Good Egg Productions wrote:
I'll agree with pretty much everything said above.

The first gave me a seizure and many of the cuts didn't go with the music and there were some music changes where a cut should have been, but no cut.

The second was just SO slow that I jumped around hoping there would be something else.


But I feel your pain.  I've done a few videos and the more time that passes, the more I realize how terrible they are.  Invest in SOME way to hand hold but keep things smooth.  DSLRs aren't like camcorders.  They're harder to keep steady.  I'm not saying give up, but I am saying watch these a year from now and try to get through it all the way.

Oh, and your opening credit punches me in the face... completely unnecessary.


And last thing... less is more.  Unless you've got an actual story to tell, 45 seconds is more than enough time to show off the model.

If you want something that's actually useful and affordable try this:

http://www.cowboystudio.com/product_p/s … upport.htm

I've shot with rigs from Zacuto, Monfrotto and Cinevate that cost as much as $2000 and that little $28 mount is one of the most comfortable and useable rigs I've held (as long as your are sticking with a standard DSLR body and lens, not trying to mount a follow focus, matte box, etc.)

Timothy Logan wrote:
If you want something that's actually useful and affordable try this:

http://www.cowboystudio.com/product_p/s … upport.htm

I've shot with rigs from Zacuto, Monfrotto and Cinevate that cost as much as $2000 and that little $28 mount is one of the most comfortable and useable rigs I've held (as long as your are sticking with a standard DSLR body and lens, not trying to mount a follow focus, matte box, etc.)

I've actually made my own for $10 and it works very well if I'm standing still or just panning/tilting with my body.  When I'm walking, I use my tripod with legs out for counterbalance and the rear one parallel to the ground for control.  It works amazingly well, and gives me a great shoulder workout at the same time!

WHOA!  I just saw the product.  That's not bad at all for the price, and definitely looks nicer than my electrical conduit creation.

Good Egg Productions wrote:

I've actually made my own for $10 and it works very well if I'm standing still or just panning/tilting with my body.  When I'm walking, I use my tripod with legs out for counterbalance and the rear one parallel to the ground for control.  It works amazingly well, and gives me a great shoulder workout at the same time!

WHOA!  I just saw the product.  That's not bad at all for the price, and definitely looks nicer than my electrical conduit creation.

Pull the straps off of it (they're useless) and you have a nice little rig that's well work your $30.

MJR LLC wrote:
yes your right I shoot with 2 DSLR and I have tigs, tripods, steadicam etc.  I was thinking that the handheld would give it a "rawer" look and not so "produced".  I will have to look into the cuts and make sure to use less or be more on cue.....maybe a relook........ I don't do these very often but I enjoy it when I have the chance to try something different....

what about the color grading?

Eh. Color grading is more difficult to do properly than shooting and editing in my honest opinion. Your colors look out of whack, not stylized. Things are overly saturated towards the reds and something funny is going on with the levels that makes things look like they are being run through a solarization filter. You kind of have those poppy blow highlights and muddy shadows - partially the lighting and partially the color grading.

I generally think when it comes to color less is more. Unless you are going for a specific style and it's done well, keep it natural or monochrome. Also... are you using some kind of animated fractal texture over some of the shots with a blending mode? I see it mostly in video 1 where she's laying on the white box... a pulsing over the video - evident in the background shadows and frames vignette more than anything. If so, knock it off