Video cameras in class

[1911-A1]

I've been flipping through some YouTube videos lately and I see that a lot of them are taken at well-known carbine classes. They're usually helmet-mounted or rail mounted GoPros/ContourHDs, etc. Often there is a camera operator hovering over one of the shooters (the host of the "channel" you're watching).

I'm surprised to see it so widespread, considering the environment is usually very controlled with extreme emphasis on safety. If I were an instructor, the last thing I'd tolerate would be students distracted by cameras, either personal or manned. Half the time I'm distracted enough worrying if the guy next to me is going to muzzle-sweep me again.

To me, a class isn't about getting good footage or YouTube hits, it's about setting your ego aside and absorbing and applying information. Considering that some people rely on hits to generate income, I wouldn't be surprised to see their behavior altered in certain ways to ensure compelling content. I'm a professional camera operator, and I know very well how differently people act when there's a lens on them. I also know that when you're filming, you have a mental timeline of the story you're trying to tell so that you can ensure that you get the shots you need. That's yet another thing detracting from the shooter's ability to absorb and apply.

Does anyone else have thoughts or experiences with this? Maybe I'm making something out of nothing here.

[_Stormin_]

For the You Tube channel type, I can see the camera being a distraction. For many people I would think that the camera serves to get an A/V record of what they were told, and how they ran the drill. I compare it to sports in school. Play on Saturday, film on Sunday.


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[jwfuhrman]

I compare it to sports in school. Play on Saturday, film on Sunday.

Exactly, it is for personal use and review so you can continue to run the same drills later on. There is a Costa Carbine 1 course in May next year that I'm hoping to be able to use my countourHD on a hat mount. I have 2 16gig memory cards and I plan on turning the camera on and leaving it on once we hit the range.

[G_M]

As far as video camera's go I usually don't see anything but there are always professional photographers that are there to take pictures for the company or magazine articles. I've seen a few people try to run goPro's while they were shooting and they generally ditch the idea because it gets in their way. Some instructors seem to tolerate iPhone videos for note taking purposes but that seems to be in the minority. All media related things are actually taken care of at the beginning of classes I've been to or people are just smart enough to know what is appropriate or not.

[ST911]

With the proliferation of these body cams, two types seem to be in possession of them most frequently: The dedicated student, tracking performance in pursuit of improvement and diligence; and the hey-look-at-me type that races to write the first AAR for the internet or update his youtube channel.

The former is no bother to class. The latter can compromise learning, safety, or OPSEC as we all trip over his clown shoes. Instructors should make their expectations clear as to what sorts of video and photo work is permitted. If not clear going in, it should be a topic of discussion at the outset to make sure everyone is on the same page and okay with intentionally or potentially being recorded.

I'd like to hear the opinions and policies of the guys running classes who are personally, professionally, and financially invested in their work product.

[SeriousStudent]

Personally, I am not really thrilled with showing up on somebody's Wall of Fame without being specifically asked.

Like Skintop911 says, I have zero problems with the fellow striving for self-improvement. But if he's publicly posting videos with my mugshot, I want him to either blur me out, or make damn sure I'm not in the shot. I'm no sneaky camo dood, but he needs to secure permission from everybody if he does that. Not just the instructor.

[antlad]

I'm editing about 100 gigs of video I took at a recent class with a go pro. Most of the footage is useless because the waterproof case drowned out the audio but there is some really good stuff that will come in handy for personal reference and my own entertainment. I do not plan on posting footage on YouTube out of respect of the other students even though they were cool with it. I may post some footage here if it can be helpful to others but I will blur faces, once I figure out how to do it. I'm currently using windows movie maker but I'm not sure if it is capable of blocking out faces.
Once I have it all out together I will send a copy to the instructor and he can do what he pleases with it.


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[C4IGrant]

Most instructors I train with do NOT allow video or audio. Why? For many different reasons. First is none PC discussions. Talking about sensitive topics is not something that needs to be seen by the general public. Second is that it is easy for viewers to think something isn't safe because of the angle. Third is because they didn't pay for the training. You paid your hard earned money so why give it away to someone that paid nothing??

If the student wants to "capture" what was said or done so they can improve, there is this new invention called pen and paper! Take notes!



C4

[tb-av]

Very few people have the ability to fully understand what they might look like to the point they could "pencil and paper" it. But I agree, it seems like running video or even audio could lead to some undesired issues. It would seem to me that no matter who was teaching that at least some segment of the training could be arranged such that video/audio could be captured for/by the student. I know that me personally I can practice something, go over it in my head, write it down, whatever... but when I video myself, it's a whole different picture and I usually "see and know" that I did it really wrong or pretty much right. There's a reason they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Remember you are only as good as your eye witness account and I believe most here have said most people make really bad eye witnesses. Pen and paper simply doesn't compare to video. It's an ok remedy if nothing else is available. Ideally it would be a video of the instructor followed by video of student for comparison.

[ST911]

There is definite value in video, and I don't think anyone is saying otherwise. It's the manner and purpose many are taken with, and the secondary issues that can arise that complicates the matter.

I record some individual practice sessions, enabling me to diagnose a problem I don't understand at the time, or don't even realize is occurring. I occasionally videotape match stages to see what I'm doing in stress performance. I've attended FLETC and Strategos classes that recorded students in structured, formal exercises for later review and progress assessment. In those, the video was taken by instructors, is owned and retained by the program, and is not distributed. I like that structure very much.

The POV recording with body cams often seen on the net isn't providing a lot of diagnostic opportunity. It's mostly entertainment.

On note taking... I keep a spiral notebook in my pocket during classes and write like a mad man at each opportunity. I manage to capture both major and minor instructional points of interest, as well as other observations of the course. After class, I type those notes and scan any drawings and file them away. They are a tremendous resource.

With currently available technology, instructors should anticipate being recorded openly or surreptitiously, and adjust accordingly. If an off-comment isn't captured on video, it's a sound bite on a smart phone, or in an AAR published to the net. It's sad that our modern social and legal environment doesn't allow the candor it used to, but it is what it is.