Saturday, January 17, 2015

What Happened to the Sodor Races?

              The last Sodor Race video was uploaded September 9, 2014 so about 5 months ago. Before that video, there was one in July, May, and January of 2014. A total of four videos in 2014 while 2013 had 10+ videos.

             Expect that number (4 in 2014) to decrease as well in 2015 as I have planned out my videos from now till May 2015 and not one video will be a Sodor Race video.

             I feel like listing the reasons as to why I decided to decrease the amount of Sodor Races videos will be better than try to write paragraphs that looks messy and lengthy to read.

1.    I just lost interest in making those videos. I still have the ending of the Race planned, but I need time away from making the races

2.    Copyright! BIGGEST ISSUE!!! Yes I did make Oliver vs Henry back in July 2014 and uploaded in August only to have a copyright claim on the audio (I tried four different times and made four alternate videos of that race only to get it copyrighted). I make my own music from loops from a free loop packages so I shouldn't get copyright claims just because some song also uses the same loop. You don't and legal can't own the loop Sony made!

3.    Time. I decide to take time on making the music and thinking more of the last individual races to give more meaning to each race.

4.     Audience (the small issue to worry or care). Some people (regular subs, you guys know who you are) usually get the meaning or understand each race and know there are brackets, eliminated characters, and the fact that it is a series. The rest believe it's a video to two trains run around my set to unfitting music for 2-4 minutes. I personally make the music and the music is very important to the video as it sets the mood, explains plot, and drives the whole series.

Basically for number 4, I don't think I have the right audience for these videos.

Lastly, I plan on making a major change on how I film the Sodor Races. This involves me using one camera for remakes (The videos quality you see in all my remakes) while the Sodor Races get something more cinematic.

So I'll be researching for the a certain camera that fits my desire and films small trains well.

Most camcorders can kind of suck and make the trains look miniature.