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How do i make a more artsy edit?

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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
soooo. i have been filming a lot of bridge jumping this summer, and were pretty good. so i made an edit, its not my best work, but just a tiny sample of the full-summer edit im gonna make.
after watching some edits, i have realized others are soo much more artsy and well edited.

i want to know some filming and editing techniques for making a more artsy bridge jumping edit.

heres mine:



heres what i wich mine could look more like:
Jun 22 2012 12:20AM
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jibcrew1
Posts: 1505 - Karma: 522
Well slo mo more than one bridge get in a small boat and get those angles so the camera inst just sitting in one spot the whole time and I think that's about it and maybe a little more effects like burn and such but not a whole lot
Jun 22 2012 12:29AM
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Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,395
Well to achieve something such as the one above you will need to do the following:
-Better song, better flow
-Better colours
-Add some DOF shots
-Buy a wide angle
-Use some slow mo
-Get better lifestyles ie: closeup feet, closeup smiles

Just try and go for a happy flow with a happy song, vibrant colours and what not.

Hope this helps!
Jun 22 2012 1:01AM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
thanks man!

what exactly is a DOF shot?

and i cant do much about lenses or colors, all i have is a basic waterproof camera, but i try to do my best with it...
Jun 22 2012 1:06AM
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Downtofilm
Posts: 6896 - Karma: 20,395
What camera do you have
Jun 22 2012 1:09AM
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Dragonite.
Posts: 1657 - Karma: 431
Could not agree more. Also don't say artsy. Your tryin to make it more creative or innovative. Artsy sounds like you're trying too hard at something that comes naturally.
Jun 22 2012 7:46AM
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.Max.
Posts: 2930 - Karma: 701
Okay, first things first. Don't say artsy, it sounds pretentious but I hate it when people use that term.

One thing that really stands out when comparing the two edits is the number of both cuts and angles. They kept things interesting with an upbeat song and shooting handheld at a wide angle (when I say hand held I mean probably on a rig or glidecam).

Shooting like that gave their footage a lot more movement and in turn allowed them to make a lot of jump cuts to the beat of the beats in their song.

Here's the most important thing, don't try to make someone else's edit. You can't. What you need to do is keep watching edits from a broad range of filmmakers, study what they do, and modify their techniques to fit your style. You may not have that style yet but if you keep working at it you'll undoubtedly develop it.

P.S. Depth of feild is the term reffering to how much of a particular frame is in or out of focus. Using a shallow DOF you have a very thin plane where things appear in focus and with a deep DOF a large portion of your image is in focus.
Jun 22 2012 8:34AM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Click for larger image

Artsy as fuck!
Jun 22 2012 10:51AM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
kodak playsport.

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/PLAYSPORT_Video_Camera__Zx3/productID.169976100
Jun 22 2012 10:55AM
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JWeinstock
Posts: 3439 - Karma: 1,352
just go from different angles. have some where you can't see the screen because half a tree is in the way or something else like that. you also need some slow mo
Jun 22 2012 10:58AM
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Gknow
Posts: 627 - Karma: 358
If it's waterproof, then you have a huge leg up on creative possibility
Jun 22 2012 11:50AM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
yea i know, i have some sick water-surface shots, but other then that its not very good quality.
Jun 22 2012 12:17PM
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Gknow
Posts: 627 - Karma: 358
Yeah, you're kinda limited by the footage quality. Utilize the versatility of the camera would be my best advice, always try something new. Keep it up and feel out what you think works
Jun 22 2012 12:30PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
Click for larger image



there is no easy way to tell you to make a more artistic edit. if that were possible, everybody would be making banger edits. it takes time and experimentation. and don't say artsy in a serious way, artsy is a word that people use as a joke to describe shots where people film behind branches and shit for no reason.

as people have said, watch other good edits. find things you like, and incorporate them into your own style.

typically the best edits capture emotion and an experience. try to approach making edits as capturing a whole experience rather than just the action. as zac said, add some personality to it.

truth be told you seem like you're off to a good start, but you sound very impatient. the good filmers on here (including the one whose video you posted) have spent a long time experimenting with different things to find what works best. they weren't simply told how to make good edits and instantly started producing awesome content.
Jun 22 2012 1:00PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
thanks man! that actually helps a lot! ill just try my best and keep making edits, hopefully it will come around!
Jun 22 2012 1:25PM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
For sure. I mean, you already know that the Juice edit is a step ahead of yours, so all the ingredients for a better edit are right there. You just gotta pick it apart and try some of the techniques yourself.
Jun 22 2012 1:57PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
do you think more "lifestyle" shots and closeups would help tho?
Jun 22 2012 4:01PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
have i improved?? its a teaser btw

Aug 14 2012 6:26PM
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MLeone
Posts: 725 - Karma: 72
Shit dude, that was a lot better! Nice Job! I'f just try to avoid random shots like the TL of the clouds you had. I'd also avoid including badly exposed shots, like the underexposed shot of the kid climbing the ladder or whatever. Huge improvement though. I would love to see shots of people jumping off bridges from the boat!
Aug 14 2012 9:49PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
lol
Aug 14 2012 9:59PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
please elaborate?

thanks to the kid above you
Aug 14 2012 10:29PM
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S.C
Posts: 3068 - Karma: 2,285
put on the instagram filter.

easy as that.
Aug 14 2012 10:33PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Start by not asking people on the internet how to craft your video unless you wish to regurgitate countless clichés.

Advice such as "shallow DOF," "wide angle," "slow motion," "better song," are superficial and meaningless. Instead focus on the essence of why you enjoyed that particular scenario. Was it heat beating down on the water beads that drip down your neck? Was it the sand in your shoes? Use composition and logical editing as a basis to express these phenomena.
Aug 15 2012 12:44AM
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Sleepercell
Posts: 166 - Karma: 25
I thought it was pretty good. Definitely improved from the last video. Maybe you should invest in a glide cam or good tripod to get cleaner shots. Keep making edits and you will get better and better.
Aug 15 2012 11:51AM
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ryano
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 1,535
i didnt read any of the other answers. but basic filming includes:

being creative with shots
moving camera shots, even if its only a few feet
vertical and horizontal movement
if possible, racking the focus(going from blurr'd to in focus)
taking shots of the same thing except in multiple angles
when editing, cutting to and from those angles for one shot
finding a good song for the edit
matching the speed of the edit to the flow of the song
or rather the vibe of the shots/speed to the vibe of the song
having b-roll, ie. people looking at the camera and laughing, a bird, a car driving, lacing shoes, again be creative.
a shot of the sun rising or setting..
a few opening shots of the b roll leading up to the action, or the first verse of the song.
matching the action and jumps or hits to the beat of the song.

thats all i can think of for now..
Aug 15 2012 2:09PM
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Trojan~Man
Posts: 1996 - Karma: 1,357
lol the news blip in the beginning of your second edit was the best part :P what a bunch of morons...people have been bridge jumping for years haha
Aug 16 2012 8:47AM
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Tanner-D
Posts: 2061 - Karma: 4,116
lol from joystick's hot lunch fuck yeah
Aug 17 2012 9:30PM
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Chinchi
Posts: 1591 - Karma: 4,211
Firstly: Go to coffee shops frequently.
Secondly: If you don't already have an iphone, buy one (with a colorful case of course).
Thirdly: You need jeans as skinny as humanly possible (also colorful_.
Fourthly: Acquire 3d glasses, proceed to pop out the lenses.
Congratulations. You are now artsy enough to start making edits.
Aug 17 2012 10:15PM
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miroz
Posts: 10333 - Karma: 3,945
Good advice.

Your edit should best describe the event(s) you are showcasing. Likely these are good times with your friends, sitting out in the sun, having fun, doing some cliff jumping; for ME personally, times like that bring about images and vibes such as smiles, warm colors, sun glinting on the water and on wet skin, wet hair, green grass, and easy going music. That would be what I'd do my best to highlight.

You can't just take one wide shot with all those things in it; that's perfectly doable of course, but that would make a terrible one-shot edit. You need to tell a story with your shots. Making an edit is a lot like writing an essay, and each shot is a sentence. JUICE does this very well; they vary shot length, shot type, shot speed, and composition, to create a coherent variety that entertains the eye, just like a good piece of writing can entertain the reader purely based on the way it was written, essentially regardless of content. Like Will said, keep trying new things, but don't let anyone tell you what to do or how to do it. Watch videos, find styles and techniques you like, and build off them to make them your own.
Aug 17 2012 11:06PM
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Tanner-D
Posts: 2061 - Karma: 4,116
So like everyone else has been saying it is all about capturing the mood and the vibes of the time whether or not this is executed well will make it as you would say "artsy" I would just say a good video.

Although the vibe may be different than what you were going for in your edit this video really does a beautiful (or artsy) job of capturing the mood. As you can see the music really does set the overall flow of the video. An inappropriate song can ruin a well shot edit.


Aug 17 2012 11:35PM
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BolderPro
Posts: 767 - Karma: 426
It was ok besides stealing my song....

Aug 17 2012 11:42PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
you cant be serious, that song is used in sooo many other things
Aug 18 2012 10:29AM
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MLeone
Posts: 725 - Karma: 72
.
Aug 18 2012 12:42PM
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BolderPro
Posts: 767 - Karma: 426
haha no i was kidding
Aug 18 2012 4:01PM
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LGSB
Posts: 253 - Karma: 35
Someone learned backflips...
Aug 21 2012 9:50PM
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DopeNZ
Posts: 131 - Karma: 123
I see Will Starts "16mm Leader.mov" in there...
Aug 21 2012 10:05PM
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norgeanders
Posts: 1051 - Karma: 367
My friend made that song that you used haha
Aug 21 2012 10:18PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
nice catch there ;)
Aug 21 2012 11:14PM
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BolderPro
Posts: 767 - Karma: 426
Haha yea i wish I could of had someone who could do a couple more tricks :) but it was a quick vacation with my family so I just shot what I could do and it wasn't much lol
Aug 21 2012 11:53PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
heres my newest edit!

let me know what you think!

Sep 24 2012 8:32PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
stopped watching when midnight city came on.
Sep 24 2012 8:55PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
thanks for that really helpful post!


ill be sure to never pick songs without consulting you first
Sep 24 2012 9:09PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
When should I expect your PM?

But really, you get it right? I mean, you already fell for it once in this thread already.
Sep 24 2012 10:25PM
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JStrathern
Posts: 8747 - Karma: 1,536
I wish people would stop trying to make edits just like other peoples because they end up all being so similar, just keep working on your technical skills and make what you think looks/sounds good
Sep 24 2012 11:21PM
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sweatshirt
Posts: 1357 - Karma: 483
No you weren't, don't cover your tracks with a lie
Sep 25 2012 8:20AM
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SkierPT
Posts: 2177 - Karma: 4,720
That edit is my favorite edit/video I have ever seen. The flow and shots and colors and everything was....beautiful...
Sep 26 2012 7:34PM
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