Watched to see his incredible riding and the amazing terrain and features. But for me all the flashes and millisecond screenshots took away from the flow of the riding.
Especially ironic as everyone loves his one shot segment from a few years back...
I still love this one, the annoying editing was before and in between the riding at least!
Agreed. After the hundreds of hours of footy these guys get, let's see the take play through. These choppy edits are headache inducing and aren't long enough to appreciate the insane precision and beauty of the shot.
Yeah for once can we get a video of Semenuk that's unedited with still shots that show the complete move from 3 different angles per hit. His riding style is enough it doesn't need any more.
I had to shut it off. Horrible editing. First 40 seconds unwatchable. Then you think we will actually see him ride and the production crew goes into an 80s MTV cut show. Horrible.
haters gon hate, this edit was dope. overall aesthetic matches the music well, plus the features are straight up works of art, and riding is unparalleled...yet, yall still complaining smh
Literally only the first 30 seconds of an insane shred. With Brandon's level I highly doubt its all the editor making these choices. This is art, sorry ya don't like flashing lights. Watch some vlogs if ya don't want editing
What happened to the good old days of being happy for a semenuk edit? That was mind blowing, better than anything else to come out in a long time. Thanks for being our hero Brandon.
Agree. I kept thinking about how I'm too old to keep up with the XYZ # of frame switches and perspective switches and how I liked his "One Shot" video so much more (e.g., more my speed I guess). He can sure tear apart a berm though with style.
It wasn't for me. I found it frustrating that through most of the moves it would cut to another angle mid-move, often more than once. The interruptions were jarring for me. The best bits were where this didn't happen, like the last move.
From what I could make it the riding was impeccable.
Nb. I didn't hate the editing per se - it was done well and matched the music I suppose. I think it would be good for something else. I just don't like so many cuts through the actual riding bits...
As someone grew up watching thousands of hours of skateboard videos, I don't get editing like this. There was like 3 clips that I saw the full take-off and landing without a cut. I had no idea what was going on. There's no context to 75% of what was happening in this video. Part of what makes skateboard videos better IMO is the fact that you can really get a feeling of what it must be like to do what you're watching, and really understand what makes it crazy. I didn't get any of that other than 3 clips in this video. I want to experience the riding, not the editing.
for me it was amazing, the riding, the features, music choice and overall vibe. people got too spoiled by brandon himsefl they dont realise how good it is. they watch hyped to the moon expecting some unbielievable godlike crazyness and are let down couse itys only crazy good, then get 10x more crytical than usual on everything that doesnt match their expectations. just shut the fuck up and enjoy GOAT do his thing, couse he will stop one day
I read the comments before watching and all I can say is what a bunch of babies that can’t handle the editing! As always with Semenuk, a work of art in every aspect.
@paulomach: or more likely Isaac Wallen is of the younger crowd, raised on micro-engagement video clips and constant media saturation, and this *is* what a generation understands as normal edits.
@bbourne: "hundreds of hours" is faaaaar from the truth, mtb films have a lot leg work involved just to get anything done. Coordinating when to go to these almost random locations to build, and then film for a few days takes a lot of work they don't get to just meet up at Central Park every day and go ride around like skaters and bmx riders do. Brandon talks a bit about the time and money and labor involved in making one of these videos on the Unclicked Podcast with Dennis. And everyone should know by now that Brandon loves to actually make a whole package with one of these videos, not just a highlight reel. Showcasing good riding and actual effort put forth into the filming and editing. Even the one-shot video was a huge project to figure out, they didn't just pull up to some trail and send him down a hill
@travisrexmiller: amen to this. I feel like these type of edits are made for people who don’t really have a concept of what they’re watching. Kind of the uninitiated. It feels like a teaser or an advertisement, rather than something for the core audience. It’s akin to how flips get that “wow” factor from casual onlooker, but the difficulty, nuance, and style is what core audiences look for. As someone who has watched his fair share of skate and bmx videos and values creativity, I think It’s plenty possible to have an artsy, well done edit while also showing the audience what the rider is doing. Keep the b-roll artsy and the actual riding riding please
Its so wild growing up using pinkbike and remembering how sick of a place it used to be to share videos and images of things you and your buddies were fired up on. Its become such a place of useless hate and bottomless keyboard critics. We work hard for months and give y'all free entertainment, without doing any of the dirty work haha. Funny to read these comments after making a video that me and my buddies were just stoked on! Sorry ya'll!
@isaacwallen: while I agree with you about this on most topics online, I view the comments on this one as constructive criticism for your art. As a fellow creative, I struggle with receiving it too, but I did genuinely find this hard to watch as anything other than b-roll. The editing was top notch for that though!
@isaacwallen: bro, it was sick. Pinkbike can be pretty dumb sometimes in the comment section. YouTube comments are much more reflective of how good it was for this one.
@ridingbiking: I won’t argue with you on that one. But if we going to refer to this as art, then part of that designation is that we have the right to critique it, no?
Luckily it isn't as flashy as anything by Clay Porter. I honestly couldn't get myself to watch the complete Deathgrip movie, as much as I like to see Brendog ride. Instead, I just bought the Deathgrip book. I prefer longer shots too though the unReal segment was an unique and challenging project. You may not be able to do that unless you indeed build a dedicated trail with a dedicated track for the camera car. Drone footage offers opportunities nowadays but what I've seen so far still has a huge focus on the camera aerobatics themselves. You don't have the relaxed sensation with a pure focus on the rider, like in unReal. Until now, you're still constantly being reminded of what the drone is doing.
@isaacwallen: Pinkbike can be absolutely toxic, and I agree with what you said about the change over time... That said, I think the critique here has been fairly reasonable? It's art. People like different things. There's people here who really gelled with the style, and people with whom it didn't. It doesn't make what you did bad! You can never please everyone and, whilst it can be hard, I wouldn't read too much into it! As I said above, I wasn't a big fan personally, but I'll add that I appreciate that it was different to everything else out there and that IS a good thing. Keep pushing the boundaries my friend, and good luck!
@isaacwallen: Surprised you'd call it "useless hate" and "bottomless keyboard critics". We use keyboards as this is how this platform works. If I could talk to you in person, I would. I'm near Amsterdam so that'd be difficult. I'll be at the world premier of "The Engine Inside" this Saturday though so I wouldn't mind to share my opinion there on the spot, not afterwards through digital media. Either way, what you can gather from the comments here is that some people really like it. Those who don't like it also tell why. It seems it is primarily because the edit of short sections doesn't work for everyone, me included. Isn't that just nice to know? That your work is well executed and came out as intended. People who don't like it don't "hate" it because you would have done a shabby job. Instead, you know they just don't like it because it doesn't happen to be their style. That's not "hate". And by clarifying how it didn't appeal to them, it wasn't "bottomless" either.
Long story short, if your work came out as intended and people who like these kinds of videos like this one too, you just did an amazing job. There, you have it: you did an amazing job. Honestly.
@vinay: im not suprised he is pissed, half of 'critique' is 'this gave me seasure kids dont know how to make videos', i would ask myself twice before posting anything to pinkbke after such shitshow
@jp-831: call me crazy or old (I’m a millennial FTR), but I watch bike videos for the riding, rather than the crazy editing and filming. I actually enjoy both of these things too, but that’s not what I opened the video for. The filmers and editors clearly have a ton of talent, as it’s very slickly done, but it’s just overdone to the point that it takes away from the riding, which I hate to tell you, is what most people opened the video for. The video wasn’t title “issac wallen’s wild filming and editing triumph featuring a few clips of Brandon Semenuk”. Again, I actually like artistic editing and filming too, I just also like to be able to tell what I’m watching.
Absolutely! Raw edits do such a better job of showcasing the riding. And I know it's not raw, per se, but his single shot Unreal segment was as close to perfect as it gets. (www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ud5T5I4XcA)
@panthermodern: man it’s such a bummer that you feel that way. I’m sure this video would have been much better if he just GoPro’d it. That’d really put it in perspective!
@jp-831: good joke, but that’s literally not what I’m saying. GoPro stuff is, as far as I’m concerned, even worse.
I guess I just got spoiled by skate videos from the Ty Evans and Jon Miner era. There was plenty of b-roll angles and artsy-ness, but you still get a good idea of what tricks are being done and a good idea of what the feature is that they are tackling.
Upon subsequent views, I think I may have been a bit harsh on the filming/editing in this video, given that you can see some things, but I still think it’s important to be able to take in all of the information from a clip to be able to fully appreciate it.
I have the same problem with a lot of William Strobeck skate films and the numerous imitators he has spawned. The skateboarding feels almost secondary to “artsy” angles that cut off the majority of the vantage point, which in my eyes kind of makes the video null and void. If the skateboarding isn’t the focus, then is it even a skate video? Can we truly appreciate the artistry of the riding if we can barely see it? Same thing applies here.
@herbertmarcusavich I agree. Is there some kind of conspiracy where they don't want their line building to be stolen or the location to be known or something? So many angle changes seem like they are trying to hide something. Ridiculous editing.
@panthermodern: God forbid anyone try to progress the capturing of action sports in a way that is different than the way your favorite skate videos from the 90's are shot. Might as well just keep doing the same thing 30 years later. It's a lot easier to be creative in filming these days, considering you don't have to physically cut and splice with a pair of scissors. Brandon has used many different filmers over the years to experiment with new ways of showing the sport that we love, and if the boomers of pinkbike aren't into it, keep it to yourselves. Creatives and riders are trying to stoke out the future of the sport.
This is an edit for Xgames - think about the audience and who it is for. They have a specific time limit and they need to be engaging right away. Its part of the whole video - its not just about one thing. Its all of it. I didnt think it was bad at all - maybe he will release a longer cut with more riding.
@jp-831: cool to see you’re resorting to agism as a diss. I’m probably around the same age as you just with a differing opinion. “Progress” can be kind of a bogus word and work a lot of different ways. Don’t forget that both those left and right of center say that they are pushing for “progress”. Also, not everything that is an experiment works. Those are just the facts. ♂️ I think any artist would agree that sometimes when you “push the envelope”, you don’t quite get the end effect that you had hoped for.
@panthermodern: Of course you have the right to critique, but editing style is subjective. Maybe you just aren’t the target audience, maybe that’s ok for trek’s goal with this. Nothing wrong with vids that cater to the masses, not sure what else to expect from Semenuk at this point. I feel like he’s the best all around ambassador of radness we have, anything he does is dialed and creative.
@isaacwallen: It’s said that art is meant to engage people and illicit a reaction. If everyone thinks it’s great you may not have made art. In this case you’ve definitely succeeded in garnering a reaction. It’s not my preferred style of video either. I just like watching Brandon ride. However the video is very creative well executed and edited. It does rise above the level of a straight up riding video. Again the fact that you’ve gotten such visceral reactions to it does indeed indicate the presence of art.
Cut and edited to death. Why do people continue to make edits like this? It takes away from the riding when the filming of a single trick is cut into multiple views mashed together in seizure-inducing style.
Just my take on this: but I would edit a Video in a way i like to watch it, if others like my style of editing then okay, enjoy it if not watch something/someone else. Many times the editing reflects the style of Vid the Riders like to watch. But I could also be totally wrong and the Editor in this case just wanted to keep all the good bits to himself
@RockCrawler: You're probably not totally wrong here. I just don't like this trend of adding in way too much cinematography crap into biking videos, when simple clips edited together conveys the feeling of biking much better. I think a lot of riders echo this feeling, however, again this is also just my opinion.
I honestly turned it off as I couldn’t tell what he was doing half the time. I feel like the filmers and editors thought that they were supposed to be doing tricks too, given how much over editing and weird perspectives they were using.
Maybe I’m alone in this, but when I watch a bike video, I’m watching it for the riding. Thus, the riding should be the focus, rather than a bunch of overdone filming and editing.
@mi-bike: I mean that is somewhat a figure of speech. That said, yes, I would say that I could see what he was doing the other half of the time. The one handed table, for instance, I could see just fine.
agree 100% w/ everything above. The edit has all the hallmarks of an ADHD Genz film-maker: spastic, .05sec clips spliced together, vintage film effects b/c someone found dad's old skateboard VHS and thought it was cool. This video should come with a seizure warning.
Skateboarding isn’t edited like however. That’s the thing. If you want to see proper filming and editing in the skateboarding tradition, watch a Caldwell edit. You can actually tell what is going on in every clip. I think the “seizure” style editing works pretty decent, albeit beat into the ground in action and war movies, given that it gives the viewer a sense of the chaos that is fighting or war, but for riding, I’d much prefer to tell what I’m looking at
@krippler720: "Legit" being the key word. It was a horrendously designed course on an exposed and windy hill, overall a terrible venue to have this at. Most riders skipped on finals with a few dropping in but despite this, X-Games decided to ignore the finals and used qualifying as the results. It was a complete joke.
I liked it. I don't typically love choppy edits either, but it was more of a vibe with the music and lighting and it worked for me. Also must have been a mega task to edit this, so well done to all involved.
BS is the greatest now and of all time. Whether you like the editing or not there is simply no equal. His progression is amazing, dude is simply unreal!!
Like Any Given Sunday on a bike ? Obviously incredible riding but I couldn't appreciate the edit even though Im used to watch hundred of hours of skate videos. Too fast for my old eyes.
I just love watching BS ride a bike. I work in film and the editing was tight but maybe a little in the way of things, I always love the grain/actual film look and I still enjoyed the video. Dude could just ride down the road and it would look smoother than anyone else and captivate me. He's both more stuck to the earth than everyone else while also being more nimble and flighty. A Semenuk golden hour edit of just beautiful foggy morning and evening shots and pure bike smoothy smooth bliss would make me orgasm til the end of time.
I’m always looking forward to another Brandon’s edit full of his wizardry on two wheels. I wish we got way more of them, he’s the GOAT! But with every new edit there is bunch of whining people that always have to find flaws even in content as awesome as this one is! I feel sad for Brandon, Rupert, Issac and builders after all their effort, it’s definitely not motivating for you guys to read all the whining. I enjoyed your work ,as always, watched 4 times so far and it makes me want to go out and ride, thank you!
I love it but can why the editing isn't to everyone's taste. The riding is amazing and the main moves and features are shown pretty clearly. Only watched on my small crappy phone so far but I'm sure it's even more mind-blowing on a big screen (after taking shrooms)!
Ill be honest and I know its personal preference, I cant even get through this video start to finish, the over-edited, ultra fast cuts, super-zoomed shots and general "vibe" of the video is not my style at all, it's the same as all of the Semenuk videos over the last few years, incredible riding obscured by too much editing. Unfortunate.
unreal skills as par usual but ONLY Brandon could make a video with no riding for 40 seconds. Also the risk factor for the last few tricks is off the hook.
Cool but the constant flip between bikes and kit got my mind all in a pretzel ... couldn't follow or know what was going on. Different producer/editor/photographers for the set?
Doesn't matter where I am or what i am doing when I watch a video of Brandon ride, I wanna drop what I am doing and get on my bike. Another banger from this legend. Thanks for sharing the stoak.
LOCATION? Looks like Portugal to me Nice, but why so choppy edit, that style is brutal, music is good, trail looks amazing, why dont do 5 or 8 minutes edit? with diggin, good times etc,
@brianpark: I was thinking... man... he needs to do the whip to wall ride on Atherton's Rampage wall that Reeder was working on last year... that is what I was expecting Reeder to do.
I'm just an old man so don't mind me.
And everyone should know by now that Brandon loves to actually make a whole package with one of these videos, not just a highlight reel. Showcasing good riding and actual effort put forth into the filming and editing. Even the one-shot video was a huge project to figure out, they didn't just pull up to some trail and send him down a hill
That said, I think the critique here has been fairly reasonable? It's art. People like different things. There's people here who really gelled with the style, and people with whom it didn't. It doesn't make what you did bad! You can never please everyone and, whilst it can be hard, I wouldn't read too much into it!
As I said above, I wasn't a big fan personally, but I'll add that I appreciate that it was different to everything else out there and that IS a good thing. Keep pushing the boundaries my friend, and good luck!
Long story short, if your work came out as intended and people who like these kinds of videos like this one too, you just did an amazing job. There, you have it: you did an amazing job. Honestly.
I guess I just got spoiled by skate videos from the Ty Evans and Jon Miner era. There was plenty of b-roll angles and artsy-ness, but you still get a good idea of what tricks are being done and a good idea of what the feature is that they are tackling.
Upon subsequent views, I think I may have been a bit harsh on the filming/editing in this video, given that you can see some things, but I still think it’s important to be able to take in all of the information from a clip to be able to fully appreciate it.
I have the same problem with a lot of William Strobeck skate films and the numerous imitators he has spawned. The skateboarding feels almost secondary to “artsy” angles that cut off the majority of the vantage point, which in my eyes kind of makes the video null and void. If the skateboarding isn’t the focus, then is it even a skate video? Can we truly appreciate the artistry of the riding if we can barely see it? Same thing applies here.
This style of edit maybe more suited for motorsport not the precision and speed of Mr. Semenuk
I think any artist would agree that sometimes when you “push the envelope”, you don’t quite get the end effect that you had hoped for.
Maybe I’m alone in this, but when I watch a bike video, I’m watching it for the riding. Thus, the riding should be the focus, rather than a bunch of overdone filming and editing.
I enjoyed your work ,as always, watched 4 times so far and it makes me want to go out and ride, thank you!
Semenuks line form unReal is unfogetable this one ? cant even recall it now.
Nice, but why so choppy edit, that style is brutal, music is good, trail looks amazing, why dont do 5 or 8 minutes edit? with diggin, good times etc,
Another rad video.
Nice.
Thank, Carl