I think you've done a very nice job! You've chosen a wonderful music track, you've kept the content short and cohesive, and I was keenly interested in everything you wanted to show me. IMHO, it's a solid piece of work

Since you've asked for improvements, please take a look at these notes. I hope you'll see them as the requested suggestions for making the video really stand out, and not in any way as a criticism of you or your skills:

1. Use the Pan & Zoom tool for all of your stills to give them some subtle motion, which will line up much better with your video's wonderful overall flow


2. Cut to a clearly different view @ 0:55 to keep the continuity in that section. The existing cut looks like a mistake because it's just slightly offset from the preceding clip's view, while all other straight cuts from the tram are to completely different views


3. Shorten the fade-in @ 1:22 by about 2 sec to bring the new scene in right in sync with the music


4. Fade out of the restaurant clip at 1:40 to match the music fade, then bring in the wine collection at 1:42 instead of 1:45


5. I'm not sure why there's a video pause from 2:02-2:04. I'd like to see more of the movement (and view), and less of the building


6. Same with the ending pause from 2:15 - 2:18. If that's the extent of the viable clip, and you're trying to stretch it out a bit, use the Selected Range tab in the Video Speed tool. You'll want to slow down the beginning and ending 2 seconds of the clip, and use the Ease-out option at the start, and Ease-in at the end, to smoothly transition from still to motion and back to still


7. Find a consistent location for your onscreen text. It's ok to vary that if something is in the way or when you have multiple text lines, but a single line at the bottom left of the screen isn't as appealing as when it's centered, or maybe more artfully placed


8. At the end of the vid, I'd like to see an ellipses or some kind of teaser that the next video is coming soon; or else simply end with a closing statement about that day

That's it! A few specific changes and a couple of bigger picture ideas would bring the enjoyment of the video up a couple notches - for me at least

Please post a link to the revised clip if you decide you want to take up any of my suggestions, or those of other members who want to add their thoughts.

YouTube/optodata

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Quote I think you've done a very nice job! You've chosen a wonderful music track, you've kept the content short and cohesive, and I was keenly interested in everything you wanted to show me. IMHO, it's a solid piece of work

Since you've asked for improvements, please take a look at these notes. I hope you'll see them as the requested suggestions for making the video really stand out, and not in any way as a criticism of you or your skills:

1. Use the Pan & Zoom tool for all of your stills to give them some subtle motion, which will line up much better with your video's wonderful overall flow


2. Cut to a clearly different view @ 0:55 to keep the continuity in that section. The existing cut looks like a mistake because it's just slightly offset from the preceding clip's view, while all other straight cuts from the tram are to completely different views


3. Shorten the fade-in @ 1:22 by about 2 sec to bring the new scene in right in sync with the music


4. Fade out of the restaurant clip at 1:40 to match the music fade, then bring in the wine collection at 1:42 instead of 1:45


5. I'm not sure why there's a video pause from 2:02-2:04. I'd like to see more of the movement (and view), and less of the building


6. Same with the ending pause from 2:15 - 2:18. If that's the extent of the viable clip, and you're trying to stretch it out a bit, use the Selected Range tab in the Video Speed tool. You'll want to slow down the beginning and ending 2 seconds of the clip, and use the Ease-out option at the start, and Ease-in at the end, to smoothly transition from still to motion and back to still


7. Find a consistent location for your onscreen text. It's ok to vary that if something is in the way or when you have multiple text lines, but a single line at the bottom left of the screen isn't as appealing as when it's centered, or maybe more artfully placed


8. At the end of the vid, I'd like to see an ellipses or some kind of teaser that the next video is coming soon; or else simply end with a closing statement about that day

That's it! A few specific changes and a couple of bigger picture ideas would bring the enjoyment of the video up a couple notches - for me at least

Please post a link to the revised clip if you decide you want to take up any of my suggestions, or those of other members who want to add their thoughts.

What a great bunch of tips and suggestions. Thanks. I had pondered the adding motion to the still since I had seen that in the films of others. Just have to hunt down the process so I can do a bit more. And yes, I had decided to make video of each day since the 1st several days video edit was just too long. I had the neive thought that I might compress the full 16 days into one vid.... NOT! Also, thanks for the suggestion on stretching the vid to sync with a bump or transition in the music. I knew it was "off" but did not know what could be done.

Other vids that I've created of our vacation in Alaska so far are at these links. You'll most likely get tired since one is rather long.

https://vimeo.com/351076884 the long one of a few days of the trip

https://vimeo.com/345258416 this a train ride from Fraser to Skagway. stick with it through the gals narration

https://vimeo.com/345268471 our ship departure from Skagway

I signed up with soundstripe for the music clips since I had never done this type of thing b4. I've never been a real creative person so some of this technically becomes easy but not the creative part. I will post an updated version in a week or so.