UWOL #14 - "Water Songs"

Rich Ryan · August 3rd, 2009, 10:47 AM

This has been a fun experience. I only recently started shooting video (a few months), after years of still photography. Used an inexpensive consumer camera (at least for now) with Sony Vegas.

I had a hard time getting started on this. There were so many possibilities, most required too much time or too much travel. I finally decided to try to include several concepts from the theme "Rhythms and Cycles."

The main concept is from rhythms (song). I wanted water sounds (streams, waterfalls, ocean waves - rain would have been nice, but not an option here in northern California). I also included some cycles (sunrise over a lake to sunset over the ocean). Sunset was not cooperative because of the fog at the ocean this time of the year. Also a bit of the cycle over water moving from lake to ocean. The video is also cut in cycles (except for the opening and closing) every cut is the same length. The music (courtesy of Smart Sound) has a tempo to match the cut length and mood mapping was used to create five audio segments.

Since I am quite new at this, I am hoping to improve with your criticism.

Here's the Vimeo version: Water Songs

thanks,
Rich

Mike Sims · August 4th, 2009, 06:53 AM

Rich-
Very nice locations and shots. Interesting structure. I don’t think the segments were quite long enough for the mood mapping to really kick in though. The fourth segment sounded the most different. I know you were cutting to the tempo of the music, but it meant that all the shots came out the same length. I think a more varied pacing might have improved this already very good video. Nice work.

Dale Guthormsen · August 4th, 2009, 08:36 AM

Rich,

what a beautiful piece. fantastic compositions. While I was watching I found myself stopping it and goning back to an image after saying, "Oh that's beautiful"!! It truly made me miss the ocean!! I particularly liked the images at 1:27 and 2:16, but most were all superb. I am going to have to go back and watch it again. Great colors, and thinking about it one could have used the colors, arranged them slightly different and had a great rythm theme on color!!!

Great job, thanks for sharing ALL THE INSPIRING IMAGES.

Rich Ryan · August 4th, 2009, 09:15 AM

Mike,

Thanks for your comments. I was a bit conflicted about the music "Mood Mapping" and having all of the cuts the same duration. I definitely would have managed the duration of cuts differently if not for my feeble attempt to get another cycle in place. I considered making each cut duration a little longer, but that would have meant throwing out some shots (and was already pretty ruthless with throwing out some shots)

Dale,

It never occurred to me to add a color rhythm or cycle as well! I think I may have over dosed on the theme as it was. But combining that notion with some of Mikes comments, might have yielded a better edit.

thanks,
rich

Meryem Ersoz · August 4th, 2009, 01:27 PM

Welcome to UWOL, Rich...

Nice first entry...beautiful stuff.

I almost wished for a bit of counterpoint, the soundtrack and images were almost too synchronous, made it a little 'heavy' for me.

really pretty lighting on the waterfall shots...and the bird rock, very striking.

Just goes to show that it is worth getting up in the morning to get the good stuff...

Geir Inge · August 5th, 2009, 08:27 AM

Hi Rich.
Some very great shots you got there.
Nice colors, the clip of the rock in the ocean was just great.
Where is that place?
I think the guitar-tune mixed with sound of water goes well together.
Also want to welcome you to the uwol club :)

Wish you all the best.
Geir Inge

PS
Just forgot to mention one thing about your soundtrack.
Maybe you should fade out the sound of the waves/sea,
as I think it stops too suddenly at the ende of the video?

Trond Saetre · August 5th, 2009, 02:44 PM

Hi Rich, welcome to the uwol family!

Oh, how I want to go back to California after watching your film.
Maybe you are new to video, but it does not look that way!
Great scenery, your framing is perfect!

More various durations of the different clips would have improved the overall quality.
The soundtrack was a great match to the images.

Thank you for sharing.
I expect to see more of your films in the future contests.
Stay with us!

Mihali Moore · August 6th, 2009, 06:18 AM

Welcome to UWOL!

Great first entry. You have a good eye, yours shot were framed very well and the light was very vibrant.

The music went well with the theme of water, but I do agree with the others that a variety of clip lengths would have given it a better pace.

Good stuff.

Mihaoi

Ron Chant · August 6th, 2009, 09:10 AM

Hi Rich,
You have cut in a good variation of close mid and wide shots you’ve taken some striking light shots, sun just raising it’s head over the distant shore line, and where the sun hits the water cascading down those falls, that arched rock in the sea a great shot, brisling with sea birds.
The background music, some fades may help, I enjoyed the film.

Per Johan Naesje · August 6th, 2009, 10:03 AM

Hi Rich and welcome to uwol!

I think your entry was great. However as other also noticed the cut to the music was a bit too hard for my taste! I could have wished the sequences for a few seconds more.

Also when you edit ambient sound put a dissolve on the start and end of the soundtrack for smoother audio.

The part of the sea with the seabirds was very nice, good compositions, I liked it alot!!! (was the bird Great Cormorant?)

Rich Ryan · August 6th, 2009, 10:30 AM

This has been great fun (in keeping with rule #11). Thanks to all of you for your comments.

It seems a consistent theme that the experiment with a fixed cut duration was not a good idea. Generally I like dissolves (maybe too much), but I intentionally avoided them this time.

Meryem, Geir,
The rock with the birds is at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. It is the last remaining natural bridge, there were originally 3 bridges.

Per Johan,
I think the bird is a Brown Pelican (I have some much closer shots of the birds that were left on the floor). There are some very brief fades on the sounds, but apparently they too brief. Thanks for your suggestions.

rich

Finn-Erik Faale · August 6th, 2009, 02:23 PM

You have made a nice video. The waterfall shots are beautiful. You have an effective use of colors in different scenes. Maybe the use of balance and saturation is a bit too much in the last movements.

August 4th, 2009, 08:36 AM	#3
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Rich, what a beautiful piece. fantastic compositions. While I was watching I found myself stopping it and goning back to an image after saying, "Oh that's beautiful"!! It truly made me miss the ocean!! I particularly liked the images at 1:27 and 2:16, but most were all superb. I am going to have to go back and watch it again. Great colors, and thinking about it one could have used the colors, arranged them slightly different and had a great rythm theme on color!!! Great job, thanks for sharing ALL THE INSPIRING IMAGES. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

August 5th, 2009, 08:27 AM	#6
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,342	Hi Rich. Some very great shots you got there. Nice colors, the clip of the rock in the ocean was just great. Where is that place? I think the guitar-tune mixed with sound of water goes well together. Also want to welcome you to the uwol club :) Wish you all the best. Geir Inge PS Just forgot to mention one thing about your soundtrack. Maybe you should fade out the sound of the waves/sea, as I think it stops too suddenly at the ende of the video? __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm Last edited by Geir Inge; August 6th, 2009 at 03:04 AM. Reason: about the soundtrack

August 6th, 2009, 09:10 AM	#9
Ron Chant Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: West-London - England Posts: 125	Hi Rich, You have cut in a good variation of close mid and wide shots you’ve taken some striking light shots, sun just raising it’s head over the distant shore line, and where the sun hits the water cascading down those falls, that arched rock in the sea a great shot, brisling with sea birds. The background music, some fades may help, I enjoyed the film. __________________ <')))>{

August 6th, 2009, 10:03 AM	#10
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Hi Rich and welcome to uwol! I think your entry was great. However as other also noticed the cut to the music was a bit too hard for my taste! I could have wished the sequences for a few seconds more. Also when you edit ambient sound put a dissolve on the start and end of the soundtrack for smoother audio. The part of the sea with the seabirds was very nice, good compositions, I liked it alot!!! (was the bird Great Cormorant?) __________________ - Per Johan

August 3rd, 2009, 10:47 AM	#1
Rich Ryan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 127	UWOL #14 - "Water Songs" - Rich Ryan This has been a fun experience. I only recently started shooting video (a few months), after years of still photography. Used an inexpensive consumer camera (at least for now) with Sony Vegas. I had a hard time getting started on this. There were so many possibilities, most required too much time or too much travel. I finally decided to try to include several concepts from the theme "Rhythms and Cycles." The main concept is from rhythms (song). I wanted water sounds (streams, waterfalls, ocean waves - rain would have been nice, but not an option here in northern California). I also included some cycles (sunrise over a lake to sunset over the ocean). Sunset was not cooperative because of the fog at the ocean this time of the year. Also a bit of the cycle over water moving from lake to ocean. The video is also cut in cycles (except for the opening and closing) every cut is the same length. The music (courtesy of Smart Sound) has a tempo to match the cut length and mood mapping was used to create five audio segments. Since I am quite new at this, I am hoping to improve with your criticism. Here's the Vimeo version: Water Songs thanks, Rich Last edited by Rich Ryan; August 3rd, 2009 at 08:04 PM. Reason: Add Vimeo Link

August 4th, 2009, 06:53 AM	#2
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Rich- Very nice locations and shots. Interesting structure. I don’t think the segments were quite long enough for the mood mapping to really kick in though. The fourth segment sounded the most different. I know you were cutting to the tempo of the music, but it meant that all the shots came out the same length. I think a more varied pacing might have improved this already very good video. Nice work.

August 4th, 2009, 09:15 AM	#4
Rich Ryan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 127	Mike, Thanks for your comments. I was a bit conflicted about the music "Mood Mapping" and having all of the cuts the same duration. I definitely would have managed the duration of cuts differently if not for my feeble attempt to get another cycle in place. I considered making each cut duration a little longer, but that would have meant throwing out some shots (and was already pretty ruthless with throwing out some shots) Dale, It never occurred to me to add a color rhythm or cycle as well! I think I may have over dosed on the theme as it was. But combining that notion with some of Mikes comments, might have yielded a better edit. thanks, rich

August 4th, 2009, 01:27 PM	#5
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	Welcome to UWOL, Rich... Nice first entry...beautiful stuff. I almost wished for a bit of counterpoint, the soundtrack and images were almost too synchronous, made it a little 'heavy' for me. really pretty lighting on the waterfall shots...and the bird rock, very striking. Just goes to show that it is worth getting up in the morning to get the good stuff...

August 5th, 2009, 02:44 PM	#7
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Hi Rich, welcome to the uwol family! Oh, how I want to go back to California after watching your film. Maybe you are new to video, but it does not look that way! Great scenery, your framing is perfect! More various durations of the different clips would have improved the overall quality. The soundtrack was a great match to the images. Thank you for sharing. I expect to see more of your films in the future contests. Stay with us!

August 6th, 2009, 06:18 AM	#8
Mihali Moore Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bristol Posts: 92	Welcome to UWOL! Great first entry. You have a good eye, yours shot were framed very well and the light was very vibrant. The music went well with the theme of water, but I do agree with the others that a variety of clip lengths would have given it a better pace. Good stuff. Mihaoi

August 6th, 2009, 10:30 AM	#11
Rich Ryan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 127	This has been great fun (in keeping with rule #11). Thanks to all of you for your comments. It seems a consistent theme that the experiment with a fixed cut duration was not a good idea. Generally I like dissolves (maybe too much), but I intentionally avoided them this time. Meryem, Geir, The rock with the birds is at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, CA. It is the last remaining natural bridge, there were originally 3 bridges. Per Johan, I think the bird is a Brown Pelican (I have some much closer shots of the birds that were left on the floor). There are some very brief fades on the sounds, but apparently they too brief. Thanks for your suggestions. rich

August 6th, 2009, 02:23 PM	#12
Finn-Erik Faale Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Porsgrunn Norway Posts: 280	You have made a nice video. The waterfall shots are beautiful. You have an effective use of colors in different scenes. Maybe the use of balance and saturation is a bit too much in the last movements.