The Edge of the World at DVinfo.net

Bill Thesken · May 25th, 2010, 09:47 PM

This was an experiment in photography. Thank you for watching.

The Edge of the World By Bill Thesken On ExposureRoom

Chris Swanberg · May 25th, 2010, 10:26 PM

WOW Bill. I have never seen that perspective in filming surfing... from "inside the wave". Awesome ! Nice choice of music too.

Chris S

Mike Sims · May 26th, 2010, 10:43 AM

Excellent work in an area most of us know little about. It looks as good as any surf video I have seen. Congratulations!

Dale Guthormsen · May 26th, 2010, 11:03 AM

Bill,

Some really great footage!!! Boy have surf boards changed over the decades!!!! We used a 9'6" jacobs in our youth!!!

I really liked the underwater footage in particular!!

I was waiting for a bit more naration along the way, Particularly at the end. Perhaps a bit of closure at the end would be an enhancement to what you have here.

the focus was awesome, did you have it set on infinite, auto? Also the clear glass, no droplets!!!

the music was great. almot as good as the ventures, eh?

Makes me yearn for the ocean!!!

Thanks for taking the time and sharing your part of the world.

Marj Atkins · May 26th, 2010, 11:12 AM

Really fantastic shots Bill. I found the end a bit abrupt but otherwise really enjoyed this film. What a setting!!!

Mike Beckett · May 26th, 2010, 03:11 PM

Bill,

That was awesome - and as good surfing footage as I've ever seen. It makes me want to be there, even though the sight of my pasty Irish legs would clear the beach in seconds.

I loved the underwater perspective of the waves, something I've never seen before, it was almost dream-like down there.

The music was really good - it really helped the feel-good factor of the film.

Excellent!

Trond Saetre · May 26th, 2010, 03:22 PM

Hi Bill,

This was absolutely fantastic! I loved the underwater shots of the waves.
I always struggle finding good music to my films, but you nailed it! Very cool music.
Had to immediately watch it again. :)

Bill Thesken · May 26th, 2010, 05:38 PM

Thanks for the comments. I didn't do much voice over because I wanted the visual to 'take command' of the senses. (Plus I didn't know what to say about the underwater wave phenomenon). The 3 minutes seemed to go by too quickly and I wanted to put in some more slow motion of the underwater waves. Seeing the result has given me a desire to get more footage of that action. I used a Go Pro Hero Surf HD camera for the entire film, and rigged a handle to it. It gets really good color, is waterproof to about 100', and costs less than $300. It has a few different aspect and frame rates available. I used the 1280x720 aspect which gets 60 frames progressive. I had tried using RainX to keep the water spots off, and it didn't work very well, but a tip from a friend did the trick. Instead of keeping the water off, you keep the water on the lenses by licking it so when the drops hit it they blend right in.

Mike Sims · May 26th, 2010, 08:06 PM

That's pretty cool Bill. Is that the same camera you used for the UW shots in Monk Dreams?

Bill Thesken · May 26th, 2010, 10:48 PM

Thanks Mike, for Monk Dreams I used a real cheap low end camera that was really hard to use, always turned off at the worst time, used AA batteries that wouldn't hold a charge. The GoPro is a huge improvement, still has a few glitches that I would change if I could. We're putting it on surfboards and windsurfers and kitesurfers so you can see what they see as they tear it up. That footage 'may' be coming in the next challenge. I'm still learning and have a long way to go.

Chris Barcellos · May 27th, 2010, 12:31 AM

Wow... I must be going loopy... I thought I posted a comment on this one this morning....can't figure what happened. At any rate, this is a really cool film. I hads seen some of this shooting before, and really am impressed with all that you have done with the camera. Nice music too !

Annie Haycock · June 1st, 2010, 02:02 AM

It may have been an experiment, but it looks like a pretty good advert for the camera! Excellent concept and execution.

Per Johan Naesje · June 4th, 2010, 03:23 PM

Bill, a really amazing film! To me almost living on the North Pole, the surfing scenes made me want to move to a location with warm climate and sun.

I´m amazed about your camcorder and the wide lense. What focal length do you get? Your underwater skills look very professional. Being able to film so steady in those huge waves was amazing to watch!

I would have liked some scenes where these young people prepared their gear and commented how they was doing it. It would have been nice to know, to me this is a unknown sport.

As already told, this was a very nice piece, technically very well done both under and over the surface!

Bill Thesken · June 4th, 2010, 04:29 PM

Thanks Per, here's the focal length for the GoPro per their website:
Camera Optics
Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass
Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)
Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode
Angle of View: 127º wide angle in 1080p mode

The best thing about this camera is that I don't have to focus when I'm swimming in a rip tide in shallow water over sharp coral trying to get in position for the shot while also trying not to get run over by a surfer or smashed to the bottom by a wave.

I should have mentioned per Hannah's suggestion regarding the chant in the beginning. I Ku Mau Mau is an ancient Hawaiian chant. It was performed by about 200 elementary school children for a May Day celebration, and is from David Malo's Hawaiian Antiquities and was sung when the great logs for canoes and/or heiau idols were hauled. The spirit of the chant calls for the joining together of people for a single purpose:

I Ku Mau Mau

Marj Atkins · June 5th, 2010, 08:21 AM

Bill may I just add a couple more comments to your film. I know this was an experiment in photography but I simply love your film. When I watched it for the first time my first reaction was I wish I could make a film like this where the images speak louder than any voice-over possible could. I have watched it over and over simply because I find it so enjoyable. The music is just perfect for the piece, but the images of the waves that you managed to capture are simply stunning. I am absolutely amazed that a camera little larger than a matchbox can take such amazing shots.

I am just sorry you didn't bring it to a logical conclusion - if there could be a logical conclusion to this adventure - like showing footprints leaving the water as the music tailed off - or something like that.

Thanks for the inspiration.

May 25th, 2010, 09:47 PM	#1
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	The Edge of the World This was an experiment in photography. Thank you for watching. The Edge of the World By Bill Thesken On ExposureRoom

May 26th, 2010, 11:03 AM	#4
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Bill, Some really great footage!!! Boy have surf boards changed over the decades!!!! We used a 9'6" jacobs in our youth!!! I really liked the underwater footage in particular!! I was waiting for a bit more naration along the way, Particularly at the end. Perhaps a bit of closure at the end would be an enhancement to what you have here. the focus was awesome, did you have it set on infinite, auto? Also the clear glass, no droplets!!! the music was great. almot as good as the ventures, eh? Makes me yearn for the ocean!!! Thanks for taking the time and sharing your part of the world. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

May 27th, 2010, 12:31 AM	#11
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Wow... I must be going loopy... I thought I posted a comment on this one this morning....can't figure what happened. At any rate, this is a really cool film. I hads seen some of this shooting before, and really am impressed with all that you have done with the camera. Nice music too ! __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

June 1st, 2010, 02:02 AM	#12
Annie Haycock Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales Posts: 734	It may have been an experiment, but it looks like a pretty good advert for the camera! Excellent concept and execution. __________________ Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800

June 4th, 2010, 03:23 PM	#13
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Bill, a really amazing film! To me almost living on the North Pole, the surfing scenes made me want to move to a location with warm climate and sun. I´m amazed about your camcorder and the wide lense. What focal length do you get? Your underwater skills look very professional. Being able to film so steady in those huge waves was amazing to watch! I would have liked some scenes where these young people prepared their gear and commented how they was doing it. It would have been nice to know, to me this is a unknown sport. As already told, this was a very nice piece, technically very well done both under and over the surface! __________________ - Per Johan

May 25th, 2010, 10:26 PM	#2
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	WOW Bill. I have never seen that perspective in filming surfing... from "inside the wave". Awesome ! Nice choice of music too. Chris S

May 26th, 2010, 10:43 AM	#3
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Excellent work in an area most of us know little about. It looks as good as any surf video I have seen. Congratulations!

May 26th, 2010, 11:12 AM	#5
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	Really fantastic shots Bill. I found the end a bit abrupt but otherwise really enjoyed this film. What a setting!!!

May 26th, 2010, 03:11 PM	#6
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Bill, That was awesome - and as good surfing footage as I've ever seen. It makes me want to be there, even though the sight of my pasty Irish legs would clear the beach in seconds. I loved the underwater perspective of the waves, something I've never seen before, it was almost dream-like down there. The music was really good - it really helped the feel-good factor of the film. Excellent!

May 26th, 2010, 03:22 PM	#7
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Hi Bill, This was absolutely fantastic! I loved the underwater shots of the waves. I always struggle finding good music to my films, but you nailed it! Very cool music. Had to immediately watch it again. :)

May 26th, 2010, 05:38 PM	#8
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Thanks for the comments. I didn't do much voice over because I wanted the visual to 'take command' of the senses. (Plus I didn't know what to say about the underwater wave phenomenon). The 3 minutes seemed to go by too quickly and I wanted to put in some more slow motion of the underwater waves. Seeing the result has given me a desire to get more footage of that action. I used a Go Pro Hero Surf HD camera for the entire film, and rigged a handle to it. It gets really good color, is waterproof to about 100', and costs less than $300. It has a few different aspect and frame rates available. I used the 1280x720 aspect which gets 60 frames progressive. I had tried using RainX to keep the water spots off, and it didn't work very well, but a tip from a friend did the trick. Instead of keeping the water off, you keep the water on the lenses by licking it so when the drops hit it they blend right in.

May 26th, 2010, 08:06 PM	#9
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	That's pretty cool Bill. Is that the same camera you used for the UW shots in Monk Dreams?

May 26th, 2010, 10:48 PM	#10
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Thanks Mike, for Monk Dreams I used a real cheap low end camera that was really hard to use, always turned off at the worst time, used AA batteries that wouldn't hold a charge. The GoPro is a huge improvement, still has a few glitches that I would change if I could. We're putting it on surfboards and windsurfers and kitesurfers so you can see what they see as they tear it up. That footage 'may' be coming in the next challenge. I'm still learning and have a long way to go.

June 4th, 2010, 04:29 PM	#14
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Thanks Per, here's the focal length for the GoPro per their website: Camera Optics Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations) Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode Angle of View: 127º wide angle in 1080p mode The best thing about this camera is that I don't have to focus when I'm swimming in a rip tide in shallow water over sharp coral trying to get in position for the shot while also trying not to get run over by a surfer or smashed to the bottom by a wave. I should have mentioned per Hannah's suggestion regarding the chant in the beginning. I Ku Mau Mau is an ancient Hawaiian chant. It was performed by about 200 elementary school children for a May Day celebration, and is from David Malo's Hawaiian Antiquities and was sung when the great logs for canoes and/or heiau idols were hauled. The spirit of the chant calls for the joining together of people for a single purpose: I Ku Mau Mau

June 5th, 2010, 08:21 AM	#15
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	Bill may I just add a couple more comments to your film. I know this was an experiment in photography but I simply love your film. When I watched it for the first time my first reaction was I wish I could make a film like this where the images speak louder than any voice-over possible could. I have watched it over and over simply because I find it so enjoyable. The music is just perfect for the piece, but the images of the waves that you managed to capture are simply stunning. I am absolutely amazed that a camera little larger than a matchbox can take such amazing shots. I am just sorry you didn't bring it to a logical conclusion - if there could be a logical conclusion to this adventure - like showing footprints leaving the water as the music tailed off - or something like that. Thanks for the inspiration. Last edited by Marj Atkins; June 6th, 2010 at 03:20 AM.