I got an email from Andy Donnan, who attended my video training session at the CICM workshop. He sent me this video about riding the rails with the message "i saw rules being broken, handheld, panning, zooming." I would also add that the video is long and boring. It doesn't respect viewers' time limits or attention span.
I'm thrilled that Andy knows enough now to recognize such mistakes. I firmly believe that making your own mistakes and then correcting them is the absolute best way to learn. Second to that is being able to see mistakes in other videos and trying not to repeat them in your own work. Way to go Andy!
If anyone else wants to share either good or bad examples of videos, so everyone can learn from them, please shoot me an email: angelabgrant [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll republish your comments and maybe add some of my own.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
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9 comments:
Should add the caveat that the video you send it is your work. I don't think it's proper to criticize someone who didn't ask for it.
It's not criticism; what you'll find here are critiques. The difference is the first one is only meant to hurt, but the second is meant to offer feedback that is useful for the creator and others to learn from. If you don't offer honest feedback (good or bad) then no one learns anything.
I do critiques all the time, and I don't ask for permission. That's pretty much the premise of this whole blog. Maybe it's not always "proper," but I know it's useful for me, and I hope it's useful for others.
Criticism will be given, audible, typed out, or in another medium. The thing is I'm glad to see my local paper working on some new content. I missed the boat I think jumping into this niche though. I think their story idea is super cool. Train operators really are pretty interesting. Too bad the video is butchered. It's long and I spotted the shoddy camera operations.
Criticques only make the maker better. if they're interested in improving that is.
And the music is super cheesy.
I would like to pose a question about filming.
If you are a crew of one(with only one camera), attending a live show, where you are only alouded to photograph / film one or two songs, and you are grounded on one specific spot (the end of the concert hall, just near the sound people), how can one produce a video that doesn't uses zooms or pans ?
I'll link this video to ilustrate my point (it has many problems in terms of video technique i'll admit that):
http://retorta.net/retortablog/2007/04/02/master-musicians-of-jajouka-with-bachir-attar-na-homenagem-a-paul-bowles/
Then i show you another one in more controled conditions (a live demo tape recording for a bues band).
http://retorta.net/retortablog/2007/03/26/petra-mojo-hand-nobody-loves-you/
What can i do to produce better video on those circinstances ?
The links got cut, here ate directo link to the videos:
Live show:
http://www.vimeo.com/clip:163357
Demo tape:
http://www.vimeo.com/clip:159612
Mario, thanks for such a good question! I answered you in a new post. Hopefully others who read will try to offer even more advice.
Criticism/critiques = semantics.
Point: this was done by a small paper, perhaps only one staff still photographer who is required to do video.
And what every you call it: you may have totally deflated the person's desire to do more.
This person may have been doing their job to the best of their ability and didn't ask for your help.
But you gave it anyway in a public forum.
Criticize in private, praise in public.
If you really believe that, I'm surprised you still read my blog!
My experience with photographers-turned-videographers is that they know they have a lot to learn, and they really want to do a good job. They're extremely concerned about the quality of their work. They value honest feedback so they can learn and get better. They are professionals and they are adults. They are already used to getting feedback on their work, and they're not going to crumble because of the things that are said here. The critique provided in this public forum is HONEST. If I'm only writing good things, and ignoring bad things, that's not honest at all.
I value your opinions, and I encourage you to voice them here, but I can tell you one thing: I'm going to continue giving my honest opinion, whether you like it or not.
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