Thursday, May 30, 2013

Editing Tricks for Amateur Vacation Video #75

Mr. Slinky Goes to Sea


Mr. Slinky Goes To Sea is the second of two videos that I created with our nieces' help during a cruise in 2007.  It was edited at home following our return, using a PowerMac with Final Cut Pro 5.  I found video of the original Slinky television commercial on the Internet, and borrowed the music, Magic Trumpet, from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.  (See comments below regarding copyrights.)

It was a fun family effort to shoot this video.  We used an inexpensive wireless microphone, and spent hours searching for shots on the ship's decks.  While editing I extracted some natural sound of the ship's horn and Slinky spring, then enhanced a bit with FCP's audio tools.

The family loves this little video, and it received some nice comments when I showed it to my videomakers' club.

Lessons Learned:
Involve your friends and family, invite them to participate when you shoot the original footage of your travel video.
An external microphone really enhances the sound versus your camcorder's built-in sound capture.

Suggestion:
The videos made with my nieces are actually exceptions to the rule.  I usually arrive home with a lot of unplanned shots that need to be "rescued".  These were planned in advance, so editing was pain-free.



Apology
My apologies to those who attempted to watch the YouTube clip that was attached to my previous post, Pompeii In Ruins.  I had forgotten to enable it for public viewing.


Music Copyright Considerations:
This is a short excerpt from one of my older edited videos.  It contains some identifiable music that is regrettably used without permission.  But remember the time this video was created; in 2004 the audience for this production was usually sitting in my living room.  "Fair Use" allowed me to use the music without consideration of copyright.
Today, with digital distribution, artists' rights deserve more attention.  Since this video is intended for non-profit illustration and educational purposes only, I believe that valid arguments can be made for its "Fair Use" in this situation.  Please understand that I do not encourage improper use of copyrighted material.




Sunday, May 19, 2013

Editing Tricks for Amateur Vacation Video #74

Pompeii 2007:  In Ruins



This is the first of two videos that I created with our nieces' help during a trip to Italy in 2007.  It was edited on a MacBook laptop computer with Final Cut Pro 5 while we waited for transportation at the Civitavecchia cruise ship terminal.

We had staged a few shots while touring the ruins.  Learned how to use the speed control tool in Final Cut, added some Pointer Sisters, and we had a fun 49-second video.


Lessons Learned:
Experiment.  Try something crazy.  Keep it short.
We actually planned some shots in Pompeii so there was some raw material to work with.  (That's not typical for most of the movies on this blog.)  This video is as fun to watch as it was to make, and the girls enjoyed participating in the edit decisions.


Suggestion:
Our video editing programs are incredibly powerful, it's difficult to unlock all of their potential. Learn about one tool at a time by practicing on a short video.  In this case, I worked the time tool to slow, fast, and reverse some of the scenes.


Music Copyright Considerations:
This is a short excerpt from one of my older edited videos.  It contains some identifiable music that is regrettably used without permission.  But remember the time this video was created; in 2004 the audience for this production was usually sitting in my living room.  "Fair Use" allowed me to use the music without consideration of copyright.
Today, with digital distribution, artists' rights deserve more attention.  Since this video is intended for non-profit illustration and educational purposes only, I believe that valid arguments can be made for its "Fair Use" in this situation.  Please understand that I do not encourage improper use of copyrighted material.


Sunday, May 12, 2013

Editing Vacation Video: What makes this hobby fun?

Video as a Hobby?  Why?
  
Monsters Of The Amazon was recently awarded some prizes from a small club that showcases amateur videomakers like ourselves.  But even this small recognition made me pause and think about why I pursue this hobby:

  1. Preservation of irreplaceable personal & family history.
    I've re-discovered sights and sounds from all sorts of wonderful moving-picture memories while digitizing my old tapes.  Family members, pets, friends, travel destinations, etc.
  2. The technology is fun.
  3. It stretches my creativity.  
  4. The fun of seeing friends and family react to my newest creation.
  5. The challenge to avoid mediocrity.
-----

Friends sent congratulatory email when they learned about the awards; many of them took the time to actually watch the production.  I loved their reactions, my cousin Bob sent this:

Well, the reviews are in.  Here are a few:
     "I fell sick to my stomach"  Caitlin, Shippensburg University
     "I'll never go to the amazon (not that I could afford it)"  Sean, Bloomburg University
     "So realistic.  I will never be able to sleep again!"  Kathy, North Wales
     "You must wonder what's going on in the mind of this genius?"  Bob from the home 
     "When is there going to be a sequel?"  Kevin, North Wales

Yes friends the question has been asked, "When will  this young (maybe?) Alfred Hitchcock director, who seemed to come out of nowhere, produce his next movie?  And if so will it come under budget?  Or is this just a one-off?  OR PERHAPS HE HIMSELF WILL  BECOME  ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE MONSTERS OF THE  AMAZON ???????

-----

In the past months I've re-watched hundreds of hours of my home and travel videos.  I've come to the conclusion that I have been a horrible cameraman!  Recent improvement in my technique doesn't help those old videotapes with the precious memories.
So this blog will continue to document my mission of finding ways to transform horrible amateur footage into entertaining memories.  

KEEP READING!  
There's a lot of fun stuff coming up, including the story of how my nieces ruined the already ruined ruins of Pompeii!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Editing Tricks for Amateur Vacation Video #73

Rehabilitated Cottontail Rabbit Released Into the Wild, 2006


My wife is co-leader of the "Rabbit Team" at Project Wildlife.  The organization's mission is rehabilitation, education and conservation; our home is often host to baby and junior bunnies.  Some are so young that they require hand-nursing!  Success means that the animal can be re-introduced into the environment, near the area in which it was found.

This video documented one of Gloria's earliest success stories.  I edited in a way that could be used for education and training, as well as a public service announcement.  Music is a warm royalty-free selection from SmartSound.

The cuts are simple.  The ending is almost a tear-jerker, as the bunny leaps away into its new home.  I love this video's simple elegance.

Lessons Learned:
Non-profit groups may be happy to give you a chance to help publicize their mission.
Match the style of the video to the message of the organization.

Other Notes:
This was one of the first videos that I edited with Final Cut Pro on an Apple computer!  After years of struggling with crashes and underperforming software on Windows I had finally taken the plunge and found tools that really worked.  I used that G5 Power Mac until 2010.