UWOL #9: strix-nebulosa by Per Johan Naesje

Peter Damerell · June 25th, 2008, 05:13 AM

Oh Dear Per!

You really have got yourself in a tricky situation. Every single film you make is better than the last. The Musk Ox were great, the Eagles stunning and now this. I'm struggling to think where your going to go next to keep up this constant progression! ;-)

In all seriousness though this is a great film. It has all the ususal Per hall marks of a great subject brilliantly captured in sharp detail. Wonderfull Camerawork and a dedication to the task.

I'm going to be incredubly picky and say that for me there was just a little too much naration. The music and ambient sound described the owls silent flight for me perfectly without aditional voiceover reienforcing this fact. But as i say this is just my opinion and i am being very picky. The piece as a whole is very impressive and you should be very proud of the results.

Pete

Bob Thieda · June 25th, 2008, 08:32 AM

I certainly can't add anything to what has been said already...Outstanding entry.

I'm happy if I get one thing right in my stuff...you get everything right.

Nice, very nice!

Bob

Markus Nord · June 25th, 2008, 09:08 AM

Wow… Per those shot are amazing. The shots when the Owl fly down and place it self right on the rock… brilliant. Some time I got problem with the narrating, some thing I think you know about and are working on, I don’t mind a dialect, I actually prefer a touch of “home” in the VO but sometime I don’t understand. Beautiful shot wide and close.

Mike Beckett · June 25th, 2008, 12:13 PM

Per,

Excellent. This is what freaks me out - if I had access to the equipment and the environment that you have, I still couldn't produce anything near your quality. You inspire us all.

The opening sequences were very powerfully filmed, with the crane shots and that final tilt up to reveal the owl. What a handsome fellow he is. When you see him on that shot at 00:50, he really is superbly camouflaged. The close-ups are stunning. The shot of him landing at around 1:28 was superb, almost as if he was working to your script.

Your pans and tilts at those massive zoom levels (around 2:10, where you pan from the owl's talons to his face) are just perfect. And the silhouette at the end is stunning. The story, and your narration, flows well and is unobtusive.

Thank you so much for that.

Lorinda Norton · June 25th, 2008, 08:48 PM

Per-fection.

I’ve watched it several times – for the sheer enjoyment, and then for appreciation of the technical achievement in this piece. One clip that makes me smile because it would be so difficult to capture well happens near the end: The owl flies toward then unexpectedly away from the camera, causing you to zoom out and pan at the same time. Smooooooth. :)

Thank you for creating such beautiful films and sharing them with everyone here. That’s quite a bench mark you’ve set.

John Dennis Robertson · June 25th, 2008, 11:51 PM

Your normal high quality work Per...You always have something new to show us,and filmed in such a great way...thank you

Mat Thompson · June 26th, 2008, 06:16 AM

Great stuff Per. Your field skills and patience is so very apparent and something that we should all aspire to in our work.

The standard of the photography is almost flawless as 'PER' usual ;-)

Your music was good choice but I feel you should have opened with a more dramatic shot. A reveal, jib or pan. I think the pans and jib shots you used after the opener went hand in hand with the music but the opening shot not so much.

The way you brought in the character with a reveal was great and if you can do, always better than a straight cut...so good choice there!

With your positioning I was a bit dissapointed you didn't do many detail shots of the owl. When you talked about plumage for instance a plumage closeup or small pan would have worked really well and added a further dimension. Or a clip of the talens gripping a branch, although you did show these slightly. Anyway just more detailing shots would have be even better I guess.

Closing shot was stunning!

Were you using AF when the owls were flying towards you by the way?

Fab stuff fella.

Vidar Vedaa · June 26th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Hallo Per Johan.

The most have allredy been sayed,You are a great wildlife-photograf
Gratis whid youre best film,amaising!!!

VJV.

______________

Catherine Russell · June 26th, 2008, 09:39 PM

Dear Per:

My husband and I were watching your film again.... and oh the wonders and miracles of it all. All of it is so amazing, there is not one frame out of place. We honed in on one small detail and were wondering how you did this. Incredibly, it doesn't even include the owl yet, it is exactly the 3rd scene and immediately before you show your first sighting of this majestic bird. How did you pan the scenery in such a way as to look like you are raising up but also something else. It's truly a remarkable shot of the forest floor but sort of in 3 D space. I would love to have a hint on how you did that.

Thank you for such remarkable work. We are all truly blessed to have your contributions with us.

Cat

Per Johan Naesje · June 26th, 2008, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catherine Russell

How did you pan the scenery in such a way as to look like you are raising up but also something else. It's truly a remarkable shot of the forest floor but sort of in 3 D space. I would love to have a hint on how you did that.

Cat, in this shoot I used a jib/crane. It's remarkable piece of equipment, which gives you this stunning effect. Look at the picture to view the setup. I've used it in uwol-7 in a couple of shots too.

Edit: and here I found an old footage example of the jib. This clip is from last year uwol-3!
http://www.video-film.no/snutter/UWOL/jib.mov (2.8MB)

Per Johan Naesje · June 27th, 2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

Were you using AF when the owls were flying towards you by the way?

I'm not quite sure if I used AF or manual in this particular shot. I was using both modes during these days. I do mostly manual focus, as I've found the AF-function on the H1 to be very slow and if the subject moves out of the center, AF starts to hunt!

David Gemmell · June 27th, 2008, 04:38 AM

Per,

I have watched your entry a few times now (about 30 times give or take...) and keep thinking/wondering how you managed to set up for these sort of shots.

Could you give us budding nature filmers some insight into the thoughts that went through your mind on how you would capture this sort of footage - once you were told about the breeding pair. I mean, to get into the positions you got into to film waht I assume is a very shy bird... did you sit near the nest for hours/days on end waiting for the male to get used to you? Did you use baits at all, play owl calls, etc.

It is such stunning footage, I would just love to hear (and I'm sure I'm one of many) you talk about the planning that went into capturing this.

Congratulations once again Per - you really do set the standard.

Catherine Russell · June 27th, 2008, 06:45 AM

Thanks Per!

The film clip was especially helpful to understand how you did this. I am thrilled, as such a master at this, that you share your experience in this way. How much weight do you end up packing into your shooting sites? It looks like a lot of equipment, you must be in great shape!

Cat

Marj Atkins · June 27th, 2008, 01:15 PM

Stunning footage Per. I can't add to what has been said already. Very inspiring. Your approach to the subject always seems to draw out a grandiose and majestic beauty.

Steve Siegel · June 27th, 2008, 04:37 PM

Per,
Having watched the owl several times, I went back to your website and viewed some clips never seen on UWOL. I was stunned. You have gone from good, to very good, to flawless in a two year period. It's a progression we can all learn from. I am especially impressed by your repeated ability to follow flying birds as smoothly as you do. What tripod and head do you use? Are they heavy?
One thing you may want to know, however. In the scientific binomial nomenclature of any creature the generic name is capitalized, the specific name is not, eg. it's Strix nebulosa. Right from the pen of your Swedish neighbor Karl Linne.

June 25th, 2008, 08:32 AM	#17
Bob Thieda Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 541	I certainly can't add anything to what has been said already...Outstanding entry. I'm happy if I get one thing right in my stuff...you get everything right. Nice, very nice! Bob __________________ Bob T.

June 25th, 2008, 09:08 AM	#18
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Wow… Per those shot are amazing. The shots when the Owl fly down and place it self right on the rock… brilliant. Some time I got problem with the narrating, some thing I think you know about and are working on, I don’t mind a dialect, I actually prefer a touch of “home” in the VO but sometime I don’t understand. Beautiful shot wide and close. __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

June 25th, 2008, 12:13 PM	#19
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Per, Excellent. This is what freaks me out - if I had access to the equipment and the environment that you have, I still couldn't produce anything near your quality. You inspire us all. The opening sequences were very powerfully filmed, with the crane shots and that final tilt up to reveal the owl. What a handsome fellow he is. When you see him on that shot at 00:50, he really is superbly camouflaged. The close-ups are stunning. The shot of him landing at around 1:28 was superb, almost as if he was working to your script. Your pans and tilts at those massive zoom levels (around 2:10, where you pan from the owl's talons to his face) are just perfect. And the silhouette at the end is stunning. The story, and your narration, flows well and is unobtusive. Thank you so much for that. __________________ Irish Railway Videos on Youtube

June 25th, 2008, 08:48 PM	#20
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Per-fection. I’ve watched it several times – for the sheer enjoyment, and then for appreciation of the technical achievement in this piece. One clip that makes me smile because it would be so difficult to capture well happens near the end: The owl flies toward then unexpectedly away from the camera, causing you to zoom out and pan at the same time. Smooooooth. :) Thank you for creating such beautiful films and sharing them with everyone here. That’s quite a bench mark you’ve set. __________________ Lorinda

June 25th, 2008, 05:13 AM	#16
Peter Damerell Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Truro, Cornwall, UK Posts: 51	Oh Dear Per! You really have got yourself in a tricky situation. Every single film you make is better than the last. The Musk Ox were great, the Eagles stunning and now this. I'm struggling to think where your going to go next to keep up this constant progression! ;-) In all seriousness though this is a great film. It has all the ususal Per hall marks of a great subject brilliantly captured in sharp detail. Wonderfull Camerawork and a dedication to the task. I'm going to be incredubly picky and say that for me there was just a little too much naration. The music and ambient sound described the owls silent flight for me perfectly without aditional voiceover reienforcing this fact. But as i say this is just my opinion and i am being very picky. The piece as a whole is very impressive and you should be very proud of the results. Pete

June 25th, 2008, 11:51 PM	#21
John Dennis Robertson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johanesburg South Africa Posts: 217	Your normal high quality work Per...You always have something new to show us,and filmed in such a great way...thank you

June 26th, 2008, 06:16 AM	#22
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Great stuff Per. Your field skills and patience is so very apparent and something that we should all aspire to in our work. The standard of the photography is almost flawless as 'PER' usual ;-) Your music was good choice but I feel you should have opened with a more dramatic shot. A reveal, jib or pan. I think the pans and jib shots you used after the opener went hand in hand with the music but the opening shot not so much. The way you brought in the character with a reveal was great and if you can do, always better than a straight cut...so good choice there! With your positioning I was a bit dissapointed you didn't do many detail shots of the owl. When you talked about plumage for instance a plumage closeup or small pan would have worked really well and added a further dimension. Or a clip of the talens gripping a branch, although you did show these slightly. Anyway just more detailing shots would have be even better I guess. Closing shot was stunning! Were you using AF when the owls were flying towards you by the way? Fab stuff fella.

June 26th, 2008, 09:15 AM	#23
Vidar Vedaa Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: bergen norway Posts: 235	Hallo Per Johan. The most have allredy been sayed,You are a great wildlife-photograf Gratis whid youre best film,amaising!!! VJV. ______________

June 26th, 2008, 09:39 PM	#24
Catherine Russell Trustee Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lyons, Colorado Posts: 1,224	Dear Per: My husband and I were watching your film again.... and oh the wonders and miracles of it all. All of it is so amazing, there is not one frame out of place. We honed in on one small detail and were wondering how you did this. Incredibly, it doesn't even include the owl yet, it is exactly the 3rd scene and immediately before you show your first sighting of this majestic bird. How did you pan the scenery in such a way as to look like you are raising up but also something else. It's truly a remarkable shot of the forest floor but sort of in 3 D space. I would love to have a hint on how you did that. Thank you for such remarkable work. We are all truly blessed to have your contributions with us. Cat

June 27th, 2008, 04:38 AM	#27
David Gemmell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bendigo, Australia Posts: 234	Per, I have watched your entry a few times now (about 30 times give or take...) and keep thinking/wondering how you managed to set up for these sort of shots. Could you give us budding nature filmers some insight into the thoughts that went through your mind on how you would capture this sort of footage - once you were told about the breeding pair. I mean, to get into the positions you got into to film waht I assume is a very shy bird... did you sit near the nest for hours/days on end waiting for the male to get used to you? Did you use baits at all, play owl calls, etc. It is such stunning footage, I would just love to hear (and I'm sure I'm one of many) you talk about the planning that went into capturing this. Congratulations once again Per - you really do set the standard.

June 27th, 2008, 06:45 AM	#28
Catherine Russell Trustee Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lyons, Colorado Posts: 1,224	Thanks Per! The film clip was especially helpful to understand how you did this. I am thrilled, as such a master at this, that you share your experience in this way. How much weight do you end up packing into your shooting sites? It looks like a lot of equipment, you must be in great shape! Cat

June 27th, 2008, 01:15 PM	#29
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	Stunning footage Per. I can't add to what has been said already. Very inspiring. Your approach to the subject always seems to draw out a grandiose and majestic beauty.

June 27th, 2008, 04:37 PM	#30
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	Per, Having watched the owl several times, I went back to your website and viewed some clips never seen on UWOL. I was stunned. You have gone from good, to very good, to flawless in a two year period. It's a progression we can all learn from. I am especially impressed by your repeated ability to follow flying birds as smoothly as you do. What tripod and head do you use? Are they heavy? One thing you may want to know, however. In the scientific binomial nomenclature of any creature the generic name is capitalized, the specific name is not, eg. it's Strix nebulosa. Right from the pen of your Swedish neighbor Karl Linne.