Videos with no words. It could be pure genius.

[Baldbiker]

I'm not expecting everyone to agree with this, but I've been watching some camping videos lately just to satisfy my pre-bike season boredom. I came across a few where a young lady does everything in the video without speaking a single word. She shows everything she does with brilliant camera angles, records sound effects from nature and has full sound, but not a word for the entire experience which is usually a full overnight camping including setup, foraging, cooking food, sleep etc. It makes me wonder if this "style" could be applied to a motovlog video.

To me I'm thinking this could be pure genius. Why? Because the video draws in the viewer. It makes you watch more closely, and for longer. It's more relaxing and calming to the viewer as well, and a lot of people like that. I guess it also really eliminates the chance of saying something stupid or offensive without realizing. People may tend to judge YOU less and judge the content of the video more. This may be an advantage if you are not attractive on camera, or if you are not witty and well spoken. Nothing makes me want to scroll on quicker than someone yapping at me constantly. Heck, I get enough of that from my wife.

I'm not suggesting we all do "silent" videos, but it is certainly a technique I'm going to try in one or two this season and then study the analytics. Times have changed in the youtube world, and I believe so have people's viewing tastes.

 

[R-Rated]

I'm not expecting everyone to agree with this, but I've been watching some camping videos lately just to satisfy my pre-bike season boredom. I came across a few where a young lady does everything in the video without speaking a single word. She shows everything she does with brilliant camera angles, records sound effects from nature and has full sound, but not a word for the entire experience which is usually a full overnight camping including setup, foraging, cooking food, sleep etc. It makes me wonder if this "style" could be applied to a motovlog video. View attachment 6283

To me I'm thinking this could be pure genius. Why? Because the video draws in the viewer. It makes you watch more closely, and for longer. It's more relaxing and calming to the viewer as well, and a lot of people like that. I guess it also really eliminates the chance of saying something stupid or offensive without realizing. People may tend to judge YOU less and judge the content of the video more. This may be an advantage if you are not attractive on camera, or if you are not witty and well spoken. Nothing makes me want to scroll on quicker than someone yapping at me constantly. Heck, I get enough of that from my wife.

I'm not suggesting we all do "silent" videos, but it is certainly a technique I'm going to try in one or two this season and then study the analytics. Times have changed in the youtube world, and I believe so have people's viewing tastes.

I like this idea.

Maybe get some really great sounds with a mic up close to things. Like the crackle and ting of an exhaust cooling. The tick of lifters. The whine of the fuel pump pressuring up.

Almost get to ASMR levels.

Then use multi cameras to your advantage so the visuals switch up during the ride.

There are times when I have a migraine coming on so I just let the camera(s) roll. This would work out great for those times.

What length of video are you thinking about?

 

[Theodor]

I have done videos, where I don't talk and only record the exhaust sound of the bike. But I don't think that is quite what you had in mind. In order to tell a story, there should be a lot more going on, besides riding. A big part of this should probably be off bike video.
Interesting idea none the less. I am already thinking of at least one story I could tell without talking.

 

[Moto Mengy]

I've done a couple "engine sound only" videos where I don't talk at all, honestly I enjoy making them. I've also done a music only video where I simply show scenery while riding to the sound of music, that was fun to make too.

It can be done well (better than I have managed so far!), but I find motovlogs like these fun to edit creatively too.

 

[Meifesto]

Channel name: Schaaf

 

[Baldbiker]

I agree entirely that the video has to tell a story. The camping videos I was inspired by did just that. There was the arrival, the setup, the "tragedy" when torrential rains began, the preparing and cooking of food, foraging for wood, getting into the tent and settling down for the night, listening to sound, the crackle of the fire, or even just sitting there and surveying the scenery with a cup of coffee in hand. It all spoke volumes without a word uttered.

If you just record the sound of the bike and put music to the ride, it won't be enough. I would have to record where I stop, what I did there, what I saw, people I met perhaps, lots of setting the camera on a tripod and filming you walking or riding by type stuff. Not just the helmet view of the ride that's for sure. It has to tell a story.

Hopefully the great and powerful Hippo will allow this, but I'll put a link for one of the camping videos to show an example for any that want to see exactly what I'm talking about. Try to imagine applying this concept to one of your bike excursions.

 

[GIZZ]

It's exactly the same formula as those girls in asia fishing. Or the guys chiselling a house with a pool out of the dirt.

 

[Moto Mengy]

It's exactly the same formula as those girls in asia fishing. Or the guys chiselling a house with a pool out of the dirt.

Yep, that's what I was thinking as well.

 

[Baldbiker]

If I make one like it this summer I'll see if Sir Hippo will allow me to post it somewhere and you could tell me what you think.

 

[Theodor]

I guess, as it will still be sort of motovlogging type of thing, it should be OK under the members vlogs section

 

[MachKneel]

I definitely like this idea, I have a few ideas for a video of some nice spots along the north coast of Ireland so I might tackle that this summer! Really would need to be beautiful scenery though, as Motovlogging scenes, for the most part are fairly linear and don't contain too much excitement, which puts more emphasis on our chit chat being engaging and interesting!

Unsurprisingly, there a lot of videos on YouTube that adopt this format.

 

[diega666]

Here's another example of motovlogging without saying a word:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjk_tnxPqo6M0wKU0bIy0Jw

I used to be subscribed to that channel, but I guess I don't agree this is genious...

 

[Guest]

Here's another example of motovlogging without saying a word:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjk_tnxPqo6M0wKU0bIy0Jw

I used to be subscribed to that channel, but I guess I don't agree this is genious...

You can feel the Japanese-ness bleeding through that video. And I mean that in the best of ways with nothing but appreciation for it.

It's not the kind of thing I would watch. But if I owned a dealership, I would have that guy's entire channel on a playlist on repeat just playing on a screen for aesthetics.

 

[Baldbiker]

Here's another example of motovlogging without saying a word:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjk_tnxPqo6M0wKU0bIy0Jw

I used to be subscribed to that channel, but I guess I don't agree this is genious...

So I had a watch of this one, and this is just to analyze a bit, I won't judge or criticize. I found the video calming to watch, and because I am interested in this sort of thing already, I found myself continuing to watch without once finding any particular reason to want to scroll on. It is however, in my opinion, a camping video more than a motovlog. I'm going to try this year to do a few in this style, but more focused on the motorcycle experience while you travel and explore and do things, see things, but put it all together and keep it motorcycle at the same time.

 

[diega666]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not hating the guy or his art, like Adrian said, it's very japanese!
I used to watch those videos, but I don't find them inspiring, I mean, it's not something I can duplicate because it's not me, even I tried once.

 

[Theodor]

...

I liked the video and all (only checked the channel introduction video for now) but I have one question. How is the guy so slim if he eats twice as much as I do?

 

[diega666]

I liked the video and all (only checked the channel introduction video for now) but I have one question. How is the guy so slim if he eats twice as much as I do?

Again... Japanism!

 

[Baldbiker]

I liked the video and all (only checked the channel introduction video for now) but I have one question. How is the guy so slim if he eats twice as much as I do?

I think it's like the birds, you got to keep your body heat up by eating a lot. The guy had nothing but a tarp and a blanket and it was well below freezing! His cup of water was literally frozen in the morning!

 

[Moose M]

Interesting idea (I’d like to look into more of these types of vid) but damn, looks like hard work to me!

 

[Drakhen99]

There was a challenge put out by Bikes, Beards & Brews a few months back that challenged viewers to come up with their own wordless video - I did one for my channel, as did more than a few others. I was the first to respond because as luck would have it, I had worked on something over the summer that I just didn't feel felt right, but it sure as heck answered the call for this challenge! So, I finished editing it and put it up on my channel [link in my sig, it's called "Poison Ivy" if anyone wants to check it out].

I got more than one message/comment asking if I had prior knowledge of the challenge, to which I could truthfully respond, "Nope"

-John