Can I please get some brutally honest feedback on my latest video? This video has done very poorly on YouTube compared to my prior videos, which are very similar.
I understand that YouTube views is a poor gauge of quality, but if there is something wrong (or less engaging) about this particular video, I’d love to understand that mistake so I don’t repeat it.
I am more a flyer than a photographer/videographer. So you can translate my layperson terms into proper photography terms. I know the stuff, but not well enough to diagnose actual setting metrics needed.
(Respectfully)
I know you spent a lot of time assembling these clips. (I wish I could go there!)
First:
Nice syncing of audio to video (whale blow, waves crashing etc). Same wave sound clip each time? Used DJI stock audio song for clip?
Critiques:
Flying with ND filters? You know the formula to determine what ND to use based on current ISO? I didn’t memorize it—just wrote the formula and a few notes down. Lighting is important. Need sensor sensitivity at the point you get full resolution without artifact but have it bright enough also.
I checked my phone screen brightness and I don’t think it’s me.
Opening scene is foreground way too dark—instantly telling viewer “oh another dark or washed-out video with trite music….would be nice to see what was there….hmm is it my phone…no is just too dark…didn’t he notice it himself…?”
Over what time frame did you film this? Days or weeks or more?
Can see a big difference in lighting over time. Hard to warch a movie like that.
But other scenes lighten up. Then other dark scenes. A bit grayed out dark next.
Australia should pop! Bright vibrant colors! Show it! I wish I could be there.
Then a dark scene. Then one pretty good IMO. Then dark again.
The flipping between good/ok/bad tells the viewer it was tossed together. Needs work.
Post-editing:
If you could balance out the dark/light/dark/light flipping of scenes that would smooth out and “pro” it a lot. Maybe not possible with these clips already filmed.
*Properly calculating your ND setting for light every single film shoot, will give you consistently properly lighted clips. So all put together across days or weeks, it is smooth proper lighting the same each clip.*. For the full project!
I think even an full increase in brightness a few clicks of the entire video would be great as not a single clip seemed like it would wash it out at all.
You can always click it up a bit and see how it goes. If too bright, you can dial it back a bit.
Maybe try to increase brightness across the board.
Can you redo this one and repost it?
Certainly work on your ND use to get consistently lighted videos, of proper brightness.
I offer encouragement. Will go on Youtube and see more of your stuff.
Safe flying,
Mike