# Looking for constructive criticism **video**



## tween_the_banks (Mar 17, 2015)

I posted this in the hunting forum shortly after it was completed and it was received nicely. However, I wanted to share it here because I'm wanting you folks, who have far more experience with DSLR cameras, to critique the video's quality. For those of you have watch it, please don't hold back. My wife and I have slowly been gathering equipment for video production over the course of the last 5 years and although we still have a few pieces that we desperately need (a good tripod with a fluid head for starters) we are at a point where we'd like to take this a bit more serious. So if you see any exposure issues or sections where the color is off or needed corrected, let me know. I am wanting to get better. And I also want to add for those of you who don't fool with the video aspects of your DSLRs and feel that your advice isn't needed or irrelevant, trust me, this is not the case. The functions, from white balance to ISO, are the same. We've had the Canon t5i for over a year now and I must admit, I feel that we are just now getting in to the meat of it. 
One last thing before I shut up and post the video...
It has been brought to my attention that some viewers online have reported having trouble hearing the voice over. I have pretty good hearing and wrote the piece so my ears were biased while editing. So if you are hard of hearing you may have to turn the volume up quite loud. The words are in the description for anyone interested or for those still having trouble with the volume up.
Thanks, Tween


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## Sea dawg1978 (Mar 17, 2015)

The video looked good, the only think I could say negative is that the music over powers your voice. Even when the music was subtle you could barely hear what you were saying when the guitar started its notes I couldn't hear you at all. If I turned the volume up to hear your voice the music is way to loud. I really like the feel that you are going for but tune the music out just a tad.. just my .02..

And where is that cool waterfall? I would love to come shoot that one day.


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## tween_the_banks (Mar 17, 2015)

It's off of highway 61 in between Cartersville and Dallas. If that's close enough for your time, shoot me a PM and I'll give you exact directions.


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## OneCrazyGeek (Mar 17, 2015)

Nice job.
I am an older geek who has been playing around with videos for some time. I am trying to up my game as well.

The video was good, the colors, I did not see any issues. Your transitions were good. Camera angles excellent.

My issue? The audio was the weakest part of your video. It sounded as if you had the music playing and tried to do the voice over while the music was playing. I am not an expert, but over the last year have spent considerate time on improving my audio skills.

Not sure what system you  edited on, you might consider laying your audio on separate tracks, render, then import into your editor.

Keep up the good work.


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## wvdawg (Mar 17, 2015)

Well planned and executed video.  Loved the use of out-of-focus to make transitions.  Sounds like you got some good feedback on the audio.


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## Sea dawg1978 (Mar 17, 2015)

tween_the_banks said:


> It's off of highway 61 in between Cartersville and Dallas. If that's close enough for your time, shoot me a PM and I'll give you exact directions.


It's not close enough for a day trip but i will try to make a weekend trip soon. Will let you know Thanks..


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## tween_the_banks (Mar 18, 2015)

Onecrazygeek-
Thanks for the feedback. As a matter of fact, I did just what you recommended. I first found the royalty free music and uploaded it as the main track. I then cut up the voice over and placed each section where it sounded best through my headphones. Once I got the audio finished, I exported it and took that exported file and used it as the main track to work my video around. What's crazy to me is how different it sounds on my phone without headphones vs how it sounded while editing. There's a huge difference.
Now I won't lie, there was a bit of insecurity I felt regarding the voice over. I don't like hearing my voice so I may have subconsciously drowned it out too much because of this. I'm not sure. But like I said, I'm getting about 50/50 saying they could/couldn't make out the words.
In the future I need to consider that not only are most folks not going to be listening with headphones but that not everyone can hear as well as others.
I'm using final cut on a MacBook Pro by the way.


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## OneCrazyGeek (Mar 18, 2015)

tween_the_banks said:


> Onecrazygeek-
> Thanks for the feedback. As a matter of fact, I did just what you recommended. I first found the royalty free music and uploaded it as the main track. I then cut up the voice over and placed each section where it sounded best through my headphones. Once I got the audio finished, I exported it and took that exported file and used it as the main track to work my video around. What's crazy to me is how different it sounds on my phone without headphones vs how it sounded while editing. There's a huge difference.
> Now I won't lie, there was a bit of insecurity I felt regarding the voice over. I don't like hearing my voice so I may have subconsciously drowned it out too much because of this. I'm not sure. But like I said, I'm getting about 50/50 saying they could/couldn't make out the words.
> In the future I need to consider that not only are most folks not going to be listening with headphones but that not everyone can hear as well as others.
> I'm using final cut on a MacBook Pro by the way.



I hear you regarding hearing my voice on a voice over!

Played your video on my desk top and audio thru some cheap speakers. Not familiar with FCP. I use Adobe Premiere Pro. I think the volume on the music and the voice over is not the same.

In my system I can lay the music on one audio track and voice over on another. From there I can edit the volume, on play back I can see the range/variables of the audio on each track.

I also use Adobe Sound Booth/Audtion.....You can down load a free trial version......It is a powerful program.


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## tween_the_banks (Mar 18, 2015)

Thanks for the feedback. I was using Pinnacle. It was ok but I outgrew it pretty quickly. So far Final Cut is working pretty good for me. Not to mention the laptop is a beast with the updated ssd hard drive.


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## OneCrazyGeek (Mar 19, 2015)

tween_the_banks said:


> Thanks for the feedback. I was using Pinnacle. It was ok but I outgrew it pretty quickly. So far Final Cut is working pretty good for me. Not to mention the laptop is a beast with the updated ssd hard drive.



I started with Pinnacle 9, bailed out with Pinnacle 11. It was nice to learn on.


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## natureman (Mar 19, 2015)

I think you have a pretty good handle on the imagery side of things as well as maintaining scene continuity and story flow.  I agree with others that you need to work on your audio mix levels.  Overall an outstanding effort.


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## tween_the_banks (Mar 23, 2015)

Thanks natureman, I appreciate you taking the time to watch and for the feedback.


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## GT-40 GUY (Jan 24, 2016)

How many forest fires has he started by burning in the leaves???

gt40


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## tween_the_banks (Jan 29, 2016)

GT-40 GUY said:


> How many forest fires has he started by burning in the leaves???
> 
> gt40



None. And despite how it looks in the video, this was shortly after a huge snow thaw and everything was moist. Even with pine heart the fire was hard to get started. We were also very close to a house that allows me to hunt on the property. We had a waterhose out of the frame.


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