Peckforton Light Railway - Video Library

[Dwayne]

Rik... I like that you added the narration. Unfortunately your voice was drowned out by the lokies as Peter mentioned above.

All in all, I prefer voice narration over having to read captions.

[tom_tom_go]

The voice narration works for me Rik, I prefer it to the random captions you normally display.

[BertieB]

Great stuff. I used headphones and had no trouble hearing the narration at all, even with the cattle! If anything, you could possibly even add a bit more wallop to the (trains) sound track where appropriate. The volume of the voiceover varies a little from scene to scene sometimes, which is just something else to look out for in the edit, but hardly a serious issue. I think it works really well. And will open up all sorts of future story telling and editing possibilities, I’m sure. Very enjoyable.

[ge_rik]

Excellent video Rik, the story-line makes sense and the camera positioning just wonderful, many of the locations I don't recall seeing previously. Where audible the voice-over is both entertaining and informative, but on my laptop much of the speech was lost due to the locomotive noises, which I find distracting, particularly the steam loco sounds.
I'm sure it is a matter of sound balance and experience will soon master that.
Well, you did ask!

Thanks Peter
I did wonder if I'd got the balance right in places. I know what I'm saying and so can follow it, but a couple of scenes were a bit dodgy even for me to hear. I'll try dropping the video sound a couple of notches.

Rik

[ge_rik]

Great stuff. I used headphones and had no trouble hearing the narration at all, even with the cattle! If anything, you could possibly even add a bit more wallop to the (trains) sound track where appropriate. The volume of the voiceover varies a little from scene to scene sometimes, which is just something else to look out for in the edit, but hardly a serious issue. I think it works really well. And will open up all sorts of future story telling and editing possibilities, I’m sure. Very enjoyable.

That's interesting. Thanks. I was using a new (old) Mike, one my daughter had passed on to me. I thought it was stereo but it turned out to be mono and so works better facing one way than the other. I only discovered this when I went back to re-record a couple of scenes. Maybe I should have re-recorded them all? Some scenes took ages to record, though, with dozens of fluffed lines or getting the timings wrong in relation to the action. If I'd kept some of those, i would have needed a bleeper!

Rik

[FWLR]

My review on this video is mixed I am afraid Rik. Though it's not all bad, I did find at times the narration was sometimes lost with not so much the sound of the locos and the livestock, but more I feel with perhaps at times to much narration during the introduction of the loco at the beginning of the scene. The first shot is a perfect example Rik. Somehow the narration was taking into the scene and I was transported to the world of 16mm. The whole experience of listening to a voice that has such a calming effect to a video that gives it even more life gives one a different view on how videos should be made. Unfortunately most of us don't have voices that are well suited to narration, mine for instance makes me sound old. Hold on a minute I am old.... I did like seeing parts of your line that I haven't seen also. The flora for one, is something maybe you could show a bit more and tell those of us (me) that are not that well up on greenery and what their relevant names are.

There is more I could say Rik, but generally your video was excellent. I did like the way you spoke, you are a natural with the some very interesting stories about life at Peckforton.

More please if you will. I am going to give you a score of 8 1/2 out of 10....


PS. Instead of speaking at the time of recording, I presume you do. Can you not do a VoiceOver like they do on documentaries after you have made the video.
Is that possible

PPS. I hope you don't take offence of my review Rik. It's meant with good intentions....

[ge_rik]

No offence taken, Rod. I'm just watching a Scenic rail journeys episode narrated by Bill Nighy. Trying to pick up some techniques. I'll try and keep the narration to a minimum.

Rik

[FWLR]

Keep the information as is please Rik. I thought it was brilliantly done. It was amusing in parts with the passengers having a chin wag while waiting for the trains or just watching the time go by...

[BorisSpencer]

Watched you latest on the "big telly" yesterday evening, I totally approve of the new narrated format.

With all the characters having names and back stories it almost had a Trumpton/Brian Cant charm that really gave a nostalgic atmosphere to one of a certain age. All you need to do now is write little songs for them to which we can learn to sing along

[FWLR]

All you need to do now is write little songs for them to which we can learn to sing along

Now that would be fun..

[ge_rik]

Watched you latest on the "big telly" yesterday evening, I totally approve of the new narrated format.

With all the characters having names and back stories it almost had a Trumpton/Brian Cant charm that really gave a nostalgic atmosphere to one of a certain age. All you need to do now is write little songs for them to which we can learn to sing along

Thanks
I've just figured out how to view YouTube vids on my TV - a whole new experience for me. Somehow the colours look a lot more vibrant on the TV than on the laptop or the tablet.

You really won't want to hear my singing voice, I assure you!

Rik

[ge_rik]

Thanks for the feedback folks. It'll all feed into the next video, though with the weather as is I'm not sure when that'll be - or what it'll be, come to that.

I went to town a little bit on the characters this time. They are all based on the returns for the 1911 census. I took the residents of the locality as they were in 1911, added 21 years to their ages and then speculated on what they might have been up to in 1932. The bootmaker was easy - his dad was the bootmaker in 1911 and so I assumed he would have taken over 21 years later. Old Tom, the retired engine driver was listed as a traction engine driver in 1911, but I figured he'd have got a job on the railway had it existed - and clearly Young Tom will have followed in his father's footsteps.

Looking forward to the 1921 census being released next year. I can then find out who was still around (having survived the War) and whether there are some new names to add to the populace. My difficulty now is keeping track of who is who. I think I'm going to have to write a detailed history.

There is a local historian living in Peckforton who occasionally comments on my blog posts. He's really entered into the spirit of my imagined history and provided me with some interesting snippets of info. He did point out, though, that if the seams of copper ore had been as rich as I have imagined, the spring water would not have been as palatable and in fact would probably have been toxic..... So an interesting conundrum!!

Rik

[FWLR]

Isn't there a place in the Midlands, In Birmingham I am thinking, could be wrong that has the canal water coloured red because of the iron seems that where mined.
Or have I completely lost it Rik...

[Peter Butler]

Rod, you are probably thinking of the Bridgewater Canal, Worsley, Lancashire, where the water can be tinted red/brown due to iron ore in the ground.

[Jimmyb]

Rod, you are probably thinking of the Bridgewater Canal, Worsley, Lancashire, where the water can be tinted red/brown due to iron ore in the ground.

Peter the Bridgewater canal is in Somerset, and does not enter Lancashire!! - Or i may have misunderstood.

[Peter Butler]

I Googled to establish the solution to this and came up with this.....

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... egUIARC1AQ

[philipy]

I Googled to establish the solution to this and came up with this.....

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=htt ... egUIARC1AQ

That is indeed the Bridgewater Canal, Lancashire, however, this
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-th ... nton-canal

is the Bridgwater ( & Taunton) Canal, Somerset.

[Peter Butler]

Thanks Philip, I was simply trying to identify Rod's question (previous page) about a 'red coloured canal due to ironstone deposits, possibly in the Birmingham area'. Neither are in Birmingham, but at least mine is red!

[ge_rik]

What a difference an E makes...
I'm sure there's some youth related reference in there somewhere.....

Glad we got the issue resolved.

Rik

[FWLR]

You are quite correct Peter.

The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester. Wikipedia.


Sorry Rik, Just read on the rest of the thread.....