UWOL #7 Bartram's Gators

Mat Thompson · February 25th, 2008, 10:28 AM

Hey Steve.

Well what a great film. I think this was lovely approach to the topic, it was on topic but creatively so and while it was nicely narrative it was a wildlife production. Really nicely staged and you made such simple shots work very well in that intro which added to things even more. Your gator footage lacked something for me though, it needed more detail and more variation in the feel of the shots. That said what you have is solid I just think you obviously had the focal range to get more out of it.

Great piece, top notch, you've placed for me !

Very well done.

Catherine Russell · February 25th, 2008, 12:20 PM

Steve!

Creative take, excellent footage, stunning to think that your footage today could fit the descriptive text from centuries ago (with only minor adjustments). This is one of the best, so well done.

Cat

Trond Saetre · February 25th, 2008, 12:37 PM

Hi Steve,

Those animals are amazing. I'm impressed (and surpriced) that you can get as close to them as you described. I like the way you filmed the gator.
Great story too.
Well done! Keep up the good work.

David Gemmell · February 26th, 2008, 07:39 AM

Hi Steve,

Congrats on a very nice entry - which you set up (and ended) beautifully with the browse through the book on Bartram's experiences. This worked really well.

Establishing shots were very nice and you did get some nice shots of the alligators, although I would have liked to have seen some wider shots at times. That shot of the water bubbling was amazing - given your explanation of how it is caused and also the audio of the bull gator was very spine tingling.

A really nice overall feel to this entry, which I enjoyed very much.

Well done Steve.

Rob Evans · February 26th, 2008, 10:43 AM

Steve, that was really good. The story, the VO, location audio and choice of shots were all spot on. You lead nicely up to the "dancing water" with a shot that you did a double take on, and then revealed with a much closer shot - I like the way you did that, makes you as a viewer hungry for more. I saw 20 foot salties in the north of Oz, but they were never doing that!!! Great film!

John Dennis Robertson · February 27th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Great video.good editing,Always an adventure when you film something that could eat you...This video had the "wow " factor

Geir Inge · February 27th, 2008, 07:53 AM

Hi Steve.
What a great entry and exciting adventure you give us.
Not much to say only that ending question from your wife? It somehow sound very familiar :)
You have a storyline and you show us some great action scenes of Btarams Gators. Very clever done and I wish you good luck in uwol.

All the best
Geir Inge

Marj Atkins · February 28th, 2008, 02:04 PM

Steve this is so neat. You have assembled you movie well - a simple story that is interesting informative and very creative in approach. Your video is very watchable and easy to follow. Good narration. You did a brilliant job of matching up the footage of the alligators to Bartram’s account. What a super movie.

Bob Safay · March 5th, 2008, 06:04 PM

Steve, very well done. An interesting concept that I would never have thought of. I have been to the great swamp and seen the gaters, but I never got to see them fighting. Now, did you write that to? Excellant use of lighting in the attic. Narration was crisp and clear with no hum or other white noise. Great job. Bob

Steve Siegel · March 6th, 2008, 06:49 PM

Thanks for the comment, Bob. No, I didn't write the text. It really was from William Bartram (with some editing to fit, but still his thoughts). I'm glad you enjoyed the attic lighting. I worked really hard to get it right. It was 4 PM sunlight through a dirty window. I arranged the items in the trunk to juxtapose deep shadow and warm colors and when the sun was just right, bingo.
In case you are interested, I use a program called GoldWave to get any noise out of audio, and modulate the sound as needed. I don't remember, but it was either free, or very cheap and is wonderful. As an example, last spring I was able to take a very faint song from a Bicknell's Thrush in one of our local parks, remove wind noise, boat motors and electrical hum, and boost the song enough for the local experts to identify it as definitely the rare Bicknell's, not the commoner Gray-cheeked Thrush. It was a county record. All with Goldwave.

Bryce Comer · April 1st, 2008, 04:13 AM

Hi Steve,
Wow, what a ripper! I loved the way you told the story of anothers adventures & had me totally immersed in the story. Your opening & closing shots tied it all up perfectly.

Bryce

February 25th, 2008, 10:28 AM	#16
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Hey Steve. Well what a great film. I think this was lovely approach to the topic, it was on topic but creatively so and while it was nicely narrative it was a wildlife production. Really nicely staged and you made such simple shots work very well in that intro which added to things even more. Your gator footage lacked something for me though, it needed more detail and more variation in the feel of the shots. That said what you have is solid I just think you obviously had the focal range to get more out of it. Great piece, top notch, you've placed for me ! Very well done. Last edited by Mat Thompson; February 25th, 2008 at 12:58 PM.

February 27th, 2008, 07:53 AM	#22
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,343	Hi Steve. What a great entry and exciting adventure you give us. Not much to say only that ending question from your wife? It somehow sound very familiar :) You have a storyline and you show us some great action scenes of Btarams Gators. Very clever done and I wish you good luck in uwol. All the best Geir Inge __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

April 1st, 2008, 04:13 AM	#26
Bryce Comer Trustee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rossland, British Columbia Posts: 1,024	Hi Steve, Wow, what a ripper! I loved the way you told the story of anothers adventures & had me totally immersed in the story. Your opening & closing shots tied it all up perfectly. Bryce __________________ There's never enough hours in the day!

February 25th, 2008, 12:20 PM	#17
Catherine Russell Trustee Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lyons, Colorado Posts: 1,224	Steve! Creative take, excellent footage, stunning to think that your footage today could fit the descriptive text from centuries ago (with only minor adjustments). This is one of the best, so well done. Cat

February 25th, 2008, 12:37 PM	#18
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Hi Steve, Those animals are amazing. I'm impressed (and surpriced) that you can get as close to them as you described. I like the way you filmed the gator. Great story too. Well done! Keep up the good work.

February 26th, 2008, 07:39 AM	#19
David Gemmell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bendigo, Australia Posts: 234	Hi Steve, Congrats on a very nice entry - which you set up (and ended) beautifully with the browse through the book on Bartram's experiences. This worked really well. Establishing shots were very nice and you did get some nice shots of the alligators, although I would have liked to have seen some wider shots at times. That shot of the water bubbling was amazing - given your explanation of how it is caused and also the audio of the bull gator was very spine tingling. A really nice overall feel to this entry, which I enjoyed very much. Well done Steve.

February 26th, 2008, 10:43 AM	#20
Rob Evans Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 390	Steve, that was really good. The story, the VO, location audio and choice of shots were all spot on. You lead nicely up to the "dancing water" with a shot that you did a double take on, and then revealed with a much closer shot - I like the way you did that, makes you as a viewer hungry for more. I saw 20 foot salties in the north of Oz, but they were never doing that!!! Great film!

February 27th, 2008, 03:09 AM	#21
John Dennis Robertson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johanesburg South Africa Posts: 217	Great video.good editing,Always an adventure when you film something that could eat you...This video had the "wow " factor

February 28th, 2008, 02:04 PM	#23
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	Steve this is so neat. You have assembled you movie well - a simple story that is interesting informative and very creative in approach. Your video is very watchable and easy to follow. Good narration. You did a brilliant job of matching up the footage of the alligators to Bartram’s account. What a super movie.

March 5th, 2008, 06:04 PM	#24
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,559	Steve, very well done. An interesting concept that I would never have thought of. I have been to the great swamp and seen the gaters, but I never got to see them fighting. Now, did you write that to? Excellant use of lighting in the attic. Narration was crisp and clear with no hum or other white noise. Great job. Bob

March 6th, 2008, 06:49 PM	#25
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	Thanks for the comment, Bob. No, I didn't write the text. It really was from William Bartram (with some editing to fit, but still his thoughts). I'm glad you enjoyed the attic lighting. I worked really hard to get it right. It was 4 PM sunlight through a dirty window. I arranged the items in the trunk to juxtapose deep shadow and warm colors and when the sun was just right, bingo. In case you are interested, I use a program called GoldWave to get any noise out of audio, and modulate the sound as needed. I don't remember, but it was either free, or very cheap and is wonderful. As an example, last spring I was able to take a very faint song from a Bicknell's Thrush in one of our local parks, remove wind noise, boat motors and electrical hum, and boost the song enough for the local experts to identify it as definitely the rare Bicknell's, not the commoner Gray-cheeked Thrush. It was a county record. All with Goldwave.