Shooting your own video of your Metal detecting exploits can be:
A: Personally Rewarding
B: Fun
C: Fincially Rewarding
D: All of the Above!
A: Personally Rewarding
B: Fun
C: Fincially Rewarding
D: All of the Above!
My answer would have to be "D".
For me, it's the fun of shooting your own videos that I like. You are 100% in control of content, camera angle, viewpoint, and audio soundtrack. I am a big supporter of introducing kids into the hobby, and when I shoot my own video footage, I can promote that idea by pointing out the various "kid friendly" aspects of the hobby as the situations and opportunities present themselves while in the field shooting. If it isn't fun, or if I can't make it fun, then I probably wouldn't shoot my own video.
Is it easy? HA! At best, it's a good exercise in trying to nail Jell-O to a wall. Batteries die, memory cards crash, tripods fall over, and equipment overheats and shuts down. There are a lot of physical challenges to overcome continuously when shooting your own video. If your the type of person who doesn't flourish under "adaptive/creative" and ever changing situations, well... you might not enjoy shooting your own video as much as I do. And then there's "personality" to be considered too. If you truly enjoy talking, can maintain a good eye contact with your camera, and can think on your feet and improvise script on the run, then you'll probably be a hit on YouTube AND be giggling like a small child as you "work" at making your own video. You HAVE to be an extrovert to both enjoy the process and entertain folks while shooting your own video. If you are an introvert, and shy away from folks, talk very quietly and rarely look people in the eye, I would strongly suggest you to find another creative outlet if you want to write about your own metal detecting experiences, perhaps Blogging might be more up your ally. And here's another aspect of the "personality" element that you need to resolve before you step out in front of that camera for the first time - Rejection/Criticism and Internet Rudeness. If people refer to you as "thin skinned" or if someone being critical of, how you look, how you talk, and how you "are" gets under your skin and makes you mad, then please, be a Blogger. You have to be a fairly "confidant" person who is happy with whom they are, look, talk and act to step in front of that camera and bare it all to the world.
There are at least 1000 different ways to take the step in front of the camera. Professional video cameras and gear are one route, but let me assure you, it's a VERY expensive route. Most of us have
a Smartphone these days, and the majority of Smartphones usually have excellent, Hi-Res camera's too. My best digital camera is a Kodak M1033, which is a 10.3 MP camera that we've had for several years now. And it does an excellent job too. But... My Samsung Galaxy S4 has two cameras, one facing rearward and one facing to the front. My rear camera is a 13MP digital camera and the front camera is a 1.9MP. Now, 1.9MP doesn't sound like a very Hi-Res camera, and it's not, but it's more than adequate for YouTube. My very first digital camera was a Kodak DC4800 3.2MP and I paid right at $899. for it in 2000 and I was simply amazed at just how Hi-Res 3.2MP actually was. I think I remember reading that 12.5MP was about as close to the actual resolution that the human eye was capable of. And since most internet applications don't come anywhere close to showing you photos and videos at that high of a resolution, I think you're just wasting money for web use on very Hi-Res cameras. One of the cool little features of my Galaxy S4 is I can video and use both front AND rear camera simultaneously. I like to use the better rear camera for whatever I am videoing and then do a small PIP (Picture in a Picture) for the front camera and keep it trained on me while I am narrating.
So that's basically the heart of my "System", a Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone. I've been adding equipment over time and now have a SunPack "Selfie Stick", which I have mixed feelings about.
It was on sale at a WallyWorld for $2.99 and I just couldn't resist. Unfortunately, the remote shutter release does not work. I'll get another one on my next trip to WallyWorld. It comes with a nice and sturdy phone adapter/tripod mount and the actual head on end of the stick is very solid once you lock the adjustment screws down. I've used it on two video shoots now and there have been bot Pro's and Con's. On the Pro side, it extends, so when trying to get yourself in the picture with a fair amount of background, it's got that covered pretty good. And it's very useful for getting the camera close to the ground for close ups and low-angle shooting. It also comes in handy for shooting high-angle shots or for looking in/around places where you and your body won't go but a camera on a stick fits just fine. Hollow tree holes, tree stumps, etc. are now within reach of many of us amateur videographers.
My next investment will be a "Pendulum Mount". This is one of the most stable platforms for shooting video while moving with a Smartphone. It basically is a camera mount that sits on a twin axis pivot point. There is a "tuneable" counterbalance that you adjust so that the camera/phone sits flat and level no matter what position the handle is in. It allows you to walk, move, bend, stoop, all while the camera "floats" on this pivot point, held perfectly flat and level by the counterbalance. eBay is where I will most likely purchase mine soon. Prices run from $19.99 up to several hundreds of dollars.
There is also another variation of this which uses a dual "fluid dampened" pivot assembly that does the same thing, just with slightly different technology. These are the more expensive mounts and can easily set you back by $500. or more.
Either style mount will greatly enhance the smoothness of your video shooting, which in return, increases your enjoyment too.
Add on or accessory lens can also go a long way at improving your videos. Various methods of attaching the lens to the phone means that there is a lens kit out there for everybody regardless of what type of phone and/or case you use.
They usually come in a set of 3 lens, a close up, a telephoto and a wide angle lens. All 3 lens have their own unique time and place when shooting videos.
Prices run $20 to several hundred for the lens sets with eBay having a better selection than most camera shops.
There are times when you will simply need a "static" mount. Just a place where you can set your camera phone down while you shoot a particular angle, like when digging for a recovery.
And there are as many static mounts out there as there are stars in our Galaxy or so it would seem. Some have bendable "octopus" type legs that you can twist around a tree branch, and others have ver powerful magnets which allow you to quickly and securely attach them to anything iron or steel. There are clamp mounts,
and window clamp mounts so you can use them on any partially rolled down car window. It's rare, that I am far from my car when shooting so a window mount or a suction mount will definitely be added soon.
Suction mounts can be used on glass, smooth metal, laminated, solid core surfaces too to further enhance your angle shooting capabilities.
Like I said, SO many different types and styles of mounts that I'm quite sure you can find one that will help improve the stability of your own video shoots.
One of the neatest things to emerge lately for the solo videopreneur is a little device called "SoloShot". And it quite simply is a remote robotic head that mounts to your tripod of choice and then you mount your camera platform of choice on top of the SoloShot. There is also an armband (which can also be clipped on your belt, pocket, clothing) that you wear. As you move, the sensors in the SoloShot track and follow the armband thereby always keeping you in the video.
So, about all that's left is some video editing software, and unfortunately, I haven't found anything that I particularly care for. Will you need to edit? As long as flies like to land on noses, and bees like to land on foreheads, the answer is an enthusiastic, YES. Some things are simply beyond your control. Wind blows, tripods fall. And even the things we do have control over don't always go as planned. Hiccups, misspoken words, coughs, sneezes, etc., all have a way of rearing their ugly little heads just as soon as the "Record" button is pushed. With my recent upgrade to Windows 10, I find that I know longer have Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Media Player has virtually no editing capabilities anymore. So the hunt is on for me, and in the meantime, I'll try to step up my game, make as few mistakes as humanly possible and simply hope for the best!
A lot of people have asked me if I use any type of a pre-written Script. And the answer is no. I'm typically a well trained motormouth babbler and can usually talk for hours on end without seemingly having to take a breath sometimes. And it's not an understatement when I say I like to talk. My talking and not hunting/digging is my Number 1 complaint that I get about what few videos I have out there at present. And like I've said, I'll take that into consideration, and try to change my tactics so that the people who invest their time in me, are getting more of what they want. It's a compromise, and I'm happy to work on it with each new effort.
And my last tip for the budding videographers out there, is, be accessible. You need to have a "presence" on virtually all forms of Social Media. It's best to explain by example. You can follow me. and my Metal Detecting Exploits via:
Facebook: Tim Suggs - Metal Detecting Mayhem. PLUS I own/run 150+ Metal Detecting specific Groups on FB, 55K Members Worldwide, Ever Brand, Every State and Every Style of Detecting.
Twitter: @TimSuggs59 - Tim Suggs Detecting
YouTube: Tim Suggs Channel
SnapChat: TimSuggsDetecting
Pinterest: Tim Suggs - Metal Detecting Madness
Tumblr: Tim Suggs Back In Black
Instagram: timsuggsmetaldetecting
Blogger: Tim's Metal Detecting Adventures
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