What makes good CMP ride along video?

[Allan L]

I loved all of the examples! However some shots work best dependent upon circumstances, eg wider-angle when there are multiple traffic lanes, etc. Do prefer something from centre cab, slightly behind and above driver, but occasional rearward shots showing subject vehicle add context.

Can't rely on just a single camera position I guess, but do pick 2 or 3 'best' angles and occasionally move through them or zoom from them.

But don't overdo it, it just confuses the hell out of me (anyone who has seen Aus. Rules football on TV might just agree with me! Great photography but just where/ what are we looking at now?)

[Private_collector]

Hey Phil,

There is a song which I believe would be ideal for MV action footage or convoy shots. It is called We'll Take Beersheba, by Lee Kernigan. A very engaging and dramatic piece. Here you will get a brief snippet, but I recommend hearing the full thing: https://grruv.com/song-details/We-ll...eba/i950050126

I did the video editing for our 2010 trip to Hawaii. What a pain in the rectum. In hindsight, I would make it rather less 'experimental' with the available catalog of effects. In my case, lese would have been more.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Tony

Very good point when there is no good vehicle sound track adding music would improve the watchability of the video. Thought some really good videos are let down by music instead of the sound of the engines.

The music you suggested is quite good, ran into copyright block so here is a YouTube link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eogMLUP0-jg so people can have a listen.

Cheers Phil

PS Tony you side tracked my morning, looking for We'll Take Beersheba on YouTube took me sideways into watching Australian Country Music.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

Thanks for the input, sound is an issue particularly GoPro. All of shots in the test video were with full waterproof case on the camera. Got to try the skeleton back and see if that produces better sound.

Clips 1 & 2 are dash mount is magnetic 4x4 inch and it seems to pick up a lot of mechanical or contact noise. In some clips you can hear the turn signal clicking away even when the engine is at full throttle. When using this mount on BEAUTY it also picks up a body squeak that I never found the source of.

The clips 3-4 are shot with tripod which is held down to truck with bungie cord there is a difference in contact noise if the legs are not sitting directly on the steel floor or bed.

I will have to look at getting the mic cable, but to use it, think I’ll also have to get a skeleton housing. I’ve thought that an interesting location for the mike would be inside the headset I wear. That would provide for music and convoy chatter on the CB and by hitting the intercom/radio button i could add commentary.

Cheers Phil

[Private_collector]

Phil,

All the noise, provided it isn't artificially created by transfer through the Mount or tripod, can become a very useful background. Every package of editing software would have the ability to bring down the sound of the original video, and a soundtrack is added, to play in tandem. This, I did quite successfully, when assembling the raw video segments of our Hawaiian holiday. There will always be some something in the original sound recording that you may find desirable to muffle or eliminate entirely. When we were travelling on the trolley bus system, MOST of the background sound was good to keep. I.E: traffic noise, clanging of the buses bell, and engine noise. What wasn't desirable was chatter in foreign languages (mostly Japanese) because it wasn't understandable. By lowering the video soundtrack, and playing something over it slightly louder at times, it became a fairly interesting video to watch. When we were at the Pacific Aviation Museum, on Ford Island, my Son had a go at the flight simulator they had. I shot the screen from above and behind, so that it was possible to see Bryces head and arms on the joystick as well. During editing, when back home, I brought down the engine and gun noise slightly, and added the Battle of Britain March, with rather good results.

My takeaway message is simple, let all the noise be your friend, and you can use it to advantage, rather than have it a nuisance.

If you PM me your address, I can send a copy of the Hawaii video, for you to see/hear what I mean.

Incidentally, the lowering or masking of background sound has another very distinct advantage which I wouldn't expect to be quite so necessary in your case. One piece of the Hawaiian footage involved shooting constantly as I walked through the Thurstan Lava Tube, on The Big Island. The tube is about 20 feet across, and descends slightly from the end we walked into. It is obviously open to the weather, and has a large number of puddles through the length of the walk. I did my very best to avoid the water, but didn't see one, and stood right into the middle of a puddle of approx 2 inches depth. What followed was something best not heard by man nor beast. I'm ashamed to say my vocal retort would have made the most hardened truck driver blush with embarrassment. All that outburst was nicely eliminated by raising an alternative piece of original sound, which was part of another scene in the tunnel that I did not use in final editing. Amusingly (and slightly embarrassingly) sound in the Lava Tube gets amplified as it travels the length. I think some of my profanity was heard on Oahu. I was VERY grateful the tube was quite near darkness, as it hid the origin of the foul langage. Not my finest hour!

[Mike K]

I like the # 4 and 5 positions best

The scenery is well , green and lovely

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Scott

Interesting units, amazing that GoPro cameras are becoming so popular that other people are now making accessories, Was looking a looking at a unit the other day that has waterproof connections to bring out of case.

One of the things I like about unit you found is that in will help keep the camera cool. Amazing how warm the camera gets in long use.

Cheers Phil