Editing Tricks for Amateur Vacation Video #98

Asia Cruise 2008:  Seoul

We walked from the cruise ship terminal to a commuter rail station, and enjoyed a half-hour ride from Incheon to downtown Seoul.  The capital of Korea is a thriving, vibrant place. This video depicts a huge variety of fun things that can be experienced just by walking around!

The video starts out with a stupid gag -- I could't resist inserting a scream from James Brown every time the "Godfather of Seoul" hears the name of his city!    Other sights and sounds include wedding processions, protestors' hip-hop, the raucous shopping district, horrible food, and a canary on the subway.

There were some good original video clips to work with, which simplified my job as an editor.  I focused on pacing, mixing shots (establishing, medium, close-up), titles, and sound balance.

Lessons Learned:

This blog is about how to transform poorly-done raw footage into something that's entertaining.  In this case, I had a good mix of shots to work with.  (I think my camera skills had improved since 1989.)

Suggestion:

If you need a wide-angle or close-up clip, but forgot to shoot one, done forget that you can use one or more still pictures as a substitute.

Music Copyright Considerations:

This video contains a few bars of identifiable music that is regrettably used without permission.  

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.

HENBC.COM is here to help those of us who have already taken hours of long boring vacation video.  It's too late for advice on how to use your camera; you need help to transform your boring footage into something that friends will enjoy watching!  WWW.HENBC.COM