Noob Question - Post Production Process

[ScubaGil]

Hi,
So I'm a bit at a loss. I have 10 glorious days of footage from 4 daily dives underwater and now that I am in front of the computer I'm not sure what my next step is. Up to now I have added notes for every clip I imported into my editing application so I can know what it is, and I have a selected amount of clips that have viable footage.

How do I go about now deciding on the order that makes sense and is not chronological or just has all sharks, then all turtles, then all angel fish, etc...I'm not asking how to edit technically, I'm asking what should the process be? With photography it was simple and applications like Lightroom walk you through it but here...

Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks in advance,
ScubaGil

 

[dumpsterDiver]

That is like asking how to paint a picture. Figure out the story you want to tell and tell it, it is very much a personal and creative process. I often revert to the simplest organization and place the clips in chronological order.

With that much video, I would think you should start off with trying to make a short video 2 to 5 minutes max. You are probably not going to be able to show 10% of the video you shot.

 

[frndrfoe]

I always go chronologically because I like to retell the vacation to myself years later. It helps me remember things that weren't filmed as I fill in the gaps.
I guess I do photography for myself more than anyone else.

 

[CuzzA]

My simple approach is to highlight a dive or day of diving. Four 5 minute videos will be much better than one 20 minute video. I first try to find a good soundtrack (hardest part) and that will dictate my video length.

I like to start my videos with a top side clip and use the splash. Especially a backroll, because backrolls look cool on video. From there you can go chronological or mix up cool clips. Either way works fine. I usually leave out the raw audio unless you caught some good audible underwater talking or top side joking.

I agree with DD, try to tell a story with the video. For example, I'm working on my last dive from a week ago and the highlights were 3 big Jew fish, a couple fish I caught and my buddy stealing a fish I worked to push out of a ledge. 2 hours of raw video compressed down to 3 minutes. Naturally the title for this video is "3 Big Jews and a Thieving Buddy."

 

[_Ralph]

A few thoughts:

Definitely keep the finished videos short. As people have said 5 minutes tops!


You can do a video just on sharks, or turtles, etc. Just of one area, type of topography.

Add in narration, it adds a lot more viewing power to your video. I've given up watching people swim chasing angel fish and just hearing bubbles or straight music.

Do a series of videos from the trip, or just take the absolutely very best footage you have and just do that.

Hopefully, you have some topside footage (I'm horrible at not having enough) of where you were, how you got there (to the location, country, region, etc), the People involved (staff, other divers, restaurants, etc) to make the viewer have a clue about where you are, aside from somewhere in water


Just don't do a looooonnngggggg 20 minute video. No one will truly watch a plain old video of dives, without something. Ever watch a Nat Geo without any sound?


Either way, catalogue your footage for future videos. Maybe that clip you have of that one thing that doesn't fit, or just doesn't work in this video, may just be the thing for a future video!


_R

 

[CuzzA]

I really like adding top side clips. I always try to shoot some video of the sunrise, heading out on the boat or other shenanigans. In fact I just recently bought a cheap drone to learn how to fly before I buy a nice waterproof video drone to add some aerial shots. Unfortunately we don't have the best viz here so my videos aren't amazing, but what can you do.

 

[ScubaGil]

Thank you all...I think that I will stick to 5 or 6 short 3-4 min videos and break them up by 2 days per video and then 1 or 2 videos concentrating on a particular subject. Lot's of things to play with...I hope I can finish by end of this weekend...will post a link here when done.

Once again...thank you.

 

[H20doctor]

Here is what i do for trip videos ... i try to show the best of the best shots .. find the shots that highlight the dives from the day, I like doing a full video for each day showcasing the dives .. as for video length ? its up to you ... somewhere between 4 and 6 mins...If you dont want to produce 6 dive videos, for a 7 day trip , then you are going to have to condense the whole trip into a 1 Video showcase ... for me i have too much good stuff for a 1 all do all video production...
But its like the other person said ... its fully up to you...
I always try to make the person watching my films to feel like they are there , so i try to give a full view of the site, the place , and the structure .. topside ...