Hello UWOL team…

film title: A dark side (24_UC7_adarkside.mov)

My film for the Adventure theme is a cave diving film. I met up with Nicklas Myrin, a cavediver and head of the dive section in the Swedish Speleological society. He is a good friend of me. We drove to a bedrock ridge south of Stockholm (capital of Sweden), that cracked opened a couple of years ago (pre ice age). This area is a maze of cave where boulders have fallen down in the cracks. Some of the cracks are so deep (approx 10 meters) that ground water has pressed up and flooded them.

For this film I reused my webTV idea, ‘cause the theme fitted so good for a webTV. The equipment I used was my XL2 and the wide angle lens (UW and OL) and one of my video lights (the other one broke before entering the water). For “second unit” I used my old TRV-950 for two shots (when my XL2 was in the housing). I hade only one attempt for the UW shots, ‘cause the visibility is gone as soon as you stop or swim. This is the hardest place I have ever film in, it’s tight, no room for error and really hard for lighting (big risk for backscatter). I hope the shot are good enough…

Later this year we (10 people) are heading up north in Sweden to a cave system the have not been explored yet… this film was a test for me to check how to operate my camera in this conditions.

I would like to thank Spheric Lounge (http://sphericlounge.blogspot.com/) for the music.

a most interesting adventure, indeed. pretty creepy stuff. i don't know that i'd follow you on this one! still, it's cool that you bring us to these remote corners of the world, markus....

i think we gave you the feedback that we'd like to know more about the gear, now i have to take it back! the explanation of the gear seemed like it took too long, like your friend could have said the same thing in a shorter time, because it did not leave enough time in the creepy cave!

but hey, then again, i'm not making films in my 2nd language either, and i think that is probably why the explanation ended up a bit lengthy and threw the pacing of the whole, off a bit.

great subject, but the pacing probably needs massaged. squeezing the adventure of a lifetime, in a remote location, into 3 minutes is definitely a challenge...i just wanted more cave time, this round...i know, i'm fickle.

Whoa, that was scary, erie and wonderful all at the same time!

You know the explanation may have ate up a bit more of the three minutes than it should but I think explaining it was important to explain how the gear was specialized for these types of dives. Your format was that of a web TV show so I thought that was appropriate.

The music was totally appropriate for this piece.

In this small format, I kind of lost you in the establishing shot with the green sweatshirt against the green foliage. Red would have really made you stand out there.

Very cool film!

Amazing footage, Marcus....

I think I would have been one of those who find themselves panicking as the last thing they did in a place like that. I can't imagine how difficult that filming actually was, with such low visibility and in such cramped dangerous conditions. Well done. I found myself wanting the entire 3 minutes dedicated to the actual cave action and forgoing the rest.

Impressive!

Cat

You sir are a brave man.....I don't even like dry caves....

Interesting piece Markus, second what Meryem and Kevin says about the introduction lenght, but I think it's wise of you to warn about the danger this type of diving can be!
I'm not a diver myself, so for me this kind of thing will only be a dream. But you are very clever to tell about how it is to be into that cave. To me this was very nice and your filming which I think is very technical difficult to archieve, you did very well.

Thank you all for viewing

Meryem – I agree with you about the intro time, as you mention about the explanation about the gear is a bit too long, but you answer you question – 2nd language…
I could probably have cut in his explanation but I wanted to use it al. too bad that I didn’t have more time for the cave.

Kevin – Thanks for you words. As you write, I think that the time (but it could be better) of explanation ok, because of the important information. I didn’t think of the green shirt during that time, but I agree with you about that I’m nearly disappearing in to the green background.

Cat – It is really important to just stay calm, but this kind of adventure is not for everyone. I would have like to get 30 extra seconds just to expand the cave part. The biggest problem was that I have only visit this cave one time before, and during that time the visibility was so poor that I didn’t get a good feeling how the cave looked like. So during this filming I “explored” the cave at the same time as I tried to film it.

Bob – Well, I don’t know about brave, curious my be a better word :)

Per Johan – I thought that it was important to just make that statement so people to go out and caving without proper equipment. This was a good experience for me, before I just got experience from flooded mines that we explore, but this gave me a better idea how it will be during our expedition in north of Sweden next month.


Cheers
Markus

Hi Markus

A realy facinating film,but I cant understend how you awoid
to not get claus in this cave.You shud have been her on the West-Coast
I now about an old 1700 Silver mine resting allone full of wahter.


Good -Jobb


VJV.


_____________________

Vidar - I send you a mail about the silver mine. The cave is big enough for me to get thro the restrictions, and I'm not a small guy... :) that way I got a big camera, if the camera doesn’t get thro, I don't ether.

Markus:

Okay, you managed to wrap up most of my phobias into one film. The only thing you needed to add was a thousand foot shear rock wall climb to get to the cave. You are truly an adventurous man. Nice job.

Since you were into explaining gear, would like to have seen some of your actual underwater film gear, too.

Chris - We shall se what theme Meryem comes up with; maybe something I can incorporate some more equipment. Even if the film was a bit “phobic” for you, I hope you enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the film, I too wanted to see more cave. I agree 3 minutes just isn't enough time when you have such a fascinating subject. It was interesting to hear how the tanks need to be setup on the side rather than on your back.

Good work, I look forward to your next entry.

Markus....you're crazy :-) ! I've dived once in near zero viz and I have to say as you said in your film you really have to keep your head. That was in open water so to be also enclosed by rock....well, certainly an adventure to say the least. I really liked your format again and your UW shots were creepy but exciting. I think the intro interview went on a bit long and could have used breaking up in some way with cut aways of gear details or facial close ups. I'd have also liked a bit more UW footage but I think what you had was great for the condition your working in. You certainly pick difficult working environment fella.

Nice piece!

What depth/ dive time did you get ?

Hei Markus,

You made a good story here, and I loved the underwater shots.
As others have commented, I would like to see more of that, and just had a short intro.
But all in all, a nice film I enjoyed to watch.
The web-tv is a cool theme.

Markus,

first, you do not dissappoint!!!

I would definitely be out of my element down there!!! to spooky for me. Heck I would likly get lost and never find my way out!!

spelunking in dry caves is wild enough!!

Definitely qualifies as high adventure!!!

Like several this round, I want to see the half hour version!!!

I think the information on the gear was important to set up how difficult and dangerous it was. But I would have liked to see more of the cave too. As has been said, maybe a slight trim of the intro would have been good, to allow more cave footage. Basically it was impossible to fit so much great stuff into 3 minutes. The music certainly set the tone, and added to the eerie and scary feel of being in a cave underwater, unable to see very much. Your format worked really well last time and this, and I appreciate you bringing us along vicariously on your underwater adventures.

Ruth

Adrinn – Thank you… Yes, more cave… next time…

Mat – Awww, Thank you Mat, that makes me happy when you tell me I’m crazy :)
I did shot some cut-ways, but not on the right stuff (stupid). The max depth was 10 meter and 40 minutes of dive time. I could film about 15-20 minutes of that time, the rest was just bad viz.

Trond – Thanks, I think that if I hade some cut-ways in the interview it could have worked.

Dale – Thank you… I just want to say that you can se a white line in the film, that’s the line we follow back to the surface. So, as long as you don’t lose the line, you get back out.

Ruth – cool, maybe I could have cut out some of the dry cave shots in the beginning, but I think that they are important to get a feeling for what’s coming. Thanks for you input.


Cheers every on, thanks for watching.
Markus

Trond – Thanks, I think that if I hade some cut-ways in the interview it could have worked.

Yes, that would have been good. Maybe showing more of your camera gear, or as I would prefer, some more of the diving inside the cave.

...Markus!

Makes me want to take up my old hobby, scubadiving again:o)

Would have liked to see more diving scenes :o)

Nice!

Espen

Markus my friend..I say this in the nicest possible way "YOU ARE NUTS" But having said that if it was not for people like you a whole world would be missed by people like me.This video needed to be longer but you only had 3 min....good stuff i enjoyed

Hi Markus,

Wow, that was absolutely fantastic stuff - just like watching a professional documentary on TV!

Well my claustrophobia was tested just watching your footage - I just couldn't do it, not if you paid me a million bucks!

I loved the establishing shots of the cave entrance area, with the still water. I also thought the explanations by yourself and your friend were very professional - although, I would have liked to have seen more underwater shots at the expense of the narration - just to feel that scary frightning feeling I was getting as I watched you guys under water.

I can't really say much more. You are such a natural in front of the camera and set the stage so nicely. Even little things life you capturing the shots of your stepping up the cave entrance at the start. It balances the whole approach beautifully. I get the impression you really can "see" the end product before you even start the recording.

An excellent entry Marcus.

Espen – I hope you do take up diving again… It’s nothing better :)

John Dennis – Thanks… yes, this film would have needed just a few second more… just enough to not get a stressed feeling in the dive part. I don’t count me in that group (that explores the unique places on the planet) yet… but soon I hope.

David – thank you very much… I don’t mind being in front of the camera, but I prefer behind.

I can't really say much more. You are such a natural in front of the camera and set the stage so nicely. Even little things life you capturing the shots of your stepping up the cave entrance at the start. It balances the whole approach beautifully. I get the impression you really can "see" the end product before you even start the recording.

What you say about be “seeing” the production before are in a way correct. When I produce a film, I visualize the film and planning what shot I need to for the production and when I’m there at the spot, I focus and shot. I get the shot I visualized and then I can “go with the flow” at get the feeling of the spot. My biggest problem is that I’m al alone, no one near me that I can sit down with and have a chat about a production. That is why I love UWOL!
(thank you for setting this up)

Markus

Hi Markus, I really loved the UW shots, the particles floating in and out of focus and the real sense of darkness and claustrophobia, it sent a shiver down my spine!! Big respect for even thinking about filming in this environment!! As others have said a little more variety on the interview scene would have been nice. As for the UW stuff, would it have been possible to set the camera up, rolling, then move away and swim back into shot ( perhaps after the silt has settled)? I could imagine that would look good, but probably hard under the contraints of small space and limited breathing-stuff ;-)

Markus,

Great film. Very professionally done plus it contained both Under Water & Over Land footage. I do agree that the interview/2 shot scence may have benefited with some cutaways over it. A good reason to add more of those nice underwater shots. Cave diving is for nutters. Hat off to you!

Mihali

Rob – In this cave I would not be possible to set up the camera and return later. After you have dived in, the silt take 1 week to settle down, that way I just hade 1 dive to get the shots that I needed. But in this cave it is to entries, we tried to meet in the middle, but I didn’t know the cave good enough to know where to stop. So I took one turn to much and ended up silting the meeting point.

Mihali – Thanks, I just started to film in this narrow cave, before I just dived and filmed flooded mine and they are much bigger (tunnels are 3x2 m).

Thanks for watching…
Markus

Hi Markus.

You take us on another great adventure with this film.
Cave diving must be very exciting I guess?
In fact there's a dry cave not far from where I live and I have plans of making some shots there in the future.
I know you want to warn us about the dangerous in cave diving, but somehow I wish I could see a bit more diving scenes and less intro on this one, if you know what I mean.
This could easily be a 5 - 10 min on Discovery channel.

All the best
Geir Inge

Geir Inge - Thank you Geir... Cave diving IS very exciting! that is the best type of diving I know of.
you should visit the cave near you... just make sure that you got extra lamps and not not enter alone and always tell some one shen you plant to exit (you probably know this, but maybe some one else read this and he/his doesn't).

Markus

Markus - you’ve done it again! - Right there at the top. What a superb movie. You have taken us once again to a place that most of us will never get to see in reality in our life-times. This is a real privilege to watch. A true adventure.

Your movie is interesting and informative. It flows easily from one scene to the next. It is exceptionally clear under water. I can see why it is so dangerous to do what you do, especially when you ruffled up some of that silt and we got to see for ourselves the result of that.

You are a natural presenter - easy to listen to. Your skills as a master diver along with your excellent knowledge of underwater lighting and filming make an excellent combination - it won’t be long before we see you on World-wide TV not just WebTV!

Well done - an excellent and inspiring contribution - just over far too quickly!

OK, I quit. How can mere mortals compete with this. What a great idea ofuseing the UWOL logo for your "tv" show. I truely enjoyed this. A fun and educational entry. Thank you so much. Bob

Markus, I've found myself in some strange positions at times - wondering how in the hell did I get myself into this one.. But I must say that I've never even dreamed of going where you go. And then you take us with you! And explain it!

Thanks for that Markus. Nice film.

Marj – Wow… thanks! I don’t know what to reply on this one.
To reply on something I would say that I could have used clear UW shot in the whole film, but I choose to use some shots with silt in, just to get a visual on what happens in the cave. I run better to the VO.
And I would like to say that we have a really high level of safety, if something doesn’t feel right we turn back. We always pull a line with us (the white line you can se in the film.), so we always know our way out.

Bob – Well, it is free for anyone (I guess, ask Meryem, I did) to use the UWOL logo in your film. Honestly, I would like if more would use the logo for title and presentation (like I did with my name). That would be fun! I think that the UWOL challenge got a very good position to make a WebTV show…
And Bob… I’m pretty deadly too ; )

Eric – Thank you… hmmm, strange positions ha? Well fella, in some of the restrictions (narrow passages) you need to bend you body to get thru so I’m there with you.


Thanks for watching
Markus

Nice film. I could not do that kind of thing, I don't do well in tight places. I did like the film thou, but at the same time was nervous watching because there is no room for mistakes. Thanks for the film.