BaltACD Harrison's enthusiam has been objected to in the past. Not very 'welcoming' to a 15 YO. http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/284103.aspx
Harrison's enthusiam has been objected to in the past. Not very 'welcoming' to a 15 YO.
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/284103.aspx
No, it wasn't very welcoming, but Harrison's gotten the message, he'll be more careful from now on. You can see his latest video in the "Trackside Guides" section. I hope he posts more!
BaltACD Not very 'welcoming' to a 15 YO.
Well, there are right ways and wrong way to go about accomplishing an objective.
Can't really fault Kalmbach for not wanting their forum used to promote someone else's traffic.
And yes, I'm glad this forum isn't regularly filled up with posts by users trying to build traffic for their own pet projects.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Flintlock76By the way, I like young Mr. Harrison's enthusiasm and think we should ecourage it all we can.
Indeed. The secret is to harness that enthusiasm in a way that's not cloying. Many good tips here.
As an aside - the comment about cutting the "final" product in half is a real, if valid, challenge.
I did the voiceovers for several commercials for our railroad. Despite numerous timed runthroughs at home, well before I hit the recording booth, the scripts were always just "that much" too long on the first take...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Have about 50 years in video production. Here are some of my rules for myself.
Adobe just released Photoshop/Premiere Elements 2021, and I believe that the 2020 version is out there at a deep discount. It is more than you need.
Mike
Just an observation, I visit a number of YouTube channels, and typically if anyone gives them a "thumbs down" it's usually out of pure cussedness.
If those channels weren't any good I wouldn't bother with 'em.
Lotsa trolls out there who just love to make trouble.
By the way, I like young Mr. Harrison's enthusiasm and think we should ecourage it all we can. He's the future of the hobby you know, and if we're honest with ourselves none of us know how long in this world we've got. Sooner or later someone else is going to have to pick up the ball and run with it. Harrison's getting ready to do so.
Lots of good ideas, I'll be considering all of them.
Lithonia Operator That's all good advice for you to pick and choose from, Harrison. But remember that these are YOUR videos. Do what's fun for you, looks good to you, and says what you want to say. You're the boss. Have fun doing things your way. Follow your instincts, and over time you will develop your own style. There's more than one way to make good soup.
That's all good advice for you to pick and choose from, Harrison.
But remember that these are YOUR videos. Do what's fun for you, looks good to you, and says what you want to say. You're the boss. Have fun doing things your way. Follow your instincts, and over time you will develop your own style. There's more than one way to make good soup.
I will keep that in mind, right now I'm trying to find the sweet spot between making it my prefered way and making it for how the viewers want it.
Semper Vaporo 1.c PLEASE do NOT beg, cajole, or even mention, "Please thumbs up this video", "Please follow me.", or any other self promotion garbage. If anyone likes the video they will give it a thumbs up, it anyone wants to follow you on the web, they will do so. If you beg me for such, you'll get a thumbs down every time and if I recognize your name when viewing other videos, I may very well give it a thumbs down and not watch any more of it.
1.c PLEASE do NOT beg, cajole, or even mention, "Please thumbs up this video", "Please follow me.", or any other self promotion garbage. If anyone likes the video they will give it a thumbs up, it anyone wants to follow you on the web, they will do so. If you beg me for such, you'll get a thumbs down every time and if I recognize your name when viewing other videos, I may very well give it a thumbs down and not watch any more of it.
I have made sure not to ask for subs and likes and all that nonsense, although I have my D&H channel logo pop up during the last 5 seconds or so of the video so if someome wishes to subscribe they can do so.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Educate, and entertain.
The only time you should do any of these things is when your video is meant to be about these things. If the video is about the trains themselves, don't waste the viewer's time.
Harrison I thought now would be a good time to improve my video style
One other thing I will add, that I consider crucial. Try to get inside the viewer's head. Imagine you are the viewer seeing this clip for the first time. It can be a lot harder than it sounds.
Granted, you are doing this for your own enjoyment. But the viewers really aren't here to "celebrate yet another cool place you have been". It isn't supposed to be "the Harrison show". I don't mean that to sound cruel. It's just that I see a lot of people get so wrapped up in the telling of the story, that they seem to gloss over why the viewer should want to watch.
Try to pick a descript title such as "A quartet of alligators laboring up Higgins Hill" rather than "My 10/21/20 trip to the Blakely industrial sub". A good title should let the viewer know why the video is worth watching.
Semper Vaporo1.a Be careful where you place captions. Leave them on long enough to be read by a slow reader, or someone that was distracted when it first appeared.
Seven seconds is usually good enough.
Nothing else I can add, you've gotten some good advice here!
Convicted One Harrison 1. Should I narrate my videos, or leave them to just captions? 2. Should I get "in front" of the camera, and include shots of non-train related stuff like driving down the highway, walking in train stations, etc? 3. Should I include some historical information/pictures/maps/etc? 1. frequently I leave the sound turned down on my computer so as not to disturb those around me. I suspect I am not alone in that regard 2.Those videos with the long lead-in time, where for example, you can (I sippose) hear the train 45 seconds before it comes into view...I find annoying. 3. absolutely yes.
Harrison 1. Should I narrate my videos, or leave them to just captions? 2. Should I get "in front" of the camera, and include shots of non-train related stuff like driving down the highway, walking in train stations, etc? 3. Should I include some historical information/pictures/maps/etc?
1. Should I narrate my videos, or leave them to just captions?
2. Should I get "in front" of the camera, and include shots of non-train related stuff like driving down the highway, walking in train stations, etc?
3. Should I include some historical information/pictures/maps/etc?
1. frequently I leave the sound turned down on my computer so as not to disturb those around me. I suspect I am not alone in that regard
2.Those videos with the long lead-in time, where for example, you can (I sippose) hear the train 45 seconds before it comes into view...I find annoying.
3. absolutely yes.
1. Only enough narration to explain non-obvious details. Nobody cares if you were on vacation and decided to take a side trip to see your Auntie and while she was napping, you wandered off and found this rail line by accident.
1.a Be careful where you place captions. Leave them on long enough to be read by a slow reader, or someone that was distracted when it first appeared. Make sure they are readable against the background (no white letters over a gray sky, or black letters against a dark forest). Keep captions short and to the point.
1.b Please do NOT ramble on about things. Have a script and follow it. Stick to the subject. Don't stutter or fill time with "Ums" and "Ahs". If you screw it up, start over.
2. Do not include useless video. Many are too long because of useless lead-in and trailers. I realize lots of commercial outfits have standard openings and trailers, but they do not add anything to the reason someone is watching the video... they just massage the ego of the maker. CROP off and excise any useless video or video with nothing in sight and no sound. (if you can hear a steam loco working hard but out of view, add a caption to call attention to the sound to be listening for; such as, "Hear that engine working the hill!") Cut out cursing railfans and children screaming (unless trains scaring children is the purpose of the video ). Reference 1 and 1.b above.
2.a No music or sound effects. But keep the audio as loud as possible. The viewer can reduce the volume if necessary, but if there is not enough volume to start with, the viewer may not be able to make it loud enough with their equipment to hear in their environment. Keep the volume on your speakers low, so you will make sure the video sound level is high. If your editing environment has big speakers and powerful amplifiers you might not have enough volume for the viewer watching on a laptop with speakers on the underside pressed against his legs... the end viewer might not even know there is sound with the video!
3. If the historical information/pictures/maps/etc. pertains to the subject of the video, include them, otherwise, re-read 1 and 1.b above.
4. When panning the camera as a train passes, aim it at something intersting... watching the side of a steam loco's big black tender is not interesting. Aim the camera at the drive wheels or valve gear of a steam loco, or the cab or some detail of the engine, suspension or coupler of a Dismal.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Harrison1. Should I narrate my videos, or leave them to just captions?
As noted, it depends on how much information there is to convey. Captions do help if someone is watching with their audio reduced, or off. They are also helpful if you're conveying information where the sound should be unobstructed - the throbbing Diesels approaching, etc.
Whichever you do, remember that people are watching the video to see railroad stuff, not to read endless text or hear your glorious voice.
If you do narrate, do so from a script.
Harrison2. Should I get "in front" of the camera, and include shots of non-train related stuff like driving down the highway, walking in train stations, etc?
If it's related to the subject at hand, anything is fair game. If I were to shoot video of and around Starrucca Viaduct, I would probably want to include a shot of arriving at the viaduct. Doing so from the north is very impressive as the bridge comes into view.
A visit to a location with a notable train station might well include some shots of the station or other notable landmarks in the area. People are amazed to see the interior of Utica (NY) Union Station.
Such clips can be used to illustrate a break in the action trackside - "we have a break with no trains due in, so let's take a brief look at..."
Including yourself might be nice for the intro and exit - "Welcome. Today we'll take a look at the action at Podunk Junction. Please join us and enjoy the trains..."
Harrison3. Should I include some historical information/pictures/maps/etc?
Absolutely! A brief history of a location or line can help set the stage. A list of predecessor lines would be useful. You may be shooting an NS line, but if you tell the viewer it's former NKP, they may imagine seeing a Berk coming down the tracks instead of a modern Diesel. Maps can help orient the viewer to what they are seeing. This can be important at a busy location (junction/wye/etc) or just to give the viewer context with a wide area map showing where Podunk is in relation to other railroad landmarks.
Telling the viewer that you're shooting from the southwest quadrant of the diamond helps them get oriented. Maybe even point that out on a map.
I often recommend that viewers of the Deshler cams take a look at a map of the area, as it gives them a better idea of what they are seeing on the cams.
I will second the comment about the long lead times before a train arrives. About the only thing such lead times are good for is prepping the viewer as to what's to come, and even then, they should be kept as short as possible. The viewers want to see trains, not trees.
Just my personal views:
2.Those videos with the long lead-in time, where for example, you can (I suppose) hear the train 45 seconds before it comes into view...I find annoying.
HarrisonSince I am upgrading my software, I thought now would be a good time to improve my video style. I have a few questions for those who enjoy watching these types of videos: 1. Should I narrate my videos, or leave them to just captions? 2. Should I get "in front" of the camera, and include shots of non-train related stuff like driving down the highway, walking in train stations, etc? 3. Should I include some historical information/pictures/maps/etc? Thanks for your input,
Thanks for your input,
The more relevant information you can give the viewer on what they are seing the better. If captions are 'too long' then narration would be the proper means of providing the information. Historical information can be beneficial, it can also be 'too much'. YMMV.
If you are like me in the video world, I have the FACE for radio and the VOICE for print media.
Since I am upgrading my software, I thought now would be a good time to improve my video style. I have a few questions for those who enjoy watching these types of videos:
I've been using Adobe Premiere Elements for the past three and a half years since migrating to Windows 10. Works great.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I took a look at the YouTube channels you suggested, some good stuff to learn from!
Let me also suggest PennRail Videos, he's a talented videographer well worth watching!
https://www.youtube.com/user/CSX6000
Also, as crazy as it sounds, you may want to take up watching Turner Classic Movies, as much for the movies themselves but also for how they were made. Watch the camera angles, cuts, pacing, lighting, story-telling, and so forth. Quite an education in film-making if you really pay attention.
If you want to produce videos people will enjoy watching and learning something along the way, I suggest you view some of the videos put on YouTube by Danny Harmon of Distant Signal Productions.
https://www.youtube.com/user/distantsignal/videos?app=desktop
Of the numerous videos I have watched over the years these are the Gold Standard.
While I don't do video editing, the company I use for photo editing (ACDSee) offers video editing software, and you can get a free trial to try out their products.
https://www.acdsee.com/en/index/
I have an older version of the Corel video editor, which I've used successfully in the past. The current version is around $65.
I found that there was a bit of a learning curve, but it does turn out a good product.
I'll send you a PM with my Youtube channel. There are several videos there I did with that product.
While free is nice, I'd opine you're better off if you can swing the cost of a better editor.
Hi all,
As many of you know I make railfanning and layout videos (and post them here sometimes). I have been using windows movie maker since I was 7 (making lego movies) and I started making train videos with it when I was 12, three years ago. The truth is, it's become a real pain, and I am looking for some more features for making railroad videos, such as captioning, transitions, audio layering, etc. Nothing fancy, I just want some more control then with Movie Maker. For all you railfanning video creators, What do you use? I would prefer something free if possible. I am using windows 10. I have Lightworks downloaded but I haven't learned it yet. Is Lightworks worth learning for the features?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
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