10 Easy Steps To Getting VOD
THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF BIKE VIDEOS
As one of the primary video editors here on Pinkbike, it's my job to pick many of the videos you see featured in Movies For Your Monday or as Video of the Day (VOD). Now one of the great parts about Pinkbike is that we make things accessible for users like you to submit your videos to us. That means we watch videos - a lot of videos. Now some of the films we see are fantastic, and a few of those filmmakers go on to turn bike videos into a full time job. But more often than not we see videos that are, shall we say, a little rough around the edges. Here's my handy ''10 Step'' program on how to improve your work. I hope that it's useful.
1.) Use A Tripod: This is without a doubt the most basic and the most essential piece of advice for up-and-coming filmmakers. Using a tripod allows you to frame your shot precisely and gets rid of camera wobble. Your video shouldn't look and feel like the movie Cloverfield (famous for being incredibly shaky).
2.) Kill The FIller: At this point most viewers have seen enough web videos that it's become cliche to start off with shots of breakfast being cooked (and loading the bike into a truck). We get it, we've lived it. Cool. If your video is two minutes long, there's no need to have a thirty second introduction. Most of us will skip this part anyway.
3.) Take Your Time: ''I filmed this in one afternoon'' is the worst possible way to convince me to watch your video. The movie Life Cycles took nearly three years to shoot and it's only forty-seven minutes long. The more time and energy you put into your video, the more likely it is that people will spend some of their leisure time enjoying your work. This concept is consistent with filmmaking in general. The more you get out there and shoot, the better you'll get.
4.) Learn From The Best: Do you like a certain filmmaker's work more than another? Why is that? I can't tell you how many times I've watched and re-watched Life Cycles, and the work of Sherpas Cinema, Camp 4 Collective, and Sweetgrass Productions. I love what they do and I gain inspiration and ideas from watching their films. I'm not saying you should try and copy someone else's work shot for shot, but over time you'll create your own style simply from getting out there and shooting.
5.) Sloooooow Mooootion: Slow motion is a genuinely useful feature - if it's used with intent. Slow mo should be used with restraint to highlight elements of a shot which can't be seen by the naked eye. No one needs to see your friend doing a sketchy bar turn at 240 frames per second.
6.) Helmet Cams: Smart phones and point of view cameras from GoPro, Contour, and Sony, have given anyone the chance to become the next Aaron LaRocque. The option to have a camera on your helmet, recording your entire ride is genuinely incredible. Cameras this small and powerful are a technological miracle. All that being said: if your name isn't Ian Morrison, Chris Kovarik, or Brendan Fairclough, then no one wants to see your POV video from A-Line. Helmet or chest cams are an amazing way to pull the viewer into the video and make them feel like they're riding along at World Cup speed. Use POV footage subtly in your videos. If a POV camera is all you own then get creative with it. These cameras are small and durable so stick them where you wouldn't put a bigger camera.
7.) Music: If you've heard the song before in another video - especially a famous segment from a mountain bike DVD - don't use it. That's called song poaching and it's both disrespectful and lazy.
7.) b: Dubstep: Don't do it, ever.
7.) c: Sail by Awolnation and Radioactive by Imagine Dragons are permanently banned.
8.) Editing Transitions: Fake film burns and cross dissolves as distracting and pointless. They're not ''cinematic,'' they're dumb.
9.) Building: One of the best parts about mountain biking is our ability to shape the ride. If you build original stunts then hopefully people will remember your video; at the very least you'll have something fun to ride after.
10.) Creativity: Everyone and their dog has seen the typical three minute music video style 'bike porn' web edit. Why not try something new? I'm not saying you should make the video longer and bloated with filler timelapses and hiking shots. Try telling a story, or doing something new and innovative with lighting, animation, or sound. Riding a bike is supposed to be fun, don't forget that.
Mentions: @mindspark @Silviafilms @rupertwalker @AbsoluteZero @GoldsteinProductions @larock @LifeCycles @jasperwesselman
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Ehh... I can produce tons of such high-fly crap... never made me happy...
Im a bad bad boy!
hahahahhahhahahha
Im sorry but there is tons I don't agree with but then again this is for the sole purpose of having a VOD.
I make films to tell a story of what Im doing or event we are having. So, VOD is not my purpose of course. Nor is my riding, ahahhahah
Some of the rules contradict each other.
Originality comes from in idea built off of something you saw or were taught which leads to new ideas.
However, following many of the rules throws out any creativity.
Our videos are limited to camera quality, riding quality, computer quality, natural elements and intuitive thought.
Using the tools to make a story can be very easy but following all these rules makes a simple process seem boring and pointless!
I personally love the filters and transitions. It helps create something that was not there, its like painting a picture with your creativity and the tools at hand.
So, saying its dumb sounds very ignorant! The editing software is a tool and can be used to make some cool effects if need be.
Great article though, I like the read and there were a couple of cool videos I have yet to see.
It was a perspective I have not thought about. I liked knowing that this is something people think about and have realized choosing videos for VOD and Monday Joy is a very tough job.
I have always thought 90% of the VOD were sponsor or company related.
RideOn!
It would be wise to understand the rules of filmmaking before breaking them. If you choose to deviate from the rules, which can be a good thing, ask yourself why you are doing it first.
Cheers.
Very good response to mine!
That makes good sense and now that I have read these rules it will be in my conscience.
I too break lots of these rules but not with the intention of what the article is about.
*I like to have a story to my videos so, an intro and an ending is important for me.
*I also like to use transitions or filters.
*Songs can be hard to know what is already been used or what is not original. (99.9% of the videos are not intended for professional use so I think you can use what you like)
*Im a builder and here in Japan we have created some very extensive trials. I would not want another person to come build on our trails just to make an original line unless it was with our permission or correlation.
*Then creativity is an open field meaning, you can film and make a story of what ever you like. However if you follow the other 9 rules that leave little room for filming other things in life. Just biking! Which in many of the VOD in my opinion can get a little repetitive at times, even if totally awesome!
I like your perspective using horror films, that was easy to understand!
I also thought the article was very well made just very bias and kind of puts us little riders down.
Makes us feel as if what we are doing is not respected, which I think is not true!
hahahahhahah
Also, filming and editing is a learning process that takes time and practice.
I think if I had these rules to follow from the beginning when I started filming it would have confused me and left my originality out of my films.
Thank you buddy!
RideOn!
And if you were the God of mountain bike videos you might be able to come up with something TRULY original yourself Scott. Even this 'list' has been done a million times before.
WHY AM I SCREAMING AGAIN ???
@scottsecco I'm hurt