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Gopro- Danny Macaskill Cascadia


Herbertlemon102

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Obviously that was ridiculous, but I can't help but take issue with these "bigtime" videos.
They're just not the same.

I wish he could just make another video in the vein of April '09 or Way Back Home, where the focus was just the riding.
You go somewhere and ride bikes, and film the cool stuff that happens. Each of the clips in the video is there on the riding's merit.

More recent videos of him - and indeed some other trials riders with big sponsors/comp riders trying too hard to get their name out there - seem to feel more like they go to a place or have an idea/theme, and morph what riding they can manage around that.
A lot of the clips feel like they're there because of the setting, or visual impression. That gives it a much less sincere feeling, for me. I watch videos of riding because I want to watch riding, after all, and watching someone riding at their limit is when riding is at it's best.
(Imaginate is something of an exception here, since he/they could fulfil both criteria.)

I guess the former feels more like a rider's video of riding for other riders, where the latter feels more like a video of a rider for people that don't ride.
The same is very true (and much more in effect) of MTB videos where there's not a single real-speed clip and around 50% of clips are of bits of dirt being flicked up.

Small scale videos where it's just some riders with a camera or two feel like the raw, genuine love of riding, and having probably made the video themselves lets them put their own feeling on it's portrayal - almost art, if you go with Google's definition.
Big scale videos are more of a product, made with the seeming expectation of a return. In the case of comp riders getting "professional" videos made, it feels like they've forgotten why they ride, or are willing to sacrifice that integrity in the name of five minutes of fame, which doesn't work because none of those videographers have ever seen a trials bike before and don't have a shit clue what's going on.

I understand there's lots of money involved when there are parties such as Red Bull included, so making something non-commercially viable isn't really an option - I just think that's a shame.
I'm not saying things can't be filmed well - a lot of bigger BMX videos (typically the street ones) seem to avoid this feeling even when they're made by professionals.

 

I'm not sure I've articulated my thoughts very well here, but I'm not sure how to.
To clarify: not hating on anyone - just expressing my own personal perspective, which is regret that this is the way it is.

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Personally that looks like the sort of place I'd love to ride if I had the skills, so I'm not really sure where you're coming from Flipp. Danny has the funding behind him to go ride places most of the industry don't get to ride, and part of the 'trade-off' of that is to allow it to be more accessible to a wider market so that the backers don't lose money.

Do you want to go and make the same video over and over? I doubt it, and I don't think that Danny is being dragged kicking and screaming to Gran Canaria to ride on some awesome terrain.

Plus, there were some bangers in that video. I put it on the projector, and Mrs D enjoyed it too which is something I can't do with most 'normal' videos. I can enjoy the technical side of the riding, she can enjoy the nice views and the seeming impossibility of it. Personally I'd like to see more of the top riders with this sort of vision and funding, not less. That's the beauty of opinions though.

Definitely started writing this planning not to rant, certainly not meant that way. I also know you're as stubborn as I am, so I'm also not looking to change your mind.

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35 minutes ago, aener said:

 

Have to disagree with this, mostly anyway. I do think that the high production videos can lack a bit of charm but all the clips in Danny's videos are justified by the riding in my opinion. I agree that in a lot of videos too much focus is placed on the setting and the whole scenery shot thing but in this videos case it complimented the riding rather than being the whole focus. Each to their own though :P

Loved it, I'd say that I wish I had permissions to ride on roof stuff like that but I know over 6ft has me going 'sh*t'

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It's kind of weird to use Way Back Home as an example of a 'pure' riding video when they were using some things specifically for the background and built ramps/stuff to get a clip on (combo example being the flip off that boat hull wood bit in the middle of that beach).  That was even the first of the 'big', paid-for production videos Danny did, and had a small crew of people helping out with production.  Just to clarify, WBH is definitely an awesome video and I liked that one in much the same way I really liked this new one, it just seemed an odd choice in that it was just as artificial as this one in terms of choosing locations for a specific purpose, then structuring the video around that.

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I know - I had a feeling that would come up :P Thought I'd stick with the better known ones for ease.
I know it belongs in the same category, but it doesn't feel like it.
It felt much more like it was about going riding and making a video of it, rather than making a video and choosing riding as the topic.

JD - I fear I was right in saying I didn't properly put my thoughts across. I didn't mean to diminish the riding in any of these videos - just the vibe of them.
Danny's riding is flat-out awesome - but I think it felt better portrayed in earlier videos.

I think I just prefer small, intimate things to big, flashy, in-your-face things. I think I find it frustrating because most everyone else seems to be the opposite. Haha.

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That was fantastic. 

I enjoyed that more than imaginate, because it was just riding a place and not set up that much. Also it was mainly just shit hot trials lines with big ballsy risky skinnies, and less tricksy stuff. 

The sea jump looked like it probably hurt!

 

watched again on a big screen - loved it even more

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I don't think red bull care if you look at Sheckler and Reynolds they still do low key edits along with the glitzy big budget vids. 

Its a good vid just very polished. Whenever I see or read Danny talking he's always saying projectS rather than vids! Good video non the less 

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Probably because when you have to organise shooting locations, getting access/permission to ride peoples' rooftops, get people in to build ramps, have a production team, etc. it becomes more of a 'project'?  Same deal with Imaginate - if you're having to plan something months (if not years) in advance, storyboard ideas, find a building to use, get a set designer, find props, etc. then it is a filming project.  Why does that matter anyway?

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