OK so I watched Michael's Grand Floridian tour. I let it swish around in my brain for a few hours before blurting out a "this sux and this is why" post, fun as that is.
Michael is no longer the cruise guy. He's now the resort tour guy? Another day another hat? Could I give a better tour? Maybe? I've stayed there a number of times. But I know in my heart that filming a hotel tour is not something I'm going to do well. I know what I like in places to stay, mostly on a subconscious "I can't explain what I like" level. What do you like? I have no idea. What does a random population of Disney-philes like who might happen to find my video? I don't know. My vocabulary for selling a place (or things) borders on caveman-like: look how light and airy, wow it's big, beautiful views! That's why I'm not in sales.
What I can do is write turgid, fact/logic based lines of prose. I love writing, I hate reading, go figure. But I can write "how to" things, but it takes a lot of effort and an ability to see what another reader will see when they read my stuff. I lost a job promotion once after taking a test because I was told that I was being too literal in reading the test(!). The supervisor told me that I could take the test again, I told him that "I'm not taking that bleeping test again, you think you are asking for something, you want a particular answer, but you don't know how to write." I'm not going to write a science fiction novel even though deep in my heart that is what I would do if I could. I dream about it from time to time, but I know I don't know how to develop characters, plots, etc. This is known as being realistic and knowing your own person/limits.
Which leads us to Michael. He did something incredible, he had help doing it, but I don't diminish an accomplishment because someone gets help, helping others is admirable IMO. Michael worked in the US State Department straight out of high school! What? I would have tit my pants if that fell into my lap as an 18 year-old. But he decided that his accomplishment was not an accomplishment, maybe he had a need to succeed on his own, that is very understandable. But his idea to present himself as an expert to a self-selected group of Disney-experts/fans requires a few things: expertise and presentation ability. Michael's lack in these areas came screaming home a couple of days ago in his Poly when he acted as if he knew what names on bricks at DW meant. Maybe it was info he got as a kid visiting WDW, but it was just plain wrong. Actual knowledge is a limit, but it's a limit Michael can't see for some reason.
The fun part: Michael is giving his second resort tour, this time the GF. About 1 minute into the video he sees a directory map in the lobby and says the map is there in case you get lost. Lost in the hotel lobby? Do lost people routinely go to the GF to find their way? What the duck. The map is so you can see "you are here" and where you want to go is over there. He talked about the good food at V&A's. Has he even eaten there? I don't recall any videos of him there. He finds a bathroom in the hallway and says it's for V&A's and Citricos, but V&A has its own, very swanky bathroom inside the restaurant, there's no reason to go into the hallway.
I just couldn't do more critiquing after that. See above discussion about limits. Michael seriously needs to find another use for his interest in filming which he could be good at if he devoted some time to it. But you just don't become an expert because you want to be one.
.
