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Reason First: Should A$AP Rocky and Crew Be Let Off Because of Poor Camerawork?

Can steady videography solve a crime?

By Skyler SaundersPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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There ought to be lessons in elementary school on up to PhD-level on how to best hold the camera when shooting footage on a cellphone. The latest video to go all shaky and distorted purportedly presents A$AP Rocky and crew assaulting a man in the streets of Stockholm, Sweden. The brief melee is difficult to decipher, as the amateur videographer shimmies with the videophone. Poor quality doesn’t help the matter much. When law enforcement arrived, they wanted to see the evidence in living color. What they didn’t want was jerky picture that looks like a war film where there’s no Steadicam.

Never mind the $1000 plus price tag for phones nowadays, it’s a shame that the footage isn’t stable, and in 4K digital quality. A$AP and his posse would be prosecuted without a shadow of a doubt if the picture presented more clarity. From the days of the now defunct Vine to Instagram posts, the quality of the recording on video ought to be paramount. Just a few private lessons would greatly improve the presentation of the video. As the camera is juggled and out of focus, it demonstrates the much needed education in presenting clearer videos. At least there should be encouragement to take courses via YouTube to get those perfect angles. That the camera holder in the A$AP incident fumbled and jerked is a minor tragedy. With crystal clear views, the police would have a better time at identifying the crew beating up the man. If more classes, sponsored by private donors, sprung up to educate the people on how to best hold the videophones, then entertainment, sports, and yes brawls that could lead to arrests, could enhance the culture.

The headlines read “allegedly” and “reportedly” concerning the mini fisticuffs. If the video had been sharper, and the wannabe cinematographer had just held steady, it would show that A$AP Rocky and his team actually committed the crime. GoPro and other camera systems capture HD quality moving pictures showcasing snowboarding, skiing, surfing, and other sports. With the glut of poor quality videos circulating the web, shouldn’t these camera systems be strapped onto the heads of picture shooters? The jerkiness would be eliminated, and the user would be empowered to present a bold, clear, and cogent video to be examined by police whenever necessary.

For A$AP Rocky and crew, to be allegedly videoed is not enough. There should be no chance for anyone to say that it was not him and his hoodlums that attacked the man. The awkward zooms in and out only contribute to the poor performance of the person behind the camera lens. All of the attention that should be focused on the subject is instead diverted to how shoddy the camerawork was. With just a few adjustments, and the bearing of a Marine Commandant, the videographer could’ve snapped a video that would definitely bring about a possible charge against A$AP Rocky and his cronies.

Results of the video that surfaced, and was sent to TMZ, broadcasted to the world a female’s voice who says A$AP Rocky’s name. By the end of the atrocious video ( both for the brief fight and quality) no one knows for sure whether it was in fact A$AP Rocky or not.

What is known is that we’ve got to do better. Every internet video ought to be of quality, no matter the subject. Whether it’s street brawls or funny videos of kittens, the focus should be the focus. Holding even poor quality videos firm, and with discipline, without wild and sudden zooming in and out should be of chief concern.

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Skyler Saunders

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