AMV Of The Week: Don’t Look Back

First AMV of the new year! This one is by SilentOkami, and is a lovely compilation of footage from Final Fantasy VIII edited to fit the song “Don’t Look Back” by french electric music group, Télépopmusik.

The best part about this AMV is the use of transitions. Though the changes in window size can be a little jarring, the way masking and blurring are used to obscure Rinoa at certain points fit perfectly to the music. Unlike many other AMVs I have chosen in the past, this one is simple, almost gentle in its presentation, but extremely effective.

Some of my favourite parts are the opening, with the feather, and the way the wings are interplayed with her body along with the tilting camera angles. I’m not sure how much of that scene is edited and how much is lifted, having never completed VIII myself, but it’s very clever. I also love the use of colour, or lack of it in certain scenes. It adds extra layers to the video, and wonderfully conveys the relationship between the two characters. I find the use of black and white, or sepia, show time and age beautifully.

I also really love the dancing, the way it fits to the music and the double layered clips. This works really well, and makes a good showcase of the first time Squall meets Rinoa.

A pretty decent video – makes me want to give Final Fantasy VIII some more time and attention.

Kirsty Watkinson

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