BMX Shorts

[mixedclimber]

So here are two shorts I finished on the DVX. This is my first time shooting this much action along with shooting indoor. Shot at 24p with a 1/48 shutter speed. I think I will use a higher shutter speed next time. Takes some getting used to. Please criticize :o

http://mixedclimbing.com/Jay%20Eggleston.html

http://mixedclimbing.com/Nick%20Bonner.html

[PDX_DVX]

Hey man, the stuff looks really good. It flows pretty good with the music. The only thing I would suggest (and I know this is really hard to do in an indoor park setting) is if at all possible, maybe try and light the stuff as best you can. Maybe just bring some of those cheapo construction lights, especially if you're going to session the half pipe. It would look especially good on those shots of him boosting the halfpipe where you're shooting toward the ceiling, it would give a little bit more light to the subject in contrast to the backlight of the lamps above. But overall man, good job. Personally, indoor parks are my least favorite to shoot, they are confined, dark, and hard to get good angles, but I really thought you did a good job of showing everything. The creativity with the fades and such was good too. Maybe throw in some color correction, and you'll be good to go! It's also fun sometimes to hop on the bike, and use the top handle zoom to do some follow shots....just for variety. The riding is spot on too. Where is that park anyways? The nearest good indoor park to me is in Renton Washington, and Tacoma, like a 3-5 hour drive...:( By the way, is this for a larger project?

[Slimothy]

Looks pretty good. Needs some light. Music doesn't flow well at all. The riding is pretty energizing and adrenaline pumped, the only thing energizing that music makes me want to do is go bust a cap. Other than that, Good job. :)

[Steve_VanHaaster]

i wanna be jay eggleston....no wait, i wanna film him!
Theres an indoor dirt comp that i beleive that hes coming to, and i got the invite to film. the place is dark as hell but well see.

Are you shooting in 24p?
the shots look soft.. Love it
Steve

[soundman]

your material is good, but you got to learn to edit. way to much tail on every shot. don't be literal(sp) get some good music, and cut impresionistically(sp).... i am the worlds worst speller.
use the part of the shot that has some energy...

[pookie_old]

The shots are all too wide, you need to get into the subject more, shoot some B roll.
And yes, the edits are too sloppy, trim, trim, trim.

[mixedclimber]

Thanks everyone for the critiques. I shot this with a friend who was more experienced at shooting bmx footage. Unfortunately he was shooting with a GL1 so I didn't want to intermix the two types of video. So all I had was my footage to work with. I was just experimenting with the longer clips and realized they don't work very well.
PDX_DVX: This is not for a larger project, it's just for fun.
Slimothy: What's up girl, you don't like hip hop? This music's dope!!
Steve: Are you filming Jay in your town? He's a cool guy, I go climbing with him as well.
Soundman and Pookie I really want to thank you for your critiques. I'm working on my editing techniques. I do okay at times with certain footage, but like I said I've never worked with this stuff before. Thanks for the advice. I wanted 3 minute clips but I guess I just didn't have enough footage for it, so I stretched what I had.

[watson]

i wish you got a closer up shot of that gturn across the box. i love those.

[LloydC]

awesome stuff, but I thought the pacing could be a little quicker as well as some colour correction

[Slimothy]

Slimothy: What's up girl, you don't like hip hop? This music's dope!!


Ummm.....I've got a penis. I was just saying I didn't think it fit very well with an extreme sport. Generally they have more of an upbeat style of music. To each his own.

You can look at the lower left hand corner for the Gender sign.

[lincolnlog]

not bad, I agree.. try to throw up some lights... and as for the music, I think it could work just fine... maybe try to use shots that fit the music? cut closer to beat?
keep up the good work

[greenjack]

Sorry man but there was no flow whatsoever in those videos. But, other than that I liked the 1/48th shutter speed combined with 24p. I liked the style of the second guy but he runs his bars soooo far forward!

[DVX100Shooter]

That video brought back memories! I used to do all that stuff when I was younger. I even had sponsors! I used to live right down the street and went to High School with Matt Hoffman (world known BMXer with his own Playstation game and bike line!) when I lived in Oklahoma. I used to ride his Vert ramp all the time. I mainly did flatland tricks but I did get down with the ramps too.

[greenjack]

That video brought back memories! I used to do all that stuff when I was younger. I even had sponsors! I used to live right down the street and went to High School with Matt Hoffman (world known BMXer with his own Playstation game and bike line!) when I lived in Oklahoma. I used to ride his Vert ramp all the time. I mainly did flatland tricks but I did get down with the ramps too.


Really what is your name?

[Terry_Lasater]

The shots are all too wide, you need to get into the subject more, shoot some B roll.
And yes, the edits are too sloppy, trim, trim, trim.

Precisely.

[alpi69]

great riding.

if have produced actionvideos for years and i know what your clients (the riders ;-) ) want to see.
the sound is ok and always a matter of taste. you can use monstermagnet and some say too hard, you can use 311 and some say too soft.
although in such a video riders like to see the "outrun" you can indeed trim the front and end on many of those shots. once it is clear the trick was landed you can cut it. it sometimes only takes a splitsecond after the landing for the eye to realize this trick was solid. try it.

lighting? well very tricky. how do you provide the riders with the light they need to see the take-offs and landings and the cameraman with the light to film them WITHOUT blinding them? in my experience on nightshoots and indoorshoots it is hard. try to bounce light of walls. bring building lights and aim them at different flags/walls/obstacles/banners; then turn off some of the ceiling lights to even the lightdistribution. it gets harder to ride, but the image gains tremendously. especially if you experiment with faster shutters you will need even more light!

[mixedclimber]

Slimothy: Sorry for the mistake, I just assumed by the picture. I'm still new at this. Won't happen again!

Thanks again everyone for your input. If I shoot in this park again I'm going to try and go before the park opens so I can have them keep the music off and bring in some lights. That is why there's not much audio of the bike and grinds. The music inside was way too loud. I may re-edit this when I get better and show you guys again, but won't be for a couple months.

[DVX100Shooter]

I agree the choice of music is going to be crucial. I just edited a project where all the riders competed in the X games. One of them being Keith King. I composed the music myself using SOUNDTRACK and it was cut in a fast upbeat pacing style. As soon as a trick was done I was off to the next edit. There were a couple of times when a rider was attempting a 900 (2 complete circles plus a 180 before landing back on the ground) where they actually wrecked but I edited in such a way to make it look like they pulled it off.

If I knew how to post videos on here I would show you what I am talking about.

[watson]

dont worry about the lighting. its not really as important as i think people are making it out to be. Its bmx documantary not a narrative, even the pros like PROPS rarely use lighting in skateparks (sometimes a small handheld light) if the park is well lite enought. Do tho make the cuts quicker and get closer up. As far as the music, i'm a big fan of the indie rock/emo music that seems to be the create trend in bmx video.

[Slimothy]

Slimothy: Sorry for the mistake, I just assumed by the picture. I'm still new at this. Won't happen again!



No worries. Keep up the filmin!

[DVX100Shooter]

Mixedclimber go to the website below and check out how this Bike video was edited. I just found this online. Its not my work but it was edited in the way that several of us suggested to you.

www.cleancutfilms.ca

Click on the Teaser for the DVD called "Local Yokels"

[SkiUtah]

About a third of the way through, it suddenly goes to widescreen, and the colors got much better. It this just from the lighting of that particular shot, or did you enrich the colors? With a little work, this piece can be really good.

[DVX100Shooter]

Again I state this is NOT my work. I found it online searching for something else. I have no idea what the editor of that video intentions were.