UWOL #7 ”the Eagle has Landed” by Per Johan Naesje

[Per Johan Naesje]

Here's my contribution for this first round of 2008

Title - the Eagle has Landed
When Meryem announced the theme - Adventure, I decided to make a film about one of our most beautiful birds of pray we got in our country, the Golden Eagle.

Luckily this bird has stabilized in numbers after it was preserved in 1968. Today there are approx. 1200 nesting pairs in Norway. It's the second largest bird of pray, just a little bit smaller than the White Tailed Eagle. It's widespread in our country, but rarely found in the eastern part of Norway.

To make this film, I had to do it in two different parts. The eagle is very shy and difficult to get in reach. Therefore I was shooting it from a hide/blind specially made for this purpose. Even then you have no guaranty that you get what you came for!
I can tell you that I had some very long hours with waiting and waiting in the hide, before it arrived for the first time. The hides is not any comfortable place to be for hours and hours. There is almost no room to stretch out your legs and body, and you have to spend the day from dawn to dusk in this place! Forget about any lavatory, a bucket is your friend!
The smallest noise or movement with your tip of the lens, which is the only thing visible outside the hide and the eagle is gone long before you hit the record button, at least for that day!
3 days, approx 24 hours of waiting and around 40 minutes of footage of the Golden Eagle, was my catch on this trip!
The second part is shot in my neighbourhood. My friend Guttorm was kind to be the actor in this film (he's in fact a very reputable wildlifephotographer). We was shooting some establishing shoot in my living room, to build up the story.
The rest of the outdoors scenes was shoot in a area which is the most look like place to the Golden Eagle area filmed previous. There was some nervousness if we could get the same light as previous but I think we was a bit lucky on this subject!

Ok, here is a link to my film - the Eagle has Landed:
http://www.video-film.no/snutter/uwol7.html

Enjoy!

[Steve Siegel]

Per Johan,
Wow, you did it again. Actually, although you didn't have the drama of the bad weather, I think this has been your best yet. Exposing a dark subject with a snow background and getting both right is a real challenge.
Also, some of the shots look dollied. Did you actually take a dolly up there?
One minor story point. You have a picture of the eagle and the fox on the wall behind Guttorm before the story shows that the footage was actually taken. Thanks for doing this stuff time after time. It's an inspiration for all of us.

[Kevin Railsback]

Per,
Went to your website to check out the film. Had to go through a couple times because there wasn't any controls so it stuttered the first couple of times.

Anyway, another top notch film my friend!

Crisp audio, beautiful shots with a story to tie it all up.

I noticed the eagle and the fox shot on the back wall just because of the stills you posted but I think the average joe wouldn't really connect it.

The jib work was awesome. I especially love the shot coming down and panning as Guttorm went snowshoeing past. Certainly a one shot deal as it would have been ruined by the snowshoe prints from a previous pass. Glad it worked out as I know traveling around with jibs can be allot of work.

My only negative if you could call it that is the SFX of the eagles flashing in Guttorm's eyes. While I understand why you put it in there, your work is so good and so solid that I think it detracts more than it helps. You have a beautiful story going on. Don't take the viewer out of it by using a special effect. They always say the best special effects are the ones you don't notice. I'd take it out and see what you have. I think Guttorm looking through the bird book with a cutaway to his eyes is all you need.

What can you say about the eagle footage but incredible. The fact that you created a story around it and not just "my adventure getting eagle footage" took it to another level.

Everyone expects incredible work from you Per and once again you didn't let us down.

I think you've off to a great start in 2008!!!

[Meryem Ersoz]

i really like the way that you show that shooting wildlife with big lenses is a big adventure in itself...doing what other adventurers do, heading into the backcountry on snowshoes, only carrying a big tripod and about a million pounds of gear....

it's great to see how your storytelling skills are starting to emerge. you've always been a great shooter, but now you're showing the complete package.

[Bruce Foreman]

I am awestruck by what you put together on this one. Your friend Guttorm did a super job of portraying yours and his dedication and passion for what you do.

The shots of him getting ready and hiking up there told a lot of the story and drew me into some of the feel of adventure. The jib/crane movement added much to the feeling of climbing and experiencing open outdoor space.

The alternating of closeups between the eagle and Guttorm was masterfully done with just right editing pace. I perceived a great sense of drama in the way you did this.

A tremendous piece of work!

[Markus Nord]

Per Johan! As always... awesome job... just awesome.
Nice exposure, good colours and a nice story.
I didn’t like the special FX with the eyes, I think that you could have done that in a better, more traditional way, like Kevin mention. It didn’t look enough “Per Johanish” in quality.

Nice job!
Keep up the good work, I hope that you first year as full time Wildlife filmmaker goes well, and with this photos I don’t doubt it.

[Espen Skjold]

..Per Johan! And I was quite surprised to see Kai in his acting debut (?) :o)

I´m looking forward to the BioFoto meeting were you´ll show some of your stuff! And if you´d like some company when you´re out shooting, let me know :o)

I also hear some rumours that Guttorm got some great Kingfisher shots in october, you should encourage him to post it.

Espen

[Per Johan Naesje]

Originally Posted by Steve Siegel

Exposing a dark subject with a snow background and getting both right is a real challenge.
Also, some of the shots look dollied. Did you actually take a dolly up there?

Thanks, for all nice comments Steve! It has taken me some hours of shooting to get exposure nice in snow conditions, it's very hard to get it right. Fortunately we have some month to practise where I live ;-)

Originally Posted by Steve Siegel

One minor story point. You have a picture of the eagle and the fox on the wall behind Guttorm before the story shows that the footage was actually taken.

Rule #11 my friend, most of all have fun!

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

Per,
Went to your website to check out the film. Had to go through a couple times because there wasn't any controls so it stuttered the first couple of times.

Kevin, I'll try to upload another version of the flash video with controls, hold on a second...

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

Anyway, another top notch film my friend!
Crisp audio, beautiful shots with a story to tie it all up.

Thanks Kevin!

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

I noticed the eagle and the fox shot on the back wall just because of the stills you posted but I think the average joe wouldn't really connect it.

Rule #11, first of all have fun!

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

The jib work was awesome. I especially love the shot coming down and panning as Guttorm went snowshoeing past. Certainly a one shot deal as it would have been ruined by the snowshoe prints from a previous pass. Glad it worked out as I know traveling around with jibs can be allot of work.

Yes, that was almost a masterpiece in timing. In this shoot I used the 6x wideangle lens for the H1. I did realize that I had to time the move of the jib perfectly because of the snowshoe prints could not allow any retake. There is a big difference in how far away objects are with the wideangle lens compared to the 20x. I could not do any practise shot, so I was quite nervous for when I had to start the move of the jib when Guttorm was approaching!

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

My only negative if you could call it that is the SFX of the eagles flashing in Guttorm's eyes. While I understand why you put it in there, your work is so good and so solid that I think it detracts more than it helps. You have a beautiful story going on. Don't take the viewer out of it by using a special effect. They always say the best special effects are the ones you don't notice. I'd take it out and see what you have. I think Guttorm looking through the bird book with a cutaway to his eyes is all you need.

In afterhand I agree with all of you, who don't like this effect. But it was so tempted when I was editing my piece that I couldn't resist!

Originally Posted by Kevin Railsback

What can you say about the eagle footage but incredible. The fact that you created a story around it and not just "my adventure getting eagle footage" took it to another level.

I'm very satisfied with the footage I got from the Golden Eagle. It's so stunning to view it on a 40" HD TV. Footage is so razor sharp of every details in the plumage and the eyes.... ...it's almost a crime to destroy this sharpness for this web delivery!

Originally Posted by Meryem Ersoz

it's great to see how your storytelling skills are starting to emerge. you've always been a great shooter, but now you're showing the complete package.

Thanks Meryem, appreciate your fine words!

Originally Posted by Bruce Foreman

The alternating of closeups between the eagle and Guttorm was masterfully done with just right editing pace. I perceived a great sense of drama in the way you did this.

A tremendous piece of work!

Thanks Bruce, yes it was my goal to try to show how I felt it in the hide in the first place!

Originally Posted by Markus Nord

I didn’t like the special FX with the eyes, I think that you could have done that in a better, more traditional way, like Kevin mention. It didn’t look enough “Per Johanish” in quality.

Thanks Markus, read my answer to Kevin about the FX!

Originally Posted by Espen Skjold

..Per Johan! And I was quite surprised to see Kai in his acting debut (?) :o)

He, he, I'm not sure about if this is his acting debute...! Anyway he did it "on the run..."

Originally Posted by Espen Skjold

I´m looking forward to the BioFoto meeting were you´ll show some of your stuff! And if you´d like some company when you´re out shooting, let me know :o)

We gonna screen some of our work 22. October 2008 at the BioFoto meeting. Don't decide what we gonna show yet, but something spectacular I guess!!! ;-)
Of course you are welcome to come along with me. Nice to meet new fellows, shoot me an email, so we could speak in our own language! [/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Espen Skjold

I also hear some rumours that Guttorm got some great Kingfisher shots in october, you should encourage him to post it.

Espen

Yes, Guttorm got som awesome shoots of the Kingfisher last autumn. Unfortunately he's not the guy who put them up for any audience. I've told him to but.... ...maybe he will show them at the BioFoto meeting!?

[Catherine Russell]

Thank you Per:

Stunning filming, a masterpiece as usual. Narration (in a second language!) wonderful.

It makes me appreciate how fortunate we are. Right up (immediately!) behind our house to the east is a ridge called eagle ridge. We often see golden eagles circling right above our heads over the ridge and once in awhile they land close to our house on telephone poles. Along with the eagles we have Red-tailed hawks and Kestrels. Once in awhile we will have the great honor of a Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Cooper's and Sharp-shinned. We simply enjoy their company... you however, capture their magnificence on film with great skill for all to see and marvel at these beautiful birds.

Thank you Per,

Where would we be without you and your contributions?

Sincerely,

Cat

[Adrinn Chellton]

Now that's a raptor! When you watch an eagle you can see it's pure of purpose and almost reptilian in a way, truly a magnificent animal. Nice work with the story, I followed it well and it was interesting to boot. The wait was definitely worth it.

[Trond Saetre]

Hi Per Johan,

As always you deliver stunning footage. I especially liked the close ups of the eagle.
And as others already have commented, your storytelling is improving. This is very good to see!

ps, if you are able to, it would have been good to have some playback controls available for your film on your website.

[Per Johan Naesje]

Cat, Adrinn - thanks for your kind words!
Trond - thanks to you too, I've provided a new file, QT this time with controls at my webside. Could you please check that you got the controls, if not try to refresh the page!

[Trond Saetre]

Originally Posted by Per Johan Naesje

Trond - thanks to you too, I've provided a new file, QT this time with controls at my webside. Could you please check that you got the controls, if not try to refresh the page!

Per Johan, the playback controls works perfectly well.

[Vidar Vedaa]

Hi Per Johan


You have done it again.A powwer full film from ower nature.
Fantastic clip you make her.


Greait-Jobb


VJV.


__________________

[Dale Guthormsen]

Per,

I truly enjoyed the whole story. Must agree with kevin about the eyes. Still, it was a pretty cool effect!!! Nicely edited!!

the golden is a beautiful adult Golden. I am impressed with how light he is. Most of our adult goldens get quite black in comparison.

another great Job, as always.

I just wated more of the eagle!!! left me hungry.