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Biking Edit Critique

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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Hey guys! Yesterday one of my friends who downhill bikes and I went out to Winter Park to shoot a biking edit.

It's my first action sports edit besides skiing, so I'd love to hear what you guys think about it!


Thanks!
Aug 7 2013 5:12PM
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zbphoto
Posts: 7789 - Karma: 12,037
That was so sick Gavin! Your handhelds (?) were a little shaky on a few clips but I didn't really notice it too much. How'd you film the T2B, have him ride that section, stop, reframe the next section, and keep going like that?
Aug 7 2013 5:27PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Thanks ZB! They were Glidecam but now smooth enough I guess, hehehe. What do you mean by T2B?
Aug 7 2013 7:45PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
That was awesome! Other than the few shaky handhelds every shot was gorgeous. Idk if it was just the playback on my computer or not but the intro seemed a little choppy..
God I wish I had to time to devote a day of DHing to filming... With the amount of times I've been able to get out this summer (once so far... it's killing me) riding is just so much for valuable.
A few questions for you...
How many runs did it take for the biker? As in how much did he have to hike back up so you could get two angles of the same feature? Also, how long did this take you to film?
Aug 7 2013 11:33PM
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Wheat
Posts: 375 - Karma: 1,633
By t2b he means top 2 bottom
Aug 7 2013 11:45PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
In regards to filming as well as the name, "Top to Bottom", this was filmed in only one (albeit very long) run. It wasn't like we went around the mountain and shot just the cool stuff on "x" trail then the cool stuff on "y" trail, we picked one run, then just filmed segments of it for about 5 or 6 hours. We'd get a shot, and if it was a cool location, he'd hike back up and we'd get a different angle. So really it was just a shot, then a hike for him and sometimes for me to get a new angle, then after we'd get on location completed, we'd continue down the trail a little, and so on. He hiked up quite a bit, probably twice for every other shot.
Aug 8 2013 2:14AM
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mBall
Posts: 1690 - Karma: 2,827
Good work Gavin. I enjoyed it alot. Worked well with that track. A few things I noticed...

-I liked the intro for the text, but I felt like the song could have came in with it too. (just an idea)
-As said, :27 seemed a bit shaky.
-For the shot right after it, it felt a bit weird that you started the camera movement once he was in the middle of the frame. I felt like it would have flowed a bit more if there would have been camera movement from the start of the shot (even if it were a little bit at the start)
-Similar deal at 1:35. I liked the camera movement and zoom, but theres a point where the shot is static, and then you can see when your hand grabs the tripod to get ready for the follow.
-1:20 shot was sick
-At 1:35, once he goes into the trees the blacks are really crushed. If you could bring them back up, it would give the trees in the shadows some definition. The next two shots after that also seem a bit dark. Also 1:53.

Hope that helps!
Aug 8 2013 3:05AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Caught this on your fb yesterday and I must say I was impressed, that static shot where he's just regularly cycling along was good, can't remember the time
Aug 8 2013 9:53AM
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HolySchimmel
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 1,297
I liked it. Maybe except the fact that the trick is more or less always the same, but thats nothing you can change. Job well done!
Aug 8 2013 11:07AM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Thanks Matt! I definitely toyed with that idea of the song coming in upon his crossing of the camera, I think I just forgot to try it out in post, honestly. I didn't even consider having constant movement with the camera, though, that's something that I'll definitely keep in mind later! As for the blacks I tried bringing them up for sure but the shot was really just sadly underexposed, so I couldn't really bring them up well without it looking pretty ugly, I've just got to get better with exposing every single shot properly while shooting.

Thanks for the tips, man!

Also, thanks Magnus and HolySchimmel!
Aug 8 2013 1:50PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
I'm gonna take a guess and say you've seen django unchained?

Also I'm curious, were you carrying your glidecam, slider(and which slider were you using), tripod and camera gear all at once?

Aug 8 2013 3:00PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
1. Yes... but what makes you say that?

2. Yes. I was using my Dakine Heli Pro, Basically carried the camera on my tripod in hand, then had the slider (IndiSlider Mini or something like that) and the glidecam in my backpack with 3 other lenses.
Aug 8 2013 3:03PM
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JuliusJ
Posts: 3778 - Karma: 2,106
I have nothing to say that hasn't already been said (1:35 specially), but I really liked the good variety of shots. I'm impressed!
Aug 8 2013 3:07PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Song is incredibly similar to one in it, and that shot where its static and he moves across the frame is near identical to one in it, were you conscious of that or is it just a coincidence?

And oh I thought you were on your bike too.
Aug 8 2013 3:08PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Coincidence.

I can't ride downhill trails like that with a broken neck, plus I've never actually ridden downhill, plus I didn't have my bike in CO.
Aug 8 2013 3:15PM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
really sick! loved it, there were a couple shots that seemed a little shaky or dark, but other than that you killed it!

question: how long does it take to film something like that? do you have to like climb up and down the trail to get all the right shots?

Sick video!
Aug 8 2013 4:58PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Took us 6 hours, lot of hiking.
Aug 8 2013 5:30PM
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slc_utahboiii
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I would imagine so haha
Aug 8 2013 5:58PM
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Idontgivea
Posts: 21 - Karma: 38
Sick Video. Great angles. I dig your style.
Aug 8 2013 7:25PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Ah yeah, forgot about that, would make it a bit challenging haha.


Caught this on TGR, figured you might be interested, IDK.


Aug 8 2013 9:02PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
That was pretty crazy filming-wise and biking-wise, even though I don't know much about biking. Thanks for sharing.
Aug 8 2013 10:47PM
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
i really liked it man. pretty good colors, good song, and i thought it was edited together pretty well.

my only critique is on some of the moving tripod shots they were a little jumpy and not super smooth. not a panning shot but like when you were trying to follow up and down and left to right in the same shot. the one where you zoomed out in particular, i liked the idea but it was a little jerky on that instance. thats my only gripe to maybe try and smooth out those movements next time. other than that i really enjoyed it. the pacing was great
Aug 9 2013 8:34PM
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Afronaut
Posts: 190 - Karma: 558
nice dude one of the best downhill biking edits i've senn for a while now!!! (and I watch them alot)
Aug 12 2013 12:19PM
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JahFeels
Posts: 779 - Karma: 587
The song fit everything perfectly. What camera set up did you use?
Aug 12 2013 8:21PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
All equipment info is in the vimeo page.
Aug 13 2013 4:26PM
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Jeff_Lo
Posts: 5809 - Karma: 263
Pretty good.

Nice shooting and love the music.

Only critique is don't zoom. Don't be afraid to hold a lock off. It takes a well composed shot to a shot where you looked scared and frantic that you'd miss something and takes a nice moment to a bunch of shake and a poor executed zoom move.

One thing I really liked is that you're not clinging to the life of a GlideCam. I swear half the edits I watch on NS or from members on here these days is literally an entire edit with Glidecams. Sure it creates a dynamic look and is way easy once your rig is set up. But its refreshing to see edits where time is taken to compose shots and re-set rather than just run around with the same type of shot for a whole edit.
Aug 14 2013 11:36AM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Thanks, Jeff.

That last comment is something I'm looking forward to progressing in shooting skiing this winter. More often than not, the rider is more concerned with logging a quantity of shots, not necessarily quality, and I'm often sucked into this dilemma, ending up shooting solely Glidecam. This year I'm hoping to shoot at least half tripod half glidecam.
Aug 14 2013 12:39PM
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Jeff_Lo
Posts: 5809 - Karma: 263
Right on man!

It's weird to me. It does take a level of talent for sure. But some shooters on here, good ones at that simply rely on it far to much as a crutch almost. I guess it's there look/style?

I'll never understand relying on a single tool to make a video, but then again if it works it works.

I'd invest in a good set of legs and a good head. You'll be stoked on a quality tripod.
Aug 14 2013 1:52PM
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juicedrummer11
Posts: 1960 - Karma: 1,331
i would definitely have to agree with that. i finally got mine after ive had my glidecam for almost a year or so and i can't wait to use it more. there's somethin about standard pans and tilts
Aug 14 2013 2:09PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
I have a simple setup with 055xprob and 701hdv, do you think that'll suffice?
Aug 14 2013 3:35PM
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Jeff_Lo
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What's your budget for a tripod?
Aug 14 2013 4:33PM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
Currently none because I wasn't looking to upgrade, but I'm very open to any tripod suggestions you might have. I'd say about 400-500 would be a good price if I'm looking to move up.
Aug 14 2013 6:12PM
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Jeff_Lo
Posts: 5809 - Karma: 263
Unfortunately i'm not to familiar with tripods in that range. I'm sure you could get by with some of the lower cost Manfrotto's and Sachtlers.

I have a bigger set up so tend to run a more sturdy set up with 75 or 100mm ball heads. But your cost and weight go up quite a bit.

You're probably good with what you have, just gotta use it to its strengths.

If you wanted to save up for a bit I love the 509 head with 536 legs. I know alot of people who use heads from other companies on these legs they love them so much. I use this for most of my ski work. The legs allow you to adapt between a 75mm and 100mm ball head which is nice.
Aug 15 2013 12:57AM
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gravel
Posts: 5479 - Karma: 41,493
I'll look into that, thanks!
Aug 15 2013 2:04AM
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