yardhippie 0 #1 July 20, 2006 Im working on a large project 30+ mins of finished video. Nothing fancy just dives, swoops and shenanagins from our DZ for the year. I was wondering what methods are used to mix the variety together? My previous versions I'll typically group like things together in a single video, and breake the larger groups of like things with small bits that I dont have a lot of. For example: I really only freefly, so thats most the video I'll get, but I'll throw in some belly stuff or a tandem to break it up a bit. Im considering making my DVD with different mini-videos on it, but Im afraid that will get a bit boring. So, just wondering what methods of madness you use?Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD "What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me "Anything you want." ~ female skydiver Mohoso Rodriguez #865 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 July 20, 2006 You want an Editing 101 on how to not make boring stuff? My eyes simply glaze over after watching about 3 minutes of most videos. "Dives, swoops and shenanagins" is usually not going to keep my interest. Rather than just have a collection of unrelated scenes, see if there is some thread you can use to tie them all together. Find some sort of story to tell.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #3 July 20, 2006 Quote Im considering making my DVD with different mini-videos on it, but Im afraid that will get a bit boring. So, just wondering what methods of madness you use? It all depends on your audience.. if it is just for your friends, you can just put their faces in your video a lot.. and their swoops and all that stuff.. and they will love it. If its for a bigger audience, stick to what Quade suggested.. think of what you want to show your audience.. put some kind of story in it.. Iwan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #4 July 20, 2006 Use some old movie, for a theme like ... The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly (students & mishaps) Dog Day Afternoon (swwoping the ponds) Taxi Driver (tandems) You can use the movies music & stuff. Might be cool. It gives ME an idea anyhoo. steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pope 0 #5 July 21, 2006 QuoteYou want an Editing 101 on how to not make boring stuff? My eyes simply glaze over after watching about 3 minutes of most videos. "Dives, swoops and shenanagins" is usually not going to keep my interest. Rather than just have a collection of unrelated scenes, see if there is some thread you can use to tie them all together. Find some sort of story to tell. ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner folks! Paul's absolutely correct. Name ten of your favorite movies and at LEAST 70% (if not 100%) have a storyline/plot. Just 'cause it's a skydiving video doesn't mean it has to be a skydiving video...know what I mean?? pope Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #6 July 21, 2006 If your content is *only* skydiving footage, consider theming it together to build suspense for your best shots. A good edit is like a good song; dynamic with low points to accentuate the highs, and power into the high points. If it's all similar content, group them together and let the contrast between whatever your best and worst shots might be. Consider punching up/down color to add polish to the high points, consider single point frame edits to create repetition of the best parts or to keep the viewer "wanting" to see what's next but they don't get to see it until you're allowing them to see it. Don't forget audio to build the suspense. Too many skydiving videos are just cut to beat points in the music. Consider some sweetening or sound design to "beef" exits, openings, or super cool swoops so that the ear gets some candy along with the eye. Don't over use slo-mo, it's waaaayyy too overused in most vids I've seen from folks. Consider running the majority of the vid at 80 or 85% of normal speed. The eye sees it as normal speed even though it's slower. This makes it easier to speed up or slow down segments while keeping contrast. Try creating small segments on their own as "micro stories" or micro-themes. Then combine them all so they all have an impact point that comes together in one monster finish, somewhat like a fireworks show. Somewhere in there, you've got a "money-shot." Don't be afraid to cut it up, zoom it, sequence it, stretch it, flip it, colorize it, composite it, and really screw with it up until the *best* frames of the money shot. This will help the money-shot shine, and allow the audience some relief after a fast action scene. Most of all, let the vid breathe. Don't make it *all* great shots, because eventually the eye and brain become numb and nothing is impressive any more. Let it dance with give & take. One last comment, is that if you mix some ground footage, you might for example, run several near-ground shots together from various angles just before a great landing or sequence of landings. Play with it from a new perspective, and eventually you'll find a groove. Once you feel it, stick w/it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yardhippie 0 #7 July 21, 2006 Exactly what I was thinking. Theres only so much plain jane skydiving that people are gonna watch. For some bizzare reason I never thought of editing it as a story. Ive actually discussed performing a few things so we can get some unique stuff to help "tell the our story" during the year. I at least was planning on a timeline of sorts throughout the year.Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD "What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me "Anything you want." ~ female skydiver Mohoso Rodriguez #865 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
