A couple of videos from recent railfanning outings (plus some questions for those who watch)

[Harrison]

Hi all, 

I just wanted to share a couple videos I shot from recent morning railfanning trips, one on Tuesday and one on Thursday. The first one is out now, and the second one premieres tomorrow at 7:30 PM eastern time!

https://youtu.be/Vlyn9fP_Qyc

https://youtu.be/u2fBK04HJ7A

I have a couple questions about my videos:

1. Do you prefer more on-screen captions, or more narration? I try to include a little narration "trackside" in my newer videos.

2. Does anyone really care about knowing the locomotive types, or is just the train symbol and associated information enough?

3. Should I pan the camera with the locomotives, or leave it facing forward? There are some situations where I obviously should do one or the other, but in general I would like to stick to a standard.

Thanks and enjoy!

[tree68]

Harrison

I have a couple questions about my videos: 1. Do you prefer more on-screen captions, or more narration? I try to include a little narration "trackside" in my newer videos.

A mix works.  I would say that academic stuff, like symbols, origin/destination, etc are good as captions.  "Color," ie, early/late, long/short, etc can be narration.

Harrison

2. Does anyone really care about knowing the locomotive types, or is just the train symbol and associated information enough?

You'll find people who prefer one or the other strongly.  If you can ID a loco, that's great.  If you have any background on it/them, that's small print but won't hurt if it doesn't distract from the overall presentation.  Just leave viewers long enough to read it.  Including the train symbol might help another view further his/her knowledge of a given train's routing.

Harrison

3. Should I pan the camera with the locomotives, or leave it facing forward? There are some situations where I obviously should do one or the other, but in general I would like to stick to a standard.

I would opine that on a slower train, panning will work.  That can be significant if there's something special about the power.  If the train is doing 70 - don't bother.

Part of it depends on what you want to impart.  If it's a one car train, and you can see that as the train approaches, you might want to pan on the loco, then watch the train "fade into the sunset."  If it's a long train - and I would suggest especially unit trains, tie the camera down and perhaps pan the last car as it passes, if you shoot the whole train.

Also watch for panning on the couplers, which I did see in the first video.  Get used to zooming out to include the object of interest, which could be the loco, or might be some unusual car.

You're getting there!

[Harrison]

Thanks for the advice Larry, it's much appreciated. 

[Convicted One]

Harrison,

I'd say that you are doing a remarkable job, considering that  you have been at it no longer than you have.  Your videos are enjoyable to watch...and that, IMO, is the main litmus test.

One thing I will offer from a personal perspective, you being an amateur and referring to your video "premiering"....comes across as a little pretentious.  Having swagger is not a bad thing, but there is a fine line.

[Flintlock76]

Hi Harrison!

Some good advice from Larry, nothing much I can add except as far as panning is concerned the old rule is "If you think you're going slow, go slower."

Panning is something I'd use sparingly.  Larry gave good advice.

As far as live narration, maybe a spoken "Hello" and introduction  at the beginning after the main title, then captions afterward? 

By the way boys, Harrison had a premiere several days ago, very enjoyable!

[Overmod]

Subtitle captioning, if available, can be a useful tool.  Keep in mind that some programs with 'multiple language' subtitling choices can be used for different levels of complexity or verbosity instead.  

Use of an alternate audio track, as in 'director's cut' versions of DVD movies, is a good way to provide additional comments and information in a way that doesn't detract, as reading and displaying video captions does, from the action onscreen.

I suggest as a general rule that active 'cinematography' techniques are valuable both in shooting raw video and assembling scenes.  You already understand quite a few of these; widening your 'vocabulary' will likely be fun.

Something to avoid is the typical railfan video where train after train is shot from the same angle, with the same pan on a given engine or detail, and the same shot of the train (or cut to near the end) followed by pan on the same part of the end.  Change them up.  If people want 'full train' videos to observe every car in the consist, they will request them and you can composit and put them up as such.

Something I think to avoid is the YouTube trope of repeating scenes of interest, sometimes multiple times and then in slo-mo, which is used in certain videos without advance warning.  As you acquire better tools, you will obtain the technical ability to do this -- resist that temptation!  Others may not find this as irritating as I do -- if you want to call attention to something in the consist, or something happening, either cut to a separate scene involving it and comment it, or insert that scene at the end of the view of the train passing.  This is not a place to indulge squirrel focus... 

I'd extend the advice on pans to advice on zooms, or changes in focusing point.  There is a time and place for 'jump' changes -- but they are always instantly recognized as 'breaking the fourth-wall' tactics, artificially forcing something on perception.  Use these sparingly and advisedly, if at all, and never get into the habit of using them as part of your 'style'.  

If a zoom is adjustable, set it to the very slowest speed, and practice with it until your use of it is not obvious.  There are great advantages to changing field in the middle of a shot -- if you can do it without the audience noticing, or in such a way that it fulfills their desire to be closer or see more in the frame.  This is no different from avoiding the 'shaky camera' effect so despicable in commercials, or the nasty quick jerk pan that comes from using a non-fluid head improperly.

[charlie hebdo]

Harrison: Lots of good advice but better to experiment and find your own instinctive style and techniques in order to be creative, innovative and thus give viewers a unique experience. 

[MikeF90]

Overmod

If people want 'full train' videos to observe every car in the consist, they will request them and you can composit and put them up as such.

Great point! IMO there are too many 'full train' videos for no good reason. Fading out the middle of a long train (especially todays 'no fitters') is fine with me.

I also prefer more subtitles and an overview slide at the video beginning. I watch most videos on a television with my Roku YT app and therefore don't see details in the Description.

Videos less than 30 minutes with a single 'episode' (like location and date) are easier to navigate. I want to scream at some of these lazy railfans who post 90 minute compilations of every freakin' clip they've taken recently - arggh.

Thanks and keep posting!

[Paul Milenkovic]

Convicted One

Harrison,

I'd say that you are doing a remarkable job, considering that  you have been at it no longer than you have.  Your videos are enjoyable to watch...and that, IMO, is the main litmus test.

One thing I will offer from a personal perspective, you being an amateur and referring to your video "premiering"....comes across as a little pretentious.  Having swagger is not a bad thing, but there is a fine line.

 

 

Harrison,

Premiering is great, and don't be dissuaded from promoting your fine work.

[Harrison]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Paul Milenkovic

 

 

Convicted One

Harrison,

I'd say that you are doing a remarkable job, considering that  you have been at it no longer than you have.  Your videos are enjoyable to watch...and that, IMO, is the main litmus test.

One thing I will offer from a personal perspective, you being an amateur and referring to your video "premiering"....comes across as a little pretentious.  Having swagger is not a bad thing, but there is a fine line.

 

 

 

 

 

Harrison,

Premiering is great, and don't be dissuaded from promoting your fine work.

 

I will continue to premiere some of my videos, not because I want attention, but simply because I enjoy watching it "together" with people and chatting with them. Thanks for the encoragement! 

BTW, it's premiering now!

[Flintlock76]

Hey Harrison, watched you film as you know, but I couldn't make my last post.  Just a couple of things:

If you're looking for a solid tripod, try looking in thrift shops, second-hand shops, or possibly antique shops in your area.  They're good places to try for a good heavy-duty model.  I'm assuming your camera has a 1/4" threaded socket in the bottom, they're pretty much standard for tripod mount screws.

Second, an old film-makers rule, don't have the camera do anything the human eye doesn't do.  Dissolves are OK, people blink after all, but use zooms sparingly. The eye doesn't zoom.  Not that you can't or shouldn't zoom, but again very sparingly.

An enjoyable ten minutes!

[Harrison]

Thanks for the tips Wayne, and thanks for watching!

[BaltACD]

Remember - Every picture tells a story.  Figure out what story you want your pictures (videos) to tell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjDN2COkn3M