You’re recording your tennis matches WRONG

[@EssentialTennis]

Well, what are you waiting for? Here’s some of the gear I mentioned it the video: Tall Tripod on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Extendable-Compatible-Digital-Cameras-Silvery/dp/B07JQC8C84/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2XYH9JXKR2ZI9&dchild=1&keywords=tall+tripod&qid=1611596833&sprefix=tall+tripod%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-3 Fence Camera Mount on Amazon: www.amazon.com/s?k=fence+camera+mount&i=electronics&crid=11BXLICPS87EB&sprefix=fence+camera%2Caps%2C172&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_12_ts-a-p QM-1 Camera Mount from OnCourt Off Court: oncourtoffcourt.com/qm-1-camera-fence-mount/?sku=CEQM1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9bmABhBbEiwASb35VzcQ-h3Zkyx4iB_Q5X_qFICWPg9eARNGapeuMDtDgURyMuCxshTMGhoC3k0QAvD_BwE Also, here are the creators I featured in today’s video. Be sure to check them out because they’re all killing it with their content! TennisTroll: kzbin.info/door/PMTuuIioSG4_R1WVVxsVfA Dill Plays: kzbin.info/door/UCRfVxSmdrHKs107BA2X4Q Tweeter Head: kzbin.info/door/2IoDOq55i7oDxlfrZ8Qxmw

[@jd-xj3ew]

I've taken a deep dive into this lately. One big stumbling block-getting the angle\framing right when using a high fence mount... Any suggestions?!

[@CoachAdrian]

Great professional advice! I use the QM1 mount for my video recording and it’s been perfect 👌

[@EssentialTennis]

Awesome, glad it's working well for you!

[@K4R3N]

Started recording my matches last year. So insightful

[@EssentialTennis]

Nothing is better for improvement!

[@TennisTrollChannel]

Thank for sharing this information with all of us to improve. Super helpful.

[@EssentialTennis]

❤🙏

[@jgsmo]

Hey, man, I really enjoy watching your matches. Thanks for that. What kind of software do you use for editing? I'll try to do something similar here in Brazil.

[@TennisTrollChannel]

@@jgsmo Not sure if referring to Essential Tennis or me. If me (TennisTroll), we use iMovie.

[@jgsmo]

@@TennisTrollChannel Thanks. And, yes, I was talking about Tennis Troll. It's very interesting seeing you use Ian's tatics to win over stronger strikers.

[@TennisTrollChannel]

@@jgsmo trying. I didn’t win this particular match, but not bad if a performance against a player with astounding credentials as Tennis Rodman has. The strategies from Ian do work.

[@Motenai]

As a coach myself, the only real issue when filming students with the Gopro is the short battery time. Yeah, in the end you can have multiple batteries, but you have to remember to change them, 2 of them won't make it into a long match anyway... I wish there was an option, or an upgrade, to have at least 3 hours of juice out of a single charge, even if it would make it bulkier. Great video Ian.

[@SawyerQuinn]

Ian, great info like always! I've always wondered what the story is behind the Essential Tennis facility. Have you made a video about it? If not, could you? Maybe a little behind the scenes thing.

[@HastingsHart]

A cheap alternative to a wireless mic is to use a USB recording stick clipped to your hat visor to record audio, but the downside of course is that you have to go through the extra step of importing it into editing software and sync it with your video track.

[@EssentialTennis]

Great tip! That could definitely work well.

[@timefly4221]

Great video. I’ve done one experiment with the GoPro and fence mount indoors. The GoPro’s angle is so wide that it’s hard to avoid a lot of dead space. I need to continue to find the right position and settings. The quality of the video was also a little disappointing - it did meter off the indirect lighting similar to what you have at your court. Finally, a doctor stopped behind our curtain during our match and called in a prescription, inadvertently revealing a lot of someone’s personal info! Lol. So I couldn’t share it without significant sound editing even if I wanted to.

[@ProjectsandReviewsZone]

I have the hero 8 and it took some time to dial it in. I also was not happy with the quality. I found the Linear lens setting to not fishbowl shot. Also, I put sharping to medium setting. I set Iso manually to get the least amount of noise out of the shot. Check out some videos on the best setting for go pro because than helped me. If I really wanted better quality I might go with a good DSLR.

[@EssentialTennis]

+1 for what Hecks said: find the "Linear" shooting mode!! The view will probably be exactly what you're looking for.

[@pecorcoran]

Essential Tennis book is a great resource. Thanks for writing it!!

[@EssentialTennis]

Do glad you're enjoying it, Phil!

[@stimsingh9361]

I was just dealing with bad video recordings recently... nice topic.

[@EssentialTennis]

Hope this was helpful!

[@aacosta96]

Great topic! Just started recording too. What’s tough is my camera (DJI pocket 2) and others split video . I tried multiple software and techniques.. my current technique is, record to a micro as card, backup/transfer to an external drive, use iTunes to load multiple videos onto my iPhone (I bought a used iPhone 7 with 256gb), use the iMovie app to export one combined video, process the video on SwingVision(it’s so cool to get 5+ rallies), screen record SwingVision (the export function from swingvision leaves off the rally you are watching and the time), then import the screen record into iMovie to combine with the full match, export from iMovie, finally load to KZbin ! Takes probably 8 hours.

[@aacosta96]

kzbin.info/door/S65r-HszFPqAArdpDtF2NA

[@CoachAdrian]

Yes, this is what I call the "dark side" or recording tennis videos. Recording, exporting, editing, then uploading on KZbin can be such a time-consuming process. This doesn't even include the unexpected technical issues that may pop up regarding your computer, software, or video itself. It's not so easy!

[@aacosta96]

I’m so far away from editing and it’s already not easy. Any efficient software to record the set and game scores?

[@CoachAdrian]

@@aacosta96 You might want to check the Swing Vision app (for iPhone). It records tennis match videos and cuts the dead time. There is also a way to record the scores automatically (although I haven't tried it).

[@vicentefelix7348]

Thank you for this video! As a tennis content creator myself, this was gold 👍🏼🎾

[@dsnuggs]

Thanks for the info Ian. I started my channel filming matches last month and your video was a big help. Great info.

[@slach01]

Great video - thanks for posting! I was wondering yesterday how you easily add the score graphics, and how you do your picture-in-picture when you provide commentary during matches. Any guidance on that front would be wonderful as well!

[@EssentialTennis]

We use custom graphics for those types of things. I'd recommend checking out a website like fiverr to get something done that works with whatever editing software you use.

[@nrayestu]

Aside from the graphics, any tips on how to generate the scores more easily. I feel like manually changing the numbers on the scoreboard takes the most time when editing tennis footage.

[@tennisinclined4744]

Great video!!! I've had my QM-1 for about 9 years, its a great piece of equipment!

[@EssentialTennis]

Awesome, good to hear!

[@pickleballbyjustin]

Put a gopro on the ball, you will get every "shot" 🎾

[@EssentialTennis]

😆

[@fsilber330]

Two years ago I was a high 3.5 who had many slumps and such terrible match nerves that whenever keeping score I would regularly sink to like a 2.0 to 2.5 level. After periodically recording myself, the only improvement is in my match nerves -- I now regularly play at a low 3.5 level. But having my strokes recorded for objective viewing has retroactively lowered my level of play on those two-year videos down to somewhere between 2.0 and 2.5 level. Thanks a lot. If ever I get to the point that I actually play fully up to my level, maybe _after that_ use of video will actually lead to a raising of my skill level -- and not just keep lowering what my level of skill used to be.

[@capsim1233]

Thanks so much Ian and ET!!! I am going to purchase and start recording our matches. Can you also talk about software? What do you use to edit? Any tips or tricks and affiliate links to purchase would be awesome.

[@AcingTennis]

Good video Ian. All of us tennis content creators are definitely going to be able to get use out of this. As someone who started less than a year ago - I kind of had to figure everything out for myself because there weren't videos like this in any quantity. I record with a phone holder that is roped to a fence. Doesn't take much money to get started. Going to consider the mic thing when I get a bit bigger and can afford to do it.

[@assembledbrick9639]

super helpful Ian!

[@random.tennis]

My footage is always meh 😕 because I use a phone. Thanks for the great tips! Enjoyed the video🔥🎾💪💪💪 I’m new to the tennis KZbin!

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you enjoyed the tips!

[@RhettBrownatRetroWreck]

Great ideas! Some tennis courts are noisier than others. The wind is usually my worst enemy but school power generators can kill audio too. I record high school matches and lav microphones are not permitted. My solution has been a shotgun recorder by Shure. The Lenshopper VP83F with a wind furry. Set it and forget it. Placement is key and you should experiment with locations for the best voice audio you can get. That said every match is different and the more you do the more you get the hang of it. Also, this method requires post-production audio work for sure and that is completely another "can of worms". Thanks. Great video.

[@PeterFreemantennis]

good info Ian going to buy an TALL tripod today

[@EssentialTennis]

Love it, keep up the good work, Peter!

[@Wannabe-Pro]

Just remember, tripod subject to getting knocked over by a ball and then breaking your phone or camera. Make sure you have a good case. Fence mounting less likely to suffer knockdown.

[@CoachAdrian]

@@Wannabe-Pro Good warning regarding tripods! It can also be knocked over by moderate to heavy wind. I learned this the hard way!

[@TennisOreste]

Thank you very much for this video, it was really helpful! Haha yes, the phone's mic lets you hear everything, sometimes too much off the court. A tip from a super amateur guy is to use another old phone, just use the voice recorder and put it in the middle of the net, on the base. It helps a little :)

[@CoachAdrian]

Awesome tip. Make use of old phones for audio 👍

[@EssentialTennis]

Great idea for audio!

[@neelabhchoudhary2063]

what mount should i get for my gopro? and where is the best place to mount the camera on?

[@mikeshelagh]

So helpful! Thank you so much for posting this!

[@MPTennis]

Great video Ian. Thank you for sharing your advice and experience. Love the mic ideas.

[@nrayestu]

Great video Ian! Lots of very actionable tips I'll keep in mind when shooting my next tennis match play!

[@guypisapia]

You mentioned a $10 hack from Home Depot that could be used as a fence camera mount. It would have been awsome if you had linked a description of the apparatus.

[@felipeh.5691]

What about using dedicated software and/or hardware like SwingVision and Baseline Vision? Any views? A review of these would be very interesting to see!

[@reallyangrygiant66]

Thanks for the tips Ian, filming and editing are definitely both art forms that take practice to get right! My biggest issue is that my main indoor club has "bubble" courts, so no back curtain to hang the camera from, and not really enough room for a tripod in a competitive match scenario (probably could get away with it hitting with a friend). I was using a tripod in the back corner by the partition net post, it worked okay. Recently I got the QM-1 and hung it from the partition net cable, still way off center but the extra height helps. I'm mostly filming just so I can review what I need to work on, and all the video's I've taken so far have been good enough for that! If you have time to line up your shot perfectly and guarantee the camera won't move, I agree linear mode on gopro is probably best. But, for me, having to set up quickly off center, the wider mode in 4k has worked great, in post I can rotate and zoom to whatever framing I want; last match using the QM-1 the camera got fell to a weird angle halfway through, but due to the large fov I was still able to salvage it and see the whole match. Keep on keeping on, positive vibes from Ohio!

[@EssentialTennis]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@dr.madhuriaglawe1998]

Thank-you sir I will try it

[@EssentialTennis]

Good for you!

[@willecutlip]

make sure to have your camera set to the correct temperature light, if it allows you to set it.

[@BTPICKLEBALL]

Great vid - my unsolicited opinion though regarding phone recording: phones are great for short clips when you're mobile but you will severely degrade the performance of your phone if you constantly record large video files at higher resolutions. It can be done but you are sacrificing your phone's longevity. Sure, you could use your corvette to tow a boat, but what do you think it's doing to the transmission and chassis if do it frequently? IMO opt for a used or open box purpose built 4k30p or 4k60p camcorder at around $600 with a shotgun mic. Video and audio will be of better quality and you're only sacrificing replaceable memory for the most part. (Video processors do have limited lifespan but you should easily get ~1,000 hours out of a digital camcorder before performance degrades).

[@HPontara1]

next could be how to edit in a efficient way. I was always afraid of filming it cause I have no idea how to use it later!

[@EssentialTennis]

That's a great topic....totally different thing. Largely depends on what kind of computer you have (Windows or Mac).

[@HPontara1]

@@EssentialTennis I do use Windows. Not really asking for a full review on how to edit but maybe good ideas on where to cut, what to look into, whats important, stuff like that!

[@ProjectsandReviewsZone]

I started doing 4k and it was taxing my computer and really was holding me back from doing edits. I upgraded the chip and MB only for an enough improvement to get the job done.

[@CoachAdrian]

I’ve been using Filmora (for Windows) and it’s great for editing. If you don’t like editing (it can be time consuming), check out the SwingVision app (for iPhone). It edits tennis play footage automatically - cuts all the dead time.

[@K4R3N]

On Windows I use the built in Video Editor. Pretty simple and you can put in score/text also

[@tenkensoujiro1]

Thank you for this video Ian, it's the first time I see this type of video! I will definitely buy new gear. Do you have any special software to edit videos? I recorded my last match but it's like 45 minutes watching me walking around and 10 fun minutes. Thanks!

[@altruism8637]

Great info, easy but effective! How do you add the little scoreboard thing in the corner with ongoing scores?

[@SimonServes]

Thanks for the upload, Ian. I also prefer using the GoPro. The only issue is the battery life (max 1.5 hours). What’s the best fence mount for GoPro?

[@brianbeall9008]

Thanks Ian, great tips. Any advice for how to shoot video from your perspective while hitting with someone? So you could then work on shadowing in front of your laptop? Perhaps somehow mounting the camera to your chest? Or would the picture then be just bouncing around too much?

[@walterriveraflores8193]

Good tips... thank you for the video. New gear will come in handy. How about apps... I recently started using SwingVision (for iOS) and I find it very insightful because of its analytics and mostly for the automatic video editing. This is very time efficient because you can eliminate all the while walking around with no actual gameplay. Hope more players use it, surely this would make the app develop faster. Are there any other apps out there?

[@bullettooth7211]

Great video Ian. What do you use to add the score line on your finished video ? Greetings from the UK 🇬🇧

[@TimObeckCINE]

Would you recommend any apps to help record and keep track of your score and metrics?

[@EssentialTennis]

I don't have any recommendations for that at this time, Tim. I haven't gotten into charting/tracking software yet.

[@niriraiaug21]

And where to place it for stroke correction

[@ericshine1]

Hey Ian. You didn't really mention which mic is best for recording fast food commentary. :-) :-) :-)

[@EssentialTennis]

😆😆

[@TennisNationRS]

Thanks for making this video Ian. I will look into getting an extra tall tripod. What would you say the ideal height is? Thanks 🙏🎾

[@LubaLuba1]

Can I use tennis matches clips to illustrate in training drill?

[@lebeautennis]

Make sure you bring extra Camera batteries. There is nothing as annoying then the camera running out and you play an amazing point and the camera didn't record it. I would change the battery every 40mins just to make sure everything was filmed.

[@CoachAdrian]

Good suggestion! I had to buy an “extended” capacity battery for my own camera that records footage for 3+ hours. Definitely needed for those long marathon tennis matches!

[@EssentialTennis]

Yes!!

[@JonathasSucupira]

It would be helpful to know the different fps and resolution you suggest. I have a GoPro, but I am never sure what settings to use.

[@myviews469]

Ion you blew it when you plugin GoPro they are extremely expensive far more action cams on Amazon😎. But seriously with that mic set up can you hear yourself on ear buds as well??

[@bartfox7656]

Please put the sun behind the camera, when shooting outdoors. Don't shoot into the sun if possible.

[@EssentialTennis]

That's a really good one! Totally forgot about that.

[@lebeautennis]

Yep. Thats really important. :)

[@CoachAdrian]

Good tip! I sometimes though have problems with shadows on the tennis court (because of trees) where the shadow portion is too dark and lighted portion is overexposed. Any tips on this issue?

[@giannismourat]

an extra tip from me... if you are using a phone for a camera and also have a smartwatch you can use it as remote control of the camera with the appropriate app (camera one for example)... very useful to avoid recording between points, games etc

[@jd-xj3ew]

I've been trying this, but there are always connection issues, and i can't control the zoom. Can you?

[@giannismourat]

@@jd-xj3ew yes, I don't have any connecton or zoom problems... maybe try some other app

[@CoVaTennis]

Thoughts on side view camera angle? We tried for a couple of our doubles team games and it was pretty cool to see the speed, depth and technique (especially at net) but it almost impossible to get the full baseline to baseline view (with the gopro superview setting)

[@georgebasham2279]

Dumb question but ... how does the wearable mic get "synced up" with the video, do you have to have some kind of an application to edit it into the video???

[@zabaftis]

You should make a review video for SwingVision app. Make a try

[@elliot-hits3210]

Hey Ian, great video. This might be more of an editing question but how do you implement the scoreboard on your videos? I cut my clips by the point, organize and merge them by the game, and then apply the match score on each game clip. To do this for each point would be too time-consuming for me. I'm wondering if there's an automated method, possibly involving a watch app that you can update during the game and then sync with the video later. Thanks!

[@SheeplesslnSeattle]

Seems like a lot of you have the same problem. Battery life. I've tried DSLRs with external batteries but they overheat quickly. GoPros with external batteries overheat after about 30 minutes of recording. The only solution I've found is using my iPhone 14 Pro Max with a wireless charger and cooling fan that's plugged into an external battery so I can attach a wireless mic. The problem is, I want a second camera but don't want to spend over a grand for an iPhone that I'm just going to use as a camera. Anyone find a better solution?

[@michaelandrewmesina1431]

Great video! Do you have recommendations for video editing software for PC users? Thanks!

[@allboutthemojo]

This is the best video on the Chanel! Another suggestion for players, unless you record every single match is to help the unemployed. Hire 2 people, pay them to do the hand held recording. That way you can get the close up and moving videos which make the pros on TV look so much better than they are 😄

[@EssentialTennis]

Love that idea!

[@allboutthemojo]

@@EssentialTennis 👍

[@silviolporto]

thanks Ian. It helps a loot

[@jlook6070]

Can you use drones to record your match and practice play?

[@HawkOfGP]

Obviously you could but I reckon there are way too many downsides compared to just a tall tri-pod or whatnot. What you might use it for is a complete 180 degree top down view which you don't usually get to see of tennis.

[@jlook6070]

@@HawkOfGP That's probably why the tournaments use them then. Battery life in terms of time is the only restriction.

[@hagope8890]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYmtkGl3qL-ofac

[@petestevens1223]

What software do you reccomend?

[@joehasenauer1288]

Good advice , Ian. BYW, I see your racquet has no butt cap???

[@ProjectsandReviewsZone]

*Amazing content creator checking in lol.*

[@EssentialTennis]

Everybody uploading matches is amazing!

[@TennisTrollChannel]

Ian - do you know if there is a way to attach an external battery and a wireless mic transmitter to a phone? From what I'm seeing online, it appears only one of the two can be used at a time...?

[@nrayestu]

Just curious, wouldn't an airpod (and the likes) work as wireless mics? Haven't tried it tho

[@UnitedByTennis]

Спасибо

[@frankmarco5203]

Which mic?

[@alexground3622]

yes nice ian

[@andresf1984]

Any thoughts on editing software? I use Shotcut on my Mac, but wondered what do you use

[@andresf1984]

This is one I did, recorded on iPhone, edited with Shotcut: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2qbdKWsqNSmhck

[@EssentialTennis]

Way to go, Andres! On Mac definitely check out iMovie. Does a great job and I'm pretty sure its still free for Mac users.

[@EssentialTennis]

Just checked out your video, really nice work!

[@andresf1984]

@@EssentialTennis I think TennisTroll uses iMovie. It’s free and very user friendly, but I couldn’t find a way to add scoreboards. Shotcut is also free, not so user friendly. Glad you liked my video!

[@nrayestu]

@@andresf1984 awesome video! The scoreboard makes it look super professional!

[@vant4]

Thanks for the helpful video Ian. One issue with higher angles is I’m not sure if the framing is decent after mounting the camera - any thoughts on this?

[@andresf1984]

I use my iPhone, and can see the framing from my Apple Watch

[@CoachAdrian]

That is an issue. For myself, I do check the recording to see if it looks right, then remount it. It’s an extra step, but that’s what I do. I know the SwingVision (app for iPhone) has the ability to check the view through the Apple Watch but this whole setup can be costly.

[@EssentialTennis]

Great question, Van! Your two main options are either to record a few seconds, take it down and replay it to check, or use a remote monitoring/management app for the camera. GoPro has a great phone app that lets you see what the camera sees.

[@tennisparisbrothers8001]

Like 335 really enjoy it will try and do just this on our videos

[@grimson]

If you can afford a GoPro, get a GoPro. However, some of the GoPro alternatives/knock offs are totally legit. I got a first-gen HD (not 4K) Yi Action Camera 4 years ago, off craiglist for $75, and it has done a great job videoing hundreds of my matches since then. I got extra batteries and an external charger off ebay for $15. Do a little research on this and other alternatives if the GoPro is a little out of your budget right now.

[@EssentialTennis]

Good to know!!

[@waynetree88]

Best camera for slo-mo???

[@EssentialTennis]

Also likely your phone 😊

[@EssentialTennis]

Currently we use a Nikon Z6 for slow motion.

[@K4R3N]

Most of the Amazon cameras can record 120fps

[@miguelfantindachery5453]

All good advices but microphone is too much!

[@dennisbrowne2424]

Great advice Ian. I realize that the option is not always available, but if it is, I'd add to your list that you play and record at a curtained or covered fence facility. Here's an example from IntuitiveTennis.com. Nikola played a set against one of his former students and D1 player. Nick was mic'd and the commentary is great, but the busy background was distracting (he also chose to play the entire set in the sun court). kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWepg42pobiJe68

[@dantoledo3833]

A drone can do a nice job too .

[@patrick_pkp]

Hey - has anyone worked out a good method of noting good passages of play? I record a lot of matches, but very rarely do I want to watch the whole lot back. I end up waving my arms around after a good rally so that when I watch it back at 12x speed or whatever I can be alerted! Not ideal. In a perfect world, I'd have a little device in my pocket with 3 buttons ... save the last 30 seconds, save the last minute, save the last 3 minutes etc. That way I could shoot the whole match, but have pre-edited highlights all ready to go ... and not clog the camera up with 10's of Gb of video that I never get round to properly editing! Anyone got any good workaround? Cheers!

[@CoachAdrian]

That's actually a great idea - waving your arms around! I have no suggestions but this would be a problem for a good app developer to solve.

[@nrayestu]

Has anyone tried Swing vision? It claims to be able to identify good points and do that automatically for you. I haven't tried it cos it's quite pricey like 100 bucks/year or something

[@ivanhannel]

@@nrayestu I tried the free version that records like 2 hours of time. It's GREAT! Download and try it.

[@CoachAdrian]

@@nrayestu There is a free version of Swing Vision. It does capture the "longest" and "most tiring" rallies. So that does help, but if there's a specific point that was interesting (like an amazing diving volley or a tweener), it won't identify that.

[@patrick_pkp]

Hey - wow AI hey? - will look at it, but I think that some sort of pocket remote ‘marker’ device would catch everything. Am sure it exists for some other applications...

[@AiurMedia]

i just created a third channel just to upload tennis videos :D

[@johndaniel21343]

Kind of weird you don't tell exactly how you'll set up here inside, cause there is no fence. You'll use a tripod I guess

[@morganzimmerglass9925]

Do you think I need to tell my opponent I’m filming if I set up my cell phone behind me for 2 games? What’s the etiquette?

[@johnsantiago7117]

yes

[@PaulBroni]

Absolutely. And be clear whether you intend to post online.

[@EssentialTennis]

I would definitely check and make sure its OK with them, Morgan. Most of the time people don't have a problem with it but sometimes they may say no.

[@doosrajawad]

Next topic. How to give the most self-pitying title to your match play video. "My most pathetic day ever. Worst set in the history of sports." (just teasing, great content as always)

[@KaysunKhales]

Ian why do you keep click baiting

[@EssentialTennis]

Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

[@KaysunKhales]

@@EssentialTennis that doesn’t make any sense but ok

[@kw2142]

@@KaysunKhales if you don't do any basic clickbait as a youtuber then nobody will ever watch your videos. It's basic advertising. Of coz Ian needs to go it every now & again, who can blame him? I love his channel, but i'm sure if he hadn't done some basic clickbait originally, I wouldn't have heard of his channel & thus wouldn't be watching his great content

[@willecutlip]

or, in some cases, maybe you don't want to have what you said recorded... ;-)

[@murdochm463]

Very helpful, Ian, thanks. But I wish you wouldn't keep plugging Amazon. Sure its services can be helpful but there are plenty of other online sources for needed items. And given the inhumane way it is reported as treating its workers it doesn't deserve to be patronised. Amazon workers are usually on zero hour contracts through third parties, so allowing Amazon to avoid the liability and care that respectable companies provide to employees. Further, by all accounts, the combination of intense time-motion monitoring, relatively modest wages and the gross uncertainty which the zero hour model imposes Amazon's ordinary workers are subject to significant stress and have a hard time making enough income. During 2020 the pandemic caused serious economic damage in particular to ordinary workers. Many died - in the US far, far too many. Some Amazon workers died on account of lack of proper protection and a casual disregard for the safety of their work environment. Many lost their housing. Some have killed themselves. Online buying soared, however, and in consequence Bezos increased his fortune by 63% by adding a some $73 billion to his existing $116 billion. It may be easier to understand such a sum by saying that if he now spent a dollar a second, $31.5 million year by year, it would take him over 6,000 years to get through that. That's the scale of it. Meantime workers and their families starve, lose housing, die. So I repeat my request - just don't specify Amazon, say "online" or something similar. Please.