In simplistic terms, a “music video” is exactly what it says, a video presentation to accompany a musical piece, but in real terms they have become so much more! Just as a good music video to accompany a new release is essential for it’s success, a bad video can ruin the chances of a good song.
Fans have put their own twist to this by doing "mash-ups", and on a larger scale "fan-edits", that take items of copyrighted material and combine them into new productions of their own. This does not change their legals status, they're still technically in breach of the law and as such are under the same restrictions as all other fan productions. They are, in fact, more likely to run afoul of the music industry than the movie studio!
This year we have found what we think are eight music videos that are representative of the best that has been produced in 2008 on YouTube, the largest online video hosting service, and by the magic of the internet have them on this very page for your enjoyment. I had some help finding the videos this year too, from the denizens of the TrekUnited forum and if you are a music video producer who would like to tell the world about your work, or just a fan who would like to see the many other videos that, for differing reasons didn't make the final eight, checkout the thread HERE. http://www.trekunited.com/community/index.php?showtopic=18187
... and of course visit the YouTube homepage's of the creators (hyperlinked below) to say thanks!
Christine Chapel and Spock
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=j6NTEtuOTvU
How better to celebrate the life of "The First Lady of Trek" than by leading off with a romantic ballad, Sway by Bic Runga, celebrating one of the great unrequited love stories of Star Trek, Christine Chapel and Mr Spock. From dgmpepper8
Amazed
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs8ekBxGgU4
For those who like a happier ending Johannalaforge gives us Will Riker's and Deanna Troi's romance played out to the accompaniment of Maybe I'm Amazed, the Wings classic, performed by Jem.
To Tell A Lie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qp09WVj5-I
Captain Krunch has given us another of his video tales of intrigue and romance, this time involving Ro Laren and ... Captain Picard! To the dulcet tones of Brent Spiner singing It's A Sin To Tell A Lie and the cool jazz guitar rifs of Baby Please Don't Go.
Don't Stop Me Now
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=odPxi7A3G0k
For Original series fans lynsaygreen has put together a slideshow of screencap's of Dr 'Bones' McCoy, the irascible medical officer of the Enterprise as played by DeForest Kelley's whose 'larger-than-life' character meshes well with Queen's Don't Stop me Now.
Janeway The Alien Slayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRHf-xog2jQ
This clever play on the similarity between two of TV's leading ladies from Bloempje721 is more of a true mash-up, in that it re-uses clips of Cpt Janeway from Voyager over the theme music from Buffy The Vampire Slayer to give it the same "feel".
Believe
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=cZx_ibZsv-w
SazzyAgain has used When You Believe by Leon Jackson as the basis for a character piece on Katherine Janeway as we saw her in the two-part Year of Hell episode from season 4
The Twelve Pains of Christmas
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=mMUa_07OUrE
Music videos excel at humour and SazzyAgain has put together a witty backing video to Bob Rivers' take on my favourite Christmas Carol. I wish I'd seen this before Christmas!
What I Like About Elim Garak
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=j8B4tf-uy0o
Istandil, a Czeck fan, has turned the Romantics' 1979 rock anthem, What I Like About You, into a boppy video that will have you rocking along with it right up to the surprise end.