Hi guys, I want to get your feedback! These are the longest videos I have put out. There is lots of action, however, do you prefer shorter videos? Feedback is greatly appreciated!

Here is part A of the latest Chonook salmon fishing video. Lots of double headers…we could have done 3 hours of footage this day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVy5b0QRX8M

Here is part B of the latest fishing video. Even more action than the first video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjWZdRIYUGM

Sam Vandervalk
Fishing Guide Vancouver Island
http://www.salmoneye.net

Cheers Sam,

Great video. Even if we were told 2 years ago that the fishing was going to be out of this world hot, when it arrived, so many fishermen - guides and sportsfisermen alike - were blown away by the sheer magnitude of the run and the almost unlimited opportunities that those fish provided. Your videos provide both a rememberence to those of us who were 'truely blessed' to have fished those fish and a haunting call to those who missed them. I certainly compliment you as they do provide a very accurate reflection on what occured in our waters last year.

However...when you ask if you should have shorter or longer videos I would without hesitation support shorter videos. I enjoy watching the whole sequence - from the unattended rod, the strike, the play, that netting/or release and the comments by guest and guide at the end. It provides a total package and makes each fish memorable and burns it indeliably into everyones mind. As in most things in life, the endless procession of fish to the boat shows that any one fish was really not special as there were endless ones before and after. In fact the appearance becomes anyone can do it and the effect is lost. Therefore, make the one fish a 'big production' and leave it at that.

At the risk of going further (but I will) there is the unspoken issue that one also must guard against. This past year may have truely been a "once in a lifetime' event. Those in the know suggested perhaps a one in 50 years for the West Coast stocks and perhaps one in 90 years for the Fraser River sockeye. This in no way reflects past or future years. To put up videos with an endless stream of fish suggests that this is the 'norm' and anyone who wishes to visit can expect this at any time. This will place the expectations of the guests or visitors in a realm that may not be possible to support. Your - and other's - guests will expect these numbers and the disappointment, in less abundant years, will be palpable and perhaps difficult to deal with for guest and guide alike.

One might even go so far as to suggest that to show such a slayfest may actually turn off a segment of the population that do not appreciate your profound professionalism in how you handle the fish, the safe return of the majority of those fish back to the ocean to continue their journey and the excellent processing of those retained.

In my opinion, in the case of how you present your videos, less is actually more.

Thanks again for the videos Sam. Keep them coming!

Fishing Guide

I agree totally with your comments. Your words were obviously very well chosen.

Cheers

Amazing work to catch so many quality fish and filming and editing is not easy so please don't take this as bashing, but I actually didn't make through either video.

I just find it boring to watch a guy with a rod in the air and reeling. You have some awesome sections with good action but too much "down time" so I didn't finish.

People have very short attention spans and they are even shorter online, they get bored for a second and boom off to the next video and you may have lost a customer.

I'm not saying this is anything special but its a video I did a few years back that I think gives the feeling of an exciting morning of salmon fishing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmrpr-KqPZk

Action, action action that is what people want, trust me you will NEVER EVER lose a customer because you showed too many fish in your video.

Comb through your content and cherry pick out only exciting sections and string together a "story". Put some background music on it, only show people talking if it is extremely interesting and compelling and keep it short.

That's my 2.5 bits at least, others of course have a different opinion.

Back in the day (when I was a ski bum) I worked for a video production company.
A few things that might help... Shots should be close to 9 seconds in length. Next time you watch a movie count the length of the scene cut. Fast cuts with short exciting action make a video far more palatable. Total length around 2 min is best.
1 thing we used to do was have a base video with generic scenes and such, then add in footage of the client. They were 7 min in length and very popular.
Hope that helps. pk

Cheers All,

One further comment: the video length has a lot to do with your market. Almost all of my videos...hmmm...ok...ALL of my videos are taken for the guest on board and it was that in mind that the majority of my previous post was prefaced around. I put the entire 'one fish' in a video and the guest takes it home to relive the moments in their entirety.

However...I would support Moisture Missile in that - for advertising purposes or to elicit specific interest, most people tend to 'tune out' to epic battles with denizens of the deep. Short and fast paced - music (although one person's music is another person's noise) background along with some visuals would seen to me to be a better solution.

I will be adding a couple of videos to my website and I will be going with the shorter ones. The long ones will be sent to the individual guests showing them their days on the water as they really seem to be the only ones intersted in the 'long' version.

Moisture missile is dead on. To much time watching a levelwind get cranked. Im a fishing diehard and couldnt watch the whole thing.The Videos need the whole fishing day deal to really portray what the customer will get.

A short clip of the day starting maybe the walk down to the ramp to the boat, some of the run out there with the fleet all running offshore beside you. Clips of whales, dolphins, sealions on the rocks and scenery. For the fishing definatly try to amp it up to show the excitment of the fight. Moisture missiles video does a great job of that. Show some exciting net/gaff jobs with high fives and a shot of a plugged box. Also spice it up with some fun commentary at times.

These guys did a great job. Best charter vids out there. Spent a few bucks likely though.

http://www.youtube.com/user/leisuresuit ... Uyb8pGbUxo

http://www.youtube.com/user/leisuresuit ... wyYxUzokog

Oh ya forgot to add good work on hitting so many slabs! Sure is nice when you get into them like that!

Guys, thanks for the feedback! I will definately take you comments seriously. I don't just do the videos for promotion...I really enjoy doing the footage and trying to put them together. Gerry fishing isn't always like this, but there are lots of days where certain guide boats will hit fish like this. When you are not the person hitting fish this fast it can be frustrating and for most people that is the case. We have had many incredible days like this over the last few years, we just don't get them on video. Most the time we don't want the bother of taking video and are busy getting lines up and putting them down. That being said, this was an exceptional day and I will always enjoy looking back on the footage.

Can anyone give me some positive feedback...things you really liked about the videos? Thanks guys!

Sam Vandervalk
Fishing Guide Vancouver Island
www.salmoneye.net

Cheers Sam,

I did quite a few charters in Ucluelet this past summer and I know what you mean about no time to run the camera. We had days that were embarrassing with the amount of fish caught and too many times I came home with wet clothes...from sweating trying to keep up with the gear. I have to make a concerted effort next summer to film more...I get home with memories but no video.

As for getting 'frustrated' in not catching fish that fast...think we all experienced unbelieveable fishing this past summer and, personally, I did not have one slow day all year. I sure hope next year is as good although...from the jack spring returns, it looks like the Stamp/Somass fish are again going to be almost non-existant.

Looking forward to more of your videos Sam!

Like others have said, keep the videos shorter. Fishing guide was right when he said it might not be a good idea to give people the idea that fishing is always that hot. Footage like that might get them to come out and try it but when they dont catch 20+ fish they will think their guide must be doing somthing wrong and take it as a negative experience. Also theres some really good footage (nice to see you guys hitting them on plugs) but if you want to impress real fishermen you have to get rid of the level winds.