Oshkosh Calling: Slick's look back at AirVenture Oshkosh 2014!

[Hal Bryan]

We've been big fans of this young man's work since his video about Oshkosh 2009 went viral. I'm proud to know Wes - he's in his early 20s now, and, in addition to flying his own Piper Clipper and Pitts Special, is in the US Navy, headed for pilot training this fall.

Worried about the future of aviation? Watch this and worry a little less.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmOPgYEBwEw

(And enjoy the cameo appearance by yours truly at 5:12...)

[Floatsflyer]

Very nice. Why does Oshkosh always look and feel better on HD video and with a soundtrack than actually being there and witnessing these images first hand? Must be the emotion it invokes.

Hal,once again showing excellent taste shooting Canadian floatplanes.

[rwanttaja]

Very nice. Why does Oshkosh always look and feel better on HD video and with a soundtrack than actually being there and witnessing these images first hand?
Filters out the discomfort. No heat, no wind, no crowding, clean bathroom just a few steps away, cheap food, free water, beer anytime you want it, no crowding, no distractions, no announcers screaming over a distorted PA, nothing blocking your view, no sore feet.

Sure, you REMEMBER those things....but they aren't really real, if you're watching the video.

Ron Wanttaja

[wyoranch]

Filters out the discomfort. No heat, no wind, no crowding, clean bathroom just a few steps away, cheap food, free water, beer anytime you want it, no crowding, no distractions, no announcers screaming over a distorted PA, nothing blocking your view, no sore feet.

Sure, you REMEMBER those things....but they aren't really real, if you're watching the video.

Ron Wanttaja
Ron, all of those things are part of the charm, a badge of honor if you will... :-)

Rick
p.s. I actually found a tears building in my eyes. I get that feeling because I WAS there, and the EXCELLENT video invoked the emotion of the event. Can't get that from video alone

[rwanttaja]

Ron, all of those things are part of the charm, a badge of honor if you will... :-)
So's a Purple Heart.... :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[wyoranch]

Touché Ron, good point

[frfly172]

Nice video,somehow you managed to keep the golf carts out of the picture.

[jjhoneck]

Just once, it would be nice if these videographers wandered out into the North 40, where the majority of fly-in attendees live for a week.

I know that doesn't sell, but that's where the heart of EAA beats strongest...

[Hal Bryan]

Very nice. Why does Oshkosh always look and feel better on HD video and with a soundtrack than actually being there and witnessing these images first hand? Must be the emotion it invokes.

Hal,once again showing excellent taste shooting Canadian floatplanes.


Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the nod! I can't agree that the video makes it look better than it was - for me, Slick's videos are on the short list of content that barely comes close to capturing the real thing...I've never seen anything that manages to overstate how I feel about this event that some of us love so very, very much.



p.s. I actually found a tears building in my eyes. I get that feeling because I WAS there, and the EXCELLENT video invoked the emotion of the event. Can't get that from video alone

You weren't alone, Rick - glad you enjoyed it!

[Hal Bryan]

Just once, it would be nice if these videographers wandered out into the North 40, where the majority of fly-in attendees live for a week.

I know that doesn't sell, but that's where the heart of EAA beats strongest...

Check out the videos that we did - you'll find the North 40 is well represented.

As for this one, "Slick" is a great young man named Wes who has a tiny handheld camcorder and just shows up and walks the grounds, capturing whatever footage inspires him, with no agenda, no crew, no budget, and no special access. If you don't like what he does, that's your prerogative, of course, just as it's his to shoot whatever he wants. If you want to tell more stories out of the north 40, do what he did - grab a camera and go for it!

[PaulDow]

Another great look at our annual convention.

I'm hoping this question doesn't come across as snarky since I don't have the talent to put a decent video together, so here goes.
Why can Wes, the guy with no agenda, no crew, no budget, and no special access, get his 6 to 9 minute videos done every year in about two weeks, yet the official EAA DVD isn't available until November or December? Those run about 90 to 100 minutes, but EAA does have those things Slick doesn't.

[Hal Bryan]

Paul - we have multiple videographers who shoot hundreds of hours of footage from all over the grounds in addition to publishing dozens of short-form videos during the week. When the event is over, it usually falls to one or maybe two people on staff to sift through that footage and plan, compile, and edit it, then run it trough multiple reviews before the mastering and manufacturing process begins. This is in addition to his/their regular full-time job(s.)

It's finished as quickly as possible given available resources and priorities I can promise you that.

[PaulDow]

I can understand that. With only a week for the event, they have to use the shotgun approach to gather as much video as possible so little is missed. Vendors all want their product announcements done on Monday (or even Sunday) to get the most time at the show.

I do our chapter's web site, and I occasionally get someone's memory card with photos. They'll have a sequence of photos of a plane pass with 40 or more shots. It takes a lot of time to filter out the 39 that are just a teeny bit different than the best one. Editing while recording makes things easier later, bit there's a good chance of missing something.

[champ driver]

Excellent video, I loved it!

[BeagleOne]

Great video, "Slick" has a lot of talent and edits well. The music was unnecessary and detracted from the video quality. The engine noise would have been music enough.

[TedK]

Bravo Zulu, Slick! :thumbsup: