My Video Editing Thread

Japhir

Hi guys,

Recently I've started making some video's for either promotion of activities from my student union or just plain fun.

These are the two video's I've made so far:

Snowboarding holiday with a ton of friends from uni:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFdGqwjPeVc"]UBV wintersport 2012 La Joue du Loup - YouTube[/ame]

Twinskating in the hallway of my dorm:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtoVXzmENk"]Indoor Twinskating - YouTube[/ame]

If anyone has some ideas on how to improve videos, or general editing tips, don't hold back .

MODS: I know this is a game art forum, so if this needs to be placed in GD in stead, please feel free to move it!

slipsius

Hey Japhir.

Right now the videos look very amateur. Do you watch snowboarding videos at all? I suggest takin a look at some where the boarders do their own filming. You have alot of the same shots where you are just holding the camera going down the hill, spinning around to see those around you. Although it isn't as fun in the ways of boarding, it would be better if you went down the hill first, laid down on the ground with the camera in 1 position, very steady, low to the ground, and all your friends wizz past you, close to the camera. Or stuff like that. Better camera angles are definitely needed.

Also, the music. You were talking on the bus, so I turned off my radio in the background, and turned up the volume to hear you. Then the music kicked in and I had to turn it down, then check to make sure I turned off my radio cause you were playing the same songs they do. Boarding videos tend to use either older music or at least, non top 40 stuff.

All that is fine if its just for you, but if you want it for promotions, you need to spice it up. Add time lapse establishing shots. use a tripod or a bench and just film for 5-10 minutes with the sky, and then speed it up alot for the video. see the clouds rolling over and what not.

The trip looked fun though. and the sitting on the bench with all your shirts / pants off... I dunno what to say about that. lol

I didnt watch the whole thing though. only about half. it was way too long with the lack of excitement.

here is an example of a great trailer. slow motion, fast motion. title screens which can be done pretty easily with after effects. easy to learn.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh29_SERH0Y&ob=av3e"]The Art of FLIGHT - snowboarding film trailer w/Travis Rice - YouTube[/ame]

Japhir

Hey Slipsius: Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback! I've only just begun editing video so I know I am faaaaar from ever filming/editing anything like the art of flight (which I really enjoyed watching, and also stole music from ).
These videos were personal projects just to show my friends what's happening, but I'd definitely like to make even these personal projects more professional-looking. Sometime in the future I'll have to make some short promotional videos (mostly meant to be fun, and just for fellow students so it doesn't need to be too fancy) so I'll definitely take your feedback into account then. Thanks!

Japhir

So, it's been a while since I last shot some video and edited it together. Here's a new video a couple of friends and I made over the weekend, it's in Dutch, and it's basically a song sung for one of our molecular biology teachers at uni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4HGZuM6sfM

Talbot

Yeah sorry but comparing that movie to art of flight is a massive dick move. It isn't the same thing as comparing your 3d to actual game art.

Art of flight had a 2 million dollar budget. The slow motion was done with a Phantom Flex which is a %50000 camera body. Just the body is that much. On average it costs 2 x the body price to set up a camera fully.

The problem with shooting snow is that you need a nice 4k (res) camera to get the color depth in the snow. 1080 won't do it. It flattens everything and you'll just end up with 100% white everywhere.

I agree with doing some static shots but honestly, just have fun with it and you'll get better as you do them.