First, I will point out that I only respond to videos asking for feedback. When capable, I give advice on how to develop the technical skill, as well as separate suggestions for how to make the video more appealing to non-manipulator audiences.
I recognize the appeal of skill based performance. I've been in that world for a third of my life. I've seen what could be some of the best prop manipulators on the planet, certainly within the top 200. But it gets old, fast. I can barely watch Poi spinners any more because I've seen so much of it, it now all looks pretty much the same to me and I even understand the skill going into it. I'm not saying that every video has to be story boarded scripted and scored. There is definitely a place for purely skill based videos and if that's what someone's going for, more power to them.
However, if they ask for feedback and I have some, I will provide it in as objective a way as I can manage.
I also want to point out that I don't think magicians are any better than manipulators. Magicians tend to do plenty of the boring crap, too. I don't like to watch a video of someone doing the same sponge ball routine with the same corny jokes I've heard a million times. I don't like to watch disembodied hands producing aces with some minute variation that I can't even discern but somehow makes it so much better than the method it's based on. I can only think of a few magic videos that actually interest me. I rarely watch them all the way through because they are just not entertaining. My complaints about flourishing videos are largely the same complaints I have about magic videos and juggling videos and any other video I watch.
I want to be entertained when I watch a video (unless it's specifically a "Check out this technique" video).
Here, I'll give two examples.
One:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3tBWhJ02mM
Not a great video. Repetitive, people who don't spin poi won't get the variations of tricks, it looks like the same thing over and over. This is not a rehearsed performance, the techniques are out of practice, and the performer is a bit tipsy. You can tell he's making it up as he goes and he's having to think about what to do next which accounts for the long pauses between any discernible 'tricks'. Oh yeah, and that's me, by the way.
Now this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GePGEBB6dfs
I think this video is great. There's clear characters showing through, there's a story line, there's excellent technical skill across a variety of props. The editing is spot on, the music works great with it, they've clearly figured out what's going into the video before hand (or edited enough footage to make it look that way). The manipulation flows perfectly with the story and adds to it. It's funny and cute and a little sad. Excellent work in that video.
I'm sick and tired of the first type of video and I strive for the second. I want everyone watching the video to find something that they can be entertained by, even if they have no concept of the skill involved. If someone asks for my thoughts on a video, I guarantee they will be along those lines.
Feel free to ignore any of my advice, it won't hurt my feelings and you don't have to do what I say. You being the plural, anonymous you, not you specifically Andrei. Every artist should do what they feel is their art, taking in whatever enhances their vision of their art and dismissing whatever doesn't. This is an ongoing, ever evolving concept. To get annoyed at advice that you see often is pointless. Just ignore it if it doesn't help you, listen to it if it does. But always strive to make good art.