Well, I finally broke down and purchased several DVD’s from the Dream-Plan-Build series. I passed by them when they came out and decided since a feebay seller had several for pennies I’d buy them. While there is generally a lot of good information presented and most layout tours are very good the majority of the presenters are so boring and apathetic sounding and lack any enthusiasm it ruins the info being presented.
One that didn’t impress me was the info on Vol 3 about working with etched metal kits. Looks like the Kalmbach MR folks need to walk across the hall and talk to the FSM fellows! Just a poor way to do it to get quality results.
It’s just a guess, but I would say most of us in the hobby are:
a. Doers, not watchers (for the most part);
b. Somewhere on the left half of the introversion/extraversion scale (with natural variance and learned skills to make us at least appear more extraverted);
c. Not used to talking to ourselves (in front of a camera) when we’re trying to do something intricate and involved; and
d. Should either seek honest feedback about our product, or else become more familiar with what Bobby Burns said about, “… seeing oursels as ithers see us…”
(…t’wad frae mony a blunder free us, and a foolish notion.)
Agree with oldline about most model train videos, agree with Selector about the reasons…
As Selector suggested, I’m a serious introvert who had to learn how to act like an extrovert.
In my long participation in this hobby, 52 years now, I have become more involved in the social side several times, and felt a need to back away from that side of the hobby several times…
And I know I could never make a video, and in 52 years I have only given one short “clinic” on a modeling topic.
I can’t even discipline myself to take as many pictures of my modeling or my day job as I likely should.
Youtube, MR, or where ever, I don’t think I have ever made it all the way thru a train related how to or layout tour video.
Waaaay too much filler content in MRR videos for me, even the overly long intros make me feel like I am about to watch Lawrence of Arabia or something similar. I want my questions answered quickly and find myself skimming through them almost always.
I can skim articles quickly and usually find what I am looking for in a short time so prefer to Google print over video.
I am a pretty good presenter when I have had to be, but that only happens if I am forced into the situation through unforeseen circumstances. I am very comfortable with my own company. That’s what I like best.
Yep, I agree. But, isn’t that the problem with all ‘how to’ videos, be they MRVP, or YouTube, or whatever? If they go on too long, they lose our attention. The secret to a good ‘how to’ video is to accomplish it in a short time frame. Get to the point, make it, and be done with it.
I find model railroading videos vary significantly in style and each viewer also has their own style they like to watch. I tend to like the videos (mainly YouTube) that are somewhat polished and professional, but also have the feeling that the person is doing this as a hobby, and enjoys what they do! I think most video makers do a good job of that, but MRVP and the Dream-Plan-Build series moves a bit too close to overprofessional, but I think the real issue with Dream-Plan-Build, at least the one I’ve seen (I think it was volume 1…) was it is 20+ years old and therefore techniques and the prototype have changed!
There are quite a few H2 videos made by Japanese model railroaders, which are free of lengthy narration (which I wouldn´t understand anyway), but do show how things are done. They are quite often underlayed with pleasant music and I find them informative as well as entertaining, as they are quite short, but to the point.
Ulrich I’ll have to look for some such videos on YouTube, they sound interesting! I’m always on the look out for new train videos to watch (I’m a bit of a computer screen modeler!).
I just started model railroading two years ago when I retired.
I knew nothing about the hobby, so the videos were good for me, even the boring ones.
Now that I’ve gotten experience laying tracks, wiring, etc., I’m not watching them anymore. I may watch some on working with arduino since I want to learn that next.
On the introverted topic, I’ve become one.
Forty-three years as a school principal – I was “on” and talking, meeting, and presenting every day, most evenings, and most weekends.
With retirement, the last thing I want to do is talk to someone. My wife is happy to leave me alone in my layout room.
I got rid of my cellphone. My best friend is my dachshund, who is deaf. Retirement is great!
Nice. Just the kind of video I could actually get through, with a little skipping ahead now and then.
I have NEVER gotten through any “how to” video. You want paint drying, try some of the videos from the well known modelers over at the forum down the street.
Mike - most of these videos are about either creating dioramas or scenes on a layout. You won´t find anything boring like how to wire a turnout or build a base for a layout. Japanese model railroaders are masters of creating small layouts or modular layouts for shelves, like I did some years ago. Even if you are not into N scale or modelling Japanese prototype, there is a lot to be gleaned from these videos.