UWOL #7: "Search for the Real Vampire Duck" by Victor Wilcox

Carl Middleton · February 27th, 2008, 08:46 AM

Well, I will say that I have to agree the movie would have been better served with just the titles.... there was also the one jump cut that was awkward towards the beginning. and with that out of the way...

I really liked it! Great humor, and I especially love the squirrel. He who should not be spoken and all. ;) Quite the fun project, and those geese really do scare me. :)

C

David Gemmell · February 28th, 2008, 05:20 AM

Hi Victor,

My boys and I just watched your film and it was a lot of fun.

I thought the variety of shots (and the quality) was very nice, and the whole adventure theme was well thought out. Your wife has a wonderful voice for the opening and yes, a head and shoulders shot may have worked a bit better - but I thought this was minor. Keep an eye on the camera shake Victor, it catches the eye (well my eye) very quickly. I think disolves would work with this sort of movie - but they need to be done well. I like to overlap my disolves on the time line, so that as one piece of footage is disappearing, the other is appearing. For me, this works better than disolving to a black screen, then the next piece appears. Just a personal thing ofcourse.

The Egyption Goose is an odd looking bird and I think the Vampire Duck adventure worked well.

We all enjoyed watching your entry very much. Well done.

Mat Thompson · February 28th, 2008, 03:46 PM

Hi Victor

An interesting and different piece. You had a huge variety of species and some great shots, that woodpecker is amazing! I did feel I wanted to see more levels to the shots. From a wide into a portrait or maybe use a reveal. I just think that would add some extra dimension to the piece. I do understand you needed to move things along fairly quickly though. I also think you could have introduced the texts more creatively to add more variation to your theme.

Nice film, fun and great diversity !

Eric Gulbransen · February 28th, 2008, 08:36 PM

Nice work Victor. Very strange looking subject. They look like I feel sometimes - like something just doesn't fit. Good job out there. I look forward to your #8

Marj Atkins · March 4th, 2008, 01:02 PM

When you asked someone to identify your bird I didn’t even bother to look as I don’t know much about the birds of the USA. Little did I know that it was nothing less than our ubiquitous Egyptian Goose - a bird that you see round every pond in these parts. It is such a common bird that no-one takes much notice. Go to John Dennis Robertson’s UWOL 4 movie “African Miracle” - nice footage of them there (1:05)
It’s rather special to think you found it all the way over there. I’m wondering just how that happened.

Your movie has good clear images of birds and a light-hearted story to go along with them.

I am a bit puzzled as to why the news reader has her say then disappears never to return - not even when the “duck” has been found. I’m also puzzled as to why you changed from live commentary to text along the bottom of the screen. A bit of an anomaly. (Okay - Understand now - having read your thread. I agree with others who suggest that it would have been better to go with the text only under these circumstances.)

Annie Haycock · March 20th, 2008, 04:46 PM

Finally I found a few minutes to look at another UWOL video! And what a fun one it was. Some pretty good ideas in there.

Some things I think might have improved it -

The bird song clips were great, but too long for this short story.

Some of the transitions could have been smoother

I couldnt quite figure out the music - I thought it would have been better to use one style (eg the first one), if not one piece, for most of the video, and then perhaps something more spooky towards the end.

But hey, at least you managed to get something finished and submitted, which I didn't due to dates clashing.

Looking forward to your next submission

Bryce Comer · March 31st, 2008, 02:08 AM

Hi Victor,
Well i have finally got to your film, & i love the idea you had for this one. Ok, some technical problems, but i think others have mentioned them. I think you & Catherine Russell should get together & make some more of these types of films as i found it similar to her last entry in UWOL7. I loved that one, & loved yours too. I really think you 2 have hit on something here, something that would be very informative & entertaining to the whole family.

Bryce

February 27th, 2008, 08:46 AM	#16
Carl Middleton Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fernandina Beach, FL Posts: 562	Well, I will say that I have to agree the movie would have been better served with just the titles.... there was also the one jump cut that was awkward towards the beginning. and with that out of the way... I really liked it! Great humor, and I especially love the squirrel. He who should not be spoken and all. ;) Quite the fun project, and those geese really do scare me. :) C __________________ Carl Middleton Whizkid Mediaworks

March 20th, 2008, 04:46 PM	#21
Annie Haycock Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales Posts: 734	Finally I found a few minutes to look at another UWOL video! And what a fun one it was. Some pretty good ideas in there. Some things I think might have improved it - The bird song clips were great, but too long for this short story. Some of the transitions could have been smoother I couldnt quite figure out the music - I thought it would have been better to use one style (eg the first one), if not one piece, for most of the video, and then perhaps something more spooky towards the end. But hey, at least you managed to get something finished and submitted, which I didn't due to dates clashing. Looking forward to your next submission __________________ Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800

March 31st, 2008, 02:08 AM	#22
Bryce Comer Trustee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Rossland, British Columbia Posts: 1,024	Hi Victor, Well i have finally got to your film, & i love the idea you had for this one. Ok, some technical problems, but i think others have mentioned them. I think you & Catherine Russell should get together & make some more of these types of films as i found it similar to her last entry in UWOL7. I loved that one, & loved yours too. I really think you 2 have hit on something here, something that would be very informative & entertaining to the whole family. Bryce __________________ There's never enough hours in the day!

February 28th, 2008, 05:20 AM	#17
David Gemmell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bendigo, Australia Posts: 234	Hi Victor, My boys and I just watched your film and it was a lot of fun. I thought the variety of shots (and the quality) was very nice, and the whole adventure theme was well thought out. Your wife has a wonderful voice for the opening and yes, a head and shoulders shot may have worked a bit better - but I thought this was minor. Keep an eye on the camera shake Victor, it catches the eye (well my eye) very quickly. I think disolves would work with this sort of movie - but they need to be done well. I like to overlap my disolves on the time line, so that as one piece of footage is disappearing, the other is appearing. For me, this works better than disolving to a black screen, then the next piece appears. Just a personal thing ofcourse. The Egyption Goose is an odd looking bird and I think the Vampire Duck adventure worked well. We all enjoyed watching your entry very much. Well done.

February 28th, 2008, 03:46 PM	#18
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Hi Victor An interesting and different piece. You had a huge variety of species and some great shots, that woodpecker is amazing! I did feel I wanted to see more levels to the shots. From a wide into a portrait or maybe use a reveal. I just think that would add some extra dimension to the piece. I do understand you needed to move things along fairly quickly though. I also think you could have introduced the texts more creatively to add more variation to your theme. Nice film, fun and great diversity !

February 28th, 2008, 08:36 PM	#19
Eric Gulbransen Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Palo Alto, California Posts: 520	Nice work Victor. Very strange looking subject. They look like I feel sometimes - like something just doesn't fit. Good job out there. I look forward to your #8

March 4th, 2008, 01:02 PM	#20
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	When you asked someone to identify your bird I didn’t even bother to look as I don’t know much about the birds of the USA. Little did I know that it was nothing less than our ubiquitous Egyptian Goose - a bird that you see round every pond in these parts. It is such a common bird that no-one takes much notice. Go to John Dennis Robertson’s UWOL 4 movie “African Miracle” - nice footage of them there (1:05) It’s rather special to think you found it all the way over there. I’m wondering just how that happened. Your movie has good clear images of birds and a light-hearted story to go along with them. I am a bit puzzled as to why the news reader has her say then disappears never to return - not even when the “duck” has been found. I’m also puzzled as to why you changed from live commentary to text along the bottom of the screen. A bit of an anomaly. (Okay - Understand now - having read your thread. I agree with others who suggest that it would have been better to go with the text only under these circumstances.)