When the camera is rolling, shut up!

[Joey Ketcham]

I guess when I shoot, I still do so with the same style I had when I worked in TV as a photographer. I'm all about sound and just letting nature do it's thing.

I don't mind the commentary about what's going on, just keep it short and sweet and let nature take over audio wise. But like I said, that was just the style I grew to like from working as a news videographer.

I also know from an editors point of view how much it sucked to get video and having to bleep out the cussing while at the same time trying to preserve as much of the nat sound as possible.

And the more cussing you have, the more irritating it is to edit it.

 

[Dan Robinson]

To add to your counterpoint, the media won't just buy it, the media PREFERS it. The media would probably prefer for you to start your cut by dragging your camera through the grass a bit first before raising it up, then doing a few focus racks before landing jerkily on the tornado while shouting for everyone to take cover. They're not looking for tripoded shots with ambient sound, that's for sure.
[/b]

Makes you wonder if it would help to bring someone along who has an extreme phobia of storms and who has never operated a video camera in their life. Give them a camera and let them shoot shaky and out of focus stuff while freaking out, while you shoot the quiet, tripoded video away from the car. That way you cover all the bases :lol:

 

[Dan Dawson]

This is an interesting topic, because I have often felt upon reviewing my own chase videos that I talk way too much! I somehow feel the need to make running commentary about every possible feature that may be occurring in the storm (sometimes seeing things that aren't necessarily there), as well as voicing (sometimes excessive) excitement upon seeing a tornado. When going back over my video after the fact, I often think to myself, "Man, you sounded like a moron there". It's just so hard to not get caught up in the excitement of the moment, but I have become much better at this in the last year or so.

 

[Shane Adams]

I shoot video for myself, and that means I talk if I want, I shoot handheld if I want, and basically do whatever the hell I want. I don't solicit video for sale, no one will sit at a chase party and watch video, and very few people are willing to buy them. So why the hell would I even consider what another person might think?

 

[Marc Austin]

I shoot video for myself, and that means I talk if I want, I shoot handheld if I want, and basically do whatever the hell I want. I don't solicit video for sale, no one will sit at a chase party and watch video, and very few people are willing to buy them. So why the hell would I even consider what another person might think?
[/b]

Shane, I echo your thoughts. If I'm the one forking out the dough for my hobby, and I'm the one driving thousands of miles, and I'm the one who bought the camcorder and the tapes in the first place, why would I worry about what "other people" might say about my video? Now I'm not too keen on cursing, but there is a time and a place for it! If you somehow see any of our video on any famous news station at any point in the future, which you likely never will, and you feel embarrassed by my comments or my behavior, then tell your friends/co-workers that I'm a poor examply of a chaser. I really don't care, because you're not paying me to take the video. I have every right to be as stupid and crazy or as silent and reserved as I wish. If you wish to fund my hobby by paying for gas/video tapes etc... then I will censor my video, but otherwise... I'm just not worried about what other people think.

 

[PeteMcConnell]

A lot of good advice mixed in with personal opinions. For myself, I have to face my wife when I return from a chase, and she can be quite the critic of my photography skills or the lack thereof. I'll be so excited when I get home, adrenaline still kicked in, and all she can notice is that the camera wiggled, or I didn't get a wide enough angle. I'm content not to have been blown away by intense winds or sucked up to eternity in an updraft. We are all at different skill levels, and the best we can do is to learn from our experiences, and try to maintain a good reputation as a group. All things considered, it appears that the general public appreciates the footage that is captured, and we enjoy what we do. Like anything else in life, people make mistakes.

 

[Eric Flescher]

I like when there is some talk by chasers explaining what they see and what is happening. Not loud stuff, but mostly objective information helps to explain what is going on. I miss comments and information on videos that only have music on it sometimes. I like the like audio but it is good sometimes to delete certain informatino or mix with music or have silence.

Dr. Eric Flescher
Storm Satori

 

[Glenn Dixon]

My first serious tornado video footage was 5/3/99, and when I got video of the entire stovepipe with power line flashes lighting up the sidewall of the funnel I got pretty damn excited. I think it was actually going through a power substation at the time, but I instinctively caught myself (after a few exclamations) and muttered a few comments about how I hoped people were taking cover. I did this even though no one was around and even though the video has been seen only by other chasers. It really took the edge off an otherwise thrilling moment. I think most chasers think the same way.

I think the emotion is great to hear on video, but we need to find new things to say. I get tired of hearing myself and other chasers say "It's ON THE GROUND!" fifty times in a row. Or "We have a tornado" or "debris....DEBRIS!" I think if we were more judicious and creative it would help a lot. LOL Plus I sound like a damned country hick. That one really irks me.

But as far as words go, hey - it's just words. If words bother you so much maybe you're just too f***ing sensitive.

 

[mrobinett]

I like the NOAA weather radio alerts in the background, it just adds something to the video, I cant really explain it, I guess its the ham radio operator in me, I like to hear the banter on 2 meters also as chasers are talking to each other. Ive watched alot of early chaser videos back before cell phones were in wide use, I know most chasers these days Nextel each other and are on each others' group talk, the last couple of years I havent heard as much chatter on 2 meters.
I just like a good NOAA blurb in the background as chasers are taping, adds to it.

 

[CraigFisher]

I edit some words or phrases out of my videos. And usually have music to them.
The cheerleading just seems tacky to me, IMHO

 

[Gabe Garfield]

I think the emotion is great to hear on video, but we need to find new things to say. I get tired of hearing myself and other chasers say "It's ON THE GROUND!" fifty times in a row. Or "We have a tornado" or "debris....DEBRIS!" I think if we were more judicious and creative it would help a lot. LOL Plus I sound like a damned country hick. That one really irks me.

LOL I agree, creativity in commentary is a rare commodity in tornado videos. Having a mind that is well-suited to make analogies, I found myself saying on Wednesday when the South Brice tornado was maturing, "IT'S SUNRAY! THIS IS STINKING SUNRAY!" I was, of course, referring to the beautiful front-lit stovepipe tornado that occurred near Sunray, TX on June 9, 1971. Then later, "IT'S SEYMOUR ALL OVER AGAIN!" LOL

As far as whooping and hollering are concerned, I can't help but get a little excited when I see a nice tube. I'm fairly subdued for most parts of the chase, but when the nader is down, I can't help but let out my excitement. It's like watching OU score a touchdown against Texas---only better.

Now, if it's tearing up stuff, I won't be happy. But, that's just because I'm human and know that it's not fun to lose your property or worse. I don't have a problem with storm chasers getting excited when seeing a tornado; that is, after all, why we chase.

Gabe

 

[Joey Ketcham]

I had forgotten completely about this thread.. lol.

I will say I don't mind the NOAA Weather Radio in the background, I don't mind info pertaining to it. My main thing was people just screaming at the top of their lungs. I would at least like to finish the video with some of my hearing.

 

[B Ozanne]

The video that made rounds last week on GMA, Today, etc would not have been picked up if it wasn't for the commentary. Silence might be golden in a documentary, but the general public doesn't mind seeing a little life in home movies.

On another note, this thread died last year. I just realized it was revived.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

The video that made rounds last week on GMA, Today, etc would not have been picked up if it wasn't for the commentary. Silence might be golden in a documentary, but the general public doesn't mind seeing a little life in home movies.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. I've heard a fair share of negative comments coming from people outside the chase community about the way chasers scream and hollar in the background of tornado video's. I've also heard people - people that are the general public - say something along the lines of how they wish the person taping the tornado would shut up.

Now again, I'm talking about the videos where in the background you have someone screaming "OH MY GOD WE HAVE A VERY LARGE TORNADO, OH MY *$($()$ GOD THIS IS SO INCREDIBLE", and yelling it at the top of their lungs.

 

[Kevin Bowman]

i could not agree more, i was watching some site, i think tornado videos or something and the people talking sound like retarded monkeys. some good video ruined by the talking