UC 20_Equinox

[Dale Guthormsen]

Good evening,

This was a difficult theme and I had a plan that fell apart. I then let the video unfold kind of its own accord. I shot 5 hours of video and had a huge amount of fine footage that had to be left out due to time constraints. My biggest dissappointment was that my one zoom shot into some darkness under the ice which had two eyes viewable, the compression took them out. Still a nice shot however.
Rule 11 applied for me this round and I had a lot of fun out shooting and filming even though I got pretty wet and cold a couple times.
I had a script made out for the voice over, but to be honest, the story unfolds of its own accord and my two proofers both said it should be left out, I fundementally agree. I had thought of making two versions.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy Equinox above the 50th parallel.

Equinox on Vimeo

[Steve Siegel]

Dale,

A beautiful and relaxing piece. It's nice to see you do some close-up work, and the varying textures of the ice and it's interplay with the water were effective. It reminded me of some of Kevin's water stuff.
I wonder what that ice would have looked like if filmed by the light of the equinoctial moon.

There were some extraneous noises in the ambient sound here and there (tapping or knocking) that you might want to remove, and in a couple of spots the change in the volume of the water sound could use a fade-in instead of an abrupt change.

This is certainly your most artistic entry, and I agree with you, probably your best one. Keep it up.

[Mike Sims]

Wow, Dale. You got five hours of this? What a treat. I really enjoyed watching this one. I have two small suggestions about the editing. Try cross fading the water audio just before the video cut (cross fade J cut). Between 1:10 and 1:27 you have two similar clips where you show ice crystals and then zoom in. (Is that zoom done in post?- it looks nice.) How about breaking them up with a close up like at 1:35 and then reverse the second clip so the camera is moving, zooms in, cuts even closer, cuts back and zooms out and on it’s way? I agree, this piece works very well without a VO due to the choice of music and powerful visuals. Well done.

[Chris Barcellos]

Very nice Dale !

[Wayne Reimer]

Dale,

Well Done! An excellent job of capturing our part of the world when winter finally releases it's icy grip on us!

I agree; it stands on it's own without any VO.

The Canadian Prairies may be flat, but they are so full of life!

Wayne

[Ruth Happel]

I have to agree that no VO is necessary, the footage definitely stands on its own.

The varied patterns of water and ice are amazing. I really like the slow motion effect you do with that.

Being an audio person, as noted, there was a bump or two, but nothing major. I liked the sound of water and the birds, gave a real immediacy to the video.

This is definitely one of your best- very lyrical. Great work.

[Bill Thesken]

Dale, as usual from you an enlightening glimpse at the changing landscape in Canada. So that's what snow and ice look like! The beauty and beast change in the music when the floods surround the house was epic and I hope that turned out okay for them. By the time the next challenge comes around I imagine there will be millions of birds in the sky.

[Catherine Russell]

Hi Dale:

When your frozen Arctic world comes alive from winter it is a glory to behold and you captured it with passion. What a beautiful and dramatic piece, Dale. The music score and the visuals complimented each other so well it was as if one was an extension of the other that couldn't be separated.

I can feel your joy and accomplishment in this one. Better yet, I was allowed to live the experience.

Your intro with the Equinox moon was breathtaking and unexpected. The Equinox moon in the credits was no less dramatic, but was a little more prepared for it then.

Nicely done.

Cat

[Dale Guthormsen]

Good afternoon,

Thank you all for your kind remarks and suggestions!!

With hearing not 100% after 30 years teaching Shop I do not hear what you hear. I went back to it and still nothing. The two that previewed it did not notice it when played on the blu ray player, but then that is not surprising as they are not as critical as we are!!! Perhaps I will try using earphones and see if I can pick it up!!

The zooms on the two ice paintings ( the abstract face and falcon head shape) were done in post.

The one ice sculpture, the one that looks like a "Water Buffallo" was also pulled in a litle on the head shot in post.

the flooded homes arre now out of the water, I reckon they will have some serious insurance claim. The water levels on my side of the Coteau Hills is record high!! It will make for a fantastic waterfowl breeding season and fall splendor!! Right now you can stop anywhere look around and see ducks of geese in the sky somewhere! Raptors are back too!

The crocus is out and blooming, this morn it was to cold for them to open up and now its to widy to film them. three years of trying to get the right shots, yet to happen!!


thank you all again!!

[Geir Inge]

Hi Dale.
I have always liked your films very much, and this one brings your work further I think.
I miss your VO at first, I'm so used to it in your films :)
But then it's not needed in this one. The different scenens together with the music stands on it's own.
I also missed your guitar - at first - but what a great piece of violin music,
and together with the background sounds, it's a perfrect match.
I'm living in a winterland myself, so it's not new to me. Ice and snow, etc.
Still you manage to bring it to me as I've never seen it before. Bravo!
Thank you for sharing.

[Trond Saetre]

Hello Dale,

A cool video you made.
Some of the shots reminds me of a previous uwol video I made, with the ice and water.

Well done! Thanks for sharing.