Videos:Watched about 8 of them all the way thru.
Scrubbed thru a few others.
As much as preparation helps, your videos could benefit greatly from more post production work.
Per video there is 0-3 cuts that seem to only tie together multiple recordings.
With more editing your average of 10-20 min length could probly be cut down to 2-5 min and still contain the same general content.
Sliding in some images digitally to supplement what you are saying could also help.
I can recommend this book on film.It's been years since I read it, and can't seem to find it on my shelf, but if its the book I'm thinking of its rather good.
Conversation:I read the entire thread.
It's evolved quite a bit.
In its latest form I perceive that this is almost like some sort of experiment that Alex is running.
Seemingly random information is presented.
Viewers (mostly Helm) react.
Reaction is analysed and more random information and questions are presented.
Why? What then? How come? What about? So? Why? Why? Why?
From what I remember, this is what children do.
And I don't mean that offensively, to say this is "childish", I mean literally children.
They learn by throwing rocks and seeing what happens.
Shouting words and listening to what people say back.
Thru this data a definition can be created, in this case -> self.
That may not at all be the intention, but it's how I perceive the situation overall.
If that is on some level whats happening, that's fine.
It seems to be fueling more videos and perhaps another book.
Productivity is a good thing.
The only part that's not so great is Helm is giving very solid life advice, and its being pushed off as something like robotic bullshit.
If that's part of the whole ruse go ahead, but a nod or wink might put everyone more at ease.
Alex you may want to consider trying some sort of Tom Green Show/Jon Benjamin Has a Van/Borat type of thing where you run around and get reactions out of people.
Its a highly marketable genre and not many players in the field.
Humor:As serious as this has been I found that if you sing snippets of Helm's posts to a rock guitar, and rap portions of Alex's text to a beat, its !@#$ hilarious.
Try it.
Thoughts:This whole exchange is interesting, and I actually applaud those involved for having, and keeping, it in public.
In my observation of others, and own experience, I've found that the more vague and fuzzy we perceive things to be, the more "unhappy" we are, and less likely to be productive.