On the most recent trip up to Aviemore I made the video above, as well as some short video diaries which probably provide a better idea of the off-piste snow conditions if you are interested. You can find them on my YouTube channel.
I would welcome any criticism on the video(s), and any speculation about the scottish ski season ahead!
This year I am going to use an HD camera and I know I need to plan the shots a bit more, but any advice for future ski movies is gratefully received.
I first went skiing in Scotland when I was 18. I am 20 now and have been three times, always travelling with friends.
I have taught some of my friends to ski on Cairngorm mountain and I am very fond of the place. No matter how changeable the weather, highland skiing has always offered me a thrill that is hard to come by in an alpine super-resort. 2010 saw Cairngorm mountain receive huge amounts of snow, so much that the roads below the resort had to be dug out of more than a meter of wind-packed snow and the funicular railway was swamped by 7 meter high snow drifts. The loch at the bottom of the mountain was frozen over and disguised by thick snow from mid-december until mid-march, and that's 400 meters lower in altitude than the lowest pistes. Cairngorm can be a fantastic place to ski, I just hope it's as good this year!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nicely done.
You can obviously tell how happy you are there. That comes across straight away.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I liked it - though I'm not sure the food and drink would encourage skiing in Scotland
I don't know anything about making videos, but as you say, some of the shots could be better planned. However, an enjoyable video and your love for skiing in the area is certainly conveyed! I also agree with espri, that it would be better without the, not particularly appetising, shots of food and drink
As an 'older' person I wonder if slightly more variety in age of participants in the video might help you to inform a wider range of snow lovers of joys of skiing in Scotland?
A group of snowHeads have already arranged a weekend trip to Scotland in March, hopefully to ski if there is enough snow, and if so it will be my first time skiing in Scotland. We're really looking forward to it and your video has served to add to my enthusiasm!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 23-11-10 21:41; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
GeorgeJ, good stuff. Accurate portrayal.
I'd suggest adding:
- a speeded up drive up the ski road from Aviemore to the main car park
- the apres scene in Aviemore
- wildlife... reindeer, ptarmigan, instructors
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Too quick with the screen changes. It became annoying and I gave up after 26 secs.
THen reviewed it because you are a . However, if it was just a standard yahchoob vid I'd have turned off. I dont have vid experience but a friend is a cameraman ofr TV2 in Norway and does skydiving movies. He has a monimum of 5 secs before a change
Cheers
Bob
After all it is free
After all it is free
Nice to see the Skiing Doo is still going. I thought the sound track irritating - but that may just be because I am unbelievably old. The light was a little flat - if you can shoot in something better that would be good. Even so, I enjoyed the video, and agree generally with Bode Swiller.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I agree that the planning needs to be better, if you are trying to encourage people they don't want to see huge bare patches on the piste!
It would also be good to find a couple of slightly more competant skiers, there were a few moments where their positioning was questionable in relation to the other skiers.
I would agree with the flicking about, less of it please!
Not a bad start though, good luck!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
skiing-doo is going great guns, was taken over a couple of years ago. The downstairs bar ("doo below") is the in place these days for the apres hill workers, instructors.
be good to see some footage away from the ski area, even if only a quick pano of the plateaux from the summit or something in sneachda - both of which are pretty easy to get on a nice day without being to much of an adventure
keep at it - another shout for trying to bag some wildlife - the ptarmies are hard to spot but usually plentiful - there are a few favourite spots where you've a good chance of seeing them (happy to pm it if you want). Also mountain hares - particulalry in spring conditions, and of course also mentioed the reindeer - you see them on the ski road quite often but there are also a couple of likely spots further up the hill within / near the ski area where they chillax sometimes
one terrific shot (similar to Bode Swiller's suggestion) would be a dark morning get up early, get high onto the fiacaill ridge and shoot the traffic / headlights coming into the car park - then publish it speeded up / time lapse - on the right morning you could get the same shot of the cars coming from down at Glenmore, along the loch
you get occasional chicas skiing about in mini-kilts - follow them
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
achilles wrote:
Even so, I enjoyed the video, and agree generally with Bode Swiller.
blimey
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Haven't seen the video yet - lunchbreak at work and Youtube etc is blocked by the IT Police.....
Being a keen photographer and former (1990s) camcorder owner, I've often thought I'd like to do some ski videos - but haven't a clue where to start. Can anyone recommend a Noddy guide to basic editing, adding music etc
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Looks fun. Needs more talent.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
what the others have said and change the music plastic bertrand didnt sound too go in my time when i was young and still does nt do it for me now
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Nice vibe to it, skiing not up too much for me for what I like in a ski vid but you were having fun which it is all about
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
GeorgeJ wrote:
My aim is to inform other snow lovers of the joys of skiing in Scotland, and also to get a bit of constructive criticism on my ski videos!
1. Never show rubbish skiers in a vid.
2. Only show closeups of peachy chix.
3. Only film on a bluesky day.
4. Play cooler music.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
People will never know it's Scotland from that!
You need:
Mud
People inspecting skis that have been trashed by rocks
Wind. Lots and lots of wind.
Drag lifts. Everyone loves a drag lift, especially boarders.
Road repairs on the route up, preferably with traffic lights that make you wait 15 minutes even though nothing comes the other way but everyone waits obediently.
More mud.
Oh and for the music, we want the pipes. We all love the pipes.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Not for me I'm afraid. Maybe one to share with your friends
1. Never show rubbish skiers in a vid.
2. Only show closeups of peachy chix.
3. Only film on a bluesky day.
4. Play cooler music.
5. Never listen to know-it-alls
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
+1
glasgowcyclops wrote:
Too quick with the screen changes. It became annoying and I gave up after 26 secs.
THen reviewed it because you are a . However, if it was just a standard yahchoob vid I'd have turned off. I dont have vid experience but a friend is a cameraman ofr TV2 in Norway and does skydiving movies. He has a monimum of 5 secs before a change
My aim is to inform other snow lovers of the joys of skiing in Scotland, and also to get a bit of constructive criticism on my ski videos!
1. Never show rubbish skiers in a vid.
2. Only show closeups of peachy chix.
3. Only film on a bluesky day.
4. Play cooler music.
lol 2 true
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Whitegold wrote:
GeorgeJ wrote:
My aim is to inform other snow lovers of the joys of skiing in Scotland, and also to get a bit of constructive criticism on my ski videos!
1. Never show rubbish skiers in a vid.
2. Only show closeups of peachy chix.
3. Only film on a bluesky day.
4. Play cooler music.
1. Agreed. Most of the footage I got was of my two friends who I was teaching to ski. They are very confident considering how little time they spent skiing, unfortunately they were not always keen to take my camera or were just rubbish at filming when they did! I am heading to austria in a few weeks with one of them, who is buying an HD camcorder (I am getting one too) and has also been working on his freestyle at the snowdome, so hopefully some good shots will arise from that.
2. Watch some porn.
3. Easier said than done. New camera should make shots look better though.
4. This is purely based on opinion. I am trying to copy the modern ski movie style of cutting clips in time to funky, sometimes unusual modern music. A lot of movies out there use hip hop or electronic kinds of music. Also I am limited in what music I can use because a lot of well known stuff is automatically blocked on youtube due to copyrights.
For those who said they might prefer longer shots, I actually made a short video log each evening during the trip just to show what we were getting up to. They contain longer clips that have not been edited as much, I literally just knocked the videos up in a few minutes while we were sitting round with a beer. They are really just made with myself and my friends in mind, so I'm not sure if other people will find them interesting or not. Feel free to have a look, they are on my youtube channel. Look for the videos with the vaguely witty star wars-themed names.
After all it is free
After all it is free
GeorgeJ, I don't think the weird ElectroEastern-Rock fusion works if you're trying to appeal to the mainstream. Would be more suited to my taste with a remix of a more mainstream song.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Bode Swiller wrote:
achilles wrote:
Even so, I enjoyed the video, and agree generally with Bode Swiller.
blimey
It has to happen sometimes.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
GeorgeJ, I just watched it for the third time. In a minute and a half you've captured the essence of Aviemore and Cairngorm. The music is a bit eclectic but it somehow suits. Main thing is it's REAL, nothing staged or phony (how long would Whitegold have to wait for his bluesky days and tarts to show up before he ran out of dosh and things to pontificate about?)
You kicked off with
Quote:
My aim is to inform other snow lovers of the joys of skiing in Scotland
and I think you've done it pretty well actually. Even shaky camera work can be entertaining. Bit of time lapse of satanic clouds & sun & rain dancing across Loch Morlich shot from the Ptarmigan would work.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Also.. its a ski edit, not a film
/anal
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Quote:
Main thing is it's REAL, nothing staged or phony
You kicked off with
Quote:
My aim is to inform other snow lovers of the joys of skiing in Scotland
and I think you've done it pretty well actually.
I agree with Bode Swiller. The clip brought back memories to me. Whether it would encourage folk to ski in Scotland is another matter but it does show the joys!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
GeorgeJ wrote:
A lot of movies out there use hip hop or electronic kinds of music. Also I am limited in what music I can use because a lot of well known stuff is automatically blocked on youtube due to copyrights.
Use Vimeo, Better quality (as long as you aren't uploading more that one vid a week, if you are you can pay for premier membership) and they don't shut you down for using songs. As a rule of thumb I would always list the artists and songs used at the end of the vid (you may have done this, I didn't watch it the whole way through)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
GeorgeJ, have a look at this video of boarding/skiing in Scotland last season, posted on winterhighland.com
This video is called "F*CK PISTES" and it was filmed in Mayrhofen, Austria.
I strongly suggest that you watch it in glorious 720p HD, otherwise a lot of the shots simply don't look as good.
As always, constructive criticism is welcomed, but you should probably watch it through twice before you make your judgement.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. However, if it was just a standard yahchoob vid I'd have turned off. I dont have vid experience but a friend is a cameraman ofr TV2 in Norway and does skydiving movies. He has a monimum of 5 secs before a change
