Learning the ins and outs of video production is an exercise in human nature.
For example, did you know that some pretty savvy video editors recommend you don’t make any one clip part of your video longer than about 20 seconds? That’s right, while you might be watching a thing and it’s entertaining and seemingly continuous, there are a ton of “cuts” of little video pieces. Suck your brain in, never able to stop, always grabbing on to the next set of visual stimulation.
Studying the street style of these guys. Over a million subscribers, quirky and entertaining:
But that’s not even the point.
The point is, we’re hopelessly spoiled by close-up. How can real life compete with the explosions and hero-ness of the latest Hollywood action thriller? Or the emotional Rollercoaster of Game of Thrones? (yes, just recently was introduced to that one)
Or the instant validation and voyeurism of a Facebook browsing session?
Or the psychologically well refined video editing of a zillion clips on YouTube?
Real life can’t compete.
I went to the park this weekend. I forcibly exile myself from screens, from e-mail, from smartphones. I feel the pull, after a few hours all I want is the warm glow of my laptop screen. Odds are that you too are in a similar boat.
Jake’s face, when exiled to the park.
Step one is to admit you have a problem.
Or not. I’m not going to. What you want to do though is realize that your eyes need distance time, and your brain needs to not be spoiled like a small child, with all that crazy input from the Facebooks and YouTubes.
Not to get too far out there, but you can’t be 14 hours a day in close-up mode.
Budget your close-up the way you budget your weekend beer consumption, or your fast food indulgences, or your discretionary spending on shoes or gadgets. The first step really, is to realize that close-up needs to be used in moderation.
Sure, we get into lots of tricks to make that eight hours of (mandatory because you have a job so you can buy Jake’s Web programs) .. close-up feel more like four hours. I’ve got neat tricks to help protect your yes, no question.
But still. Think about some real world stuff you could be adding to your life. Less close-up time.
—
Above a shot from the park, whilst working out how to shoot video in outdoor settings. It’s becoming clear to me that we’ve got a long way to go before I’ll be able to properly regale you with video versions of these blog posts.
Go outside!
Cheers,
– Jake
