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.

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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 ???????

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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!