islands" episodes being the inspiration for me wanting to start making one.  I believe I started editing it when part 1 aired.   I may have wanted to make a video sooner on them, but Islands was the only episode by then that really had them in more than one scene.  Song choice happened with me searching for TGD and Shea related stuff on YouTube.   I think it had to do with the song being featured on an episode as well.  But the lyrics seemed fitting and I loved the melody.  

 

(SOS) How soon did you know your tributes to Shea were resonating with a lot of other fans? (Taking note here that you knocked out 3 different Shea videos between February and June 2018)

 

(SLB) Sharing them on Twitter (via TGDsquad) really helped get them noticed.  So, thanks to you and all of them for the support.   Also, a shoutout to R.K.P Wong for this lovely comment on my first Shea video:

"Thank you for sharing.  Best Shaun and Lea video ever on YouTube:  I love the quality of the pictures, pictures arrangements, and song choice.  I miss Lea and miss Shaun and Lea together so much."  

Also, my subscribers spiked when I uploaded my "Latch" video.

 

(SOS) Can you describe/run through your editing process from start to finish? (Again, telling as much or as little as you're comfortable with!)

 

(SLB) I need to have the lyrics on hand so I can take notes of clip ideas.   I use Corel Video Studio 2020 and insert the song in the timeline and import any episodes I will be using.  

I listen to the melody of the song a lot and take note of beat changes.  I watch scenes to get the feel of how they may work lyrically and how it will convey emotionally with the tone of the song.  Any dialogue I keep in I normalize it and/or use a reverb effect.   Once that is all done, I add a colouring effect and my title/watermark.  I personally don't like to go crazy with effects because I find it too distracting.   I am a fan of letting the lyrics and clips tell a story.  

 

(SOS) As of now, you've produced 11 different Shea music tribute videos. Can you talk about a few of the highlights for you... song choices that worked better than anticipated, edits and effects that you're especially proud of, etc.?

 

(SLB runs through her videos here in chronological order):

 

Shine a Light ~ the part with Shaun saying "I don't like the beach" and Lea's response "I will let the car know" was a highlight for me personally just trying to fill in that bit of instrumental.  It just had the right timing and the exchange was cute.  And it worked so well with the tone of the song.  

 

I Need my Girl ~ "I made a mistake today and someone got hurt" and the cut to him mentally preparing for the onslaught of patients was the first idea I actually had in making the video.  This video is different because Lea is not focused on every clip. It may be why it is one of my least viewed of my Shea videos.   I do like the colouring I used in it.

 

Green Apples~   I was listening to Chantal Kreviazuk's cd Under These Rocks and Stones at work and  "Green Apples"  came on and I thought wait a second... "Green Apples - Shaun loves Green Apples" :) I just thought it would be cute to use and of course Lea saying at the end "I've got apples, you want an apple?" made the video work.  

 

What If~  (the lyric) "what if it makes you crash and you can't find the key", the timing of Shaun knocking on the door and the camera panning to his hand all just worked so well.  Keeping in the audio of them singing "tender love is blind, it requires a dedication" at the end is still a highlight for me. I was proud of how it worked.  

 

Better ~ The beginning shot ("Hello roomie") was intentional in me continuing it off from the ending of the What If video ("we are going to be roommates".)  "You came into the picture like a natural" part was a proud edit moment where the timing just worked beautifully.   It took me a few tries to get the timing right of when to start Shaun walking and editing Lea opening the door at the right lyric.  

 

Latch~ Out of all my videos so far this is my favourite colouring I have used.  I just think it is beautiful and it highlights the right mood for the song.  

 

Enchanted ~ I tried to keep the first verse of the song in but just couldn't, at the time, find moments that would work.   Lucky for me, it wasn't too hard to just start the song on the second verse.    Oh, and the timing of the opening credit to the beat of the music - don't ask me how long that took to get right ; ) And I love how it transitioned perfectly from Shaun's "Hello" to Lea's "I'm Lea" to "I'm Doctor Shaun Murphy, nice to meet you".

 

Dynasty~ This was a song request and I made a creative choice not to include the Season 3 finale kiss in the video.   I know that decision was not liked by some viewers, but with the subject matter and the overall tone of the song it just didn't feel right.    Originally, I didn't use the instrumental version at the start.   I went back and forth on keeping it in or not but, of course, decided to.  Those who are familiar with the scene know where the edits are, but I wanted it to look seamless.   The edit of Lea bursting through the door (From “Apple,” S1) at "I am selfish" and how it landed on the beat of the song, was one of those happy accidents.  

 

Fall on Me~   The lyrics just resonated with me and I loved the melody.   I thought it was perfect for their (S3 finale) "kiss".    Leaving in Shaun's "I am going to Rock it!" and cutting to Lea running to kiss him was intentional to the build-up of him finally getting this kiss he deserved.  

"I can't see the future but I know that it's there" part was frustrating so I almost quit editing the video.  I was struggling to find a clip for that moment but of course, I found one that Lea just gave the perfect facial expression.

^^^NOTE: it is REMARKABLY PERFECT. -- Kelli 

 

November Rain~ This was another song request, and a song I personally wouldn't have considered for a Shea video.  There were some frustrations with clip ideas, and how much I wanted to include Carly in the video.   There were several times I didn't think I would be able to finish it, but I am happy how it turned out.   I loved how the start with Lea asking Shaun if he is "Okay" worked with the build-up of his being scared to reveal his feelings.  

 

Far Away (a.k.a. I Love You)~ I got the song idea from Amy Danko; it was one of her song suggestions for the 'Shea Ultimate S.O.S. Playlist, Volume 3'. Though during the time of making it I got creatively stuck. I was feeling frustrated because every time I would go into my editing program I would just stare at my screen. I knew I wanted to include moments from the 'I Love You' episode. But I needed to step away and refresh my mind on how to approach it. 

Once I got back into editing it I decided just to play

around with the 'split-screen' effect. It was an effect I never used before and just thought it would highlight some moments in a different way. Shaun's "...and no cards to play" moment in the video is my personal fave edit. I love how the motion of his hands "on my knees I'll ask" just worked perfectly lyrically.

 

(SOS) What have been the biggest challenges... anticipated or otherwise? Were there some videos that turned out to be more difficult to create than others? Why?

 

(SLB) The overall challenge I face as an editor is the song choice and finding the right clips to go with lyrics.  “November Rain” has been so far the most challenging with trying to find the right balance between the mood and emotion of the scenes to the song.

 

(SOS) Let's talk about the knockoffs... fellow YouTube-ers who have actually taken your finished production and tried to pass it off as their own (except with a different music choice). How often has this happened... when did you first become aware of it... and what sort of action have you taken (if any?) to deter it?

 

(SLB) Obviously, those who take my videos are wanting to make these videos but are too lazy to do the work.   When they do this, it takes about 5 mins of their time where I can be working on my video for up to a month.    The sad thing is it will continue to happen even with my watermark.  

 

I just hope that others would just be considerate of the editing process and the time involved with coming up with creative ideas.   And how they would feel if they spent all that time on making a video and someone just took all that creativity and claimed it as their own.  

 

The videos that I am aware of that this has happened to are “Shine a Light,” “I Need my Girl,” and “Dynasty”.  I would contact the uploader or leave a comment and a few times they would apologize and/or remove the video.   Some argue that I use copyrighted material and there is no difference in what I upload and them "stealing" my work.   But I never claim those original clips as my own and the copyright owner(s) allow permission for me to use their material.  This means, of course, that my videos can't be monetized and the copyright owner (Sony/TGD) and/or the singer (artist) gets paid the ad revenue.    

 

(SOS) As of now, the three most-watched SLB Shea videos are, by far: "Fall on Me," "Latch," and "Dynasty.” What do you think it is about those three that clicks with viewers the most? (And if there are any comments you've received about these videos that help illustrate your answer, please reference them!)

 

P.S. It's now over 257K!

    (SLB) The "Latch" video garnered me more subscribers.  Youtube's algorithm, I believe, had something to do with that.    And it may be what helped click for “Dynasty” and “Fall on Me.”   Also, fan's knowing that “the kiss" would be featured in the “Fall on Me” video through the thumbnail made the video even more "clickable" ; )

 

Personally I love how those three turned out and think overall it is just the song choice and quality of the clips that attracted the viewers.   For my "Latch" video,  Amy Danko's "Beautiful!" comment sums up the overall visual of the video.    

And Fall on Me video, 'big ang's' comment "Great video! I love how the perspective seemed to shift from Shaun to Lea @1:29. The camera pushes in just as the vocals change, which seems to give us that wonderful impression of seeing through Lea's eyes from that moment on.  Overall, you did an excellent job of showing us both sides of this love story. Thank you for sharing!"  was exactly what I was going for.   It is wonderful when the viewer also sees the same perspective creatively that I have taken.  

 

(SOS) What's next for SLB Shea videos? Aside from getting some new #Shea footage to work with (YAY!), what are you looking forward to most with regards to future creations, e.g. song choices you've been waiting to use until they were actually "together"?

 

(SLB) I do want to make a video using the song "Islands in the Stream" but I know I would want to use clips of them as a "couple" from season 4.   There is a Bon Jovi song "Roller Coaster" that was requested that I hope to get to after the "Far Away" video is completed but I also wish to upload videos from my other fandoms too.   I am just excited about making future Shea videos.  

 

(SOS) Is there anything else that you feel is important to say about you and your work?

 

(SLB) I just want to thank everyone for all the amazing feedback and for subscribing.   Also, I know it can be frustrating that I don't upload often but I really appreciate all the patience.