what makes a good video part?

Video parts are very subjective. Or are they? Everyone is looking for something different, however, there are several factors that can go into what makes a part memorable, what makes a section stand out, and the opposite; what makes a part utterly forgettable. This author tends to want to focus on the positive, so let’s start there.

What makes a skate video stand out compared two it’s competition? Let’s dive into it. First things first is the tone. Is it a serious offering or playful? Either way is fine, so long as you choose a direction and stick with it. Next is cohesion. Was it filmed with the same camera(s)? While there are certainly use-cases (looking at pieces shot on film by filmmakers like Ivan Narez that are mixed with 4K shots, and merged beautifully and seamlessly) for that, it ultimately depends on the cinematographer, director, and editor. This applies to color-grading as well as the audio levels (both background and foreground). A great part feels as professionally filmed and edited as possible, this is objective. We all know what good art looks like and what is amatuer-ish.

Following tone and cohesion is the music. Whether your audience loves or loathes the music you use, it should ultimately fit the skater’s style. This includes not only the way they skate but also their clothing and spot selection. The music an really, ultimately, make or break the part. A great song, no matter the genre invokes emotion and should fit with the flow of the clips. It’s definitely one of those “you know it when you see it” type of things but let’s use an example. Back in the late 90s, it would’ve been odd for someone like Louie Zamora to skate to a pop punk rock song. Hi skating, style of dress, and overall demeanor leaned hip hop. Of course, there can be the pleasantly unexpected surprises, like Randy “Roadhouse” Spizer skating to the Spice Girls — that one was definitely remembered!

Let’s talk b-roll. This is what can give the viewer a peek into the skater’s personality. Are they shown smiling and having fun? How much of a battle was the trick to get? How many attempts? These, it could be argued, are paint by the numbers b-roll options but the classics are classic for a reason. Did you encounter a bizarre person or situation while filming? You should probably include some of the interaction. What about nature? It can be a good juxtaposition to show nature in-between the typical urban cityscapes we skate in. Any way you slice it, having a plan for including b-roll in strategic spots to break up the skating in the edit is key. There's limits, of course, you want to pick your spots with it.

Obviously the filming and editing are extremely important. The angles in which tricks are filmed can make tricks either look their best or look about as gross as skating can look or somewhere in the middle. Generally, you want to avoid the crotch or butt shots and filmed from a lower angle tends to be better but it’s also good to experiment and change things up. Spots also dictate angles, as well as trick selection in general. A good cinematographer will figure out how to shoot the trick in the best lighting at the best angle. A great editor ties it all together. To that end, editing is also extremely important. It sets the visual tone, the pacing, and trick sequencing that makes the part flow nicely or feel like a slog to get through.

This by no means an exhaustive list of reasons or items that can decide what makes a section good, bad, or otherwise; but these are the main factors. A decent edit will contain most of what was discussed above. The truly great ones contain basically everything here and then some. Like a lot of artistic things, you kinda know it when you see it.