Media What Makes a Good Knife Video?

[mr drinky]

Don't get me wrong, I love seeing all sorts of knives in action, but after seeing a lot of good videos (Salty's grind series), Jon's informative product videos, and even still photos of Colin's pass-around feedback, I was thinking about what some of the 'best' qualities were for videos.

Here are some things I like in videos:

(1) Comparisons to other knives. Cutting through an onion or tomato is fine with one knife, but comparing it to another knife makes the point better. I don't mind the videos of freakishly sharp knives, but they aren't my favorite.

(2) Including information/video about food release and wedging is always interesting to me.

(3) And I always feel I am learning something with Jon's videos. So I guess education is always good.

k.

 

[apicius9]

I strongly prefer knife videos in which the presenter is wearing clothes.

Stefan

 

[Cipcich]

(This is too easy). That's only because of the forum's demographics . .

 

[Rottman]

Like in a ll videos and films blood helps to make it great:lol2:

 

[TB_London]

Interesting thread, I was planning to try and make a few vids this weekend, so was thinking along these lines of what makes a good vid
Do people prefer a running dialogue, or can I just shut up and cut? ( I'd rather not speak...)
Lots of shorter vids, or one per theme?e.g. 5 gyutos chopping onions- 5 vids or one

 

[mr drinky]

I strongly prefer knife videos in which the presenter is wearing clothes.

Stefan

LOL, I still have that Salty video burned in my head too.

k.

 

[ecchef]

No matter how good the video is, a little narration is always helpful. And no crappy soundtrack music; just something subdued if at all.

 

[Chef Niloc]

I strongly prefer knife videos in which the presenter is wearing clothes.

Stefan

Funny I was just thinking that the one thing that knife videos and knife shows were missing was hot young chicks in skin tight closes, hell works for the car and gun shows? I surprised looking at all the other type of trade shows?
Come on knife makers you can't tell me you wouldn't get more traffic at your tables if you did it like this:thumbsup:

 

[Citizen Snips]

lol i have that copy of import tuner from years ago somewhere in my basement with all my other car magazines as that is what i was into in high school

 

[tk59]

I like "information rich" content, even if it isn't particularly useful to me. A little personality helps, too. I'm not saying you have to be somebody you're not but it doesn't have to be devoid of your own personal tastes and opinions. It's hard to be interesting without offending somebody, haha.

 

[Eamon Burke]

@ ChefNiloc

I wouldn't do it, but it would work.
You'd make Bob Kramer look like a slow starter.

 

[Vertigo]

Dubstep soundtrack or GTFO.


(Kidding!)

 

[mr drinky]

I think I saw Lefty mention something in another forum about 'board contact shots'. I also think that images/video shots of how an edge makes contact with a cutting board is useful to see blade profile, especially if the shot is backlit well. Hopefully it won't show and overgrind though

k.

 

[Chef Niloc]

@ ChefNiloc

I wouldn't do it, but it would work.
You'd make Bob Kramer look like a slow starter.

Ok so it's settled Dave's going to try it when he does his 1st show:thumbsup:

 

[Justin0505]

Ok so it's settled Dave's going to try it when he does his 1st show:thumbsup:

Now he just has to find twin Rachel Ray look-alikes in swim suits...

Seriously though, this is a great topic, Karing: I think that you nailed the most important points, but there are a lot of different ways to go about meeting them.

I think the big thing for me that I see video potentially doing better than photos is conveying a sense of how the knife "feels": how it relates to the hand, how it moves through various types of product and types of cuts.

I like to come away from a video feeling like I have an idea of what it's like to actually cook with the knife.

Two of my favorite videos where the knife-centric recipes that Salty did awhile back: the simple ceviche and the seared scallop flower.

 

[mr drinky]

Two of my favorite videos where the knife-centric recipes that Salty did awhile back: the simple ceviche and the seared scallop flower.

I don't think I have seen those videos yet. I'll have to go searching.

And just to add a bit of realism, a video should also show how effortlessly a knife cuts through your kitchen towels and sponges

Another video idea that I think would be cool is to do is a sort of vegetable challenge. Just to take a break from the usually onion and tomato video, someone could pick a different veggie/fruit (jicama, ginger root, pineapple, segmenting citrus, peeling apples, etc) and people can cut with whatever knife or technique they want. I think it would be interesting to see cutting techniques with different ingredients, and we might even see a paring knife come out instead if the usual 240 gyuto.

k.

 

[Andrew H]

And just to add a bit of realism, a video should also show how effortlessly a knife cuts through your kitchen towels and sponges

k.

So true :sad0:

 

[Justin0505]

So Karring, you got me thinking about cutting stuff...

In my videos I've tried to show a range of different products and type of cuts, but I never really sat down and mode a list of different catagories.

To start this off, there are the old favorite tricks that Salty popularized:

Tomato:
-Push cut (shows sharpness)
-Thin slice / horizontal hands free slice (shows sharpness and geometry/drag)
-fast chop (shows sharpness, geometery, speed, contro, edge retention)

Onion:
-dice (shows both nimbleness/ geometry of tip/1/4th of blade and general speed & control)

So what else (besides paper towels & sponges) is worth cutting and in what way/ to illustrate what?

 

[ThEoRy]

Dubstep soundtrack or GTFO.


(Kidding!)

This.

 

[mr drinky]

Other than towels and sponges, you can let relatives use your knives and film real world carnage

For tomatoes, I guess one can also do the cherry tomato drop test along the edge. For onions, one could always scale down and also mince a shallot.

My favorites are dong a trio of potatoes, then jicama, and then a butternut squash. I find the variety of 'stickiness' and hardness revealing. And I have thought about adding a tomato test in between to test how the edge is holding up.

k.

 

[NO ChoP!]

I think Theory deserves a bid for good videos... love the technical content.

 

[geezr]

good lighting, camera angle, focus/clarity showing reason for the video - whether micro bevel or Rachel or....:eek2:....:juggle: