I really need a tutorial for using my GoPro

Shepherd

Shepherd

Final Approach
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Shepherd
I thought I was very sedentary in the cockpit. You know, not moving around a lot.
Apparently not the case.
Technically speaking, I know what all the buttons do on the GoPro, but I really need to learn how to make videos.
I have been flying all my life. I don't get motion sickness.
But I watched the video of my flight in the J3-65 from this past Wednesday and I almost puked.
I wanted to do something different, so I put the GoPro on my cap.
It turns out I have never gotten over the "fighter pilot sweep". The camera reveals that 44 years after hanging up my helmet, I'm still looking for Migs, left rear down, up, left down, up, forward, instrument panel, up, right up, down, right rear, up, down, overhead. Begin again. Non-stop.

Any ideas on how to do a flying video that's not boring, and not an invitation to spew?
 
Just pretend they're not Migs but potential adversaries regardless to your safety.

I dunno, mount it elsewhere on the plane only thing I can think of.
 
Shepherd said:
But I watched the video of my flight in the J3-65 from this past Wednesday and I almost puked.
I wanted to do something different, so I put the GoPro on my cap.
It turns out I have never gotten over the "fighter pilot sweep". The camera reveals that 44 years after hanging up my helmet, I'm still looking for Migs, left rear down, up, left down, up, forward, instrument panel, up, right up, down, right rear, up, down, overhead. Begin again. Non-stop.
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I would really like to see that video. Any chance you could post it?
 
The plus side of the cap mount is you get a lot of different views. Editing it all down is the key.

Some guys here edit a lot of videos. I'm sure the E-person or 6papasomething could give you some editing tips.
 
From what I done seen from other people, flying videos are usually pretty boring (single camera mount), unwatchable to OK (head mount camera - Kermie Cam is actually the best I've seen, Tuker Gort is not bad - doesn't swivel too much) to reasonably interesting (multiple cameras inside and out, lots of editing, not some stupid music background, air to air adds a lot).

Find someone you like and figure out what they are doing that makes you like it.
 
For now I do a single point mount in cockpit (pretty boring per capt thorpe) ;) . No music, as much ATC as possible along with me chatting like you’re riding along. Thinking about adding an outside camera, just not sure of the battery life and security of the mounting brackets.
 
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Definitely lose the head mount and affix the camera(s) strategically.

It's also important to realize that we tend to think that everything in our flight is interesting. Viewers typically disagree with our self-assessments.
 
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NFlightCam has some great mounts and their cockpit kit (I have) is great.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
From what I done seen from other people, flying videos are usually pretty boring (single camera mount), unwatchable to OK (head mount camera - Kermie Cam is actually the best I've seen, Tuker Gort is not bad - doesn't swivel too much) to reasonably interesting (multiple cameras inside and out, lots of editing, not some stupid music background, air to air adds a lot).

Find someone you like and figure out what they are doing that makes you like it.
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:thumbsup: I'm with ya on the music, most of which is boring. I'll usually 'moot' it. C'mon people, let's put some rock into it! Some Skynyrd and Bad Company. Beatles would be cool too.
 
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I started my filming experience on a motorcycle and quickly abandoned the helmet mount because a "fighter sweep" as you call it is the only way to stay alive.

Humans have super short attention spans. You need to edit your video to be a series of very short clips of really cool stuff.

I still suck at it but this is a video I just made the other day

 
The key for me for airplane videos is to reduce the FOV of the camera. Action cams default to wide angle views. That's good for skateboarders, not so good for airplanes looking out into the distance. Get an ND filter. It'll cancel out the prop artifacts and reduce the jello effect that many action cams suffer from. I like RAM mounts and have a few mounted on my plane. My new plane will have more. I'm not interested in the time it takes to edit entertaining videos to post on the internet. I use video for critiquing my own piloting, looking at airplane systems like flaps and landing gear, scouting new places to land, etc.
 
Yes I agree more technology is confusing. When I have the chance I don't even use GPS (hides head in shame)
 
From my perspective, mount it and turn it on in the pattern landing or flying over something scenic ... I look at youtube videos when landing at a new airport also checking satellite views for the environment (especially Fullerton the first time). I made a video of Catalina and started it a little earlier off shore to show the relation of the field to Avalon.

OTOH, my son taped a Glendale AZ landing when he was younger, that all previous videos he did were perfect ... but he was so interested in the stadium he would video a few seconds of approach then alternate to the stadium back and forth ... it wasn't very smooth.
 
I tend to like the long and boring flight videos, as long as there is good audio, but I'm just weird that way. ;)

It really depends on whether I'm trying to learn something, or learn more about a specific airplane. I watched a lot of Luscombe videos before buying one.

I watched a five-hour Bruno Vassel soaring video last week and enjoyed every minute of it. Some of his ridge soaring videos are awesome. I think I enjoy these because it provides a pilot's level perspective of some challenging flying. If I lived in Utah, I'd definitely get a glider!
 
I rarely watch an aviation vid where the camera is hat mounted, reeeeally friggin annoying.
 
My personal opinion...but if you are wanting to learn the editing side of things, it is well worth it to invest in a decent editing program. I spent A LOT of time researching editing programs. I ended up realizing that paying $20 a month for Adobe Premiere Pro was well worth it, even if I didn't do a lot of editing. Davinci Resolve is an incredibly powerful video editor (more notably known for its color correction capabilities - used in many Hollywood settings) that is FREE. The learning curve is steep though. It is not user friendly to someone new to editing.

If your just looking to slap something together then quite frankly anything will work (Windows Movie Maker would work if that is still even around). However, if you really have an interest in learning the "art" of editing (and it is quite fun), then I would highly suggest something like Premiere Pro (or Premiere Elements which is a one time fee and is a watered down version of Premiere Pro). If you own a Mac you could use Final Cut Pro (although I still recommend Adobe Premiere Pro). If you want something more "consumer grade" then Wondershare Filmora is "okay".

The resources out their for Premiere Pro are INCREDIBLE and it is a big reason as to why I went with it. You could honestly learn how to edit a great video by just watching some of the YouTube tutorials out there. When I first was learning to edit I took some of Phil Ebiner's courses. They are $25 and it is amazing how much content and learning you get for the money. If you want to just learn the editing side just take his Adobe Premiere Pro class. You really could create some close-to-professional grade videos after taking his course.

https://www.udemy.com/adobe-premiere-pro-video-editing/learn/v4/overview
https://www.udemy.com/video-production-bootcamp/learn/v4/
 
Our videos cut back in length significantly over the years and we are down from 4 minute to 2 minutes (or less). We have at least two different perspectives to make it more interesting.
 
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I would like to see youtube links to your videos. I'd enjoy watching your landings, take offs, and listening to the ATC enroute.
 
mscard88 said:
:thumbsup: I'm with ya on the music, most of which is boring. I'll usually 'moot' it. C'mon people, let's put some rock into it! Some Skynyrd and Bad Company. Beatles would be cool too.
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I hate music in flying videos. I like to hear the engine and radios.
 
Shepherd said:
Any ideas on how to do a flying video that's not boring, and not an invitation to spew?
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Just find ones you like on Youtube and emulate them. If you use more than one camera, after you turn them on clap your hands once real loud so that then you go to edit you can line up that spike in the audio between both videos. That way when you switch back and forth between shots in editing they're in sync.
 
Skywalker said:
Our videos cut back in length significantly over the years and we are down from 4 minute to 2 minutes (of less). We have at least two different perspectives to make it more interesting.
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Excellent point. Keep 'em on the short side. I try for about 4 minutes max.
 
I mounted it on the belly, I wanted to use it to get a view I never seen before.
 
BrianNC said:
I hate music in flying videos. I like to hear the engine and radios.
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I have a cable for connecting to headset but the output overloads the microphone input so I cannot capture ATC, I can download ATC audio from liveatc.net and use that on 1 channel and engine (ambient) is through the other channel.
 
BrianNC said:
I hate music in flying videos. I like to hear the engine and radios.
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My serious crazy is about to burst out.

When I fly, I hear a sound track in my head.
Different days, different conditions, different sound track. But there is always music in my head.
I sometimes put the "music of the day" in my videos.

My "regular" GIB used to lose his mind if I started humming the opening bars of "Purple Haze" as we rolled onto the target.
Sorry for the anxiety I caused you, Coop.
hahahahahahahahahaha
 
Shepherd said:
...Any ideas on how to do a flying video that's not boring, and not an invitation to spew?
Click to expand...

multiple camera angles usually helps spruce up a video
relatively short (I think under 2 minutes seems to work) unless it's a lesson on something, then I can see it being longer
**HAVE A POINT TO THE VIDEO**. straight and level vids get boring real quick
-a 30 second video of "here's my first barrel roll" are videos I'd watch all day long
-a 40 minute video of "how does this landing look" where 39:45 is straight and level and :15 is your landing is just asking for me to never watch your video again
-don't be MrAviation101. please.​
I personally don't mind music, unless the music simply six. some people don't like it. but I think at the very least you should have cockpit audio. I find there's almost always something to pick up on, good or bad. if you're the guy I mentioned above, it's usually bad

ok, those are some of my thoughts, take it or leave it. but, have we even seen any of your videos? I don't recall...........
 
mscard88 said:
:thumbsup: I'm with ya on the music, most of which is boring. I'll usually 'moot' it. C'mon people, let's put some rock into it! Some Skynyrd and Bad Company. Beatles would be cool too.
Click to expand...

That’d be great, but then YouTube takes the video down for copyright infringement. And they have an automated system that finds said soundtracks.

I’ve been looking for a way to legally license GOOD music for my videos for years without signing up to pay royalties a hundred times greater than any YT monetization would pay for.
 
Have checked out GoPro’s Quik software? It’s an easy way to make short videos with whatever you shoot.

I flew yesterday with my son and had a GoPro going. Made a 30 second video with the software in about 10 min.

Here ya go:
 
denverpilot said:
That’d be great, but then YouTube takes the video down for copyright infringement. And they have an automated system that finds said soundtracks.

I’ve been looking for a way to legally license GOOD music for my videos for years without signing up to pay royalties a hundred times greater than any YT monetization would pay for.
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Try finding a cover of the songs you want, instead of the original.
 
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