how to make good and enjoyable vids ?

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
hey guys,

im just starting out with trying to make rc vids for youtube, ive made one so far just off my webcam which is pretty poor in quality and just generally haha if you wanna see what im talking about, www.youtube.com/danny9599

i wanna make something enjoyable for the viewer and also something fun that ill enjoy doing! my main problems are, theres really no one around me that is into rc (i get payed out a lil bit at school for it every now and then but its keeping me away from drugs etc which i thinks worth it) and that also means ive got no one else to film either, i dont wanna be another one of those dodgy "hat cam" video makers as i just dont really like them all that much!


the camers i have access to at the moment are my computer webcam, iphone 3gs camera, and possibly a small digital camera i can borrow (claim as my own) from some where in our house.
video editing software i have is windows movie maker, havent used it yet but thats all i got!


being only 16 im super tight for cash so that makes things even hard cause i cant just go out and buy stuff like others!

so theres my story, wanna make fun vids cheap with little to no help filming!
i really would like some help with this as it looks like something ill really enjoy and have fun doing!

Thanks Daniel
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
I can't help you with a camera man but I know that it takes a ton of footage to make a good short film. Shoot way more than you think you have to. Give yourself lots to work with during editing. Also, never fly without a camera going. You never know when the coolest thing is about to happen.

I also use windows movie maker which I feel works pretty well. The trick for me was figuring out how to save it correctly so youtube would take it. My videos are much better now. Still need work though.
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Remember that when you are doing a webcam video on your computer, you need to look at the camera instead of your picture on the screen. Seems like you're staring at the floor.
 

sandblaster

Senior Member
Daniel,

Study the vids of the professional and how they do it. The biggest failing of air vids is way to much movement. Makes one air sick to watch them. Need a study platform for good study shots. Edit out as much unneeded movement as possible. Just because it is in camera does not mean it needs to be published. Each vid should tell a story. Figure out what story you are telling and edit accordingly. Better yet, figure out your story before you start shooting and shoot the shots to tell your story. May take several attempts to get "the shot" you are after. It is amazing how thinking and taking videos and still shots opens one's eyes to really see what is around you. Makes one enjoy the beauty most others miss. You are young and have a life time of adventure to discover. Enjoy the trip.
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
I agree with Sandblaster. Tell a story. You've seen the videos where the person sets up the plane, flies, and and lands, and that's it. Often the view of the plane is a fuzzy dot that moves around the sky some, and you may or may not be able to tell that it's a plane. Those can be pretty boring.


As to the camera work. Use two or three cameras. Set the cameras up at different angles. Then later edit the footage together to make one steady video. The flite test guys do this very well. You'll notice that you're not staring at the hosts from one angle the entire time.


The last thing I'd suggest (for now) is keep the videos short. Too long a video, and you'll lost people's interests.
 

SunShine

not crazy, just stupid
my recommendations are:
-to have a cameraman and tell him or her to not zoom in too much,
-try to avoid filming when its overcast whether, since cheap cameras make planes look like shadows.
-try to make videos interesting somehow, try either to make them funny, scientific or just exiting (keep the audience guessing).
-if you do some indoor reviews or talking or something, make sure to have good lighting. and if you'r outside, avoid filming the sun.
-Blow shit up! works great for Hollywood, cant see how it wouldn't work here ;).
good luck!
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
Awesome hair!!!!!


ancient-aliens-guy.jpg
 

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
wow, i posted this last night when i went to bed and didnt expect much this morning! thanks guys! ill remember this stuff for sure! and when i make more vids post them for more tips if you guys dont mind! thanks for the feed back? i really didnt expect to get that much back in less than 12hours! :)

and yes i love my hair ;) lol
 

jetpackninja

More combat please...
Mentor
Show yourself
Show your plane- not only flying, but what it looks like.
Show your kids or whoever else is out there having fun.
 

sandblaster

Senior Member
Daniel,

I really like that you are asking these questions. Very good questions. To many simply fill the camera and think they need to dump it on You Tube, no editing, no quality. A well done vid is a pure joy to watch, very entertaining. The bad ones may get a 10 sec or less viewing. Sure not enough quality ones. Lots of room for you to add good stuff, and what you will learn in the process will stay with you and who knows where it might lead you.

By the way, moves are being made using nothing but the camera in iPhone. The equipment is not as important as the mind.
 

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
yea i really dont wanna be one of those youtube users that just gets lost in the pits of youtube! lol i wanna make decent vids that people will enjoy watching :)
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
Here's a few of ones I've done...

You can find music to add to the videos from sites that offer royalty free music. I use stills mixed in with the video to add to the "story".







 

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
ok so ive been bored today because its been raining all day once again! so i made myself a little tripod like thing i can put my iphone in and ill try and do some vids of low passes and stuff with the 450 over the top and hovering, and try and make it good! lol so yea heres a picture i made it out of some balsa wood and some chunks of foam stuff i had lying around and then zip ties and hot glue holding it together! oh yea and i put an old brushed motor from my old super cup (which no longer exists :( ) so it had some weight in the bottom (lower cg) so it didnt tip over as easily if i blew it lol now it stands pretty solid! and i coloured it in with paint pens cause i was bored this rain is killin me!

001.JPG
 

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
ive got ideas in my head of what i want the vids to come out like lol so im just gonna end up editing for ever trying to get it there! already decided next thing to get is gopro so i can put it on the helis and stuff and mix in aerial shots. and ive figured with this tripod thing ill be able to do a timelapse of my 550e build because i found a free app that can do timelapse haha

im really gettin excited about this stuff now :D
 

Daniel Williams

Junior Member
ok heres my plan so far, ive found a friend with decent cameras and stuff who can do stills and vids and hes fairly good with the stuff! im gonna see if i can have him come out when i go for a fly before my holidays finish (end of january) and see how much we can shoot and see if we can get a cool vid going!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-bhhiszId4 if i could get anything remotely close to the rc heli resource guys by the end or 2012 i will be extremly happy! because my friend has all the gear for it! and hell be able to show me how to did as well!

hes got cameras and the over powered computers with lots of editing software to produce something of that quality whether we can or not will be another thing, SO subscribe, if you wish to, to my youtube page www.youtube.com/danny9599 and well see what we can come up with in the next month or so! especially with my Trex 550e coming in 2 days time should be interesting!
 

ananas1301

Crazy flyer/crasher :D
That sound like a plan! I really liked the re heli resource video and it would really be an achievement if you´d get even close to that!

Good luck!
 

SunShine

not crazy, just stupid
Hey man!
That sounds great! Make sure to post some of your videos here, and i'll make sure to subscribe then ;)