What do you guys think about this video?

V

VideMedia

Well-known member
This is one of the first videos I used the dolly. It was basically just an experiment with the dolly explaining all the dolly shots.

But what do you guys think of the actual make up of the shots and stuff.

http://vimeo.com/3340705
 
Not really sure I get skate videos. I mean I see a LOT of people doing them, and most of them just feel unimpressive. Maybe I need to be a skateboarder to see it, but doing tiny slides and whatever they're called, just doesn't make me feel anything.

This is why I didn't really feel it for your video. The music was moving, but I felt the images didn't go with it. For that music I imagine some guys on half pipes doing 360's in super slow motion with lights flashing.

But hey, that's cause I don't do it I guess.

As for the shots, they're okay. I mean dolly shots often look nice no matter what, and lots of people will say it looks great just for that reason, but you have to make sure you're not moving just for the sake of moving. To reveal, to follow, to switch attention, to set a mood, etc. Movement needs to be motivated. That's why a lot of your shots felt a bit wierd. It's basically saying "this is boring the way it is, let's move from left to right to make it interesting." The way I see it, and hopefully a lot of others do, is that every shot has a purpose, every composition a reason, and every movement does something, has a motivation (even if you're pulling out to set a mood of sorrow).

For example, a dolly shot like that at 1:47 is wonderful, it follows the character, makes us feel like we're on a ride with him. However a shot like at 0:46 feels like there's less of a point. One that I'm half half on is the one at 0:42. It feels like it works well, it's a reveal, showing us this block of whatever for the first time, and this helps set a mood. But at the same time it feels like movement just for the sake of movement, and we've seen this block of bricks before.

Also some of the dolly shots are a bit shaky.

The lighting also needs a bit of work. It's just basic worklights directed at them, or that's what it seems. Felt flat for me.

Anyways, looks like you have a start, and you may have the chops. Keep working on it, just remember, motivation. Every shot, every composition, every movement, every light placement, every blocking, etc... all has a reason, a motivation.
 
The shots were not terrible, assuming the lights were suppose to be ni the shot, but in no way did they match the content or flavor of the subject being shot. Extreme video begs for extreme shots so hopping on a slateboard with a wide angle lens is the norm. I understand not wanting to go with the norm but much faster dolly moves with a slow mo-ed shot would be better than a realtime subject and a yawning dolly move.
Work lights will always look like work lights. It's very tough to marry slow pretty dolly moves with garage-level lighting.
 
Jon Starr said:
As for the shots, they're okay. I mean dolly shots often look nice no matter what, and lots of people will say it looks great just for that reason, but you have to make sure you're not moving just for the sake of moving. To reveal, to follow, to switch attention, to set a mood, etc. Movement needs to be motivated. That's why a lot of your shots felt a bit wierd. It's basically saying "this is boring the way it is, let's move from left to right to make it interesting." The way I see it, and hopefully a lot of others do, is that every shot has a purpose, every composition a reason, and every movement does something, has a motivation (even if you're pulling out to set a mood of sorrow).
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more.

One of my biggest pet peeves is an unmotivated dolly shot in action sports. Everyone and their mother has a dolly now and it seems like the new trend is to use a dolly on everything. I feel that the dolly has become the "in" thing in action sports and it's sooooo played. Unless you have a reason to use it, I'd suggest you don't. If you search skateboard dolly on vimeo, you can find a countless number of videos just like yours. No hate, but it's true. Be original and creative and come up with new and interesting ways to film your subject. The unmotivated dolly shot is painfully sloppy to my eye in any situation, you're better off leaving the camera still.

I don't want to come off as harsh but I'm just calling it like it is. Hopefully someday the trend of moving the camera to show that you have a dolly will die off.

I'll finish with this. Your video isn't bad by any means, it's just not very original. You had a very cool environment to work with, and that all went out the window when every single shot was a dolly move. Use your environment and try to come up with a cool original way to present the skating, you can definitely do that if you put your mind to it!

Hope you take this as constructive criticism and nothing more.
 
Heh, seems like everyone is ripping apart your video. Like DM_Rider says, hopefully you'll take this with a good stride and use it as constructive criticism. It's important to take bad advice as just constructive advice and something to push you for your next video, then your next, then your next.
 
1:52-1:56 would have been the best time for a dolly shot, but you cut to the other camera at the jump.
 
I expected this sure.

Like I said in first post this video was basically just a experiment with the dolly. I built the dolly that day and we went out that night to mess around. The lights are cheap 8 dollars for the smaller lights and the bigger lights we had. We werent trying to make the lighting look amazing. It was basically just something we had never done which was use the dolly. This video is at least 4 or 5 months old. Ive learned alot since then.

Its funny when I built the dolly I thought I be using it all the time. The only time I used it was 1 other time lol. Its sitting in my garage now. I might use it again one day.

Thanks for the criticism. It does not offend me to get critiqued by people who actually know what thier talking about and have done the things they talk about. Where as a skateboard forum where kids the kids just talk with no actually experience.

I hope to get more critiques from this community in the future. Thank you.
 
VideMedia said:
I expected this sure.

Like I said in first post this video was basically just a experiment with the dolly. I built the dolly that day and we went out that night to mess around. The lights are cheap 8 dollars for the smaller lights and the bigger lights we had. We werent trying to make the lighting look amazing. It was basically just something we had never done which was use the dolly. This video is at least 4 or 5 months old. Ive learned alot since then.

Its funny when I built the dolly I thought I be using it all the time. The only time I used it was 1 other time lol. Its sitting in my garage now. I might use it again one day.

Thanks for the criticism. It does not offend me to get critiqued by people who actually know what thier talking about and have done the things they talk about. Where as a skateboard forum where kids the kids just talk with no actually experience.

I hope to get more critiques from this community in the future. Thank you.
Click to expand...

Ya this is a great site to get good criticism on. It's almost always helpful and a very large majority of members know what they're talking about. There's definitely a lot you can learn on this forum.
 
ugafan said:
1:52-1:56 would have been the best time for a dolly shot, but you cut to the other camera at the jump.
Click to expand...

Agreed!

A few random thoughts....not all dolly related.

First off, the banked driveway spot looks sick, I'd love to skate it.

The good: I think your compression settings and the general "look" of the shots are nice. This was shot with what, an A-1? Shadows and work lights are evident, but I like that. This is skateboarding, it's supposed to look raw.

The bad: Generally the edit has no flow. It's just dolly shot stacked on top of dolly shot broken up by the occasional pause where the skater isn't doing anything. Now if all you wanted to do was string out a bunch of clips for us to review, than fine. But as a complete video per se, it's missing something. And no offense to the skater, he's really not doing anything impressive. (comparatively speaking....and NO, I can't do any better myself) Also, the general framing and composition of the shots...something seems a bit off.

It's weird being involved with skating for so many years, I've seen a lot of culture shifts. Music wise, I can't hang with all this moody, electronic atmosphere music that has become increasingly popular. C'mon, where's the Agent Orange or Drunk Injuns? Don't you kids have any taste? (I kid, I kid)

Keep cranking them out and don't be afraid to post them here.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top