UWOL #18 - Source of life

Trond Saetre · November 22nd, 2010, 09:27 AM

To me, this entry was all about staying on dry land away from the dreadful shark tank.
New job and lots of other events took up plenty of my time.

Anyway, a morning with sunshine came, and off to a nearby mountain I went.
Don't think I got too intimate with my subject, but I got a couple close ups.
Would have been even better if I actually had found any living creatures to include to the video, but I did not even find any insect or birds.
Better luck next time.

I look forward to any feedback.

Source of life on UWOL website:
Source of life

Youtube:
YouTube - Source of life

Chris Barcellos · November 22nd, 2010, 11:29 AM

Trond:

Viewed your film. I had thought about the ice crystals, as a nice subject in this one, but alas, we are a bit short on it here in California. Nice idea and nice job of capturing. Loved the reflecting image at the end.

Finn-Erik Faale · November 22nd, 2010, 03:15 PM

Trond,

it looks like we have a similar approach to this challenge.
You have made a fine video.
I specially appreciate the shots of the frozen water.
The last scene in tranquillity, mirroring water and some people in the golden ratio is tasteful.

Per Johan Naesje · November 22nd, 2010, 03:59 PM

Hei Trond,
you did well in your struggling between work and finding a day with suitable weather to get some footage.

I would have liked however a establishing shoot in the start with some more wide view of the terrain surrounding the stream. Some of the cuts did have some variation in the audio, which is a bit distracting. You can use audio fade, to smooth the transition better. The details in the ice and the ending scene was very nice!

Trond Saetre · November 23rd, 2010, 05:46 AM

Chris and Finn-Erik:
Thank you for the feedback. Good to hear you like it.

Per Johan:
Thank you. I will check into the audio differences.

Mick Jenner · November 23rd, 2010, 05:52 AM

Hi,

Well done, enjoyed watching it. It all moved along well with good narration and music.

Mick

Markus Nord · November 23rd, 2010, 09:50 AM

Hej Trond

nice litle film you got there... I'm not a fan of zoom shots, I think it looks better when you cut from wide to tight. I think you should get a tripod.. it will help you get some more stabile shots... some are a bit vobblie. I really like the to last shots... and the closeups on the ice...

good job

Markus

Trond Saetre · November 23rd, 2010, 10:01 AM

Mick, thank you for the comment. Glad you like it.

Markus:
I am aware of some of the "shaky" handheld shots. At those locations, I was unable to use my tripod.
But I used the tripod for most of the shots.
Thank you for the feedback.

Dale Guthormsen · November 23rd, 2010, 10:12 AM

Tronde,

Ahhhh, Good subject considering the weather the north ahs been having!! I liked the crystal structures. Very nice shots of the various water bodies, nicely composed as usual.

I actually do like zoom shots as long as they maintain focus and are not to long. Straight cuts just seem a tad harsh to me at times. I think both have dramatic purpose.

The only shot I might improve would be when you pull from out of focus ice to in focus ice. I think that this kind of shot is best when you have something up front in focus and you pull to what is behind it optimizing the change in depth of field.

Very nice Tronde, as always a pleasure to spend my time watching.

Catherine Russell · November 23rd, 2010, 03:53 PM

Hey friend:

You have put up a solid entry here, despite all the demands on your time at present.. no small feat! I think your eye for composition has very much improved and you are incorporating a wider vocabulary of technical skills in your film making (pans, zooms, focus changes, etc.). I commend you on these points.

Most have noted that the ice crystals stand out as the prize in this film. One suggestion that comes to mind would be to have committed the entire film to the different ice-crystal patterns on the water and the play of light on the frost clinging to the grass. These were beautiful passages in your film and they complimented the intimate detail theme well. By starting with a broad topic of water and seeking where it came from made it a tough subject to portray as intimate and detailed in a 3-min time frame.

This was simply one idea that struck me after watching it several times. On the whole, it was enjoyable and easy to watch, keeping my interest to the end.

Nice to have you with us this round, Trond! Looking forward to what you come up with for UWOL 19!

Cheers,

Cat

Trond Saetre · November 23rd, 2010, 04:13 PM

Dale,
Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you liked it.
I will have a look at the focusing you mentioned. Practice makes master, they say.

Catherine,
Too bad you didn't have an *out of judgement" entry. I was hoping you would make one video too.
Thank you very much for the feedback and ideas. Will probably get many more chances to film ice the next weeks. So who knows, maybe I'll make a renewed version of my film later on based on the feedback and tips I have got so far.
Oh, and I'm ready for #19 now. Bring it on! :)

Rich Ryan · November 24th, 2010, 09:15 AM

Trond,

Any video that includes water can't be bad (-: I always enjoy a video that includes water and if the subject is water even better. I like the way you started with a closeup of the stream; it seemed to personify the stream. You have some lovely clips: the ice (especially the closeup) and the closing reflected lake are particularly nice.

I know you were under time pressure, but I would have liked to see a bit more.

Bill Thesken · November 24th, 2010, 11:37 AM

Trond, always nice to see that part of the world.
I liked the shots at 00:26, 00:47 where the color pops and the camera is locked down. Also good to see some of the country and the ice starting to form. While watching it the 2nd time I had a thought, soon the hills will be covered with snow. You could find a spot and mark it, take some film of the hill without snow, and then come back over the next weeks or months and get shots of the snow filling in and blend it into a kind of timelapse to show the change.

Trond Saetre · November 24th, 2010, 12:49 PM

Rich,
Thank you for the comments. Water is always facinating to film.

Bill,
That's a cool idea. I'll keep it in my mind.
Already, the location has a thin layer of snow. I might hurry up and go back to film more this weekend if time permits.

Mike Sims · November 24th, 2010, 06:40 PM

Hi Trond. I know you would have liked to find some animals to record, but I think that some of us (like me!) need to be reminded now and then that it’s not all about the animals. Your video did a great job of that. Others have said that they liked the ice crystal shots, but I think my favorites were the moving water shots. I liked the way that sequence played. I also liked the beautiful shot at the end. I think I might have left it a static shot rather than pan so as not to end with movement, but I guess you could have played it backwards- start with the pan and end- and got the same effect. I hope to see another great video from you next time!

November 22nd, 2010, 11:29 AM	#2
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Trond: Viewed your film. I had thought about the ice crystals, as a nice subject in this one, but alas, we are a bit short on it here in California. Nice idea and nice job of capturing. Loved the reflecting image at the end. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

November 22nd, 2010, 03:59 PM	#4
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Hei Trond, you did well in your struggling between work and finding a day with suitable weather to get some footage. I would have liked however a establishing shoot in the start with some more wide view of the terrain surrounding the stream. Some of the cuts did have some variation in the audio, which is a bit distracting. You can use audio fade, to smooth the transition better. The details in the ice and the ending scene was very nice! __________________ - Per Johan

November 23rd, 2010, 09:50 AM	#7
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Hej Trond nice litle film you got there... I'm not a fan of zoom shots, I think it looks better when you cut from wide to tight. I think you should get a tripod.. it will help you get some more stabile shots... some are a bit vobblie. I really like the to last shots... and the closeups on the ice... good job Markus __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

November 23rd, 2010, 10:12 AM	#9
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Tronde, Ahhhh, Good subject considering the weather the north ahs been having!! I liked the crystal structures. Very nice shots of the various water bodies, nicely composed as usual. I actually do like zoom shots as long as they maintain focus and are not to long. Straight cuts just seem a tad harsh to me at times. I think both have dramatic purpose. The only shot I might improve would be when you pull from out of focus ice to in focus ice. I think that this kind of shot is best when you have something up front in focus and you pull to what is behind it optimizing the change in depth of field. Very nice Tronde, as always a pleasure to spend my time watching. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

November 22nd, 2010, 09:27 AM	#1
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	UWOL #18 - Source of life - by Trond Saetre To me, this entry was all about staying on dry land away from the dreadful shark tank. New job and lots of other events took up plenty of my time. Anyway, a morning with sunshine came, and off to a nearby mountain I went. Don't think I got too intimate with my subject, but I got a couple close ups. Would have been even better if I actually had found any living creatures to include to the video, but I did not even find any insect or birds. Better luck next time. I look forward to any feedback. Source of life on UWOL website: Source of life Youtube: YouTube - Source of life

November 22nd, 2010, 03:15 PM	#3
Finn-Erik Faale Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Porsgrunn Norway Posts: 280	Trond, it looks like we have a similar approach to this challenge. You have made a fine video. I specially appreciate the shots of the frozen water. The last scene in tranquillity, mirroring water and some people in the golden ratio is tasteful.

November 23rd, 2010, 05:46 AM	#5
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Chris and Finn-Erik: Thank you for the feedback. Good to hear you like it. Per Johan: Thank you. I will check into the audio differences.

November 23rd, 2010, 05:52 AM	#6
Mick Jenner Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: West Sussex England Posts: 843	Hi, Well done, enjoyed watching it. It all moved along well with good narration and music. Mick

November 23rd, 2010, 10:01 AM	#8
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Mick, thank you for the comment. Glad you like it. Markus: I am aware of some of the "shaky" handheld shots. At those locations, I was unable to use my tripod. But I used the tripod for most of the shots. Thank you for the feedback.

November 23rd, 2010, 03:53 PM	#10
Catherine Russell Trustee Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lyons, Colorado Posts: 1,224	Hey friend: You have put up a solid entry here, despite all the demands on your time at present.. no small feat! I think your eye for composition has very much improved and you are incorporating a wider vocabulary of technical skills in your film making (pans, zooms, focus changes, etc.). I commend you on these points. Most have noted that the ice crystals stand out as the prize in this film. One suggestion that comes to mind would be to have committed the entire film to the different ice-crystal patterns on the water and the play of light on the frost clinging to the grass. These were beautiful passages in your film and they complimented the intimate detail theme well. By starting with a broad topic of water and seeking where it came from made it a tough subject to portray as intimate and detailed in a 3-min time frame. This was simply one idea that struck me after watching it several times. On the whole, it was enjoyable and easy to watch, keeping my interest to the end. Nice to have you with us this round, Trond! Looking forward to what you come up with for UWOL 19! Cheers, Cat

November 23rd, 2010, 04:13 PM	#11
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Dale, Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you liked it. I will have a look at the focusing you mentioned. Practice makes master, they say. Catherine, Too bad you didn't have an *out of judgement" entry. I was hoping you would make one video too. Thank you very much for the feedback and ideas. Will probably get many more chances to film ice the next weeks. So who knows, maybe I'll make a renewed version of my film later on based on the feedback and tips I have got so far. Oh, and I'm ready for #19 now. Bring it on! :)

November 24th, 2010, 09:15 AM	#12
Rich Ryan Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Pleasanton, CA Posts: 127	Trond, Any video that includes water can't be bad (-: I always enjoy a video that includes water and if the subject is water even better. I like the way you started with a closeup of the stream; it seemed to personify the stream. You have some lovely clips: the ice (especially the closeup) and the closing reflected lake are particularly nice. I know you were under time pressure, but I would have liked to see a bit more.

November 24th, 2010, 11:37 AM	#13
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Trond, always nice to see that part of the world. I liked the shots at 00:26, 00:47 where the color pops and the camera is locked down. Also good to see some of the country and the ice starting to form. While watching it the 2nd time I had a thought, soon the hills will be covered with snow. You could find a spot and mark it, take some film of the hill without snow, and then come back over the next weeks or months and get shots of the snow filling in and blend it into a kind of timelapse to show the change.

November 24th, 2010, 12:49 PM	#14
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Rich, Thank you for the comments. Water is always facinating to film. Bill, That's a cool idea. I'll keep it in my mind. Already, the location has a thin layer of snow. I might hurry up and go back to film more this weekend if time permits.

November 24th, 2010, 06:40 PM	#15
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Hi Trond. I know you would have liked to find some animals to record, but I think that some of us (like me!) need to be reminded now and then that it’s not all about the animals. Your video did a great job of that. Others have said that they liked the ice crystal shots, but I think my favorites were the moving water shots. I liked the way that sequence played. I also liked the beautiful shot at the end. I think I might have left it a static shot rather than pan so as not to end with movement, but I guess you could have played it backwards- start with the pan and end- and got the same effect. I hope to see another great video from you next time!