Steve-A
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Posts posted by Steve-A
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I had Fall Guys on my mod, they did weigh lots, but they were also indestructible as far as I could tell.
Similar to Paul Oliver I've also ridden Gusset Jury forks ( no SL so cant comment on those). This particular pair of gusset jurys really were the village bicycle. A local rider used them for 2 years, before Tim Stedman thrashed them for another couple, and snapped lots of frames/bars whilst using them. Then Matt Burrows used them for a year or two, again thrashed the crap out of them. I've used them for 6months, I think some of the other old Worcestershire have used them for a good stint too. This same pair of forks are still gonig strong. But good god are they heavy!
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I've also found the GPS great. As I said in my previous post its not 'sat nav' like you'd have in a car. You cant get it to read instructions to you.
BUT it is full google maps, so you can search places, and see you position with respect to those places, with either road, satellite or hybrid maps. You can get directions to follow from your current location to any destination. So if, for example, you were walking round a new city trying to find a gig venue or something it can give you a line to follow on a map, or a set of directions and as your walking you can see a blue dot that represents you position moving along the map.
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I've got one.
Its great.
I dont have much experiance with any of the LG phones but this is what I can tell you bout living day to day with the iphone.
Its really easy to use, screens good, bright and readable no matter the conditions. Using it as a normal phone is easy enough and works just as well as any other. Texting is great with the touch keyboard, and I love the auto spelling, as it not only corrects for obvious spelling errors, but also for keyslip, that are easily made due to the small keyboard. It was a bit odd to begin with but now I'm used to it, I can type almost as quick as on a normal full size keyboard. The fact that the texts come up in context, kinda like an msn convo for each person is nice, but annoying if your sending texts to multiple people, as it starts a new 'conversation', then when people reply it goes back to their individual ones. Internets great, i find myself picking up the phone and surfing, if i just wanna check train times, or an ebay item, rather than starting up the computer as its there and ready to go right away. Internet speed does vary loads. If your not in the right area and down to 2g network its rather slow, but if your just trying to check train times while on a ride or something still adequate, when I've got good 3g coverage its quite feasible to watch programs on bbc iplayer whilst passenger in a car for example.
I pod works just as well as any other, The headphones can work as hands free, with a small button/microphone blob that hangs by your chin. You can also use this button to skip track, which as I listen on shuffle alot I find useful.
The Maps application works great, really useful for not getting lost, but it isn't a sat nav substitute. As a passenger in a car I can use it to guide the driver, and its really good and useful, but as a driver its useless without someone to operate the map. Largely due to the fact that the phone will sleep after 1 min without a user input (aslong as your not watching video etc)
The camera is 2mp, and there's no video function. To be honest I've not missed it. Although only 2mp the cameras perfectly good in bright light, and the picture taken with camera look great on the screen, which is mostly where camera phone picture belong anyway. Apparently 3rd party developers are making an application that will offer controls for camera, such as exposure, and will offer video recording. Alas there is no flash, which is a pain sometimes, but not often.
Apps from the app store are quite fun. Some of the little games are enough to keep my occupied when bored, and some of the other utility applications are great, such as applications that use the micro phone to listen to music playing and tell you what, pointless but usefull when you wanna know what songs playing in a bar for example, and the apps free. The apps dont really add much value, they are more novelty, but kinda usefull novelty. Its worth reading reviews on app store as quality varies lots.
Battery life is good when not played with, but quickly get used up if playing games surfing the net etc. I thin ki get about a true 4/5 hours of play time, and I've only managed about 2 days not playing trying to test stand by time, at which point it was still showing pretty much full charge. I do worry bout scratching it, so have been more careful than other phones, but its survied a few falls ok.
Thats all I can think of now. Basically I like it, and its usable enouhg day to day that its taken over some of the functions I use my home computer for.
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In BMX, people really do look up to good videographers, and as such, even if the riding's not amazing then it'll usually be edited in a pretty nice way so it's reasonable to watch. It just doesn't seem to happen like that with trials.
I agree with you there. People do look upto good videographers in trials, but its not often a high priority. Its a cultural thing I guess.
As proven by responces in this thread, some riders will openly say all they want is clips of people riding, no filler, no atmosphere. And I can only assume that wit hvideos comprising of this the flashy antics peopel put into their videos to liven things up a bit.
Theres a time and a place for flashy antics, [Rowly] Everyone has to go too far to known that they've gone too far [/Rowly]. Only with experiance can you know whats the bets lien to take in making videos.
Whilst I've been learning to make videos I've been taught many lessons, one I'll allways remember that video editing comes down to taste values. You have to adjust your video to suit the taste of those watching, and every editing and shooting decision you ever make allways comes down to taste.
Talking of which. Heres one of my videos, thats appaulingly flashy. Showing little taste, very ott. None the less its one of my favorites! Ah the joys of beeing 15...(or so)
" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350">Youtube Video ->"> -
I agree with what your saying mark about the practicalities of filming a BMX video and what works best. But I stand by the fact that they are as similar to each other as each TGS clips to metal music video is to the next. I quite like the feel of BMX vids its great, and people pick nice sunny shots to open with because it looks nice, but that doesn't stop it feeling a little dull after a while.
I reason I mentioned trials copying BMX is because thats basically how the thread started, 'why cant trials videos be as cool as this...' in other words.
You must see where I'm coming from about genre specific editing/shooting/direction styles?
There are amateur trials videos that are technically as good as BMX videos like the Mike Mastroni one you posted. But as others have touched on, there's a larger pool of BMX videos to choose from, and I'm sure plenty are as rubbish as most trials videos.
Anyway as you say this isn't about BMX Vs Trials vids. There's no reason trials videos shouldn't be entertaining. Just the current state of trials videos is stagnant and needs shaking up.
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To me Mark that is very similar to the others.
So lets rip it apart. We open with rolling shots, low down fish eye. Now People use these show because they look great some times, so fair enough.
Its nice golden sunshine, friends about, fairly ambient electro/rock song. 9 out of 10 shots fish eye, zoom out as rider approaches, zoom in and whip pan, or zoom to follow as rider goes away from camera. Grungy gritty title graphic, very nicely executed. Also in that video, I felt there was little dynamic change The pace stayed constant , even as the music changed. I watched it through, but I was bored after 1/2 way mark. The riding was cool, and I'd watch the video for the riding, even if the video itself bored me, but thats not the point here.
To me thats the same as every 'good' BMX video. Its the same with most extreme sports. I'm quite into climbing and when I look at climbing videos they are all the same. If its a dvd, open with montage of cool shots, people miles up cliff faces etc. Then travel montage, then try some routes, fall off lots. Have some bloke chat about how this is 'awesome' and how 'stoked' he is on this line, then see him send it. They all follow this pattern. Again with the very popular high saturation and subtle white diffusion thats common place with sports videos of the moment. Now the reason they use white diffusion is that DV and HDV are both compressed formats that end up with very harsh whites, so a bit of white diffusion is often appealing to look at but its mostly over done IMO.
I'm kinda off topic here I guess, but most forms of video have their own style that they settle into. Go watch a bunch of recent horror films they will all use the same treatment etc. its very hard to break the mold and come up with a new way of making a video thats pleasing. I suspect most extreme sports videos follow patterns they do as it has eveolved over many years and is effectivly the best way to convey the 'story' they have to tell. But there's no denying that from an artistic point of view its often dull and monotonous.
To copy BMX videos will never work for trials. What's needed is to find a pattern, to find a style that works for trials, making it both interesting , and have an atmosphere aswell as showing off how big that sidehop really was. So people, go out and create!
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You raise a good point about the filming buddy Matt.
When a video is shot by an individual then it has a consistency to it, even if thats a constant shakey wonky feel
. When a video is shot by lots of randomers, each holding the camera differently, each looking for different things when they look through the view finder, it'll often end up feeling bitty. Finding a camera man who works well with you and your riding, or vice versa, is very important. To carry on using you as an example Matt, you say to you smoothness is key. Even a concept as small as that can be basis that links the whole video and gives it that together feeling. As long as between the rider the camera man and the editor the original vision is kept as a focus for the video. Going back to BMX videos, if you watch a full length DVD each rider has their own style, and if its a good video each segment would be shot and editing slightly different to express the rider more. The techy guys will need a different approach to the guys who are all about going big. Like wise, and obviously, a TGS video needs a very different approach to a streety 24" video.
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While I'm on a roll....
I think another factor is the size of BMX. There are plenty of lame BMX videos about, but they wont get seen by trials riders they will get lost in the BMX forums. So its only really fair to compare the best trials video to them. I know people are mentioning Rowan's videos, now Rowan's a great rider and an awesome guy, but its its riding that keeps those videos afloat. The videos themselves, aren't bad, but they really aren't particularly special. Rowans line,s and choice of lines are what makes those videos. There are a few moving shots and stuff as opposed to just static shots and fish eye, but it doesn't exactly break the mold.
On the subject of BMX videos I just watched those videos people have linked too, and whilst quite nice I stand by my point that they are very formulaic, just as trials videos are. They all have that seem tone and feel. Its different to a trials video, and IMO nicer, but it doesn't stop it feeling repetitive and un-imaginative after a while.
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I watched all the bmx videos in this topic, and to be honest at times i got bored, because there was too much 'pish' - not riding, shots of buildings, sunsets etc. In the middle of a video I do not think this is good, the intro to that 8 min video was almost 2 mins, which to me, is pointless. Im wanting to see a video for the riding. Nothing more.....
Its getting that balance correct which is all important. Too much 'pish' as you put it , is dull and slow to watch, too little and there's no atmosphere. Most people make trials videos as you desire, just clips of riding, and it on whole just doesn't work. There's no sense of attachment to the video, nothing that makes it memorable, or enjoyable. A video like that is just to go wow at the riders, and might aswell be a single move, just the single best move out of the video.
Watch a film. There's a lot of 'pish', its what mostly defines the tone of the film. Now when you hit a big action scene, theres just pure action, but that will probably last for less than a minute before soem sort of break, to once again to define the tone of the scene. Maybe its a fight scene, and they just stop and look at each other, and think. Clsoe up of the eyes, normally a wide showing how much destruction has been caused during the first part of the fight. These are the shots that make the film, not the person hitting the other with a big stick!
I totally agree with you mark. I spose the point I was trying to make is that most people could make a brilliant piece of entertaining trials video, if they took the time to practice and think. But for many this isn't up the list of priorities, the moves are what matters. As as Ben says in the bit I quoted, lots of people in trials just think they want to see move after move. With little care for the cinematography.
Now making the little differences will make the change, and I suggest everyone that makes videos make those changes, but for many thats not important.
Personally, BMX videos get a bit samey. The current trend in extreme sports videos, of any kind, is to push that nice summers day feel. Pretty golden sun shots. Lots of white diffusion and a warm hue. As a photographer you'll realise there are plenty of other ways to make a picture (or moving pictures) look pretty.
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There are quite a few different aspects of videos being discussed here as one, which in all honesty they aren't
One thing that bugs me about trials videos/the forum, is the constant use of the word 'editing' to describe every aspect of video production besides the performance of the rider. Editing is a very distinct part of making a video, but it is only a link in the chain. Anyway back to that later.
First things first: Making videos, good or bad, takes time and effort. And thats not just time spent filming riders, neither is it just time spent by a computer screen in post production. Time needs to be spent on concept, and direction. Most of the best videos, trials or bmx or otherwise, have a good backbone of direction. Some tell a story of a great ride, some tell the story of a riders progression and dedication while show casing their best moves, some just aim to convey the joy of riding a bike. The linking factor is that they all have a direction. Now to make a greta video this cant just be thought of when you come home with a pile of clips, its gotta be know before you start the video. i.e. If your videos all about a joy of riding your going to worry more about catching that nice sunset, and the riders all enjoying them selves, where as if its mostly about show casing a rider you'll worry more about making sure the scale of the moves are captured. Here lies a big difference between most trials videos and BMX, most BMX videos I've seen have allways had a fun enjoyable element. About riders, about lifestyle, and aimed to be pleasing to sit down of an evening and enjoy as a piece of entertainment. Lots of trials videos are purley about showcasing the abilities of a rider, and focus purely on that 50 whatever inch sidehop, not, for example, on how happy joe bloggs was to make that move. Now obviously its much more complicated than that, but you get the idea.
Now making good standard videos takes lots of time, which is why they cost lots of money. A music video for MTV etc will probably take 5 days to plan the shoot, to come up with an idea, to refine the idea. Then 2 days to film. Now when I say days I mean 8/10 hour working days, not a couple of hours a day in the pub having a chat about it. Then it will probably spend 3 days in the edit suite. This to make a 3 minute video. Then a day or so in colour when the brightness, contrast colour balance etc will be adjusted clip by clip to look as good as possible. Thats a lot of hours spent. A really cheap music video will cost about £5k. Now take cheap satellite television. To make a series they will spend upto 6 months planning, then film for 3 days per half hour episode. Then spend 7 working days on each 1/2 hour episode in edit. The cheapest budgest are down to £8/13k per half hour.
Most of the look that people describe as being so good about HDV videos comes down to the colour treatment, and depth of field. It has very little to do with the definition. Go look at a BBC wildlife documentary, or similar where cinematography is almost as important as the subject, and see its shot in standard def, and how fantastic it looks. Now its fair to say that effectivly the HDV cameras do make the videos look better, this is mostly down to the fact that the cameras have bigger lens than your standard DV cam, and so can get more light in, use larger apertures/larger sensors, meaning more DoF, and have onboard colour correction soft wear. You take a DV camera like the large Sony VX2000 that has a large diameter lens and manual aperture control etc, and you will get just as good a picture, once compressed for the internet, as out of the Sony Z1 semi pro HDV camera.
Now if people spent this much time, forget the costs, on their trials videos then they would all look much better I'm sure. But most people just don't have the time, or desire to go into it that deeply.
This is looking at it all from a professional level.
The main issue as far as I can see, is that BMX videos are shot to entertain, and often with a view to look pretty too. Most trials videos are shot to show off the riders latest moves. People just pick up a camcorder and a ride and film their friends. If you film on a grey morning its never going to look as nice as on a lovely summers evening, but will you make that line again on that summers evening? thats your call to make.
If you stop and think before you film, the results will speak for them selves.
As others have said I think constructive criticism is very important. Look at the photography thread. You you read it from start to end you can see the progression of people as photographers. This is mostly down to people saying 'thats nice ,but try this' not ' you suck', or 'wow excellent' at something mediocre. For example I had a long discussion with Ben Rowlands about his latest Porter vid when it was posted, good and bad points were raised, and I think we both went away having a little something else to think about next time either of us make a bike video.
I think I've missed half the point I was going to make in this OBM style essay but I hope people understand what I'm getting at.
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. Sam Jones
2. Danny Kearns
3. Max Hunt
4. Ryan Iley
5. Joe Bayliss
6. Daniel Gunston
7. Carl Stanton
8. Tom Munday
9. Tom Webb
10. George Fathers
11. Nick Goddard
12. Sam Wheeler
13. Chris Mason
14. Allen 'Boumsong' Watson
15. David Biddle + katie
16. Andy B
17. Chris Elson
18. Dan Brooker
19. Dan Steele
20. Ross Gardener
21. Jack Meek
22. Mike Winton (probably!)
23. Dan O'Shea.
24. Rich Jones.
25. Rowan Johns.
26. Adam-Griffin
27. Richard Johnston
28. steve parry(banbury trials)
29. Adam Bessell
30. James Porter
31. Joe Baxter
32. Ash Kennard
33. Chris Abbey
34. Stan Shaw
35. Dan Campbell
36. Mike Crowther
37. Nick Manning
38. Ashley Wood (Woody)
39. Adam Phillips (Bigman)
40. Alex Munro (probably!)
41. Ben Rowlands
42.john shrewsbury
43.Ryan Granaski
44.Alex Foster
45.Alex Clarke
46.Adrian Griffiths
47. Joe Rothwell
48. Chris Page
49. Luke Walder (Moggles)
50.Dave Anscombe (MRKOXX)
51.Tom Jefferies
52. Dave Marshall
53. Matt Purdon (Skoze)
54. Simon Doyle
55. Steve Tse
56. Josh Joyce
57. rob brodie
58. andy ball
59. Michael Singleton
60. Matt Burrows
61. Max Trumpet
62. Tim Stedman
63. Tom Wynne
64. Rich Pearson
65. Stefan Perks
66. Nick Vaughan
67. Connor Powell
68. Brad Thurston
69. Alex Dark
70. Adrian Jordan
71. lloyd brinicombe
72. Max Dench-layton
73. Adam Holt
74. Ben Collins
75. Sam Collins
76. Davetrials
77. Phil williams
78. Rob Cook
79. Tom Lane (Boss)
80. George Holland
81. Rich Garrett
82. Glen Robinson/Fat Pants
83. Craig Taylor (if the cast is off)
84. Danny Swindlehurst ( )
85. Harry Cox (coxy)
86. Tom Chilvers
87. Mark Westlake a.k.a. OBM
88. Tom Gilly
89. Larry Baily
90. Nathan Woodley
91. Matt Bird
92. Fred Judd (scene)
93. Owen Thornhill
94. Dave Walters
95. Ben Johnson (El Pedigroso?]
96. Jon Mack
97. Mat 'Scopse' + Dr. Nick Riviera
98. Benjaminnnnnn John-Hynessss
99. Aussie Dave
100. Luke Rainbird
101. grant hundley
102. tris thompson (jebend)
103. matt bradley (the harshest rider in the world)
104. Adam Read (Tart) & Claire (Probably)
105. Joe Hurst(Bob Fossil)
106. Josh Wood
107. Robbie Bales
108. Stuart Powney
109. Ben Murray (provisionally. He's the other rider from around here)
110. Ryan Blackwell
111. Shane barrett
112. Felix steward
113. Sam WAddington (Waddy)
114. Dave Cleaver (Inspired/Trialtech bad boy)
115. Tim Hill
116. graham morland aka Nezza'
117. Steve Atterbury
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Thanks again for the nice comments.
Jonny, the clam shell is kinda like a camcorder with out the camera, lol. It is battery powered takes mini dv tapes and has a small monitor it has various inputs, the one I was using has s video, component and composite, and it allows you to record a 'live' video signal onto a dv tape. I've attached a picture of the sortta thing I mean though the ones i was using were a little more battered and old than the one in the pic! It worked well but in the end with batteries and all ended up quite heavy. The picture quality of a camera like that is much better than lots of these small bullet cams that you get. At work we've used them for lots of in-car shots and shots from wings of planes and helicopters, and the quality is good enough for broadcast. I'm working for i2i television (www.i2i.tv) who are a small to mid sized independent production company who mostly do leisure television for channels like discovery real time/home and leisure.
I was very luck to be able to blag whatever I want of the equipment thats hanging about and use the edit suits to help make videos nowadays.
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Heres a short video I've been working on, on and off, since the autumn. Its Tim Stedman and Matt Burrows riding Clee Hill. There's not too much riding dues to us getting raining off basically and then struggling to find another time to film but its still watchable I think.
Its much better to download it, its 27mbs and the quality is sooo much better than trials tube. I dont think it liked my codecs, its a .mov so you will need quicktime.
Enjoy (hopefully!)
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Title says it all really. I've uploaded all my old videos right back to the first one I ever made. I thought I'd post incase anyone was feeling nostalgic.
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Fresh start.....
Maybe even some riding soon!
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We'll have to go climb sometime Mr Haydon.
I've still kept up with the climbing, thuogh shockingly I've been out on the bike once or twice recelty meaning I havent got out to as much real rock as I'd like.
Lead f. 6b at a crag near Llangollen over the weekend which I was pleased with, as I've neglected leading for a while and have been spending all my time bouldering. Wanna be leading f. 7a outdoors by start of next summer.
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Looking good mike!
Cool video to watch , really good atmosphere. After watching it I wanna ride, havent felt like that for months
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haha yeh. I might even go out saturday as rock will probably be too wet to climb after fridays predicted downpour!
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Just thuoght I'd post a few of the clips I had filmed for Steve-A6, that probably will never happen. I'm not riding much at all due to job/climbing. I posted it for rich_87 in the pic pics thread but just thuoght I'd put it up here too.
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There you go Rich, a very rough selection of clips that were gonna be in the video that never got finished: eengoedidee.nl
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1. Sam Jones
2. Bigman
3. Trials Commentator
4. Ash-kennard
5. Ghetto Rider
6. fugigas
7. monkeyseemonkeydo
8. Scopse
9. Quakers
10. Davenorfolk
11. Davetrials
12. Mission_Reefer_Rider
13. TeamWarRider
14. Derf
15. dan_cpu
16. Chris Abbey
17. Mike Crowther
18. Adam bessell
19. Danny Kearns
20. Chris Walford
21. john shrewsbury
22. riley
23. Pedrosa J
24. Lushey (NMC)
25. Ben Jones
26. Nick Manning + gf
27. Matt Burrows
28. Sam "Samwell" Hewitt
29. Joe Elding
30. Mark Westlake
31. Tom Chilvers
32. Tim Arnold
33. T-limburn
34. Sheringham_trials
35. Ross Gardner
36. Martin Grainger
37. Joe White
38. Oli Lewis
39. gr8grumble
40. tim h
41. tomj (nmc)
42. Michael Singleton
43. Prawny Baby
44. Prawny Babys Baby
45. Paul Oliver
46. George Seamons
47. Jonny Jones
48. Dan Jones
49. mowgli
50. adamgriffin3-if iv got my BB by then lol
51. James Porter
52. Jack Harmer (harmertrials)
53. Callum stickland (uniboy)
54. titty boy
56. lil marc
56.5-ben buckett
57.new bike
58. Phil Williams
59. mike carlin (sexymike)
60. Cj lang
61. Joe Baxter
62. Joe Rothwell
63. Simon
64. Brendan
65. Adrian Jordan ~ hes bikeless though
66. Manuel
67. Dan O'Shea
68. Rich Jones
69. Josh Joyce
70. Andrew Chai
71. Ben Cox
72. Dave85
73. Boumsong
74. EchoOz
75. ZooPhython!
76. Clownbike - aka Neil Chana
77. Stevyn - aka Stevyn
78. Stephen Atterbury (maybe but working on it lift wise.)
79. Joe Dickinson (maybe also depending on if he can get the car for saturday, see above!)
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Look up www.400greybike.co.uk
Its a site dedicatec to the 400cc jap imports and there will be information on there for you. Its been in valuable for my VFR. Probs should have asked this in the motorbike pic thread really as its kinda turned inot a general bikes thread.
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I'll ignore your blaspheming nick, on this time only.
Spot on. I spent about 4/5 months on my 125, from riding as a learner on day to day basis, through my test then untill i bought a bigger bike. During this time if I was on my current bike (500cc enduro/tourer type affair) then I would have crashed about 10 times over, but the 125 was so forgiving beeing light, small and ot overly powerfull. I remeber one time in particular when i misjudged some diesel on the road and locked the front wheel at about 30, I just stabbed my foot down and sketched my way thruoh on my 125, on my 500 I KNOW I would have been on the floor.passing your test on a 125 then jumping onto a massive bike with only the road experience from your CBT and bike test (an absolutely marginal amount) just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.To be fair mate I think your lookngi at this all wrong. If you must buy a bike now, then get a 50 or maybe a 125. If you buy relitivly new and look after it then you hold get similar back when you sell it on, and can upgrade as time and experiance goes by.
the two i have ridden, one being a millier replica 06 model i didnt get on with them in the slightest haha, i think thier riding possition is AWFULL!Just a word of warning, if your silly enuogh to go buy an R6 or similar now. The riding positions on most sports bikes will be very similar to the rs50, they are all very crouched, with low bars, and high feet, so an R6 or 748 wouldn't be much better, possibly worse.
Chris Akrigg
in Videos
Posted
That was great.
I love how much control and precision must go into the riding, that seems so fast and flowing. Truly man and machine working as one. I really like the way he's pushing his riding, pushing the boundaries of what can be done without stopping. Maybe he will find ways to do moves, that people normally do with brakes, faster and smoother than possibly before. One things for sure it is great to watch.
I think it was thousands of times better than the first brakeless video, for 3 reasons. The intro to the first video was too long and drawn out. I can see what they were trying to do, but it just didn't work. Secondly plenty of bmx/street MTB riders could do pretty much all the lines in the first video, they were impressive for a trials bike, but not impossibly by any means. The third and final reason, the biggest in my eyes, is that most of the moves in the first video didn't really require any/much brakes. In this video a good 50% of the lines would be considered impossible brakeless by pretty much everyone.
This video is the true progression and inspiration that the first brakeless video didn't quite manage.