I am puzzled, what do viewers get from videos shot in supposedly scenic places..........

[Deleted member 103366]

where a large proportion of the video is either
a) selfies often so closely cropped that no scenery is visible or
b) footage of feet walking, sometimes in slow motion.
I really do not 'get' such footage, it could be shot near enough anywhere.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Its Called B Roll and its an attempt many times to bring in the viewer to the actual action that is taking place. Feet walking is the most common among others. Many times I watch the drone footage and I often wonder where are they flying from, This would be a good example of B Roll added to the drone footage. I am in favor of more B Roll

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Ahh, thanks, I have occasionally wondered where certain flights are made from.

 

[Bebopperoo]

I agree with the op. Drones are amazing, but their side effect is that they take pictures. Many new pilots love flying, and because their drone has such an amazing camera system they feel obligated to use it, filming anything and everything under the sun, and moon.
Certainly, the photography lovers are in the best place in the world to get fantastic photos and videos, with the perfect equipment to do so, but with the emergence of DJI s most amazing drone yet, ito flight experience, (the DJI fpv) i thing many current droners will stop this b, c, d, and e roll footage, accept there is stock footage of everything in the world, and use the camera to experience flight, not just take pics.

 

[DougMcC]

Hey at my age I love all that B roll of my feet striding proudly with strength with a purposeful gait traveling to a grand launching site. Then capturing a new 400 foot high wide angle photo/video of a view I could never have achieve prior to the visual freedom provided by this technology. Then when I show this brief production to some or all of my 11 grandchildren they realize that I am not “over the hill” but actively exploring the hill - and seeing more hills. I am alive! Priceless.

 

[Greekislandlover]

My take on the examples above are an attempt to be artistic. A good thing IMHO.

The problem with drone video's for me is when they are ONLY sweeping scenery shots. I get tired of that after about 30 minutes no matter how good they are. What I like to see is a mix of shots and even better if a story can be told.

For example, I saw a video here in the critiques section a while back where the film maker told the story of a walk along some cliffs. Opening with some of the shots listed above, then some scenery, then a selfie of him munching sandwiches, then some more scenery and walking and finishing of with a selfie drinking a pint outside a pub in the sunset. Brilliant, and I've stolen some of the ideas!

So all of these shots have a purpose - integrating them is another thing!

 

[itallica]

My take on the examples above are an attempt to be artistic. A good thing IMHO.

The problem with drone video's for me is when they are ONLY sweeping scenery shots. I get tired of that after about 30 minutes no matter how good they are. What I like to see is a mix of shots and even better if a story can be told.

For example, I saw a video here in the critiques section a while back where the film maker told the story of a walk along some cliffs. Opening with some of the shots listed above, then some scenery, then a selfie of him munching sandwiches, then some more scenery and walking and finishing of with a selfie drinking a pint outside a pub in the sunset. Brilliant, and I've stolen some of the ideas!

So all of these shots have a purpose - integrating them is another thing!

Yes - or more simpler terms, telling a story. You can show them the pretty picture, or tell the story of getting and sharing the picture. Sometimes the adventure is the payoff. I appreciate a good story teller. Because... I am not.

 

[CorralesDan]

I agree with all the posts above, but I just enjoy flying my Air 2S. I'll never be a creative artist in my videos, but's that OK. At 76 one of my few regrets is I was never able to get my pilots license (never could afford it in money or time). So, flying my Air 2S is the closest I will come and that's good enough for me.

 

[John Locke]

Agreed, stories are nice to augment the enjoyment of video. However sometimes it take a lot of work to create a storyline. I try my best, especially if there's some history to the area.

Here's a short on Pelicans.
Here's some history from the cold war about satellite camera calibration, however you should read the video description first.

 

[Prop Wash]

Commenting on B-roll footage, movies made for the theater or a streaming service like Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc, all use B-roll footage. Sometimes, it's used to show where a character is, sometimes it's used to tie some scenes together, or even to drop a clue for something later in the film. Mainly, it helps tell the story.

 

[Dale D]

where a large proportion of the video is either
a) selfies often so closely cropped that no scenery is visible or
b) footage of feet walking, sometimes in slow motion.
I really do not 'get' such footage, it could be shot near enough anywhere.

Of course you are kidding.

I bought the drone ONLY for photography. If the drone did not have a camera, I would never have purchased it. I would think that the majority of drone owners have bought the drone for the unique perspective that drone photography and video affords.

As for footsteps, ....boring. Immediately fast forwarded or shut down.

 

[MA2 317]

I watch the Xjet channel on YouTube and this video made me laugh because Bruce pokes a little fun at the vloggers and the B roll footage in the video.

So much time setting up camera (s) for a shot that may be interesting, but probably isn't in real life.

YouTubers make the boring part of daily life interesting for the rest of us.


.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Good posts every one, thanks.

Of course you are kidding.

Actually I was not kidding, there is a video that comes to mind where a couple were in the Far East, and went for a walk in the jungle. I don't remember a single shot that couldn't have been taken with a camera on a long selfie stick or tripod. Pictures of her feet walking along paths or posing in the alcoves of a buttressed tree. I could near enough have shot that down my back garden. It's the one that started this puzzlement.
I kept hoping he was going to fly above the canopy but he never did.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Good posts everyone, thank you.

 

[Zbip57]

I remember my first video camera, a Sony Handicam. Far too many of my shots were of my own feet walking while swinging the camera, instead of the scenery I was actually trying to record, because when I pressed the button to stop recording it actually started recording then... D'oh!

 

[TNRonin]

where a large proportion of the video is either
a) selfies often so closely cropped that no scenery is visible or
b) footage of feet walking, sometimes in slow motion.
I really do not 'get' such footage, it could be shot near enough anywhere.

I wish ii had a drone on my Scotland trip. Don't understand your statement. Seems like a given.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Similarily I do not understand "Don't understand your statement. Seems like a given.".

 

[bill1950]

Hey at my age I love all that B roll of my feet striding proudly with strength with a purposeful gait traveling to a grand launching site. Then capturing a new 400 foot high wide angle photo/video of a view I could never have achieve prior to the visual freedom provided by this technology. Then when I show this brief production to some or all of my 11 grandchildren they realize that I am not “over the hill” but actively exploring the hill - and seeing more hills. I am alive! Priceless.

Amen brother! Age is just a number!

 

[G-dwag]

MA2 317" data-source="post: 1357650" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

I watch the Xjet channel on YouTube and this video made me laugh because Bruce pokes a little fun at the vloggers and the B roll footage in the video.

So much time setting up camera (s) for a shot that may be interesting, but probably isn't in real life.

YouTubers make the boring part of daily life interesting for the rest of us.


.

 

[BethanyFerrell]

I am in favor of more B Roll

Hope linking to a comedy video is allowed; if not, mods please delete. It's a classic on the topic of B roll in general video production (the cheap and cheesy kind).

The faulty green-screen effect is worth the price of admission IMO.