What is missing? Todays Hunting Films/Content

[SDHNTR]

Tell your stories, sure, but tell them to your close friends and family. That’s wholesome. Don’t tell them to the entire World Wide Web for the purpose of self promotion. That’s damaging.

 

[Eastman528]

Tell your stories, sure, but tell them to your close friends and family. That’s wholesome. Don’t tell them to the entire World Wide Web for the purpose of self promotion. That’s damaging.

I dont necessarily disagree, and I also have distaste for self promotion particularly when its very obviously the motivating factor self/brand promotion. I do think intent is important and there are grey areas and sometimes that's hard to define. Its not accurate or fair to label all content as self promotion even if there is that aspect to it.
I just watched the film Lionheart by Blood Origins last night had been curious about it for a while. I cant think of a much better example recently in a film produced with honest intent and a good purpose. LIke has been said on here previously I think when done for the right reasons that are bigger than self it shows and when its not I think is what most of us have gotten tired of.
So ya I agree that is damaging to what hunting truly is and for other reasons like spot burning etc. but anti hunters will continue to have their propaganda so we still need some form of media to tell the true story.

Back to my original post I have absolutely 0% interest in filming and sharing my hunt if there isn't a bigger story or purpose behind it than "hey look at me, I did this thing and killed this animal" even if it was a particularly challenging or exciting hunt that isn't good enough reason.

 

[Eastman528]

Interesting recent Gritty podcast on this subject, I am sure this wont stir the pot at all

 

[SDHNTR]

It’s not accurate or fair to label all content as self promotion even if there is that aspect to it.

I could not disagree more. That is the only reason. Period.

 

[Team4LongGun]

OP, you seem to be missing the point most are making. Because of the drastic and most likely irreversible changes that social media has had on hunting, ANY additional attention is unwanted.

You literally asked what is "missing" and what "resonates"....most of us have seen the destruction/adverse changes and do not welcome any more-even if it is a new spin on hunting content or the next thing, which is what your looking for.

 

[Steve300xcw]

. I think something many fail to understand is that there will be content whether we like it or not, no different than any other media in the world we cant go back now and its always been there (story telling) in some form.

And that is why so many are against it.

 

[Maverick1]

I want to hear your opinion on what current "content creators" in the hunting space are missing when it comes to producing films or content for YouTube etc. What are they getting right? What type of films and content resonate with you as a hunter the most. This is obviously very subjective but I am curious how others feel on the topic particularly fellow Roksliders sense I feel were a unique subset of the hunting space. For some context as to why I am interested in this topic I'll share my perspective. I have always had an interest in videography/photography and dabbled in filming my hunts, mostly self filming. In 2017 I filmed my wife kill her first elk (she was about 6 months pregnant at the time). The motivation was mostly to share with family and eventually our kids, I threw it up on Youtube to make it easy to share but never pursued it any farther. I always struggled with impacting my hunting with the filming aspect and kind of just got burnt out on the whole idea. My interest in that realm now lies mostly in photography, keeping it simple and just getting good quality photo's of my hunts to share with my kids, friends and family. There is still a spark there at times to film something but I would have to have real meaning and purpose to go through the effort.
My personal opinion is so much of todays hunting content lacks STORY or depth, there are exceptions but so much of it is just highlight reels with no back story or gear promotions. Things have kind of went full circle from the hunting television days to the early days of Youtube and film tours like Fulldraw to where we are at now, its just being done in a different way. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this entirely I consume as much of it as the next guy. Not all content needs to or can be cinematic. Maybe its partly the space is so saturated now days but seems the push to constantly have to produce content were sacrificing quality for quantity. Again there are exceptions and it seems those really do stick out.

Thoughts?!

So - let’s see: several years ago you made a hunting video, put it on YouTube, nobody watched it, and you didn’t make any money off of it. OK.

And now you want to give it another go? You see how many other YouTube “content creators” are out there (competition is tough) - and you are using this forum to ask for video ideas so people will watch your new videos and you can make money this time?

Is that how this works?

 

[The_Jim]

“Content” has ruined everything in the outdoors. Fishing, camping, hiking, roading, the list goes on. I have a spot in Colorado I love to camp at. The first time I went there was 2012 on Labor Day weekend. Basically had the place to ourselves. Now you can hardly find a campsite on a random Wednesday in the summer…

I don’t mind others picking up the same hobbies that I have, but let them figure it out the old fashioned way.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Interesting recent Gritty podcast on this subject, I am sure this wont stir the pot at all

I like watching Gritty’s stuff. It resonates because they hunt similar to how I hunt, and does a pretty good job of portraying the whole experience. The “learning” bits are meh. The advertising of brands annoys me, especially when they talk about how good some of it is, when there’s far better products on the market. But I wish he’d stop making films, along with the rest of them, for all the reasons mentioned above. I think it’s a net negative to the space.


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[pirogue]

I'd rather watch repeats of American sportsman with Mariel Hemingway circa 1977 than any of the crap out today.

X2. Fred Bear, Curt Gowdy, great content.

 

[Eastman528]

I could not disagree more. That is the only reason. Period.

So lets say hypothetically... someone made a hunting film that revolved around honoring their dad who passed away in a tragic accident, who was an avid hunter and had a huge impact on the person. That someone decides to share it because it might positively impact others outside of their immediate circle. They are obviously a narcissist, delusional and really just wanting to feed their inflated ego because nobody can have motives other than self promotion right?

 

[Eastman528]

OP, you seem to be missing the point most are making. Because of the drastic and most likely irreversible changes that social media has had on hunting, ANY additional attention is unwanted.

You literally asked what is "missing" and what "resonates"....most of us have seen the destruction/adverse changes and do not welcome any more-even if it is a new spin on hunting content or the next thing, which is what your looking for.

I understand completely and I don't disagree about what you are saying in regard to social media.
I can also understand the perspective of just being tired of it all and not caring to see anymore. I am not necessarily looking for anything other than other peoples perspectives which I appreciate people sharing.

 

[dailyherold]

I think Clay Hayes has great content. Lot of field recording for audio, pretty darn educational, and I sense he is genuine in his pursuit of the time outdoors and sharing with others.

 

[Eastman528]

So - let’s see: several years ago you made a hunting video, put it on YouTube, nobody watched it, and you didn’t make any money off of it. OK.

And now you want to give it another go? You see how many other YouTube “content creators” are out there (competition is tough) - and you are using this forum to ask for video ideas so people will watch your new videos and you can make money this time?

Is that how this works?

I don't know is that how it works?
Did I even say that in my original post?... Being a "Youtuber" is about the farthest thing from where my interest lies.
Yes I have uploaded a total of 1 hunting films to Youtube several years ago to make it easy to share with my grandparents of all things, my wife was 6 months pregnant at the time when she killed her first elk and now our daughter is 7 and thinks its pretty cool. I don't think at the time I even knew making money on YouTube was a thing, maybe I would have gotten in on it I dunno?!

I mean this post is literally in the Photography/Filming forum if everyone hates it so much then why waste your time trolling in here.

 

[Team4LongGun]

if everyone hates it so much then why waste your time trolling in here.

Cmon man, you asked.

 

[Eastman528]

I like watching Gritty’s stuff. It resonates because they hunt similar to how I hunt, and does a pretty good job of portraying the whole experience. The “learning” bits are meh. The advertising of brands annoys me, especially when they talk about how good some of it is, when there’s far better products on the market. But I wish he’d stop making films, along with the rest of them, for all the reasons mentioned above. I think it’s a net negative to the space.


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Same here, I definitely have to agree on the advertising part probably one of my biggest issues with the whole subject as a whole even though I understand the economics of it. Hard to watch someone even when you like them talk about how great something is when it simply just is inferior to many other products out there including non-hunting brands.
Thanks for actually providing your perspective with some critical thought.

 

[Jake Larsen]

I think what Donnie Vincent does with some of his content is pretty awesome. Making content that’s focused on the conservation aspect of hunting, with the idea to move the needle on public perception of non hunters. If there was more content like that, it could potentially make a positive impact on hunting by making ballot box biology a non viable option for anti hunting agendas.

That’s not going to be a “hunting film” per se. Almost more like cinematic educational content. Not about making a hunt look “cool” may not even appeal to hunters in the way that good hunting media does. Focus on the philosophy, not the story so much.


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[Eastman528]

I think Clay Hayes has great content. Lot of field recording for audio, pretty darn educational, and I sense he is genuine in his pursuit of the time outdoors and sharing with others.

Ya Clay is a good one, I remember his very early stuff, we live in the same area and I remember being familiar with some of the hunts he was doing and being impressed by what he was doing with traditional equipment. From what I have see he definitely isn't promoting product, allot of educational stuff. I haven't watched him in quite a while I'll have to check it out again.

 

[SDHNTR]

So lets say hypothetically... someone made a hunting film that revolved around honoring their dad who passed away in a tragic accident, who was an avid hunter and had a huge impact on the person. That someone decides to share it because it might positively impact others outside of their immediate circle. They are obviously a narcissist, delusional and really just wanting to feed their inflated ego because nobody can have motives other than self promotion right?

Yep

 

[Eastman528]

I think what Donnie Vincent does with some of his content is pretty awesome. Making content that’s focused on the conservation aspect of hunting, with the idea to move the needle on public perception of non hunters. If there was more content like that, it could potentially make a positive impact on hunting by making ballot box biology a non viable option for anti hunting agendas.

That’s not going to be a “hunting film” per se. Almost more like cinematic educational content. Not about making a hunt look “cool” may not even appeal to hunters in the way that good hunting media does. Focus on the philosophy, not the story so much.


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For sure! That's what I liked about the Blood Origins Lionheart film I mentioned earlier more of a documentary attempting to combat the anti hunting or animal rights agenda. I do enjoy the documentary style films.
I do think Donnie is sponsored by a couple companies (Maven Optics I think) but he doesn't really seem to push stuff just uses it and also uses allot of random non-hunting or branded gear I appreciate that about him.
But ya I have to agree even good tasteful traditional hunting films really do nothing to move the needle in that regard and like some are saying could be doing more harm than good I suppose. Sadly there probably isn't more of it because its not what sells or pays the bills and it also takes a lot of work to produce.