By Oz Orman….
Chris Elliot was very kind with his words when I posted to him the second part of my research video on Nicosia International Airport. I’m no You Tuber, but since semi-retirement from Primary teaching in London. I decided to embark on my passion for history, aviation, and research.
To keep busy, I also learned how to put videos together for YouTube using a specific programme. I’ve never been a great fan of technology and my channel is also aided by my friends and is not for monetary gain. I don’t actively seek subscribers or check for views. Once a video has been uploaded, it’s onto the next project. However, on occasions, more information comes my way, which I hadn’t anticipated. Therefore you have to plan for a part 2 and not worry about the length of the video. This is what happened after I completed- N.I.C. An airport too far…Part 1.
On average, YouTube viewers lose interest after 3 minutes unless they have specifically identified something to watch. YouTube also claim, that you need a hook to encourage people to watch and you also need to make your video flow. I felt that it was important to tie up the information I mentioned in part one of the Nicosia International video and make it balanced.
There are many videos about the airport in the buffer zone, but I wanted to focus on drawing out information that hadn’t been covered before. I also have the added incentive of visiting the National Archives in Kew, London. Here there is a plethora of documentation relating to everything Cyprus and beyond. You just have to be savvy enough to plan and identify the key information. A couple of hours at the National Archives can leave you with brain fog because the information can be so overwhelming. It is a case of pacing yourself and making sure that what you are recording or photographing is relevant. Security at the National Archives is tight. However, I’m now a lot better at using the facility and used what I have discovered to aid my research and feature in my videos.
Part 2 of N.I.C. An airport too far… focuses on Ercan and Larnaca as both communities moved away from re-establishing Nicosia International as the island’s main airport. So far, both videos have been well received, but they are stories I wanted to tell and publish. It was interesting finding out what was going on behind the scenes with the airport and aircraft post-1974. I hope your readers find it informative. In typical fashion, once I had aired Part 2, more information came my way, which would enable a part 3 at some point.
