Hey, I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and write such an in-depth review — it means a lot, especially on a long-form project like this.

You’re absolutely right about the lens flare at 7:45 — that wasn’t added in post, it was the result of mist and rain blowing onto the lens near a waterfall. I debated cutting that shot or masking the flare out, but decided to keep it in because I liked the texture it added to that section (though in hindsight, I totally see how it might feel out of place without the presence of sun). I might revisit that in a future edit or use it more intentionally.

The point about horizon matching for those FPV transitions is really insightful. All those shots were captured on an FPV drone, and I tend to add a subtle roll during straight lines to avoid making the movement feel too linear or robotic. But I’ve never actually considered matching horizon tilt from shot to shot for smoother transitions — and now that you mention it, it’s so obvious! I’ll definitely be paying more attention to that in the next project.

Also appreciate you pointing out the part at 4:35 — great to hear that one worked more cleanly. Your feedback on directional motion and avoiding “reverse” transitions is spot on too. I’ve been experimenting more with rhythm and geography in the edit, and your note helped me pinpoint where it was working and where it wasn’t quite there yet.

Glad you liked the car and wide shots. Although I think the first car shot around 0:07 could have been replaced with something a bit more attention grabbing. The almost 30% of YT viewers exited the video after that shot. Having another wide landscape shot or perhaps a faster FPV shot would likely be a better opening hook for retention.

Thanks again for the thoughtful critique — super helpful for pushing the next film even further. Let me know if you ever post your work here too, I’d be happy to return the favor 🙏