Tandem Videos

[PhreeZone 15]

I'm wondering about the format that different DZ's use in their tandem videos and what you like/dislike about them. I also was wondering the average length of a tandem video is at your DZ.
I knew that all the videographers at my DZ use similar interview questions and fotage including gearing up, walking to the plane, take off, varoious in plane shots, hooking up, a few experienced groups leaving, the walk to the door, the exit (slow mo) the jump (fast/slow mo, blended, lite effects), opening, then thier opening, some under canopy flying, their landing, the student under canopy, the tandem landing, a post jump interview and fade to black..... The length is about 12-15 minutes with about 4 songs mixed in.
I'm looking for new/creative things to add in this year. Any ideas? And rembemer the goal of all the videos is to be able to be seen by any aged friend of the jumper.
Political Correctness-At least one person at any one time will be offended by something

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Pump up the front end with some cool shots, I used to use a "leader" sequence. Short snappy cuts of freeflying, CRW, freestyle, hot RW, funnels, funny dives etc, swoops, water landings, party footage etc. The iddea is to sell skydiving, not just the jumping but all the other stuff we all know and love so well, then cut to the 'main feature'.
If its a one off, then mix footage from the principle experiences into the leader section to make it look more personal.

[airdrew20012001 0]

Personally, making an artistic video is the best part of doing tandem video. Staring at a freaked out wuffo from three feet is durn boring. I shoot about a 15 minute video, all custom, no stock footage. i ahve seen DZ's where they have some stock footage and I think's it's really cool, am putting together some of my own these days. I try to let the video be ruled by the circumstances, the person I am shooting and the like. I start by fading into our DZ logo in the hanger, some running around the hanger, shots of the gear. Then I like to fade to the student gearing up, sort of get to know you video. Then I like to interview the friends and family if there is any, some goofy add-lib shots. The usual getting into the harness, walking to the plane, et. I found that using the fader and moving my altimeter forward to show the progress to altitude as an effect is cool. Not my idea, ripped it off from a guy at Skydive Oregon. I then put one take of the jump with no music or effects from exit to opening, then redo with slo-mo, different effects and tunes. Get the landing, post ump stuff with music fading out. Then I get an exit shot, pause it, put the music back on and leave that as the closing shot.
My 2cents.
Drewfus McDoofus

[cameramonkey 0]

Just remember the first rule of tandem videos.... ALL the "student" REALLY cares about is seeing his face on the screen. The cool FX are great, but not that important.
I have a small stock leader thats about 30 seconds long (too long and they FF thru it anyway).
As for transitions, find one and stick to it. Too many types and it loses its edge and seems like the vidiot was trying to show off (if they even notice them).
End result is between 8 and 10 mins long.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

As for transitions, find one and stick to it. Too many types and it loses its edge and seems like the vidiot was trying to show off (if they even notice them).
agreed.

[prost 0]

One thing I would suggest is that after yu put in the skydive eith mixed slow mo and full speed, you also include the freefall one time all the way through at regular speed. This let's them see how long it was and get a good feel for what took place. I would highly recommend having some stock footage especially if you are like me and shoot a lot of videos in one day. There will be times where you have to do a back to back and your interview is cut short. This is less obvious in the final cut if you have some stock footage to add to the tape. On my intro I always put a lot of sceens from around the drop zone like the wind socks, the plane taking off, various neat signs like the one that says entrance with an arrow pointing up. One other thing. After you slow mo the exit most tandem passangers think it is really neat if you slow mo them back into the plane.
William

[skymedic 0]

Quote

various neat signs like the one that says entrance with an arrow pointing up.

my personal favorite is the sign that says beware of propellars and has the dude with the whacked head!!!
marc
"...a mind stretched with new idea's will never regain its shape"

[fred 0]

I'm not a camera flyer, but I saw my first "professional" video when my dad did his first tandem video this weekend. Perhaps some of my suggestions will help.
First, I love Prost's idea of presenting the freefall both in slowmo and in regular speed, preferably in that order. Second, you mentioned, "a few experienced groups leaving", and let me tell you, on a first jump out of an airplane, you remember *everyone* who leaves before you. Tape them all. They all add to the drama of the tandem student's first jump.
I'd also say that if you have any spare time, you should try and hang "around" the student, and try and get some other shots that they'll remember. If you use stock footage, keep it short.
My dad's video is a lot of fun to watch, and he's glad he has it, but it could have been a lot better without much effort. The camera person interviewed my dad and asked, "So, why are you skydiving?", and then, because he pointed me out, asked me something like, "So, your Dad's skydiving today, huh?"
He then shut off the camera, and disappeared for 15 minutes, while my dad and I sat around and chatted with my mom and the 5 other tandem jumpers that were there. If the camera person had taken any time, he could have put together an interesting interview of the people we went into the plane with. I'm not saying he needed to wait there until we jumped, but it would have taken him 10 seconds to see who my Dad was talking to, and another 10 each to ask them a question.
It would have made for a more unique and more memorable experience.
(I have other complaints. Such as, the guy made the video like he was rehearsing for MTV, and my dad is 55 years old, and that's not quite fitting, but I digress).
All I'm saying is that this video person could have put about 2% more effort into it and made a video that was 50% better. I think the customers would appreciate it.

[PhreeZone 15]

Well.. speaking from experience here, the 15 minutes where the camera guy disappeared, he was probally packing his parachute or getting ready for the video when he landed.
doing back to back videos requires you do have your stuff ready to go on a moments notice.
Hanging around a tandem for 15 minutes in the hopes of catching 5 seconds of ground fotage just is'nt worth it compaired to having to pay a packer to pack your canopy.
And I forgot to mention they do the freefall twice, first time in slow mo with some fade/blend type shots and the second tiem after the landing and everything in real time from the groups leaving to the opening sequence. I do like the idea of some stock stuff at the start of the tape.
As for taping *all* the groups, not many 4 way teams want to climb around a video guy thats trying to get an exit shot. I'm more inclined to only try for 3 groups on tape so I'm not jaming the door of the plane.
As for mixing/music choice, they seem to pick stuff that it seems like most people like, but there are always exceptions to the norms (like the old guy that wanted metal-rock on his tape)
Political Correctness-At least one person at any one time will be offended by something

[mountainman 0]

Well, I got the video when I did my tandem at SGC and I thought that the video was excellent. It was done by Mike Ashley. It started with some shots of different things in the club house that was skydiving related. There was the company banner, a couple of pictures hanging on the wall, and various other things. Then, it went into Laura and I getting our harnesses on. If you have the chance, you can kinda get the interview on there and some of your TM. Mine was Treeboy, so that was cool to get his "interview" on there. After that, it was the "danger: prop (with head blow)" sign and then us walking to the CASA and getting in. He then videoed the take-off and also some of us in the plane. He did the altimeter up in certainly increments of 4,6,8 and 10k. I think he should have done the final one (13k) so that you knew and the viewers knew how high you are. Maybe one last shot of alti as you were all standing up to go. He kinda put himself on the side and in front of the tandems to film the experienced people. Then, we taped Laura go out and fall away and then filmed us as we went out. He put the exit and then some of the close-ups in slo-mo and the rest in real time. He got the opening, his opening and some of him flying canopy and landing. Then, he got both of us landing and then had a very short interview at the end. After the end, he put the "uncut" freefall on the tape. No music, no special FX.
As far as music, he used AC/DC and some other pretty regular stuff. I really liked the music choice. Now, every time I hear those songs, I think of that tandem skydive. I have seen some tandem videos where I didn't like the music AT ALL.
Good luck with it Phree.
JumpinDuo.com...come and sign the guestbook.

[prost 0]

One other thing I did that helps a lot. I made a music list. When they sign up for the video the manifest gives them a card and sits them down with the music list. I have them pick out there own music. This way they can get something they like. Just make sure they pick out the music before they jump or you will be chasing them down all over the place after the jump when you could be editing.
William

[Sebazz1 2]

I do not fly vid at all but I do know that digital is mandatory for video fliers at our DZ. Also we now offer DVD. It's good for tandem master and video flier to have a coreographed little dance in the sky with plenty of face shots, orbiting, and riding the drogue and back down, getting the scenery and when to face the sun and when not to. Having a music selection is very important. Have them pick two songs- one for the prelude and one that starts just before exit. And good fluff. max out the fluff............
Seb

[skydived19006 4]

This is an “old” thread, but I was searching on the subject. Quite a bit of helpful stuff here! The only thing I would add that I do regarding the interview is to interview family members including the little kids. If you can get them to talk all the better, but I figure in the long run it will be another reason to put in “that old skydive video” down the road when the little kids on the tape are older.
I’ll also ask a WOFO family member, (usually grandma or pa) simply “what’s your excuse!”

Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

[docjohn 0]

This is an excellent thread and worth reviving.

My contribution is this: put the phone # of the DZ at the beginning and end of the video. Its a great way to generate new tandems and your DZ owner will definitely appreciate it.

Doc
http://www.manifestmaster.com/video

[slayer21016 2]

Ah! The good old days, Mini-Me at SGC and Hollister (you need to be a member of Skydivingmovies.com to view)

Scott

[jmfreefly 0]

DAMN that was funny. Now everyone at work is wondering what the heck I am laughing at..

j

[lister55 0]

damn I cant view it for somw reason. The player says the file type is not supported.

[slayer21016 2]

Its a Quick Time file in the .mov format. what player are you try to view it with? a PC with QT installed should have no problem viewing or you might need to upgrade your player if you have an older version of Quick Time.

hope this helps
Scott

[lister55 0]

Ah yes, I just looked. I assumed that the college PC would have it but it does not. I have to wait till I get home now. Thanks.

[riggerrob 558]

Quote

This is an excellent thread and worth reviving.

My contribution is this: put the phone # of the DZ at the beginning and end of the video. Its a great way to generate new tandems and your DZ owner will definitely appreciate it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Forget about the DZO!
More students look better on MY paycheck!
Hah!
Hah!

Why just yesterday another tandem instructor was waxing eloquent about how my hand-mounted videos improved the student's whole emotional experience, enjoyment, recall, yada, yada ...
I just think they look better on my paycheck.
Hee!
Hee!
Clear we are on different wavelengths!

And before anyone starts flaming me, I include most of the above techniques and strive to produce videos that rival our best outside videographer.