Haha you hit it right on the head there cmpbllsjc!
Youtube is an even bigger show with hundreds of channels claiming to be amazing and starting all these contests that all have the same themes over and over.....
I once entered one called "Amazing thrill GA Fying" (or something deep like that) with a 10 min video I made about how to properly fly the DHC-2 Beaver in near-IFR conditions from some remote place in the PNW Blue area to a glacier strip. I got 2 PMs saying I don't deserve to be in the contest because I didn't have any effects, music or switching to weird viewspots every second and another two giving 'advice' when they probally don't even know how to fly a Cessna and just do autlolands all the time, hiding the PFD and autopiot displays so they can get another 100 comments stating "great landing!"! I thought this hobby was about simulations, thats why I only watch instructional videos lol
I don't mean to attack the hundreds of "FS Production" channels out there because some people can really make it work (like edetriot). I just am tired of searching for a real life video only to see abunch of videoshopped FS videos with the same comments saying "great bob 5/5!!!!" or "awesome!"
I don't even watch FS videos anymore. To me they pretty much all seem about the same after you've seen 10 to 20 of them, in fact on the rare occasion that I do watch one, I usually stop after about the first 30 seconds as I feel like I have seen it before or am already bored frankly. It's seems like it alwyas the same type of music, same effects, etc. etc. There's only so much you can do I suppose. I get more of a kick out the kids attacking the posters with comments about how much the video sucked or the overblown ones about how the guy who made the video is their hero. Then of course there are the random 14 year olds who claim to be airline pilots, spouting out all kinds of nonsense which most of the time is wrong. I think the whole youtube FS video thing is best left to the kids to make the vids and get some attention that they so often seem to crave. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but not my cup of tea as I would prefer to spend the same time actually use the sim rather than watching someone else do it.
On the subject of Ed, I used to watch some of his videos and liked the editing he does with the ATC voice overs, but again, even with his its the same story ever video, prepare, taxi, take off and land, taxi in, and show a spot view of the landing. Almost the same format eveytime. Actually his videos are more like a documentary than an "entertainment" video.
The best video I have ever seen to this day was one done a few years ago by Max Kraus ie. FlyHalf, the same guy who made the freeware Barbados and Paphos. The video was called "End of an Era". It had perfectly synced music and a good choice of music for the type of video, a wide variety of a/c, airports, views, etc. I loved that video so much I actually made a copy of it and watch it from time to time. Actually now that I thing about it he has another fav of mine called Pilot of the Caribbean. Perfect music score from the Pirates movie that matches up well with the video.
Best FS video I have ever seen.
also by the same guy.
My other fav is by a guy named Leonardo Andrade and the name of the video is Controle Brasil. I loved that video as well and have saved a copy and watch it from time to time. It was actually a video that made me interested enough in Brasil to actually travel their and spend some time.
There was another guy who's youtube channel id was Ramasurinen/Lotus films and he also did some excellent work but seems to have disappeared. I think he got sick of all the yahoos on youtube making stupid comments on his page and nonsenseless arguments and called it quits. Too bad because he made a few really good story line vids called Unity, Lament, Lucid, and Elyonim. Elyonim was actually almost a tear jerker it was that well done.
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BTW, no disprespect to the OP for the conversation between Ethan and I, just comparing notes so to speak.
Some of those hundreds of channels make six figures off of their content.
I doubt it's the ones making flight sim videos though, maybe the Justin Bieber start-ups or the ones who get "discovered" for their singing, dancing, or comedy talent.