Initium Finis by 404ing
Coastal5's Choice
Coastal5's Choice
When I first saw this video on YT it absolutely BLEW.ME.AWAY. The fact that it floors me still, multiple viewings later, attests to the power of this vidder's storytelling. There’s many vids/vidders who impress and inspire me (for differing reasons) and picking between them is like choosing one child over another (impossible!), but when it came time to pick my Mod’s Choice award, it was always going to be hard to go past this. When all is said and done, you can’t beat a good story and so, I’ve chosen ‘Initium Finis’ by 404ing.
For anyone who hasn’t yet seen this, do it NOW! To mention any of the specifics of the story in this review is to ruin the experience of watching the video, so I’ll do my best to make this spoiler free.
I’ve already raved quite a bit about this vid in the thread comments but what I didn’t mention was how much of a testament this is to pure, straight forward creativity. Short of a couple of effects, the beauty is that the execution of this concept could really have been achieved with any program and I think that’s incredibly encouraging, reinforcing the fact that a video doesn’t need to be highly stylised (though this is beautifully stylish), have fancy effects or be beat laden (as enjoyable and amazing as those are) in order to create an impact. And what an impact this has!
This is such a powerful, chilling and intensely original story. Though AU, one of the most astonishing aspects about this is how incredibly grounded in reality it is, how it could very well pass for an actual premise of an episode. At just over 1:30 in length it’s reasonably short yet the story is as strong and complex as any you’d find in a 3min vid, all of which is due to the vidder’s inspired scene selections, music choice and brilliant execution.
From the very first clip to the last, this video grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go. One frightening scenario is replaced by another, all the while building upon emotions of fear and gut-wrenching horror until the final shocking conclusion leaves you gaping in disbelief. Beautifully underscoring this is a most haunting and foreboding piece of music, that from the very first note feels as though it is whispering of the terrible and sinister deeds to come.
I am in awe as to how this vidder has turned canon on it’s head here - a rare feat! Forget what you think you know, by vid’s end you’ll swear this is the truth...or could be. There are so many layers to this vid; it is both succinct in it’s narrative yet contains an incredible amount of subtext that has you craving to know more. The circumstances the vidder has created here are deeply thought provoking as we bear witness to unspeakable acts by characters we’ve come to love so dearly, who are now going to such terrible lengths. The manips in this (both scene and audio) are just PERFECT! Barely two clips here actually belong back to back, so for the vidder to edit this so effortlessly and more importantly, believably, is a sign of great imagination and a wonderful talent. Each and every clip here is chosen with a purpose; every one contains significant meaning and emotion; whilst the tiny touches of audio provide ambient nuances and words that hang heavy in the air with consequence. In my eyes, this is a complete video; it ticks all the boxes for me and the cohesiveness of all elements is seamless and complimentary of one another, ensuring you are entirely swept away by the story.
I cannot praise enough the pure ingenuity of this vid. There’s no doubt this is one of the most memorable videos I’ve ever seen. So to 404ing, thank you for sharing what is a truly outstanding, heartbreaking and immensely original vid. Congratulations on your award!
Thank 
