Editing Tricks for Amateur Vacation Video #87

Asia Cruise 2008:  Mekong Delta

Oceania's  Nautica was docked in Saigon for two days.  This little video shows the highlights of a tour to the Mekong Delta.  This is not a high-energy video, reflecting the relaxed nature of the tour.

Starting with the frilly pink curtains on the tour boat, there are a few interesting scenes of candy-making, paddle boats, and strange food.  A local band played during lunch, this provided background music for the video.

This is a likable little video.  Good cuts, clear audio, lighthearted narration.  It's only 2-1/2 minutes; could possible target the candy factory scenes to tighten it up by a few seconds.

Lessons Learned:

An enjoyable travelogue does't have to be action-packed.  Nevertheless, keep it moving with well-paced editing. 

Suggestion:

Close-ups work well in this video; for instance the scene where a huge knife is used to cut the candy.  While you are on vacation, try to remember to vary your shooting distances.  I find it more fun to edit when I have a good mix of camera positions to choose from.