YouTube video reviews update

 

  • YouTube video reviews update

    Posted by Huw, 05 Feb 2013 05:18. Filed under Brickset.

    Since I announced the new video reviews index yesterday, the response from video producers has been fantastic. All the major ones are on board and there are now some 1230 video links in the database, for 694 different sets.

    The most reviewed sets are 9516 Jabba's Palace, 76005 Spider-Man Daily Bugle Showdown and 76000 Artic Batman vs Mr. Freeze, which have seven video reviews each.

    The breakdown of videos per producer is as follows:

    Number of videos Producer
    396 BrickQueen
    347 The Brick Show
    107 BrickBoxTV
    69 YourCreativeFriends
    67 flyguydotnet
    66 osuharding1
    44 Solid Brix Studios
    41 MADABOUTLEGO
    31 Rob A.
    23 just2goodEurobricks
    21 teksushi
    9 Brick.Face
    7 Sariel
    1 Donster28
    1 Wolverine359

    I've been in touch with Artifex Productions and I'll hoping to be able to bulk-import their back catalogue in the next few days. I'm more than happy to do so for other producers too -- just send me a CSV or similar with set numbers and video IDs or URLs and I'll do the rest.

    In the next few weeks I will add more facilities to enable producers to manage their video links and also some sort of portal for each one, to make it easier to find and view their videos than on YouTube. I'll also make it so that a random video is displayed in the video reviews tab, using a method that works this time :-)


    15 comments, latest one posted 3 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by stephan3321 in Netherlands, 05 Feb 2013 06:39

Maybe LEGOJANG wants to upload his HERO Factory, Superhero's Ultra Builds and System reviews?
http://www.youtube.com/user/legojang

Posted by lego613master in United States, 05 Feb 2013 08:19

Thanks, Huw!

Posted by shawn1818 in United States, 05 Feb 2013 08:46

@Huw contact ForestFire101!!!!

"What kind of Buisness trip Batman?"
"It's a none of your Buisness kind of Buisness trip!"

Posted by Corellian Engineering in Belgium, 05 Feb 2013 09:23

Seeing how much views those video reviews receive, I guess there is a public for them.
But not my cup of tea. I still prefer a thorough text an (clear) pictures review where I can move forward and back at my own pace.
Maybe its just me, and there are exceptions, but a lot of those video reviews are rather tedious, of DIY kitchen table quality (you know the ones : shaky, blurry, cam turning away from subject etc..) and sometimes even more focused on the reviewer then the subject itself. To my taste they tend to show a lack of in in depth critisism too. A bit to much of the whow, AWESOME! vibe. Not everything Lego brings out is perfect.. a review should talk about flaws too.

This move might attract even more followers for Brickset Huw.. but lets hope you are not opening Pandoras box.
Some comments found on those youtube channels are not exactly of the same educated and adult level as usualy found here on Brickset. And many of those video reviewers dont realy apreciate it when their review is being.. ermmm .. reviewed. Just ask Will at Hothbricks....

Posted by ChicoCheco in Norway, 05 Feb 2013 09:41

Just an idea - Would it be possible to add the button "video reviews" in the same way like we have the eurobricks pictorical reviews in the table database view?

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2013 10:51

^^^ I agree they are an acquired taste but as you say the viewing figures are impressive so clearly there is an audience for them.

I don't think people will find Brickset via this feature, since there won't be links to here from YouTube, but hopefully it will help existing users who like these videos find them more easily.

^^ Each to his own...

^ Yes, I will improve the input and management of them in due course.

Posted by MoonKnight in United States, 05 Feb 2013 11:13

^^^^ I agree as well. I prefer a "thorough" text review. Huw, CapnRex101, and atkinsar are great examples of well written and good quality photo reviews. (I love the photos with the set and white background. You can easily see the detail.)

The video reviews tend to be extremely blurry and the focus never works for the minifigs. Plus some of the video reviewers tend to focus way too much attention on the minifigs and not the sets. I know of one reviewer that even claims that his customized minifigs are better than the ones made by LEGO. I do know of some good customized minifigs but his are ridiculous. LEGO knows what they're doing!

But I do think you can find some good quality videos if you look for them. I've never had problems with Brick Show.

Posted by axisvega in United States, 05 Feb 2013 12:48

This is actually a great opportunity to get some feedback from a community that may otherwise be rather, well... biased. I agree with many points about text reviews being the superior way, and a reviewer's personality can often turn one off to the whole idea of the video. Personally, I try to give an honest opinion, positive or negative about what I am looking at, and provide the best quality picture I can afford. I would like to ask my fellow Bricksetters to check out one or more of my own works, and in doing so, give me some feedback about how I can better suit your desires for a video review, and maybe coax a few of you to a more positive view of the video reviews altogether. I am not in thei for views or money, but as I state on my channel, to share what I know to educate and inform, showing my passion for the subjects with just a touch of humor. sorry for rambling, but I look forward to whatever input you'd like to send my way.
thanks!
~Rob A.

Posted by The Lego Train Station in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2013 13:03

I tried adding a video last night but it didn't work, did it again now and it worked. On 7285.

@Tillus I agree a bit, like when they get something wrong about a set they just cover it up and on the 21102 reveiw they said Minecraft is a closed world when it actually keeps on generating. Grrrr.

@Ngclarkiv8 The Brickshow do good focus for minifigs though.

Posted by osuharding1 in United States, 05 Feb 2013 13:47

To those who frown upon the addition of the video reviews, your points are all valid. However, there are a few reviewers out there on YouTube who focus the discussion on the set and not themselves or the just the mini-figures. Reputable reviewers have an HD camera, adequate lighting and use a tripod. Any fair and accurate product review should cover the good, the bad and the ugly.

I agree that a lot of the popular ‘Brick’ reviewers on YouTube tend to focus on how great every Lego set is. I think this is simply due to the fact that their target audience is children who want to see the latest and greatest Lego set and who do not care about the product’s shortcomings. AFOLs on the other hand recognize the value of a dollar and want to know if their money will be well spent on rather expensive Lego and therefore want to know ALL the ins-and-outs of a Lego product.

In short, as @Tilius noted above, not all ‘Brick’ reviewers on YouTube are a good representation of the Lego community. However, there are a few good ones out there; you just have to understand who the target audience is. Furthermore, you have to recognize that a large YouTube following can be very lucrative for the video producers and as such they create as many videos on as many sets/themes as they can. As a result, it’s easier to talk about the good and more difficult to be knowable enough to criticize a set when warranted.

Posted by brickboxtv in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2013 14:57

Hi guys Darren from The Brick Box (BrickBoxTV) here.
I'm a UK based Youtube Lego reviewer and I appreciate the gesture Huw has extended to a few of us!

I appreciate that video reviews are not for everybody but speaking for myself I put a lot of time and effort into what I do and it is my hobby after all so I have a great passion for it already.
I always focus on the set and its components to the best of my ability but as @osuharding1 says my majority audience is of the younger age group so to be too technical would be suicide in a certain respect, I do give a rating at the end of my reviews which covers the 3 main age groups so I try to keep it age friendly and not too fluffy but the words "cool" and "awesome" do arise often I admit, these words act as a good break as what I do is all off the cuff and none of it is scripted so these words act as a good 1-2 second interval to regain my direction.
Lastly I use a tripod and a cannon HD camera plus sony vegas pro 10 to create and edit my content plus I am also in the process of acquiring a new Alienware laptop to further the quality, I have an expensive lighting set up also and my logo and intro/outro vids were all professionally commissioned for me by a games/graphic designer which did not come cheap.

So what I am trying to communicate is that what a good percentage of us do is not just a money spinner it is business decision built off the back of our hobby which we put alot of money, time, effort and research into plus most of us have full time jobs on top of this, I am up until 01:00 am most days then up at 05:30 am to go do my day job.
I do have 2 channels which is the reason I spend so much time on it, the other is a toy review channel SWCCToyReviewTV as I love toys in general.
I am a toy fanatic and have been a collector for many years, I used to be a big vintage Star Wars collector and also ran my own forum based on it so as I say I am not opportunist I have many years of experience and research to back up my motivation to do what I do.

I would love to hear any criticism from Brickset members as it is usually always constructive and I will continue to do my very best to bring the Lego community quality reviews as best my ability will allow me. If you wish not to watch my reviews then that is your decision and I fully respect that and I respect your reasons not to do so.

Brick On!

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2013 15:01

I am not a huge fan of video reviews in general, the Brick Show is a bit too 'in your face' for my liking but I can certainly understand why so many people are thoroughly entertained by their reviews.

As for the numerous reviews from Solid Brix Studios etc, again, not to my taste but certainly a worthy addition to the website as many people will enjoy them. I may be a huge Star Wars fan myself, but I find that in general they tend to talk more about a model's accuracy (or lack of it) and less about how good the actual set is, which is certainly detrimental to the review as a whole in my opinion.

Thanks again Huw for all these great additions that have been popping up lately!

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 05 Feb 2013 15:43

Thanks to the video producers for your input to this thread. I wasn't a big fan of video reviews but now that they are more readily accessible (to me, anyway) I've started watching some of them and can appreciate the time and effort that's gone into making them.

I hope my small contribution of indexing and exposing them to a possibly new audience increases interest, views and revenue for you all.

Posted by ninjagoyo in United States, 05 Feb 2013 19:24

I love the Brick Show. They are thorough and enthusiastic.
And timely. I made some Chima buying decisions based on their vids.
I also like timelapse build vids. DoctorBrikDaddy's are well-shot in my opinion.

Posted by KLOKRIECHER in Germany, 11 Feb 2013 08:28

Cool feature! I'll send you the CSV with my reviews I've done on my KLOKRIECHER YouTube channel very soon. STAY TUNED! :-)

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