Vid! Paper Planes (Toph, Avatar: the Last Airbender)

[thedeadparrot]

Title: Paper Planes
Fandom: Avatar: the Last Airbender
Character: Toph Bei Fong
Length: 2:04
Summary: Bona fide hustler making my name.
Music: M.I.A. - "Paper Planes"
Content Notes: Fast cutting and some cartoon violence.
Notes: Made for halfamoon, because female characters are awesome.

Xvid download (19 MB) (mirror)
subtitles file
blip.tv | BAM

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Lyrics:

I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait

Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system

No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

M.I.A.
Third world democracy
Yeah, I got more records than the K.G.B.
So, uh, no funny business

Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go
Some, some, some I, some I murder
Some, I some I let go

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money


More notes: I want to be Toph when I grow up. No, seriously. She is just that awesome. Her introduction episode may have been the highlight of the entire series for me.

This vid was a lot of fun to make, mostly because I think I like vidding action scenes the best, what with all that movement and energy, and bending is just gorgeous. This song got stuck in my head for a while last year, and I think it totally captures the right sort of badassery for Toph.

Also, I switched to a new vidding software for this, because video editing on Linux is still the flakiest thing ever. I apologize for the mediocre source quality. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get better quality source before halfamoon ended.

Anyway, if you haven't seen this show yet, you should, because it is awesome.

Comments

[wistfuljane]

\o/ YOU MADE A TOPH VID! TO M.I.A.! *gives you the internet* I especially love the editing around the "BANG BANG BANG BANG" chorus.

*fangirls*

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! It was an idea that was just waiting to happen! I'm glad you enjoyed the editing for the BANG BANG BANG sections, because they were really tough to get synced up correctly with the music. :)

[thuviaptarth]

Awww, this is awesomely Toph! I love that you saved the big earthbending scenes for the big bangs in the choruses.

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! It's quite flattering to hear that! I was so pleased with the ways the heavy bangs matched up with the solidity of earthbending, and I'm glad you enjoyed it too.

[eisen]

dsaf;hksdlhfkh HOLY FUCK THIS IS WONDERFUL TWO OF MY FAVORITE TASTES TASTING GREAT TOGETHER.

Toooph! M.I.A.! Together! At last! This is fucking brilliant, well done.

This makes me wanna cry from the awesome.

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! I do agree that they are awesome together. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[stultiloquentia]

I haven't seen a single episode of this show, but WOAH, what an awesome character! *is hook-line-and-sinkered*

[thedeadparrot]

She really is amazing. I think I may have touched on maybe 1/10th of her awesome, and possibly 1/100th of the show's awesome. So I totally rec this show whole-heartedly.

[marina]

Eee! I don't even watch this show but that was wonderful!

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! And you should totally watch the show. Totally.

[rydra_wong]

I only know about Toph via fandom osmosis, but I downloaded this as soon as I saw the music choice, and it did not disappoint.

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[zulu]

I feel it is possible I could love this more if I was more familiar with Toph and Avatar, BUT MAYBE NOT, 'cause I love it a lot now! Really awesome energy, the earth-bending and her teaching Aang and her confidence really come through.

[thedeadparrot]

Yay thanks! Yeah, Toph is all confidence and competence and awesome, and I'm glad that really came through!

[arduinna]

Oh, wow, this was awesome. Toph's earth-bending is *perfect* for this song; I love the sense of power and confidence here, and the BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG KA-CHINGs were, er, bang-on. And I couldn't love that ending shot more. Toph! \o/

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! Yeah, I was so pleased when I found this song in my collection, because it fit so well. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[talitha78]

Oh, this is awesome! Fantastic use of the song.

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[pseudo_tsuga]

I love all the clever matches you made between the lyrics and Avatar!

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! The song just fit Avatar and Toph so well, that those parts were incredibly easy!

[metonymy]

UM THAT WAS TOTALLY FUCKING AMAZING AND ILU.

[thedeadparrot]

HI. THANK YOU! :)

[windupbasilisk]

Oh man, this vid is so very Toph, with its rhythm and swagger and sense of fun.

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! I adore Toph, so I am very pleased to hear this. :)

[starlady]

Damn, that was awesome. Great song choice, to say nothing of the editing. Damn I need to sit down and watch all of this show.

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! I definitely recommend watching all of the show sometime. It is quite awesome.

[jonesandashes]

Toph totally is that awesome. <3 Fabulous vid, very enjoyable. *bookmarks*

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! She totally, totally is.

[j_quadrifrons]

When I was linked to this post I went "TOPH!" and that has basically been my reaction for the past five minutes. This is marvelous, thank you!

[thedeadparrot]

I totally understand that reaction, because I get it every single time I see her show up on screen. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[chagrined]

luv toph ty 4 vid <3

[thedeadparrot]

Toph kicks so very much ass.

[such_heights]

TOOOOPH. This was awesome. :D

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks!

[iambickilometer]

Your editing is HOLY SHIT SO GOOD. Also, you made a Toph vid, I love it!

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! And Toph is just so awesome, I am glad to see people enjoyed it!

[glass_icarus]

TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPH! *\o/* *\o/* *\o/*

This is absolutely perfect, omg. &hearts

[thedeadparrot]

Every time Toph shows up on my screen, my life is made better! I am glad you enjoyed it!

[sprat]

Oh my god, YAAAAAAAAYY!! That song suits her ridiculously well. I love this. TOPH! <3

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! I am in total agreement. :)

[epicene]

Loved this. Fun, badass, and gots swagger, just like Toph.

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! Toph is just too badass!

[obsession_inc]

Oh my God, I just found this and I LOVE YOU. Toph and M.I.A.!!!! How are you so smart? seriously, when I opened this page my jaw dropped and I said NO WAAAAAAY before I even watched the thing. And then I watched it, and it was AWESOME. I have a small cache of vids on my iPhone for emergencies where I need to be convinced that the universe isn't hopeless, and is in fact full of awesome. This, if I may, is begging to be one of those vids.

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! I do think Toph and M.I.A. are two excellent tastes that taste truly excellent together. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[musesfool]

This is adorable! ♥

[thedeadparrot]

Thanks! Toph is incredibly adorable when she isn't kicking your ass!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

So far I have only seen the very first four episodes of the show, not because I don't like it (how could I not like it, it is fabulous) but because I don't like watching moving visual media.

I just demanded of my pusher enabler friend when Toph comes in, and now I have to finish watching the first season so I can start on the second, because OMG TOPH <3 <3 <3 <3

[thedeadparrot]

I do think OMG TOPH is the correct reaction. I am glad to see that you are pushing through!

[clavicular]

*HEARTEYES* Toph is my FAVOURITE FOREVER and this vid just perfectly encapsulates everything I love about her. SO ADORABLE. SO BADASS. *twirls her* Aaah, so much love I cannot even deal. <3

[thedeadparrot]

Thank you! Toph is so adorable and so badass!