I'm Trying to Learn Video Editing: Here's My First

DavidCBaker

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May 31, 2010
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https://vimeo.com/453042032

I’ve worked on my still photography skills since I was 8, but my video skills are lame. My video editing skills are even lamer.

So in an effort to keep learning/stretching, I have been pushing myself to learn video. Mowing the baby field (of three) was a good chance to try some things. It’s only 7 acres.

Remember: mowing isn’t interesting. I was just looking for a subject.

This exercise started with 5 cameras and 1 drone—the exercise ended with 4 cameras and 0 drones. :) I had one camera mounted under the deck to try and capture the big decapitators, but it succumbed to something and I never found it. It was a really old GoPro 3 that was worthless anyway. The drone ended up stuck in a tree 80’ in the air (after I lost track of it). I was able to locate it via the GPS coordinates before the battery ran out, and then later that day I shook the tree enough to force its fall. It still works fine and all is good. While shaking the tree, I shook some big ol’ ticks down, too, two of which latched on: one around my waist and another where you don’t want any additional information.

Before you make fun of me for doing this video of a mowing exercise, remember that I’m just trying to learn. Okay, I know you’ll make fun of me anyway.

We live on 61 acres, of which 25 are open, rolling hills (a few steep).  This field is about 7 areas. I’m mowing with a Kubota M5-111, a diesel 24-speed 4WD tractor that (thankfully) has an air-conditioned cab.

The rotary cutter is a LandPride RC3615. It cuts a 15’-wide swath and has 6 aircraft tires. The sides both fold up (it’s called a “batwing” mower). It’s a complete, terrifying beast. The steel is ¼” thick, it cuts from 2-4”, and will regularly cut through 2 ½” trees. It weighs 4,000 lbs and has a tongue weight of 1,250 lbs. I recently modified and installed a hitch that allows it to pivot on two axis. The six blades rotate at 15,000 rpm. The wings float to follow the surface curvature well.

What I’m happy with: the quality of the footage and the variety with multiple cameras. It’s actually a little challenging to operate a drone while trying to operate the machinery safely. If you look closely at me in the cab at the end, you’ll see me controlling the drone.

What was pretty lame: my abrupt control of the drone. I should have been smoother. The audio, too, could have been a lot better. I just used the onboard camera capture.

All in all it was fun.
 
David said:
The six blades rotate at 15,000 rpm.
It must be FPM (foot per minute) at the tip, which is around 1000 rpm. At 15000 rpm you'd be flying on that thing and won't need a drone.  [big grin]
 
Svar said:
David said:
The six blades rotate at 15,000 rpm.
It must be FPM (foot per minute) at the tip, which is around 1000 rpm. At 15000 rpm you'd be flying on that thing and won't need a drone.  [big grin]

Oh, yes. Good catch. :) That would be quite a sight to have the rotary cutter flying like a helicopter. :)
 
Nice mower setup!

We could use a nice setup like that.

Can't really comment on the video quality.
 
What I wouldn't give for a closed cab. If I buy another tractor it will not be open station. Too hot and buggy in the Summer when mowing and too cold in the Winter when plowing.
 
[member=8542]David[/member], take it easy on yourself!

I've been making videos since I was in single digits. Some of my YouTube videos go back 10 years and I've only recently started up another channel. When most people watch a video, they are more interested in what you have to show/say than the technical aspects of it. Really there are only two questions you should ask yourself when creating a video:

1. Who is this video for?

2. What story am I trying to tell?

The more narrow you can get question 1 down to the better, as that will help drive the story you tell (in both camera work and editing). Is the video (not specifically this one) for someone who has not purchased this tractor yet? Or perhaps a new owner who needs help operating it? Are you trying to help someone decide whether to buy this or not?

Or, are you just wanting to share your love/excitement about the equipment??

Lastly, camera work is all entirely subjective. No one in the general audience is going to notice the error you notice - they're there to watch the video. Content is king (the value your message brings) - everything else is secondary and less important. If camera work and equipment was all that was needed to create a successful and noteworthy piece - then movies with great cameras and frame angles would always be blockbusters.

I think if you could have incorporated what you wrote in your post in the video, it would make it that much stronger. Even recording yourself retrieving the drone could have added to the story you told here.

Check out this video on filmmaking.

Casey Neistat's Guide to Filmmaking
 
Bob D. said:
What I wouldn't give for a closed cab. If I buy another tractor it will not be open station. Too hot and buggy in the Summer when mowing and too cold in the Winter when plowing.
Things I learned from farming. Cabs come off during a roll, and don't go back on (Wasn't me! Run dual wheels on steep hillsides). Beating peas without a cab, you quickly get the nickname "Pig Pen" from the dust cloud floating overhead, and looking just like Pig Pen, dirt colored.

Cutting a field of grass to me means alfalfa, and a swather is used, the hay gets flipped, then bailed. Try not to kill too many fawns as they plug the machine, and the coyotes will run circles around the tractor eating. Wished we would have filmed some of the crazy stuff.

I agree with Ben you are telling a story and pain is part of it. The drone crash would make other drone fliers cringe or make them feel better about their own crashes. The successful recovery brings the story full circle which could be done in less than 30 seconds of video. There is a reason car crash vids are so popular on Youtube. Okay so I did have something to add regarding the video.
 
Hey there! I think it's really awesome that you've been working on improving your video skills, even though you feel like they're not as strong as your photography skills.
 
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