Popular video: critique?
Lots of folks talking about this Montreal video. I just got smacked down by a Montreal “name” because I expressed this opinion: that while the basic footage is fine, it’s edited to be way too zoomy, to the point of headache – and although he collected some nice sounds, they get swamped by the conventional soundtrack music.
What do people think?
Alex L 10:43 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
I think it’s great. But it sure represents a specific Montreal, seen from an anglo/touristic point of view.
CE 11:09 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
Odd that there’s no footage showing exterior residential staircases or the spiral rear stairs. I’ve always thought of them as defining characteristics of many parts of the city.
Anyway, the style of video isn’t particularly original. This video of Bogotá was uploaded almost three years ago and is in the exact same style (and, in my opinion, is much better).
Ginger Baker 11:11 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
Yeah, I’m of a similar mind… it could be a decent tourism video they maybe show at the airport or something.
By chance, would this name be part of the local Anglo media establishment?
Because IMO they have this whole hangup about how they lost ‘their’ Montreal and they have to ‘get it back’. And so new media pops up now and again… seemingly with every new technology or tech fad… and it always has this pensive, slightly dramatic feel to it… like a “never forget this is yours too’ kinda thing, “remember you belong here too… you’re part of this beautiful tapestry blah blah blah.”
And there’s nothing inherently wrong with presenting that kind of an image… it’s just more mindless feelgoodery… if it makes you feel good then fine, some of us would prefer a more critical eye on our city, and aren’t afraid of being critical. At times I feel the Anglos don’t handle any kind of criticism particularly well, and would prefer to retreat into some soft dreamland.
But anyways, these heartfelt tributes are very warm and soft and nice and great and I look forward to walking past televisions playing them on repeat next time I’m cruising through Trudeau.
Also, get a Nexus card.
Kate 11:30 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
A Nexus card? Not everyone has a sweetie in the United States, Ginger Baker.
Blork 11:31 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
Um. It is way too zoomy for me, but I’m 1000 years old and grew up in a time when content was supposed to make you think and not just feel. I suspect this works well for millennials, who grew up in, and live in, a world of total media saturation, where thinking about what you’re seeing is secondary to your emotional reaction.
Don’t interpret that as a slag against millennials; it’s just an observation. It’s like we’re living in a time of visual impressionism, where the sheer volume of visual media (in particular, video) has transformed the expected response away from thinking and towards feeling, because you can feel much more quickly than you can think.
Ginger Baker 11:40 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
@Kate – I’d say it’s worth it even if you only ever use it once, just to avoid standing in line (either going through security or coming out of customs), or so that you don’t have to get to the airport two hours in advance. You can even use it at land and maritime crossings! No one would ever admit to it but I swear I get preferential treatment… literally a guy who was barking orders at a group of people turned to me and politely addressed me as sir (I was easily half his age) and told me none of what he said applied to me.
DHS can have all the retina scans and finger prints of me they want, I absolutely do not care if it means travelling can be marginally more sophisticated and less of a hassle.
I’ll save my screed about wearing pyjamas and crocs on airplanes for another day though…
Mark Côté 11:51 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
Nexus cards can also be used for domestic travel, although they are really only of benefit at the busier airports.
CE 12:11 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
@Blork, I’m right in the middle in terms of age for Millennials and I also found it too zoomy and fast moving. There were some good shots but the overall package isn’t very good as a stand alone video (I agree that it would work well on a screen in an airport or tourism office though).
CE 12:15 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
I’m also very curious about what this person’s response was to Kate’s valid criticism.
Kate 12:17 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
“Your critique could not be more tone deaf and blind.”
Ginger Baker 12:25 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
^ may we ask what your critique was? or where we can read it?
does this person’s name rhyme with Fred Gird? or Berry Del Monte? or Darryl Fleishman? or Melinda Godin? or Farren Bland? or Nommy Hershmaker? or Fitsumi Crackahashi?
Meezly 12:56 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
The style of the video certainly does not ascribe to the “less is more” approach. While the earnestness and effort is obvious, I too find it overly flashy, jarring, and derivative. It’s reminds me too much of graphics-heavy opening credits of some trendy new show. The videographer seems young and starting out in his career. Post production software has so many bells & whistles these days, it’s too easy to rely on flashy FX or filter the heck out of an image – you forget how to let a shot have a life and rhythm of its own.
Kate 14:08 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
Thank you, Meezly.
Ian 15:17 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
All transitions, no actual footage. I am sure the celebrity voice you offended knows this kid’s parents, I can’t imagine why else this editor-as-director masturbation would merit attention otherwise.
To be fair, it’s technically very well done, but unless you’re from here you probably wouldn’t recognize much as it zips through your consciousness like a series of strung-together interstitials … which it effectively is.
EmilyG 21:03 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
I tried to watch the video, thinking that “zoomy” meant just that it had that slow-zooming-in-on-still-pictures feature that I find annoying. But boy oh boy, this video is constantly moving very fast. I couldn’t even get through the whole video as it was almost motion-sickness-inducing.
Kate 23:47 on 2019-08-29 Permalink
EmilyG: exactly. That’s why I find the chorus of praise puzzling. But then one lays oneself open to “well, why don’t you make one then and show us how it’s done?”
Raymond Lutz 07:14 on 2019-08-30 Permalink
And I was thinking “at last, he’s not using tilt shift” and then…
Tim F 07:22 on 2019-08-30 Permalink
There’s some great technical execution of the camera work and the transitions, but it all goes by so fast you don’t have the chance to appreciate them. I think more than the zoom, the breakneck speed it’s played at doesn’t let the viewer focus their attention before the shot’s changed. I watched it without the sound on, so I don’t know how well the transitions are timed to the soundtrack, but imagining this as an airport display, I feel like you could play the whole thing at half-speed while cutting down on the number of shots used (there are a LOT of statues) and the result would be amazing.