OK so a few weeks ago we shot a video for my buddy's board shop and I wasn't thrilled with how the footage turned out. Let me preface this by saying I am by no means expecting to get professional quality. I'm not that talented and don't have the best equipment. So, that being said, we have a GoPro Hero2 and a 60D (that we haven't used for video with out a tripod before). My main questions revolve around stabilization and editing.
Here's the video we shot and hopefully will be running dawn patrol Sunday to shoot more. Any advice is appreciated!!!
Using Premier Pro to edit and have shot snowboarding videos that exported looking amazing. HELP!!
Best way to stabilize?
Best settings to export?
Best metering mode on the GoPro?
Is it possible to shoot with my 60D (handheld) from the boat?
Not sure on the technical parts, but I think the tube needs to be closer. Like as close as you can comfortably go to the rider (1' away?). You can also make a stick for the go pro that makes it easier to hold the gopro steady. Do a search on here, there's a video on it.
I'm working with the exact same setup as you. The GoPro on the monopod should help somewhat from the tube. The 60D is definately not ideal for filming from the boat. I love it as a camera but I've struggled using it for video. I haven't found a great way to stabilize it on the boat. Let me know if you find a good combination of settings/stabilization. I plan on trying some new ideas next week on our trip to Powell. Good luck
Here's a tip for using a monopod or GoPole. Use the camera in upside down mode. That way when your arm and gopole are extended, the camera can rest underneath the pole making it more stable. Here's a video explanation:
Also, every so often lick the waterproof housing that's in front of the lens. It'll take the water off of there and it kinda helps prevent from water continuously beeding up in the way.
For the Canon you're using, hold it out with your arms bent. Usually about 1/2 way extended and make sure to stand up and lean against something on the boat. If you're sitting down the footage is going to be pretty shaky. Use your body and arms as a shock absorber.
The camera setting I use is 1280x720p @ 60fps. If the shop you're recording for has a website, facebook, and youtube (which I suggest they get) 720p videos work best. The quality is nice and file size is less than a 1080p video. Not all computer monitors/tables/phones have an actual display that can show a true 1080 resolution anyway... it's just a waste of space on your computer. I would export your video with a h.264 codec. That will make it an an mp4 which works fine on youtube.
If you want any tips for editing keep reading, if not just take whatever advice you want from above and that can be that. This reminds of advising my old students, I love it!
If you have premiere, do you also have photoshop? If not, I'd get it soon, it will help your production quality down the line.
In your introduction when your displaying the brands for sale, try to make it a consistent flow. When the logos are shown they all have a white box and they're all different sizes. It makes it look very "cut and paste". You could do a number of things to fix it, here's the option I think will be easiest. Start a completely white background when displaying the boardshop's logo. Make sure it's exactly the same size as the composition your creating. That way it will fill up the screen from corner to corner. Keep the white background there until the last frame of the Dunkel Volk logo. That will give you a consistent look across each logo despite their size differences.
As far as filming the rest goes, change up the angle and speed. Slow down parts of the video including those that don't show any riding. This is where the 60fps will come in handy. You don't have to slow it down to a frame-by-frame speed, just maybe 60% or so. Make sure the playback is still smooth. I'm not sure why slowing down the video makes it seem cooler, it just does. Especially when introducing new scenes to the film (like a new rider or location). Just make sure you don't show one slow motion clip for too long. 5 seconds or so is usually a good time. If you keep something slow mo for longer than that, it better be something awesome!
For the riding portions of the video, change up the angle. Get a buddy with a ski or another boat to give you a ride. That way you can have some chase-boat and side-boat footage. The GoPro tube is always cool, but it can get stale after a while. Plus GoPros are notorious for lack of depth of field. Things that are big and close-up in person seem small and far on the GoPro.
Since this video is basically a commercial for the boardshop, you need to have their logo shown at all times during the riding. Something small and in the corner is best. Maybe 70-80% opacity of a SINGLE COLOR (this is where photoshop comes into play). All you'll need to do is take the logo, get rid of the backgrounds, make it one consistent color, and shrink it down. Then, set your opacity to something around 70% and save it as a png (jpegs don't show transparency, png files do). Once that's done, make it your top layer in premiere and set it's "in point" to being once the intro is over. If you want you could go as far as putting the phone number to the shop on the other side in a corner, do that too.
Whenever I would get in a rut or need inspiration, I would watch other videos and take ideas from there. Here a few I found that show a few of the points I discussed above.
Check out the sweet slomo in the intro to the video. They make sure to change each slow motion clip within 5 - 7 seconds
In this one you can see a consistent "corner to corner" solid background with a logo into. They also slowed down the speed of the non-riding portions of the into. If you'll notice, the parts showing plants, someone walking, and his hand, all seem to be shot from a hand held camera (that's the same boat you're in!) Also, check out the different angles they use.
Shoot me a PM if you have any other questions. I don't have all the answers but I used to help with the digital signage program at the college I worked at before this one. We did multimedia production which included commercials, graphics, motion graphics... etc.
Thanks for the advice! I do have the CS5 master suite but I am just getting used to using all of it. I guess the main problem I was having from the gopro exporting in lower quality than I expected it is actually because of the bitrate. I'm gonna keep messing around with all of it and greatly appreciate the ideas.
For that good rider who has the helmet throw some ballast in that Epic and get him up higher. I am assuming it is a advert of sorts for the board shop so you may also wanna get rid of the people falling. It is funny and all but someone looking to buy a new board isn't gonna want to see hard falls like that to discourage them to buy it. Also use the After Effects Motion stabilizer to steady those shots out.
I agree about the bails. They kinda threw me off right at the start like that, especially the young girl. If you want to use that, throw in some lifestyle footage of people messing around to lighten the vibe of the whole video. And I would edit out the girl's fall, it made me really concerned.
Hybrid Mode
