My (Airsoft) Youtube Videos

[iAcorn]

Hi guys!

 

I put together a quick video of some of the footage I shot on Saturday. I hope you enjoy it:

 

http://t.co/Q0qxWdXE

 

This was the first time I have used a GoProHD Hero 2, I'm happy I got the angle right as it was sitting square on my head above my eyes. Only problem was the sun. It was a beautiful (but cold) day, even though it p*ssed it down overnight up until 9am. The sun is really low at this time of year and most of the time I was fighting towards it, that's why there are huge lens flares. There is no way to correct this without clouds (right?). There are more videos up on my channel but I will only be posting in this topic for new airsoft videos I put up.

[Airsoft-Ed]

Nerf the sun, DICE.

 

Haha love the comments.

[iAcorn]

Yeah, that was one of my friends. I actually would have put money on him saying that! Or at least somebody saying that. But seriously the sun is way OP at this time of year

 

I have a longer edit which is about 10 minutes but the sun is just... awkward. It ruins a lot of the shots. And I ran out of battery when the light conditions were getting better for recording

[Airsoft-Ed]

It's kinda hard to get this across without sounding like I'm flaming you, or most airsoft video... people, for that matter. But bear with me, I'm cool with what everyone else does, I just want to try and outline what I think about filming airsoft. This is just my added disclaimer that I've come back to write after writing everything that's going to come afterwards lol.

I don't hate the video!

 

If I'm totally honest I never really watch airsoft videos, I don't think they ever properly convey what's happening, they're always an assortment of highlights and they often have music playing over the sound.

 

I'm not knocking you by pointing out you've done what I'm saying I dislike, I know other people like that, but if we make the comparison with gaming, for example. Everyone who watches gaming videos knows that it's a game they're watching, so there are certain connotations attached, only gamers are going to watch it anyway, so they're going to know what's going on either because they've played the game, or because the game shares a lot of similar conventions with other games.

 

The rules and game areas of BF3 for instance, people get to know them, the rules are clear, it's easy to see what's happening because everything the players sees, the viewer sees as well, because the screen view is the only view there is.

 

Now back to airsoft videos, it's nothing but a string of confusion in comparison, the viewers and person recording both see and hear different things because of the limitations of the camera, the rules of the game aren't clear cut they change depending on the site, it's not just capture the flag or attack and defend, or conquest/rush/TDM etc etc.

 

I try to leave my videos as uncut as possible and try and make sure the viewer is 100% informed, because I just think airsoft videos are lame. I watch Scoutthedoggie and I just sit there thinking that's it's all just for the guns... and it doesn't even show them off well, you learn nothing about them apart from what they look like, then there's the general feeling that I don't know what's happening, I can see the people pulling the trigger and the shots coming in at them, but I have no idea what's going on, I can't see what they're pointing at or being shot at from, it's just boring to watch once you get over the 'shiny shiny guns' aspect of it.

 

I don't even know if my videos pull off what I intend, because obviously I was there when they were filmed so I fully know what's going on, I still think there's probably things I overlooked, that I think are just obvious but to other people might not be, so I don't mention, so people still end up a little dazed and confused etc etc.

 

In short I think that filming airsoft for what it is simply isn't something many people are going to watch, it either needs spicing up, dramatising, or to come across as educational and explain every single little intricate thing there is to tell.

 

I go for the latter because I've never known anyone else do it and I prefer to watch people play games and film the entire process, that why I love watching 1.5 hour long Project Reality matches from beginning to end, I doubt other people do, but it's what I try to recreate with my videos.

You've gone for, at least this time around, the spice it up option, with music and a mashup of highlights, then there's the dramatising, which I guess is basically just movie making with airsoft guns as props lol.

 

I guess the challenge is finding an audience, then you can either please them to grow the audience, or just keep plodding on, doing what you do until the audience stumbles across you.

 

Yeah... Don't really know where I was going with any of that, but hopefully everyone that reads it can sort of see where I'm coming from and take something from it? Lol.

[iAcorn]

Ed, dont worry. I feel the same way. I have a plan for my airsoft videos and it's going to take a lot of time to get my first idea out there. It's going to require learning a lot of new editing techniques and getting the perfect game to use for footage. My estimated time for this is sometime next year. Maybe even March when it gets warmer and I have gotten better at playing. For now I just wanted to test the camera I got as I will be using it for skiing in Feb of next year also. And skiing videos just look beautiful with a Go Pro!

 

This video I have put up is meant to introduce most people who follow my channel to a hobby of mine I have picked up. Like I said I had a longer version but I dont know if that will ever see the light of day because of the reasons you said. Thats why the video is a minute and a half. Short, to the point and gets across everything I wanted it to

 

The airsoft videos of actual game footage I watch are few. I think yours and Khan-Seb are the only ones I really watch. I prefer CQC games so the action and point of the game will be easier to understand and see when it's recorded. Sometimes I cant see what people are shooting at in open games. Basically I have a plan

[Airsoft-Ed]

Well I'll keep checking back, so keep me posted lol

[iAcorn]

I'll be recording a game or two from tomorrows skirmish. I will have some videos up either the next day (if it is the next day then it will be a teaser/short), and/or on Tuesday or something. I had the idea of doing a minimap but the editing in that would be HUGE, and I have no idea how to animate it. But the rest of the things I have planned I can do easy

 

Wish there was a photographer at my site :'(

[Airsoft-Ed]

I was thinking of doing an animated mini-map as well. Not so much a real time BF3-in-the-corner style map, but more of a periodic, positional update style map. Kinda like in Frankie's DayZ videos.

 

But as you said, I like you, have no freakin' idea how on earth to even begin thinking about how I'd do that. My video editing skills go as far as adding text and that's about it.

[iAcorn]

I only recorded two games today. It was at the open field site instead of the urban CQC (which I prefer) and there was around 10 people to start with, which dropped to 7 at lunch time. It was a fun and more tactical day though I will try and whip something together in the next few days but it wont be as good as what it could have been.

 

I was thinking about adding red dots on the map to people who I knew where there. Almost like a BF3 minimap... but done real bad Anyways thanks for watching. Next airsoft game for me is next year I think.

[iAcorn]

Uploaded:

 

Still got some more work to do on the HUD, but that's for next year at Honiley I guess... Enjoy

[Airsoft-Ed]

Wow, I really love what you've added, gun and magazine count is an awesome idea - Really reminds me of an old Konami game called The Regiment for the PC - and the red out when you're hit as well. What's the thing in the top right meant to be though?

 

The hitmarker things don't really work that well, I think it'd be better if you added a crosshair on the screen that covers/follows the target whenever you've got someone sighted, then/or put the hitmarker graphic over that. Or, if you just put a little message at the bottom; iAcorn >MP5SD< Soandso or something like that, like when you get a kill on Battlefield.

 

I wish I could do this to my videos, but I don't think iMovie allows you to do anything close to this technical =[ lol.

[iAcorn]

I did want to change the hitmarker into something more obvious, and add a kill feed. I need to learn how to do stuff properly, which takes time of course. I don't use anything other than Adobe Premiere Pro to do this. I edited the graphics online using Lightshot, it's basically photoshop but online. It's awesome!

 

The top right is an insignia/pin/watermark for my channel. It's just to make sure that nobody steals my videos as it happens a lot in the gaming community now. If somebody does decide to steal, the credit for me would be obvious, or they would have to skew the footage somehow.

 

It is possible to do some of these things in iMovie... but it's awkward and involves rendering out the footage several times.

 

For the next video I will improve the weapon image, and only show it at the start of spawning and when swapping to and from my secondary. I also want to have smaller magazine icons and have one for each mag. So a total of 7 MP5 mags at the bottom right. Same with my side-arm which will show instead when in use (which I have three magazines for).

 

So yeah, the next one should be better. Thanks for your feedback

[iAcorn]

Highlights of yesterday is up. There will be a longer and properly edited version lasting 10 to 15 mins in a few days (so there is no need to comment about it being too typical, Ed ). I have other videos to edit and upload in the meantime though, as I am currently behind on my upload schedule!

ENJOY:

[Airsoft-Ed]

I like that you've unashamedly mimicked the full MP5 reload, including racking the charging handle. I could never decide whether or not it was a bit sad doing that, even though I always want to =[

 

Might have to get the GBB L85 to give me an excuse, as well as for coolsies.

[iAcorn]

if im in a pinch I dont do it. In an earlier game I didnt record I ran out of ammo in my primary, got two shots off with my secondary and it jammed! had to just dump the mag on the floor and reload to protect my team and capture the flag... which we did

 

But its fun doing the full reload. I know I dont have to but it's just more satisfying. Although I like to lock the bolt back, with my sight as it is that makes it a bit more fiddley so I just cycle it instead now. No shame in doing it. At least not in my eyes

[Tariq]

Charging guns is always enjoyable, although i mainly use GBB so its kinda a must

Looks kinda cool on camera, just until you realise its a AEG and not functional XD

[iAcorn]

Not airsoft related but I wanted to let you know I've started uploading some holiday videos from my ski trip (I got back last night). I had a blast!

 

[adamasrc]

really want a ski holiday now..

[TPI]

going snowboarding at the end of the month help's that i'm close to a scottish Ski Resort apparently.