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Thread for technique tips and discussion.

Hank

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FezUSA asked some questions about video.

Here are my basics. I am a beginner.

My YouTube channel is under Oklahoma Hank.

1. Music
I use bensound music, most of which is free if you give credit.
I put a credit in the YouTube description and another in the video itself.
Some big users buy an ASCAP or BMI license.
Some just wing it and hope no one catches them.

2. Length.
The shorter it is, the more views. No one under 30 will watch a video longer than five minutes.

3. Talking.
People are wired to like human faces and voices. The more you have the better. I personally don't care if I get a big following and I am not monetizing. So I mostly use titles to communicate and while I do not aggressively hide my face I do not show it if I do not have to.
 
It takes real potential for unique and well-presented content to get me to watch any vid of over 2 minutes and I am practically OLD ; }
 
Also, I grew up to appreciate and be moved by all kinds of good music, pretty much regardless of style/genre, new or old. I've heard too many lame formulaic "soundtracks" for motorsports and extreme sports vids and broadcast TV for that matter with its interchangeable bombastic nonsense. But I've been lucky enough to see some using music from local budding artists that was credited and done with permission, that fit well and was paced to edit to.
 
I do commercial video for a living. Content is king. You have about 30 seconds to completely lose someone, 10 seconds to keep them.
I hate riding videos. They are boring and no one wants to see them... UNLESS... you EDIT and edit well.

For reference, we usually shoot around 5 - 6 interviews 15 - 30 minutes long and probably 8 hours of "B-roll" to produce a 3 - 5 min video. (that includes 15 sec interview segments)
A straight "sizzle reel" no more than 1.5 min...

Here is 15 hours of footage crammed into 1.5 min..

[video=vimeo;143907084]https://vimeo.com/143907084[/video]

Blaster Sizzle Reel on Vimeo

If you are just shooting a ride and the meeting afterwards, the entire video should be 30 - 45 seconds long.

Just cut together clips of a crash, a near mis, the 3 seconds when you came through heavy trees to reveal a beautiful valley etc... the longest clip should be no more than 5 seconds.

It's VERY hard to put together an interesting "riding" video especially with 1 GoPro strapped to your head or bike...

Lots to making a video, even more to making a GOOD video.
 
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I do commercial video for a living. Content is king. You have about 30 seconds to completely lose someone, 10 seconds to keep them.
I hate riding videos. They are boring and no one wants to see them... UNLESS... you EDIT and edit well.

For reference, we usually shoot around 5 - 6 interviews 15 - 30 minutes long and probably 8 hours of "B-roll" to produce a 3 - 5 min video. (that includes 15 sec interview segments)
A straight "sizzle reel" no more than 1.5 min...

Here is 15 hours of footage crammed into 1.5 min..

[video=vimeo;143907084]https://vimeo.com/143907084[/video]

Blaster Sizzle Reel on Vimeo

If you are just shooting a ride and the meeting afterwards, the entire video should be 30 - 45 seconds long.

Just cut together clips of a crash, a near mis, the 3 seconds when you came through heavy trees to reveal a beautiful valley etc... the longest clip should be no more than 5 seconds.

It's VERY hard to put together an interesting "riding" video especially with 1 GoPro strapped to your head or bike...

Lots to making a video, even more to making a GOOD video.

I pretty strongly disagree with this. It may be true for product commercials but it can't be directly applied to riding videos. For example, your PB Blaster video may only be 1:43 long, but I have no interest in watching even 5 seconds of it.
On the other hand, I am interested in watching some bike videos, and I cut those videos a lot of slack as far as content and production values because it is something I want to see. A riding video as you described may be short, but it would be a waste of time to watch. I agree that just strapping a go pro on your helmet and hitting record isn't going to be compelling for long but I also believe that a compelling riding video can be, and generally are, much longer than 30-45 seconds. Additionally, depending on intent of the video, 35-40 seconds doesn't allow sufficient time for viewers to assess the content and build a relationship with the rider. Look at the popular youtube riding videos/vloggers. I promise you they average more than 30-45 seconds in their videos.
 
I pretty strongly disagree with this. It may be true for product commercials but it can't be directly applied to riding videos. For example, your PB Blaster video may only be 1:43 long, but I have no interest in watching even 5 seconds of it.
On the other hand, I am interested in watching some bike videos, and I cut those videos a lot of slack as far as content and production values because it is something I want to see. A riding video as you described may be short, but it would be a waste of time to watch. I agree that just strapping a go pro on your helmet and hitting record isn't going to be compelling for long but I also believe that a compelling riding video can be, and generally are, much longer than 30-45 seconds. Additionally, depending on intent of the video, 35-40 seconds doesn't allow sufficient time for viewers to assess the content and build a relationship with the rider. Look at the popular youtube riding videos/vloggers. I promise you they average more than 30-45 seconds in their videos.

So what you are describing is a Riding documentary which is a whole different ball of wax. I can watch a 4 hour long riding documentary combining a few very short riding clips intertwined with interviews, local style and scenery and humor.
Please link to a non documentary riding video that is long, just riding and not boring.

Even in the LWR movie and series, the riding segments were no more than 5 to MAYBE 10 seconds a shot.
 
Certainly content is important, but cramming a bunch of stuff into 1-2 minutes is frankly annoying to me and is the approach often taken with advertising and other types of promotional video whose job it is to hijack (rather than just maintain) the viewer's attention. That's completely different from creating an interesting, perhaps informative video on a subject the viewer is actually interested in.
 
Here's a 10 hour day compressed into under 2 min (ignore the time spent talking to Katie after the recap, that was for documentation purposes)

Katie Compton CX Clinic on Vimeo

Yeah that was too long because it was a bunch of cuts showing things that were not interesting to me. If I was interested in bicycle training that may be a good intro to a video that does the training (too long for that though) but it did nothing to compel me to seek out additional similar videos. Again, it was like a commercial and not something compelling to watch. If you were to create a series of 10 such videos what would be the point?
What is communicated? Sorry but that is the point - it depends on what you are interested in and the message you are communicating.
 
Please link to a non documentary riding video that is long, just riding and not boring.

I watched some videos by DCTFan of a meetup in Arkansas. They were longer then 1 or 2 minutes and done with a single camera, and still I found them more interesting then bicycle training video above. Could they have been better with more cameras and good editing, sure, but they still were interesting to me because I wanted to see what a meetup is like, and what the roads there are like and how they ride as a group, etc. That is just a quick example off the top of my head. There are plenty of other vidoes I watch on youtube that others may not like but I like because I am learning and they are typically 1 camera and a guy talking for serveral minutes. The point is the subject is of interest and they are long enough and consistent enough to learn about the personality of the vloger.

2017 Hillbilly Hangout IV Day1 - YouTube
 
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Ignoring this debate and looking at a few bloggers:

If you look at, say Walterrific, his videos are interesting even to people who do not ride because of his personality and interactions, certainly not scenery or riding skill. He is a good editor as well.

By comparison Yammi Noob, before his outbreak of stupidity, showed hard work, editing skill, and a good sense of humor.

Heels Not Wheels, an NC700 owner, also has an appealing personality, good places to ride, and some interesting information. Her joy in discovery is infectious.

Royal Jordanian combines lots of good bike information, relaxed style, and humor with amazing riding footage.
 
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Considering this is an NC-X forum, check out CagerOnTwoWheels. Nothing fancy but some entertaining riding with narration from Portugal. He sold his NC a few years ago so you might have to do some searching; maybe start here Exploring Sintra [NC700x Vlog] - YouTube

I'd give a lot to ride the fantastic little road he finds about 2min into the video.

I can watch vids like these all day long as long as I'm learning a thing or two and enjoying the content.
 
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So what makes those bloggers interesting in terms of tips and techniques?

1. Frequent changes of scene, either by editing out boring stretches or editing in something else. It might be a picture, a map, etc.

2. A freeze or flash frame where you make a still of one frame of your video can be very effective.

3. Be humble and / or self deprecating.

4. Avoid politics and cursing.

5. Get to the point! If you have a point to make, make it. Don't spend five minutes setting it up or talking about something else. Whatever the title is, get to it. I am looking at you, (name of certain Dallas area instructor omitted.)

6. Only use transitions, fades, etc. in special circumstances.
 
Well I think it's at least somewhat useful to point out actual vids that might be appealing. Learning by example, essentially.

I don't really have any specific tips or tricks other than avoiding my personal pet peeves, which somebody else might not agree with at all.

I do agree with Hank for the most part. Don't waste viewers' time, although people would not agree on what is a waste. Try to stick to "interesting" subjects and not get wildly off-topic, especially into controversies, unless that's your intention. One of my personal pet peeves, make sure the view down the road is always within the frame. It drives me crazy if the camera only sees a hundred feet of road, cut off by the top of the frame, and you have no idea what's up ahead.
 
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