Why edit video at all

[SpectateSwamp]

I've been doing mpeg video for 3 years now.

Video players can start and stop anywhere in a mpeg file.
Why not just start and stop to skip offensive material or advertisements

I seldom shoot anything I don't want.

The one I use can randomly select a video then pick a random
start point in that video. Then play a few seconds in slow motion.
Then freeze on the last frame for a few more seconds.
Then play another and another.

It is refreshing to watch unedited video.
No 5 seconds of this, then jumping to that scene.

When you don't edit, there is no jumble of mini clips everywhere.
Much easier to just backup the originals.

You can't be shooting good video, when you are at the computer
bit fiddling.

[greymalkin]

is this baiting? are you just waiting for the reply's to tell you what a crazy post this is?

[guns1inger]

You have no idea what you are talking about

[dipstick]

That's like throwing a bucket of paint at a wall. You can say that it's painted, but it looks like crap warmed over.

It may be all fine to you and that's just fine if you're the only one watching, just don't expect anybody else to want to watch it. Video editing, just like painting is an art. Some see the need for it, while others don't.

[julitomg]

mmmm...maybe we can show this post to small kids and show them what can become of them if they start using heavy drugs at an early age...

[Epicurus8a]

If that works for you, then I say "Great." Most of us here, however, have higher expectations.

[FulciLives]

This principle reminds me of an Andy Warhol film!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[SpectateSwamp]

Kinda hoping there would be a few passionate responses.

Besides not editing.

Sometimes, I don't look in the viewfinder, when videoing.
So I don't trip up, when hurry through the bush behind my trapper friend.
The video is smoother and I can look around for other interesting scenes.

I even extend the tripod and camera way over my head. (skycam)

In the last while I have captured some interesting video:

-Black & White crow on video (European hooded crow, here in Canada?)
-McLeod River ice jam breaks free (pretty impressive)
-National Fastball tournament (by first base and followed the pitches)
-Large round stone 18 tons (a number of smaller ones in the area)
-Dinosaur skin find. (rarer than dino eggs)
-Hawk hits window (in slow motion)
-Porcupine scurries up a tree.
What have you videoed lately, or do you just bit fiddle?

Some less interesting videos were political forums.
One was at noon and by the second one in the evening
(in another town) I gave all 5 candidates a copy when they arrived.
Even videoed them rigging the questions at a Civic forum.

If it is a news video and you wait a couple days while you are editing
nobody is interested. Not many people, viewing tsunami videos these days.

99.9% of the people currently buying Camcorders arn't professionals
and have little interest in editing.
Some "video experts" make it seem like it is a must. It's not.

With DVD's costing 25 cents, you can't possibly be editing to save space?

The Camera doesn't lie. Editing puts the whole video in question.

[gadgetguy]

Kinda hoping there would be a few passionate responses.

That seems to be the whole point of your thread. But it's not a very exciting game.
You edit to achieve a specific goal. If you don't have a goal that requires editting, then you don't edit. It's that simple.

Sometimes, I don't look in the viewfinder, when videoing.

So what, I made my entire Competition entry without looking through the viewfinder while videoing, (kind of hard when you're videoing yourself).

In the last while I have captured some interesting video:

Congratulations.

99.9% of the people currently buying Camcorders arn't professionals
and have little interest in editing.

I don't know who you're referring to, but most of the non-professional people I know that have Camcorders are recording their kids at play, at school recitals, etc. and they enjoy editing them into little "shows" with titles and transitions and sometimes special effects. Some of these same people use their camcorder to record the contents of their home for insurance, and they don't do any editing of those. As I said before, you edit to achieve a specific goal.

Some "video experts" make it seem like it is a must. It's not.

Again, I don't know who you're referring to, but I've never gotton the impression from anyone here that you must edit every video you make. But most of the people that come here are looking for assistance or want to learn how to do something with their video. For the goals they outline, editing is often required, but not always. And when not required, they are often advised to just use a DVD recorder rather than go through the Capture, Edit, Encode, Author, Burn process on their computer.

So again, I come back to this

Kinda hoping there would be a few passionate responses.

being your only goal, but you don't play the game very well.

[Supreme2k]

If you have a video of, say, an alien spacecraft, no one wants to see the hour before that of you and your wife talking about the new drapes on your windows. That drapery footage may be preicous to you and your wife, so you don't want to lose it by handing it to the news station. Editing solves both problems.

[greymalkin]

if you have a video of an alien spacecraft then i know you did some editing

[draganong]

Video editing, just like painting is an art. Some see the need for it, while others don't.

Especially when used for porn.

[Steve Stepoway]

The Camera doesn't lie. Editing puts the whole video in question.

Not really true. The fact that you don't "edit" your video doesn't tell me that you are telling me the "truth". I might ask "What was happening in the other direction that he doesn't want me to see? He's lying to me by not showing that."

Any time you take a photograph or shoot video you, the person with the camera, makes a choice to put the camera in a particular place or to point the camera in one direction and not in another.

That's editing. So don't tell me that you don't edit. You edit every time you choose where to put the camera, what direction to point it, or when to turn it on or off.

[lordsmurf]

That's like throwing a bucket of paint at a wall. You can say that it's painted, but it looks like crap warmed over. It may be all fine to you and that's just fine if you're the only one watching, just don't expect anybody else to want to watch it. .

Yeah, that about sums it up.

You edit every time you choose where to put the camera, what direction to point it, or when to turn it on or off.

Very enlightened answer. Absolutely correct.

Another thing people fail to understand is that "editing" and "editorializing" are separate concepts with no relation.

[gadgetguy]

I wouldn't say no relation. Certainly you can editorialize by editing.

[mikiem]

"The fact that you don't "edit" your video doesn't tell me that you are telling me the "truth". "

[tacky] Applause track

How does one know whether video is edited? :P
How does the viewer know what is staged?
How about in camera editing, &/or using the camera & deck for good ol' fashioned cut editing?
There is no in-context video, ever. Don't make tapes, or attention spans that long!

That said, the best video or stills tend to exagerate, are pre-planned, are staged, & always with an eye to appearing spontaneous.

[SpectateSwamp]

Geez you guys get excited about me not editing.

Just got back in from the trapline.

There are 9 new video clips on my web site NOW.

I may not be clear on what editing is from the above posts?

Maybe it's editing that I only downloaded 9 instead of all 27 clips

I looked at them once and chose these ones.

What did you editors get done today???

May I'll just go fishing tomorrow.

Cheers

[FulciLives]

I farted

[SpectateSwamp]

This forum is picking up.

I don't use digital zoom
I don't use optical zoom
I use manual zoom (most of the time)

[gadgetguy]

[guns1inger]

Where is this web site, so we can bask in the glory of raw unedited footage with no added perspective or view ?

[SpectateSwamp]

see em at
http://www.dropshots.com/spectateswamp/

[gadgetguy]

So all this has been to try to get people to visit your website?


I'll pass.

[SpectateSwamp]

That's not my website.

just a place that hosts video for free.

dropshots.com is great

[sdlehman]

wow!

[guns1inger]

The last time I saw footage like that it was because my mother-in-law left the camera running by accident while walking around. at least three of the clips are jsut 3- 40 seconds of snow and the backs of some guys heels as he walks along. No real framing.

If that makes you happy, then you really don't need us.

[lordsmurf]

A video of a dog's butt. How exciting.

[guns1inger]

If you were a dog, you would appreciate it more

[SpectateSwamp]

Some looked. The more open minded ones, I figger.

I could edit the dog's butt, to a rose or my National flag?

I'm sure there are just as many, that enjoyed yesterday's trapline action.

Anybody out there, with current video of the rainforest?

The definition for editing is pretty broad.
Everything from blinking your eyes to file splits and merges.

The real problem with video editing, is that it takes multiples, of the video time.
Almost impossible to get the video out there before, it is days and days old.
As you can see most video editors are picky picky picky.

[FulciLives]

My suggestion for SpectateSwamp is to check out the following two links as they contain information that I think he/she will find extremely interesting:

Here is the first link ---> CLICK HERE

Here is the second link ---> CLICK HERE

I think those links sum up my feelings.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman