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AndyMan

year end videos, how long?

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How long are you folks making your year end video? What are your thoughts on what people sitting around a campfire are willing to watch?

For example, I've got a roughly two minute sequence of approaching, dirt-diving, loading, taking off, climbing, and eventually jumping the DC3 at rantoul. Have you guys found that people are actually willing to watch these sequences, or should they be edited down to 15 seconds? This segment would be just part of the WFFC segment, which would be just one part of the whole video.

Thanks,

_Am
__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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I have always tried to make my year end video about an hour long. I usually segment the video into catagories. For example, crashes in the air and on the ground, student section, nighttime activities, girls section, on the road and of course all disciplines. One goal is to try to get as many people from the DZ on tape. Everyone wants to see themselves and this will also help sales.

Danger

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I would say that is too long for my tastes... but it depends on the style of your whole video... I try to keep my works more fast moving, with very few segment dedicated to any one jump... I may do a segment dedicated to an event or a particular team, but I still try to keep the pace fast. But that is my style... find what works for you, and your chosen audiance.

J
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

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An hour would be pretty long...but segmented/organized as you describe it would be a great DVD! That way it is easy to go to the segment you want, easy for people to find a skydive, etc.

Otherwise, I'd say 15-20 minutes is a good length for maintaining people's interest.
--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

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Last year, mine was 30 minutes. This year is shaping up to be 45. I think that people will be willing to sit for any length of time as long as the video is good. Now if you are just editing raw clips together to some music, 45 might be a bit long. However, if you are making a true video that has segments and skits in it, then more power to ya!

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I ended up ignoring a lot of advice to keep it short, and made it just shy of 20 minutes. It went over really well, I'm still getting compliments over email. Next year I won't feel I have to keep it so short.

_Am
__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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Our entire DZ video is about 45-50 minutes. Thats the work of 8-10 videographers too.

One thing I've noticed is that if you put people on screen for a while they will say thanks later even if they are just standing there holding up a windblade :D

I aim to please on one but myself with my editing and freely cut anything that is not full of action. I cut a lot of action too just since its boring action. I don't want to see an exit then the complete swoops and building of the first point... show me the last 3 seconds before it builds!
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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Quote

I ended up ignoring a lot of advice to keep it short, and made it just shy of 20 minutes. It went over really well, I'm still getting compliments over email. Next year I won't feel I have to keep it so short.

_Am



It's better to have them wanting more than to have them complain that it's too long.

Even Hollywood movies with real movie stars and professional directors and editors last, on average, around 2 hours only.
...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

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After several years of videos varying in length from 1 1/2 hours long down to about 25 minutes, we've found that there's an "ideal" window from about 40 to 50 minutes that the majority of people find acceptable. It is possible to push it towards an hour, but not longer.

However, having said that, you've also got to have something engaging for them to watch. The action has to move forward fairly quickly. A series of jumps from exit to opening does not a year end video make. You'll also have to cater to your audience. Don't show a video of nothing but freefly to a group of CReW dogs or vice-versa.

Keep it fun, and cover as many of the DZ highlights of the season as you can.

Oh, and make sure you get at least one shot of yourself. There's no need for the vidiots to be invisible.

-Mike
Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666

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For anyone who's interested, here is the final product.

There's abotu a minute of black trailing at the end. I cut some "adult" content out for the public version, but neglected to trim the project before exporting. Question - how DO you shrink the project....?

Anyways, here it is.

http://66.102.107.165/andrew/2003pgS.wmv

Editing this video really reinforced that I need a new camera helmet, the video is very shaky. One is on the shopping list.

_Am
__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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