John Neal writes ...
I can usually produce a ten minute vlog in a day.
I indeed like to have a variety of shots and include the drone (DJI mini 3 pro) as often as I can. If I am on my bike the drone goes in one of the rear pannier bags. I stash a monopod / tripod with my GoPro 11 on the top of the panniers so I can pull it out like a cowboy grabbing his Winchester ready to shoot. The GoPro has a foam case that eliminates wind noise very well.
Nevertheless I also clip a mic to my lapel and attach a Sony recorder that is in my pocket. When I edit I usually synchronise the audio clip with the GoPro in the edit using a function on Final Cut Pro on my Apple Mac. The video and audio clips appear chronologically and so I can fairly easily identify each associated clip. I download the clips onto my Mac in separate folders on an external drive and then import to FCP. This can take a few minutes so I incorporate with a coffee break. I rarely use a script or take notes unless I have certain details to recall. But I do have an over plan in my head so I visualise the shots that will hopefully appear on screen later.
I am always watching other video makers and get inspiration from them. For instance I have recently used different shots when talking to camera, sometimes cycling along or leaning on a gate or tree or sitting on a bench. In recent video I have forced myself to talk with a few people to vary the input. More about that another time. Then I aim to focus on the central theme of the video eg a shot of a steam train, reporting on an informal air field ‘fly in,’ or as these shots show, Atherstone’s recent car rally.
Sometimes things crop up unexpectedly and just run with it. My recent HS2 video included a chat with a local resident who lived next to the noisy, dusty works. My aim was to get drone shots of the extensive earthworks but the chat with the resident in his front garden was priceless.
Unfortunately I struggled to keep him in shot as I was engaged in the conversation too much. I then collect a few B shots of wayside flowers or trees and sign off with the same phrase each time, ‘Thanks for watching and you will see me next time’ .
In the edit I can always add a voice over of put a concise comment to go with a particular video clip. I use a bigger Rode mic for this. These usually require a few takes and need to be relaxed but informative.
It took a while to get them right. So about two or three hours later, I get home at lunch time, download the video and audio files in different folders on the external drive, and then have a bite to eat - and usually a short nap!
Next, starting with the GoPro clips, I get to work on the editing which is great fun - but can be quite demanding. I really get a thrill from seeing what I thought was a good shot really hit the target. Many long clips only provide a few seconds of footage and I constantly put myself in the viewers mind-set hoping only to provide enough information to get the message across. ‘Less is more’ , I suppose.
I like to add variety with pieces to camera, some at a distance, hence the mic, and odd angles on my bike - the Go Pro on the extending monopod is brilliant for this, and the Go Pro has the amazing function of keeping the horizon level despite waving it around all over the place. This scores better than the iPhone 15 which I sometime use. Then having added some music (Epidemic Sound) I take a break and finally go back for a Final Cut especially levelling out the audio and getting transitions correct and appropriate. By now it’s probably past tea time and so by the evening it’s ready to publish onto YouTube. A few minutes is needed to make an appropriate thumbnail and I’m ready to inflict my latest effort on the unsuspecting public. - John
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