Meet Fayzabeam:Teacher and RA fanvidder

This is the second part of the previous post where I featured the fanvid set to Loreena McKennitt's recording of The Highwayman, featuring the BBC television series Robin Hood's characters of Marian Knightly and Guy of Gisborne (played by Richard Armitage).

Watch video here

Welcome Fayzabeam!  I was so happy to find your video.  

Please tell me how you came to create this video.
The Highwayman fan video was a classic example of me trying to shoehorn my obsessions into my teaching,  (I teach 11-18 year olds here in the UK). My Year 8 class (who are about 12/13) were doing the poem with me in class and, as they were so lovely I wanted to make them something that would help them to remember it!
I also made a comic strip/storyboard using screencaps from Robin Hood to use with the class.

So your students are aware of your interest in RA?
Most of my students know, by now, what a fan geek I am! It seems like lots of us who work in education have fandom tendencies ;). The screensaver on my laptop that kicks in occasionally when I'm projecting something on the whiteboard in the classroom is basically choc full of RA pictures and quotes, which they find hilarious. I've also made three videos for 'Macbeth' using RA's Gisborne as Macduff for the benefit of my Year 10 GCSE class, blending footage from Robin Hood and the BBC's other recent fantasy drama, Merlin, to try to tell the story of the Scottish play. There may even be a moment or two of Doctor Who footage in there, too!

Watch the general Macbeth trailer: HERE

Macbeth Act 5 Scene 8 trailer

 I was never really completely happy with the third one, so I didn't upload it to Youtube. Perhaps I'll reopen the project and tweak it a bit sometime soon. Would you like an exclusive if I do? ;)
I certainly would! Thanks for asking. :)

Do you get your idea first and then search for music to fit, or are you inspired by the music to create a video?
I mostly get an idea first when I see the film/tv show, and then try to think of music to fit what I want to achieve (this was particularly true for 'Is This Love?', my first Guy/Marian vid, and most of the other vids I've done), but one or two vids have been done because I liked the songs first. One instance, the vid I did for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, I'd heard the song (Will Young's 'Jealousy') and was desperate to do a vid, any vid, for it. When I saw the second SH film, it just fell into place! Also, 'All Coming Back to Me' and 'Love Story' (both G/M) were songs first, visuals second (although, of course, as they're both shippy vids, that wasn't too tricky!).

Behind the scenes in Robin Hood

 How did you first "discover" Richard Armitage?
I discovered Richard Armitage when I was watching the BBC's Robin Hood back in 2006. I've always been a Robin Hood fan, and I was really interested to see what the beeb would do with this new interpretation. Oddly enough, Guy was my favourite character from HTV's Robin of Sherwood when I watched that as a kid, and so I was pretty sympathetic to the character, anyway! I was really impressed with the way Richard played him, and obviously captivated by the dynamic between him and Lucy, who played Marian. I think what impressed me the most about him was they way he just threw himself into that role - despite the fact that at times the scripting was ropey and the writing of the character was inconsistent (can you tell I'm an English and Media Studies teacher?!). He absolutely seemed to live every moment of the character, and when he was onscreen, you just couldn't look anywhere else. There was a subtlety to his acting that really appealed and showed the light and shade of Gisborne beautifully.

RA in Spooks / MI-5 series 8

 What other roles have you seen him in? 
To be honest, I've not seen much else that he's done - mostly through lack of time than anything else! I've seen a few episodes of Spooks, where he did impress me again, pretty much for the same reasons as above, but although I've bought North and South on DVD, I haven't watched it yet, although I read the book last summer and can't imagine anyone else as John Thornton. I've also yet to see The Hobbit! I'm sure, when I do get the chance, though, I won't be disappointed. I did watch the BBC's 'Shakespeare Retold: Macbeth' a year or two back, where Richard played Macduff, and I enjoyed that a lot, too. Possibly seeing that led me subliminally to cast Richard in my own Macbeth trailers! And, being a Brit, The Vicar Of Dibley is a firm favourite - he and Dawn French played off one another so well :).

As Macduff in Shakespeare Retold's version of Macbeth

 I do know how busy teachers can be - and bravo for reading the book - but you really MUST watch the miniseries of North and South!
Irrationally, I think I'm nervous about seeing N&S now! As I read the book, I could see Richard and Daniella in my head (I've watched quite a few Youtube vids, even though I haven't seen the whole of N&S yet!) and so I'm nervous that it won't match up to what I've 'seen' in my mind's eye. Weird, I know! I should have more faith in Richard and Daniella, I think! Incidentally, it's the same with Chris Ryan's 'Strike Back', which I read last Autumn and I'm still not brave enough to watch... On a more personal level, I've also been really impressed with how he comes across in interviews as a really down to earth, lovely person; a representation of himself which I find really endearing. And of course, he's pretty easy on the eye ;).

You are from the UK, I gather. Can you tell us which city you call home?
I'm from the South West - a village about 20 miles from Bristol, down in Somerset, land of Cheddar cheese, ley lines and amazing cider ;).

 How long have you been a teacher? 
 Ten years this year - although I took a break for a year to have my first daughter (she's now three) and I'm about to go off again in June to have my second girl :).

 What are some of your hobbies?
 Reading, writing, (naturally!), vidding, and, when I'm not about to have a baby, I like to jog in the countryside.

Out jogging Thornton? (photo courtesy of RACentral gallery)

 Have you ever participated in a fandom before? If so, please tell us! And do you find the RA fandom any different from the other(s)?
 I'm a bit of a fandom veteran, these days - my first fandom experience was back in 1997 when the internet came properly online (I was at university) and that was for a cartoon called 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Since then I've written, vidded and joined in fandoms for quite a few things, including Robin of Sherwood, Doctor Who, James May, various films etc. Most of the fandoms I've been in seem to be pretty friendly and full of lovely, enthusiastic people - perhaps I've been lucky I haven't really stumbled across any completely mad, scary ones!

 Do you participate in any of the forums? Read blogs? Watch fan videos or read fanfics? In general, how do you get your RA fix?
 Being a vidder I tend to watch quite a few vids from other fans, and I've recently discovered tumblr (although I'm still not quite sure how it really works!!). I've been a member of livejournal for years, so quite a few comms on my friends list are Robin Hood/RA related. I'm still a bit of a lurker on the Armitage Army forums - not been brave enough to post much, yet! The Hobbit RPF scares the heck out of me, having read a few, although I'm not averse to RPF in general, so long as it's in character and not too explicit! I've even dabbled a bit myself (again, Robin Hood related), although mine was more of a 'I wonder what happened' take on Marian's death scene, and didn't involve any shipping!

This isn't the ending Richard was expecting either!

Please follow this link to read this excellent RPF which has Richard and Lucy Griffiths discussing and practising for their last scene together in the heartrending  2nd season-ender.
 http://archiveofourown.org/works/589122

 Have you ever met any other fans in Real Life?
 Not for the RA fandom, but for others, yes, and it's reassuring to find out that they're lovely, sane people :).

 Do you plan on watching The Hobbit? Or any other of his roles? 
 Oh yes, when I get time, but teaching and being a mother mean time is pretty limited for me. The Hobbit's definitely on my rental list!

 What other roles would you like to see him take on? 
 I'd love to see him on stage - Stanhope in RC Sheriff's 'Journey's End' for instance, or some Shakespeare - perhaps playing against type as Oberon! Oddly, in terms of film, I'd like to see him act opposite/alongside Bradley Cooper in something - I think they seem to have a similar approach to their work, and a similar intelligence and intensity. And of course, there's always the next Doctor Who!

Do you think RA is a good role model for young people?
 That's a tricky one! I mean, of course, he seems hardworking, dedicated and very nice (and humble!) but I think 'role model' puts unrealistic expectations on someone - I'm not sure I would want to class him as that!

 Have any of your students become RA fans because of your interest?
 *G* I'm not sure they'd tell me if they did! They like to tease me about my obsessions - in the nicest possible way, of course!

 How do your family and friends react to your RA "enthusiasm"? 
 My husband just rolls his eyes and writes it off as just another obsession, but then he knew he'd married a fan geek! Friends have a good laugh (but some of the girls secretly agree, I think!). I did make a Gisborne/Marian vid to Meatloaf's "All Coming Back to Me" because a friend of mine suggested it; they like to indulge me!  The rest of my family just put it down as one of my quirky things!

All Coming Back to Me: A Guy and Marian vid (BBC Robin Hood)

Thanks so much for telling us a bit more about yourself and for sharing your videos and fanfic with us!  Your students are very lucky to have a teacher who is able to make the study of English literature and poetry more accessible to modern students!

I am sure you will be very busy this summer with a new baby to care for.  Please drop by and let us know how you and baby are doing!   I hope you will have some time later to watch The Hobbit, or finally break open that North and South DVD.  :D