Constructive criticism please

[Dronebow]

I keep making videos that I think feel boring. Need some tips on what to do to spice them up. My locations are limited so no beautiful island paradises or castles or other great stuff. This is my latest, so what could I have done to make it better??

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[CashCache]

No criticism (constructive or otherwise) from me. I think it came out great. I don't think you need to worry about being in exotic locations to create good content. Being able to see other parts of the country/world is cool all by itself.

Nice job on the editing as well.

 

[HueJorgan]

Some really lovely shots in there buddy, personally I prefer to edit out the camera movements and sharp turns, but other than that excellent

Oh one other thing I was taught every video should tell a story beginning middle and an end

 

[TrayBoz]

Nice job. I live in Dallas too and it is hard to find much scenic around here to shoot. I wish I could offer some good constructive criticism but I am a photography newbie. Were you using an ND filter in that video? I just ordered some and am curious to see how much they improve my shots. It's going to be perfect drone flying weather around here this week!

Search for Dallas Drone videos on YouTube and you might get some decent ideas for shooting locations locally.

My next goal is to get permission/access to a good rooftop somewhere in the heart of downtown and shoot the skyscrapers from multiple angles, probably super-early in the morning when downtown is desolate. I've pretty much given up on the idea of shooting downtown from a ground location 'cause I'm too scared to fly behind a building.

(Here come the lectures about the dangers of flying a drone downtown - I bet.)

Happy flying.

 

[Dronebow]

Some really lovely shots in there buddy, personally I prefer to edit out the camera movements and sharp turns, but other than that excellent

Oh one other thing I was taught every video should tell a story beginning middle and an end

Agree on the sharp turns.. I tried to keep them out completely but sometimes in flight it happens. Then while editing you see that you really wanted that shot but you screwed it up.. LOL..

 

[Dronebow]

Nice job. I live in Dallas too and it is hard to find much scenic around here to shoot. I wish I could offer some good constructive criticism but I am a photography newbie. Were you using an ND filter in that video? I just ordered some and am curious to see how much they improve my shots. It's going to be perfect drone flying weather around here this week!

Search for Dallas Drone videos on YouTube and you might get some decent ideas for shooting locations locally.

My next goal is to get permission/access to a good rooftop somewhere in the heart of downtown and shoot the skyscrapers from multiple angles, probably super-early in the morning when downtown is desolate. I've pretty much given up on the idea of shooting downtown from a ground location 'cause I'm too scared to fly behind a building.

(Here come the lectures about the dangers of flying a drone downtown - I bet.)

Happy flying.

I am using ND8 on these because it was a bit overcast. The ND filters are a MUST with the Mavic. It will show more jello effect and washed out video than I ever had on my P3. I got the Taco's and they are really good.

I posted this video on my a FB DJI group and already had one guy telling me I was "well within 5 miles of Love Field". I had to correct him...

 

[Dronebow]

Appreciate all the comments. So here is my reason for asking. When I post these videos I will hardly get any comments or otherwise so I''m thinking that:
1. maybe they are too long
2. Clips may be too long and don't hold attention. Example is the shot over the bridge in the beginning. I felt that it was too long and maybe people quit watching. Same with the trains.
3. Perhaps I need to add more transitions that are shorter?

So I really appreciate the comments. Funny, my daughter is going to college to become a film editor but of course dad takes a back seat on help...

 

[Fleek]

Appreciate all the comments. So here is my reason for asking. When I post these videos I will hardly get any comments or otherwise so I''m thinking that:
1. maybe they are too long
2. Clips may be too long and don't hold attention. Example is the shot over the bridge in the beginning. I felt that it was too long and maybe people quit watching. Same with the trains.
3. Perhaps I need to add more transitions that are shorter?

So I really appreciate the comments. Funny, my daughter is going to college to become a film editor but of course dad takes a back seat on help...

Appreciate all the comments. So here is my reason for asking. When I post these videos I will hardly get any comments or otherwise so I''m thinking that:
1. maybe they are too long
2. Clips may be too long and don't hold attention. Example is the shot over the bridge in the beginning. I felt that it was too long and maybe people quit watching. Same with the trains.
3. Perhaps I need to add more transitions that are shorter?

So I really appreciate the comments. Funny, my daughter is going to college to become a film editor but of course dad takes a back seat on help...

Feels like you linger too long on what are great angles but don't need to keep on them so long. Attention span of people is really brief these days. Try halfing the time of clip. Try using transport theme to focus story line of video.

 

[Dronebow]

Feels like you linger too long on what are great angles but don't need to keep on them so long. Attention span of people is really brief these days. Try halfing the time of clip. Try using transport theme to focus story line of video.

Yep.. I have been thinking the same. I spend time trying to develop the shot and then I want to show my work but it's just too long... Need to figure out how to show the story and keep the elements of the shot but keep it short...

 

[HueJorgan]

once read a great book on filmmaking in general called the geurilla filmmaker

There's a fantastic section on editing, when you have those amazing shots you love and want to show people, and unfortunately they need shortening coz they are way too long it's tough to do it in the book it was called rather morbidly 'killing you babies'

Try editing it again making it half the length using the same shots again

The bridge shot is very long would be a good start

 

[Gary cato]

i like it think it looks good and wit the length its fine as i am seeing something new. My attention only drops when i watch footage that has been done ten times before.

No drone police thing from me.

no criticism either i wish i could make just one video that looks at least ok.

I do not as yet have any editing suite or know how to use one. Eventually i guess i will have to learn.

keep going you are in the right direction and i like what you did..

 

[TrayBoz]

I'm a novice at using iMovie (free on any Mac). It's aMAZingly simple to use and you can do some really cool stuff with it, both with the video and the accompanying soundtrack, transitions, title slides, credits, etc. I watched a couple of short iMovie tutorials on YouTube that helped me get started.

The hardest part by FAR is the part where you have to edit your video down to < 4 minutes. If I already have the mavic video clips, I can throw together a pretty cool little movie with sound in about 15-20 minutes. But then I have to spend a very frustrating 2-4 hours editing it down to a length anyone would want to watch! (and it's still usually a little too long). It is SO hard to delete footage that you like, even it's boring to the average Joe. I have to keep reminding myself to WATCH TV! --->

Whether it's TV commercials, a movie, or a sitcom, very RARELY do you see a single shot lasting more than about 2 or 3 seconds straight. It's incredible how quickly our brains absorb and process a screen full of information. And we get bored after just a few seconds. Start noticing how many times you'll see a TV commercial where they cut to the next shot after less than 1 second. Especially if you're just looking at a landscape or simple scenery.

I've noticed that the standard mantra of basic photography also holds true in drone videos: If you put ANY human in the shot, anywhere, it is immediately 10 times more interesting. Have you noticed when watching a drone video, the part that always catches your attention and sometimes makes you pause the scene and/or get a second/better look is the part where you get to see the person controlling the drone? (Even though you don't know them from Adam.) Even if it's just for a split second, I want to catch a glimpse of the guy flying the drone from 150 in the sky rather than see 1 more second of an amazing waterfall.

My videos are much more interesting and easier to edit when I get my kids and/or friends to run around somewhere in the scene. Even a car driving by, or cyclist in the distance gives us a reason to keep looking for a few seconds more. People would rather see total strangers in a scene in favor of just a simple beautiful landscape any day.

Background music selection is also key, but that's a topic for a whole 'nutha thread. (But name just ONE Top 100 Movie that doesn't have an incredible, memorable, recognizable soundtrack.)

Like Dennis Miller likes to say: "That's my opinion. I could be wrong."

 

[mildim]

Amazing shots in my opinion. I enjoy watching skylines since we do not have these kind of scenery here.

 

[Fleek]

Yep.. I have been thinking the same. I spend time trying to develop the shot and then I want to show my work but it's just too long... Need to figure out how to show the story and keep the elements of the shot but keep it short...

You have some great footage, hovering over the bridge structure and the trains passing. Makes me love even more the whole Mavic angle on scenes. Could do 2 films- long one for aficionados & another one that keeps just the brief highlights.

 

[Lapeer20m]

i like it think it looks good and wit the length its fine as i am seeing something new. My attention only drops when i watch footage that has been done ten times before.

No drone police thing from me.

no criticism either i wish i could make just one video that looks at least ok.

I do not as yet have any editing suite or know how to use one. Eventually i guess i will have to learn.

keep going you are in the right direction and i like what you did..

GoPro has free editing software that works with 4K. This is what I've started using.

 

[Gary cato]

GoPro has free editing software that works with 4K. This is what I've started using.

yes i saw Davinci resolve has a free version too but that only does 1080 or UHD i will take a look at the go pro one

Thanks

 

[Dronebow]

once read a great book on filmmaking in general called the geurilla filmmaker

There's a fantastic section on editing, when you have those amazing shots you love and want to show people, and unfortunately they need shortening coz they are way too long it's tough to do it in the book it was called rather morbidly 'killing you babies'

Try editing it again making it half the length using the same shots again

The bridge shot is very long would be a good start

Killing your babies... Yep.. that's very accurate.. LOL.. And I felt the same way with the bridge but was so happy with my flying and camera.. my baby..

 

[Dronebow]

I'm a novice at using iMovie (free on any Mac). It's aMAZingly simple to use and you can do some really cool stuff with it, both with the video and the accompanying soundtrack, transitions, title slides, credits, etc. I watched a couple of short iMovie tutorials on YouTube that helped me get started.

The hardest part by FAR is the part where you have to edit your video down to < 4 minutes. If I already have the mavic video clips, I can throw together a pretty cool little movie with sound in about 15-20 minutes. But then I have to spend a very frustrating 2-4 hours editing it down to a length anyone would want to watch! (and it's still usually a little too long). It is SO hard to delete footage that you like, even it's boring to the average Joe. I have to keep reminding myself to WATCH TV! --->

Whether it's TV commercials, a movie, or a sitcom, very RARELY do you see a single shot lasting more than about 2 or 3 seconds straight. It's incredible how quickly our brains absorb and process a screen full of information. And we get bored after just a few seconds. Start noticing how many times you'll see a TV commercial where they cut to the next shot after less than 1 second. Especially if you're just looking at a landscape or simple scenery.

I've noticed that the standard mantra of basic photography also holds true in drone videos: If you put ANY human in the shot, anywhere, it is immediately 10 times more interesting. Have you noticed when watching a drone video, the part that always catches your attention and sometimes makes you pause the scene and/or get a second/better look is the part where you get to see the person controlling the drone? (Even though you don't know them from Adam.) Even if it's just for a split second, I want to catch a glimpse of the guy flying the drone from 150 in the sky rather than see 1 more second of an amazing waterfall.

My videos are much more interesting and easier to edit when I get my kids and/or friends to run around somewhere in the scene. Even a car driving by, or cyclist in the distance gives us a reason to keep looking for a few seconds more. People would rather see total strangers in a scene in favor of just a simple beautiful landscape any day.

Background music selection is also key, but that's a topic for a whole 'nutha thread. (But name just ONE Top 100 Movie that doesn't have an incredible, memorable, recognizable soundtrack.)

Like Dennis Miller likes to say: "That's my opinion. I could be wrong."

I think you make some very valid points... Something I have been feeling as well about the length of the shots. My shots are always of landscape so rarely any people in them but your point I think is really good that shots with people or something interesting that's perhaps moving in the shot like a car or bike or even a dog could be treated as a longer clip. I may do this over again, time permitting, and use these suggestions and then post it again and see what the difference is..

This is great learning and I really appreciate all the comments.

 

[Dronebow]

Ok.. Take 2 here. I took some advice and cut it down quite a bit but highlighted some of the better shots. Is this any better at keeping attention perhaps?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[Brice LeCarre]

Agree on the sharp turns.. I tried to keep them out completely but sometimes in flight it happens. Then while editing you see that you really wanted that shot but you screwed it up.. LOL..

You have to be ruthless and kill those shots.