- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 21,855
I posted PDF FIles on the KnifeDogs forum for easier readability
Ed asked the question
..and I answered 5 pages worth....
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN VIDEOS
Remember that you asked .
In terms of topics, I believe that Handles and guards would be a good one. Your Bladesmithing didnt finish the knife and I believe that it would be a good addition to your set.
W pattern Damascus is within your realm of knowledge and reputation so I agree with that too.
(Especially if you include feather pattern and variant info.)
Of the others you mentioned; I would skip linerlock folders. As an ABS MS, I know you for smithing and fixed blades, not your linerlocks.
Bob Terzuolas book is so explicitly clear that I think any video will never be able to match that, although I have heard good things about Don Robinsons video.
I agree with Tracy in that heat treating is so very misunderstood by many
(The newbie questions in the forums bear that out completely)
A very good video needs to be made, but it will require extensive research and planning, and I dont believe that you have the time or resources to do that.
(let Kevin Cashion do that one, heck it would be a good series for him, Carbon, Stainless, Salt pot .) with the list of topics Tracy listed.
(...while Im at it I think Rob Frink should make one on building a KMG clone-he should see a ton of increased parts and wheel sales from that alone..)
I have viewed 3 of your videos, Bladesmithing, Basic Damascus and Mosaic Damascus. Any specific references to a video that I make are for the Mosaic Damascus, although the comments apply to all 3. It sure appears that all 3 of those were made at the same time.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN OVERALL MUCH BETTER QUALITY OF VIDEO
Now I know that what I have said may be upsetting and may get you defensive, but I am spending hours to write up notes because I want you to produce an exemplary product that I and others enjoy. Hopefully as a leader in the bladesmithing community, your example can inspire others to provide a quality video product too.
I have been reading Bladeforums for years and I am familiar with you from here. I judge you to be a decent guy with exceptional talent and extremely high personal standards for sensibility, safety, practicality, and quality of fit and finish. I have saved many photos of your knives and review them often as examples of outstanding work. Heck, I have one as computer desktop wallpaper right now. I have every intention of purchasing your blades when I am able. I purchased your videos because of my already existing good impression of you and your work.
If I had spent $150 on your videos first, the poor quality of the videos would have influenced me against buying your blades. The level of video quality coming from teenaged U-tube users is almost at a professional level and free. This brings up the level of expectations for those trying to sell their video products.
I have done a very little bit of video work and its much more work than others realize. The content and presentation of your videos is generally quite good, you know your work, and are an excellent presenter and teacher. The issues that I have are generally with the videography. However I cant separate you from the product. I know you wouldnt release an inferior knife with your name on it, so why put out an inferior quality video? Its true that video is replacing books in many respects and you have the potential to create some gold standard classics of knife related how to video.
I agree whole heartedly with Tracy when he says to spend all of your time on one video.
Forget trying to do 4 videos in a week. That doesnt even give you a fighting chance.
I know that you have an existing relationship with Gene, but its evident from your past 3 videos that he doesnt have the skills or equipment to do a good job.
May I suggest that either you or he get some professional help?
Even senior students from a college broadcasting program would be helpful to you. A lot of equipment can be rented for the time you need, without having to buy it. You likely will have to do scenes repeatedly to get the shots you need.
As a relatively good example in most respects, please see the Wally Hayes Paladin Press DVDs. For the most part they have good lighting, video, audio and editing quality.
(Although I would cut the music out)
SOUND
As a positive, please maintain your practice of having no background music. Background music is very distracting for me and adds nothing. I would much rather hear the hammer blows or grinder sounds as part of the process.
GET A MICROPHONE that clips on your collar and stop using the camera mounted microphone.
Ill repeat that.
GET A MICROPHONE that clips on your collar and stop using the camera mounted microphone.
This should reduce echo, bring your voice to the foreground and reduce background noise.
I expect that this should eliminate a lot of trouble and cant imagine why your videographer didnt have it as part of standard practice and equipment.
-turnoff the forge burners and ventilation fans if you are not actually using them.
You did this for one scene in the Mosaic video (but only once and it really stood out)
(This requires some preplanning and shooting some scenes out of order.)
Dogs barking, telephones ringing, delivery truck backing alarms, birds chirping are all distracting and unnecessary and should be eliminated, reshot, or edited out.
-someone must have realized that there were problems with sound at some point during editing, since subtitles are posted onscreen at some of the noisiest times.
(Most video watchers dont want to read)
Microphones would prevent most of this.
Voiceover = perfect sound and short simple scenes for fewer errors.
Regular review of what you have done should catch things early so they can be eliminated much more easily and cheaply.
LIGHTING and EXPOSURE
Get some lights.
Adjust the cameras.
Are the walls and whiteboard in your shop white?
I see them as grey.
The lighting and exposure in the video is not only dark, but the grey balance seems to be off as everything that should be white is grey.
(And all of our eyes are getting older)
Is there a high compression ratio on the cameras? It appears grainy and movement is jerky at times.
Lights can be rented; Cameras do not have to be run on auto.
CAMERA FRAMING and FOCUS
Get more cameras, plan where they should be looking and hold them still.
(This isnt the Blair Witch Project.)
There is no need for hand held cameras. Every camera needs a tripod.
Eliminate camera movement with preplanning.
If the operator NEEDS to zoom, pan. Tilt, trolley whatever to stay in frame, do it slowly and smoothly.
Jelly roll scene:
The camera was hand held with a lot of, rolling, rocking, blurring, very poor focus and clarity. It seems to me that the camera operator was not ready for what you were going to do and grabbed up the camera to try to get it after it was already gone..
It would have been a good time to prep them before you started and repeat the scene after if it was needed.
Etching scene:
The camera work was awful with constant movement, zoom and focus changes.
It was much better when the bars were photographed still.
Someone should have seen that those scenes were bad and had them repeated.
If the videographer isnt doing that, I guess that it has to be up to you?
You are reviewing the shots after each, shot, or scene, or setting, or day, or something right?
You hold still.
If you are showing us something STOP, Set it down and hands off.
Take it to a light box with perfect lighting and focus and shoot it separately, and hold that shot for MUCH longer than you think.
Edit that in later, possibly with voice over commentary. .
Many times when you show the camera something, you are moving, the camera is moving, trying to focus and it is long gone before we actually see what it is you wanted us to see.
Have items pre-made at each significant point separately so you can show that in detail.
(Think the magic oven on a cooking show)
Get more cameras and setup them up to capture specific things that are then edited together.
The operators should know what you will be doing now and where you will be going; know whether to frame you, or the work piece, be setup ahead of time, framed and focused, not searching it out as you demonstrate.
One camera dedicated to wide general shots and other cameras setup for the details.
If the shot is not captured, the operator should mention it and the scene should be repeated until it is right.
(You are reviewing the footage too right?)
It may take several tries to get all the components shots that will be edited together into one scene.
Specifically at one point the framing in the jellyroll scene of the Damascus video was too close to see the top of the frame where you were hammering and thats the point right? It could have been repeated. Or the error eliminated by showing the camera ops what you were going to do and have them setup before you started that.
Dont be afraid to spend time setting up cameras. If you can stop a scene and move a camera 10 feet closer from one scene to another then it will be a better shot, with more clarity, better framing, and better detail. Having the cameras at the back of the room and relying on zoom is not the best option.
In the whiteboard scene, it is not necessary for us to see half of the garage rollup door. It could have bee framed much tighter to just include the whiteboard for much better clarity. .
WHITEBOARD vs. GRAPHICS
-Scrap the whiteboard and use graphic slides.
Eliminate whiteboard discussion and have proper graphic slides or graphic videos inserted with voice over recorded and added during editing.
Voiceover = perfect sound and short simple scenes for fewer errors.
This will make your drawings much more clear, understandable, readable and professional.
(-As you currently speak to the white board, there is a lot of echo and your voice is lost as you turn away from the camera to face the board. (Again, get a microphone)
I suggest that you shoot your whiteboard discussions as you normally would and let the editor use those as a basis to create the slides during editing.
ENHANCED FEATURES
Consider adding some PDF files to the movie that can be printed off as a text reference.
Especially for something that is very sequential or step related, a summary of your steps can be useful and appreciated for those who learn by reading.
You could include some partnerships with suppliers at this point, by listing suppliers in the PDF files.
I suspect that this would also eliminate hundreds of phone calls you get from people wanting to know where to buy steel....or whatever
(Of course you can also sell your hammers, platen and other videos here.)
Ed asked the question
..and I answered 5 pages worth....
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN VIDEOS
Filming some new videos.....what would you like to see??
Gene Osborn from Center Cross Videos will be at my place the last week of October to film some new videos. He will be here for a week, and so far we are planning to film the following:
-Handles and Guards
-Carbon Steel Heat Treating
-"W" Pattern Damascus
-Liner lock folders (this is a POSSIBLE, if we have the time)
-Coloring Steel (Carbon and Damascus, IF we have the time)
If you would, take a look at each of those titles. Right now I'm building outlines for each, and will be starting the prep work.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOUR HELP WITH IS: Within each of those titles, what specific areas/things would YOU like to see/learn about?
Sometimes the areas that I feel are important, may not jive with what you think are important....so here's a chance to help us make better videos for everyone!
Many Thanks for your input!
Ed Caffrey, ABS Mastersmith
**************************************************************Gene Osborn from Center Cross Videos will be at my place the last week of October to film some new videos. He will be here for a week, and so far we are planning to film the following:
-Handles and Guards
-Carbon Steel Heat Treating
-"W" Pattern Damascus
-Liner lock folders (this is a POSSIBLE, if we have the time)
-Coloring Steel (Carbon and Damascus, IF we have the time)
If you would, take a look at each of those titles. Right now I'm building outlines for each, and will be starting the prep work.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOUR HELP WITH IS: Within each of those titles, what specific areas/things would YOU like to see/learn about?
Sometimes the areas that I feel are important, may not jive with what you think are important....so here's a chance to help us make better videos for everyone!
Many Thanks for your input!
Ed Caffrey, ABS Mastersmith
Remember that you asked .
In terms of topics, I believe that Handles and guards would be a good one. Your Bladesmithing didnt finish the knife and I believe that it would be a good addition to your set.
W pattern Damascus is within your realm of knowledge and reputation so I agree with that too.
(Especially if you include feather pattern and variant info.)
Of the others you mentioned; I would skip linerlock folders. As an ABS MS, I know you for smithing and fixed blades, not your linerlocks.
Bob Terzuolas book is so explicitly clear that I think any video will never be able to match that, although I have heard good things about Don Robinsons video.
I agree with Tracy in that heat treating is so very misunderstood by many
(The newbie questions in the forums bear that out completely)
A very good video needs to be made, but it will require extensive research and planning, and I dont believe that you have the time or resources to do that.
(let Kevin Cashion do that one, heck it would be a good series for him, Carbon, Stainless, Salt pot .) with the list of topics Tracy listed.
(...while Im at it I think Rob Frink should make one on building a KMG clone-he should see a ton of increased parts and wheel sales from that alone..)
I have viewed 3 of your videos, Bladesmithing, Basic Damascus and Mosaic Damascus. Any specific references to a video that I make are for the Mosaic Damascus, although the comments apply to all 3. It sure appears that all 3 of those were made at the same time.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN OVERALL MUCH BETTER QUALITY OF VIDEO
Now I know that what I have said may be upsetting and may get you defensive, but I am spending hours to write up notes because I want you to produce an exemplary product that I and others enjoy. Hopefully as a leader in the bladesmithing community, your example can inspire others to provide a quality video product too.
I have been reading Bladeforums for years and I am familiar with you from here. I judge you to be a decent guy with exceptional talent and extremely high personal standards for sensibility, safety, practicality, and quality of fit and finish. I have saved many photos of your knives and review them often as examples of outstanding work. Heck, I have one as computer desktop wallpaper right now. I have every intention of purchasing your blades when I am able. I purchased your videos because of my already existing good impression of you and your work.
If I had spent $150 on your videos first, the poor quality of the videos would have influenced me against buying your blades. The level of video quality coming from teenaged U-tube users is almost at a professional level and free. This brings up the level of expectations for those trying to sell their video products.
I have done a very little bit of video work and its much more work than others realize. The content and presentation of your videos is generally quite good, you know your work, and are an excellent presenter and teacher. The issues that I have are generally with the videography. However I cant separate you from the product. I know you wouldnt release an inferior knife with your name on it, so why put out an inferior quality video? Its true that video is replacing books in many respects and you have the potential to create some gold standard classics of knife related how to video.
I agree whole heartedly with Tracy when he says to spend all of your time on one video.
Forget trying to do 4 videos in a week. That doesnt even give you a fighting chance.
I know that you have an existing relationship with Gene, but its evident from your past 3 videos that he doesnt have the skills or equipment to do a good job.
May I suggest that either you or he get some professional help?
Even senior students from a college broadcasting program would be helpful to you. A lot of equipment can be rented for the time you need, without having to buy it. You likely will have to do scenes repeatedly to get the shots you need.
As a relatively good example in most respects, please see the Wally Hayes Paladin Press DVDs. For the most part they have good lighting, video, audio and editing quality.
(Although I would cut the music out)
SOUND
As a positive, please maintain your practice of having no background music. Background music is very distracting for me and adds nothing. I would much rather hear the hammer blows or grinder sounds as part of the process.
GET A MICROPHONE that clips on your collar and stop using the camera mounted microphone.
Ill repeat that.
GET A MICROPHONE that clips on your collar and stop using the camera mounted microphone.
This should reduce echo, bring your voice to the foreground and reduce background noise.
I expect that this should eliminate a lot of trouble and cant imagine why your videographer didnt have it as part of standard practice and equipment.
-turnoff the forge burners and ventilation fans if you are not actually using them.
You did this for one scene in the Mosaic video (but only once and it really stood out)
(This requires some preplanning and shooting some scenes out of order.)
Dogs barking, telephones ringing, delivery truck backing alarms, birds chirping are all distracting and unnecessary and should be eliminated, reshot, or edited out.
-someone must have realized that there were problems with sound at some point during editing, since subtitles are posted onscreen at some of the noisiest times.
(Most video watchers dont want to read)
Microphones would prevent most of this.
Voiceover = perfect sound and short simple scenes for fewer errors.
Regular review of what you have done should catch things early so they can be eliminated much more easily and cheaply.
LIGHTING and EXPOSURE
Get some lights.
Adjust the cameras.
Are the walls and whiteboard in your shop white?
I see them as grey.
The lighting and exposure in the video is not only dark, but the grey balance seems to be off as everything that should be white is grey.
(And all of our eyes are getting older)
Is there a high compression ratio on the cameras? It appears grainy and movement is jerky at times.
Lights can be rented; Cameras do not have to be run on auto.
CAMERA FRAMING and FOCUS
Get more cameras, plan where they should be looking and hold them still.
(This isnt the Blair Witch Project.)
There is no need for hand held cameras. Every camera needs a tripod.
Eliminate camera movement with preplanning.
If the operator NEEDS to zoom, pan. Tilt, trolley whatever to stay in frame, do it slowly and smoothly.
Jelly roll scene:
The camera was hand held with a lot of, rolling, rocking, blurring, very poor focus and clarity. It seems to me that the camera operator was not ready for what you were going to do and grabbed up the camera to try to get it after it was already gone..
It would have been a good time to prep them before you started and repeat the scene after if it was needed.
Etching scene:
The camera work was awful with constant movement, zoom and focus changes.
It was much better when the bars were photographed still.
Someone should have seen that those scenes were bad and had them repeated.
If the videographer isnt doing that, I guess that it has to be up to you?
You are reviewing the shots after each, shot, or scene, or setting, or day, or something right?
You hold still.
If you are showing us something STOP, Set it down and hands off.
Take it to a light box with perfect lighting and focus and shoot it separately, and hold that shot for MUCH longer than you think.
Edit that in later, possibly with voice over commentary. .
Many times when you show the camera something, you are moving, the camera is moving, trying to focus and it is long gone before we actually see what it is you wanted us to see.
Have items pre-made at each significant point separately so you can show that in detail.
(Think the magic oven on a cooking show)
Get more cameras and setup them up to capture specific things that are then edited together.
The operators should know what you will be doing now and where you will be going; know whether to frame you, or the work piece, be setup ahead of time, framed and focused, not searching it out as you demonstrate.
One camera dedicated to wide general shots and other cameras setup for the details.
If the shot is not captured, the operator should mention it and the scene should be repeated until it is right.
(You are reviewing the footage too right?)
It may take several tries to get all the components shots that will be edited together into one scene.
Specifically at one point the framing in the jellyroll scene of the Damascus video was too close to see the top of the frame where you were hammering and thats the point right? It could have been repeated. Or the error eliminated by showing the camera ops what you were going to do and have them setup before you started that.
Dont be afraid to spend time setting up cameras. If you can stop a scene and move a camera 10 feet closer from one scene to another then it will be a better shot, with more clarity, better framing, and better detail. Having the cameras at the back of the room and relying on zoom is not the best option.
In the whiteboard scene, it is not necessary for us to see half of the garage rollup door. It could have bee framed much tighter to just include the whiteboard for much better clarity. .
WHITEBOARD vs. GRAPHICS
-Scrap the whiteboard and use graphic slides.
Eliminate whiteboard discussion and have proper graphic slides or graphic videos inserted with voice over recorded and added during editing.
Voiceover = perfect sound and short simple scenes for fewer errors.
This will make your drawings much more clear, understandable, readable and professional.
(-As you currently speak to the white board, there is a lot of echo and your voice is lost as you turn away from the camera to face the board. (Again, get a microphone)
I suggest that you shoot your whiteboard discussions as you normally would and let the editor use those as a basis to create the slides during editing.
ENHANCED FEATURES
Consider adding some PDF files to the movie that can be printed off as a text reference.
Especially for something that is very sequential or step related, a summary of your steps can be useful and appreciated for those who learn by reading.
You could include some partnerships with suppliers at this point, by listing suppliers in the PDF files.
I suspect that this would also eliminate hundreds of phone calls you get from people wanting to know where to buy steel....or whatever
(Of course you can also sell your hammers, platen and other videos here.)
