Just one of those days?

[Slorida]

So, I'm editing through some tour videos, a tour that failed pretty badly in various ways, and maybe it is just wearing me down a little going back through it all, but the latest video I'm doing just seems really crap.

Don't get me wrong, I think most of my videos are terrible, but I console myself with the notion that I'm not doing this as a career so who cares, but this one just feels really bad for no particular reason, maybe it's overly long, maybe I don't talk enough, maybe nothing really happens, I don't know.

I guess what I'm wondering is, is this something everyone goes through, or is it just me?

 

[R-Rated]

So, I'm editing through some tour videos, a tour that failed pretty badly in various ways, and maybe it is just wearing me down a little going back through it all, but the latest video I'm doing just seems really crap.

Don't get me wrong, I think most of my videos are terrible, but I console myself with the notion that I'm not doing this as a career so who cares, but this one just feels really bad for no particular reason, maybe it's overly long, maybe I don't talk enough, maybe nothing really happens, I don't know.

I guess what I'm wondering is, is this something everyone goes through, or is it just me?

That feeling can happen. A search of the internet shows even professional editors run into it.

You can always set the project aside and move on to something else. Maybe later you will feel differently about what is there and go in a different direction.

I remember years ago some big creator that got big by making videos how to become a big creator (ironic how that works right?) Anyway, Capt. Success had a video explaining at some point he has to cut off the time and effort he puts into whatever video he is doing and just put it out there so he can move on to the next project.

I am not 100% sold on the advice like that but I do look at making a video like this:

First, if you really feel inspired to go a certain way with your editing, filming, and/or topic then do it! You matter more than any viewer.

Second, if the first premise is not that strong as in you really are not 110% fired up about the video but still think it is good then balance what time you have to put into editing with what kind of payoff you anticipate. It is better to be pleasantly surprised by a result of what you thought a so-so video would be than to invest all kinds of time and effort into edit only to have it perform average or less. Then you end up thinking of how you could of spent that time riding or other cool motorcycle stuff.

Finally, if you really are just putting something out just to stick to a schedule and not disappoint your followers or the algorithm then why not just go totally ironic with it? A good example is I was part of a group project at work where we needed to make a presentation for a really bigshot.

There were going to be other presentations in the same session. So we went totally satirical to the point of poking a little fun. The result was we ended up getting some really positive recognition for our truly half-arsed wise cracking ironic performance because all the management either did not get the joke or they did and really could relate.

I hope this advice helps.

 

[Theodor]

I have definitely had moments like this, where something does not want to come out. I have thought trying to pour the depressive emotions in to the video, but that has not worked out either.
Make a rough cut and set it aside. If at some point you feel you could make something out of it, return to it. But some projects are destined to never be shown.

 

[Hippo-Drones]

I've absolutely had moments like that... I think this can be a more common issue on multi-day trips as something doesn't happen that is exciting every day, and some days on a big trip, you'll not be in the right mood to vlog. It can also happen on short spins out on a bike, and has done many times for me, where I get home and absolutely hate what I recorded... when it is just from a short spin, I tend to just bin it off.
Regarding multi-day trips like your tours, remember that the audience does not know how long you were gone for, what routes you took and often don't notice continuity errors so if you dislike it that much and don't feel it adds to the series, bin it and work on the next days video.

 

[Slorida]

Thanks guys,

That feeling can happen. A search of the internet shows even professional editors run into it.

You can always set the project aside and move on to something else. Maybe later you will feel differently about what is there and go in a different direction.

I remember years ago some big creator that got big by making videos how to become a big creator (ironic how that works right?) Anyway, Capt. Success had a video explaining at some point he has to cut off the time and effort he puts into whatever video he is doing and just put it out there so he can move on to the next project.

I am not 100% sold on the advice like that but I do look at making a video like this:

First, if you really feel inspired to go a certain way with your editing, filming, and/or topic then do it! You matter more than any viewer.

Second, if the first premise is not that strong as in you really are not 110% fired up about the video but still think it is good then balance what time you have to put into editing with what kind of payoff you anticipate. It is better to be pleasantly surprised by a result of what you thought a so-so video would be than to invest all kinds of time and effort into edit only to have it perform average or less. Then you end up thinking of how you could of spent that time riding or other cool motorcycle stuff.

Finally, if you really are just putting something out just to stick to a schedule and not disappoint your followers or the algorithm then why not just go totally ironic with it? A good example is I was part of a group project at work where we needed to make a presentation for a really bigshot.

There were going to be other presentations in the same session. So we went totally satirical to the point of poking a little fun. The result was we ended up getting some really positive recognition for our truly half-arsed wise cracking ironic performance because all the management either did not get the joke or they did and really could relate.

I hope this advice helps.

I guess there is a point at which continuing to edit becomes pointless or self defeating, when the video is as good as it is going to get, even if you don't like it, so maybe that is what Capt. Success is meaning, stop wasting time and energy at that point.

I'll certainly look at those thoughts for future videos. I think the problem might be that I had this grand plan for the tour I was on and things just went badly from the start and now maybe my mind is thinking it was a bad idea to start making the videos because I can't achieve that grand plan, I don't know. It's all a learning experience at this point.

I have definitely had moments like this, where something does not want to come out. I have thought trying to pour the depressive emotions in to the video, but that has not worked out either.
Make a rough cut and set it aside. If at some point you feel you could make something out of it, return to it. But some projects are destined to never be shown.

Yeah, I've put stuff aside, deleted footage, and even gone out and recorded again in some cases, the latter option really isn't an option here though.

I've absolutely had moments like that... I think this can be a more common issue on multi-day trips as something doesn't happen that is exciting every day, and some days on a big trip, you'll not be in the right mood to vlog. It can also happen on short spins out on a bike, and has done many times for me, where I get home and absolutely hate what I recorded... when it is just from a short spin, I tend to just bin it off.
Regarding multi-day trips like your tours, remember that the audience does not know how long you were gone for, what routes you took and often don't notice continuity errors so if you dislike it that much and don't feel it adds to the series, bin it and work on the next days video.

I think the continuity issue would annoy me more than anyone else , which in itself is a problem, but one only I can solve. I guess there is an element of things happening quite early in the trip and then suddenly that is done and it's just another day on the bike, maybe that's one part of the problem. It doesn't feel quite right in the series but it's how it happened.

 

[LoneWolfer]

I have an entire trip from when I turned 40 up to whee the Connecticut River starts on the border of Canada and the US in New Hampshire that I have yet to make a single usable video from. Just cant seem to find the best way to handle it and it feels like an epic fail of an tire week of footage.

 

[Drakhen99]

I have this happen from time to time... and I've done videos on it. But the gist is, mindset is of the utmost importance when you're editing. Even if you don't think a video is very good, set it aside, take a break, do whatever, and come back to it later - you might surprise yourself.

I had 2 videos like that, and I went out and recorded a video about deleting them... only to edit THAT video a month later, which required clips from the first 2. I was churning through those 2 videos' worth of footage and realized they weren't as bad as I first thought - and they both ended up doing fairly well for my channel!

If you had a couple of days where you didn't say much, turn it into a montage and set it to music, or do a voiceover. If your face isn't visible in frame, you can easily do this without being off-putting to the viewer.

Now, as to editing time... I did a 4-day trip this year [first ever] and recorded... but I found that I recorded less and less each day, to the point where the first 2 days were a long video each, and the 3rd & 4th days made one solid video. I was editing each day, trying to figure out what I could cut and what had to stay, when I said to myself:

"This is important to me. I want to remember ALL these moments"

At that point, the videos became what they are, and I'm proud of having gone on the trip, the experiences I had, and the resulting videos. So what if they're long, have low CTRs and AVDs? Along the lines of what @R-Rated said, if you're documenting a trip for yourself, YOU are the viewer - so make the video YOU would watch again.

I can't tell you how many times I laughed, smiled, and cringed while watching through that footage and the resulting videos. They're some of my finest work, and I know that... and that's all that matters.

-John

 

[MotoWolfUK]

So, I'm editing through some tour videos, a tour that failed pretty badly in various ways, and maybe it is just wearing me down a little going back through it all, but the latest video I'm doing just seems really crap.

Don't get me wrong, I think most of my videos are terrible, but I console myself with the notion that I'm not doing this as a career so who cares, but this one just feels really bad for no particular reason, maybe it's overly long, maybe I don't talk enough, maybe nothing really happens, I don't know.

I guess what I'm wondering is, is this something everyone goes through, or is it just me?

I have moments like that with almost all my videos. I edit all my videos on my phone because my PC can’t do it and as such I’m always wondering if my videos are below average, along with a somewhat cheap camera compared to the average person too.

But then I think I’m doing it for fun and not expecting to make money from it. Some of my favourite channels are unprofessional too so…

Now my weirdest thing personally is sometimes I feel like an imposter for some reason but maybe it’s because I’m still somewhat new to posting stuff online haha

 

[Drakhen99]

I have moments like that with almost all my videos. I edit all my videos on my phone because my PC can’t do it and as such I’m always wondering if my videos are below average, along with a somewhat cheap camera compared to the average person too.

But then I think I’m doing it for fun and not expecting to make money from it. Some of my favourite channels are unprofessional too so…

Now my weirdest thing personally is sometimes I feel like an imposter for some reason but maybe it’s because I’m still somewhat new to posting stuff online haha

I totally get the imposter thing - most recent occurrence: people messaging ME about the Hero 12 and saying they're waiting on MY review before buying. Like, whoah, who am *I* that you should wait for MY opinion? WILD!

BUT, just the other day, I did a ride with [spoiler alert] 5 GoPros. 7 cameras were involved for 1 video. It's nuts. And I am just about pulling my hair out with the color grading. Some of the cameras' footage look great, some look like garbage after my color grade. So, I spent like 2 hours starting from scratch to color grade one camera's look, trying to match the others.

I stopped editing for the day, and took those cameras and set them to GoPro Color profile. Came back to it last night... and it looks pretty good with my color grade, so now I'm re-thinking the switch in color profiles. Ugh.

-John

 

[R-Rated]

But then I think I’m doing it for fun and not expecting to make money from it.

That is the best way to look at it.