Need some inspiration...

[Ron Hunter]

Hello all! I need to tap into the creative juices that flow so freely here!

I like to make videos but thus far all of my video efforts have been directed towards family events (and an occasional training video for work). I'm so used to making videos for beach trips, birthday parties and such, I don't really know how to get started with a video that doesn't involve my family.

As a starting point, I've thought about making a video about the onset of autumn in our neighborhood. This wouldn't include my family members but would instead just be leaves and related autumn stuff.

I saw a short movie by the Frugal Filmmaker named "Meredith"; he did a great job with that video but I don't really see me doing a "plot" movie like that. And besides, I can't imagine me obtaining any semblance of a "crew" to do a video. It will just be me, so that clearly has limitations.

What do each of you do to get motivation for a video project? Besides the obvious ideas of birthday parties and vacations, what types of videos do you make?

[sidd finch]

At one point I thought it might be fun to get a part time job doing training videos but when I was looking through the job web sites there were three types of listings, $50 to produce my YouTube video, 20 years industry experience film school graduate, and adult videos. I realized it would be difficult to post questions to muvipix as I saw no category for Adult video’s to post to. It also would be hard to explain what I "did" and I would not even think about a Muvipix video contest………………………………….. I abandoned the idea.

Sidd

[momoffduty]

What do each of you do to get motivation for a video project? Besides the obvious ideas of birthday parties and vacations, what types of videos do you make?

Most of my videos don't have a plot. Besides the usual Commencement projects & other family event projects, I like to make short 2 to 3 minute videos for my biggest fan...my 3yo grand daughter. I load it onto the tablet for her to watch, of course the videos are of her. When I get 6 months of short videos I burn to a DVD for her and include the non-music version.

The one reason I wanted a DSLR was to take short clips of just about anything when we go to festivals, a ferry trip, zoo, and anywhere. I try to take video of different angles or even mundane things like a fountain or shadow or reflection. Never know if I will use those clips later. When I load into Bridge I rate the clips by stars. All the 1 stars get deleted. And then I go thru the 2 stars and most of them get deleted. So in essence I am shooting lots of clips that I may never use.

There are tons of videos on Vimeo that may be what you are looking for. The non-people ones. The challenge is to find a unique way of shooting something ordinary.

Here are a few examples:
https://vimeo.com/72644715
https://vimeo.com/72247531
https://vimeo.com/71776641
https://vimeo.com/71538047

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm a big believer in always making my videos about people or a person. Even when they're not about my family.

To tell the story of autumn, for instance, find one person and show autumn from him or her point of view. A young child would be especially effective. Playing in the sun, then watching the leaves fall, then Halloween, then the first snow. It's a long-term project, but the results are always interesting.

Meantime, before the leaves change, take a picture of a street scene. Then take a picture once a week or so of that exact same spot. In December, you can create a slow dissolve between all the shots and show summer changing to winter.

[sidd finch]

I try to take video of different angles or even mundane things like a fountain or shadow or reflection. Never know if I will use those clips later.

I do that alot too. Sometimes the story ends up being the angles I was working on.

Sidd

[Ron Hunter]

Meantime, before the leaves change, take a picture of a street scene. Then take a picture once a week or so of that exact same spot. In December, you can create a slow dissolve between all the shots and show summer changing to winter.

That is a GREAT idea! That's what I'm talking about! I'll start that today.

I don't mind making videos of people, I enjoy it actually. I'm just looking for a video idea other than vacations and birthday parties. It seems like my video experience has been strictly "family historian" to this point. I'm wanting to expand that a bit.

And Sidd, I like your out-of-the-box thinking but I don't think my wife would support the adult video idea...

Cheryl, thanks for the Vimeo links, I'll check those out.

[Bob]

And Sidd, I like your out-of-the-box thinking...

Sidd is not only out-of-the-box, he recycled the box. Gotta love that.

[momoffduty]

And Sidd, I like your out-of-the-box thinking...

Sidd is not only out-of-the-box, he recycled the box. Gotta love that.

He is the Flip Macro Magic Guy.

[Chuck Engels]

Sidd has many names and faces, he is also known as the most interesting man in the world

[Dave McElderry]

And he doesn't always drink beer. But when he does, he drinks Dos Equis.

[sidd finch]

[karri]

The one reason I wanted a DSLR was to take short clips of just about anything when we go to festivals, a ferry trip, zoo, and anywhere. I try to take video of different angles or even mundane things like a fountain or shadow or reflection. Never know if I will use those clips later.

Meantime, before the leaves change, take a picture of a street scene. Then take a picture once a week or so of that exact same spot. In December, you can create a slow dissolve between all the shots and show summer changing to winter.

Love these ideas!