Video Editing

bar-d

Head Wrangler, Chief Manure Manager: Bar-D Cattle
Disclaimer: I am a rancher, not a techie. I am trying to teach myself some rudimentary video editing skills. Some of you have seen the original footage I posted of a thermal kill back in October. It was pretty dull IMO. If you will, give this edited version a looksee and tell me what you think. Don't worry, I can take criticism, I have been married for 45 years.
 

Chopperdrvr

Deep East Tx
SUS VENATOR CLUB
I think your comment before the video was the best part “I’ve been married 45 years, I can take criticism”. As for the video, I didn’t care for the music, but that’s a personal preference. When using a video source like the PTS233 with no sound and marginal clarity the more information you can provide, the better and you did that also. I’m not a good video editor either so just take my comments with a grain of salt. Because I am weak at added content, I try to paint as good of a picture before hand with a detailed write up to try to put the observer into the action before they watch the video. Hopefully that makes up for my lack of talent at editing. Keep them coming, I’m finding it harder to get motivated to go out in adverse weather so I look forward to watching what other people are doing.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Okay, these are all personal opinion suggestions as a viewer. As an editor, I know that incorporating stuff to make a video better can be a royal pain in the butt. I also know that no matter what you do, somebody won't be satisfied with it. If they don't nitpick your shooting, they will nitpick your choice of crosshairs, equipment, distances shot, shot placement, video quality, audio quality, music choices, etc. etc. etc. Hunt the way you want to hunt. If you are doing videos for others to see (versus personal record), try to incorporate aspects that are pleasing to most of the viewers and don't worry too much about isolated individuals too much. Many of the things I do in my video editing are a product of repeated feedback over time.
1. Music. It is better than abject silence, but maybe didn't seem to fit the situation. I have mostly moved away from music for that very reason. It is hard to find the right pre-created sounds to fit all the various shooting situations. The music you chose was definitely better than the headbanging slasher music some people include is NOT better than abject silence, LOL.
2. You explained some things in the video, which is good. If you are going to have that long of a build up, you might consider other information such as why you are flicking through all the color palettes, other aspect of the shooting situation....just details to help keep the viewer engaged or feel like they have some situational awareness of what you are going through at the time. How much is enough and how much is too much is sometimes difficult to determine. Try experimenting with a bit more. Is it cold? Wet? Windy? Have you been seeing hogs there lately? Are you after a particular boar that has been coming in? Are you hearing other sounds around you? Stuff like that. Questions I get most commonly (hence try to have the information somewhere in the video) are things like weather, wind, distance of the shot, caliber, rifle (if it isn't shown), bullet, optic.
3. Since you don't have sound from the actual event, you might given the view a heads-up that you are about to shoot so that they won't miss the shot. I blinked and missed the shot and had to rewind.
4. When including text on the screen, try not to have the text cover any relevant action (you didn't) and don't have it cover the icons because it is hard to read when it is over the icons. Your text overprinted the REC icon on the low right. You could have moved the text up and not interfered with the central action on the screen.
5. Make the text a different color than what is on your video. You had a lot of white in the background but also made the text white. Readability will improve if the text is a different color or if you can highlight it in some manner to help it stand out.
 

der Teufel

Livin' the Dream …
SUS VENATOR CLUB
Generally, I'm not a fan of music in hunting videos. That's my personal preference and I know others feel differently (and I let them live even though they're wrong). Your music wasn't bad. It wasn't obnoxious and it wasn't too loud. Information about what's happening (or about to happen) is usually good. I was wondering what was going on as you flipped through all the color palettes. The decision regarding supplying information is a choice between verbal and textual, and either is okay with me. I've done both, depending upon how much info I feel is needed and how quickly it should be presented. Narration doesn't block the screen but it's a challenge to fill the space without leaving out details or creating too much dead (quiet) space. Brian's comments about text color are good, and you can vary the color, font, and text size to emphasize different topics. Basically, if there's a lot of info I prefer narration. If you have only a few details to provide then text is fine.

A lot of folks are interested in what equipment you're using. I try to remember to include some text at the end describing the firearm, bullet, and optics at least.

We like pictures and videos so keep 'em coming.
 

J BAR K

Just trying to make a day.
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
I would like to see some information on distance, weather and equipment also. That makes it more interesting to me. Also an explanation of the switching from palette to palette would have been good for me. But I just enjoying the videos a lot. Thanks for posting.
 

diggler1833

LSB Active Member
I am really, really disappointed that you didn't just go over there and kick the hog in the head...

Honestly, figure out who you are making the video for. The only reason I started was to show other ranchers that I can be safe and effective. Only 4 or 5 dudes watch my stuff, so my desire to get all fancy with mine just isn't there.

If this is to show your buddies and fritter around with, then don't change a thing. If you want me to understand exactly what you are doing, then a bit more info is nice.

Keep it up Man!
 

bar-d

Head Wrangler, Chief Manure Manager: Bar-D Cattle
All good suggestions, I appreciate the feedback. As I watched the playback after posting, I'm thinking to myself that I should have explained why I was cycling through the palletes. Even though the YouTube description listed the thermal and rifle used and distance of the shot, I didn't realize that part did not show up when the video was embedded. I know now to list the equipment and conditions in an onscreen graphic. I did prefer text on a solid background versus the onscreen text. It is easier to read and does not block any screen graphics of the thermal. This is the first time I have added background music to a video and wasn't sure I liked it myself. Probably won't have music again. Since my thermal does not record sound, if I add anything, I may record the sound of my different rifles shooting and sync the sound of the rifle used on the shot in the video. Heck, I hunt by myself so there is nothing else to hear anyway. Thanks for the feedback guys.
 

Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
Being that I've never made a video in my life, I'm not going to try and kid anyone that I have any technical advice to offer to the subject. Also, as such, I simply try to appreciate the effort someone has put forth to share an outing with me.

Being a city dweller, I'm lucky if I get to get out to hunt once a year, so being able to enjoy these hog hunts vicariously through y'all's vids, I'm a happy camper.

Music or no music... isn't that important to me... unless the "music" sounds like some clown trying to pass a 50lb. turd through his 15lb. butt... or this monotoned crap, more commonly called "hip-hop". Ok, so my age is showing through a bit. I still try NOT to discourage someone's efforts to share and know how to turn down the volume and simply wonder whether I'm missing narration.

Whether narrated, text, or a combination of the two, it's all good to me.
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Since my thermal does not record sound, if I add anything, I may record the sound of my different rifles shooting and sync the sound of the rifle used on the shot in the video.

A few years ago, when I still had lots to learn about even basic video editing, a buddy of mine provided his video from the hunt, but it had no sound. I did not know how to take audio from mine and add it to his video, so every time he fired, I have a high pitched "PEW!" sound effect added to it. It was funny because it was just so stupid.
 

Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
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LoneStarBoars Supporter
The "pew" added in, that's the best! LOL Some good shootin' that night. And, we always loved having a cameo with AB !!
 

bar-d

Head Wrangler, Chief Manure Manager: Bar-D Cattle
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Ratdog68

LSB Official Story Teller
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
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