And the winners of UWOL 20 are... at DVinfo.net

MaryLee Herrmann · May 2nd, 2011, 07:54 PM

Thank you so much for sharing your films and for allowing me to be part of this very cool competition. Wow, it is fascinating to see how each of you chose to interpret the theme of ‘light’ in a wildlife film, and I enjoyed each of them, though each for different reasons. Congratulations on a wonderful accomplishment- getting your film done!

Here are my selections, based on the judging criteria given…

1st Place:
Steve Siegel - "Playmate"

2nd Place:
Dale Guthormson - "Equinox"

3rd Place:
Mike Sims - "Total Darkness"

Cat granted me permission to comment on each individual film, which I am so happy to do; because each of you has spent your time and talents creating something unique to you, and we can all learn from other people’s feedback whether we accept it or not, just as I am excited to be learning from watching what each of you has created.

TOTAL DARKNESS…
I really like that you went for the contrast in darkness and that you have a specific world you wanted to share and a story to tell. Some of the images were so interesting and unique. The transitions could be a bit smoother. The voiceover lacked energy and personality. When doing narration, keep in mind, the voice and tone need to be engaging to bring your audience in to what you are describing. It cannot just be what you say, but the tone with which you say it. In some ways the audio is more important than the picture. I would love to see this with just a little music in some places, which could really enhance your theme and support your light switch sound effects.

VERNAL LIGHT…
Beautiful, clear images with good examples of light. The music was very nice and airy. It is well shot, and some of it is absolutely spectacular. However, I would like to have seen more of a story. The close-ups and medium shots are nicely done, but perhaps add a few shots to show the ‘big picture’ of where these animals and flora exist together, or if they don’t. Show us what you like, what is appealing to you, and then find a way to tell us just why you like it or appreciate it. This doesn’t have to necessarily be done with dialogue.

SUNLIGHT ON BRAZOS BEND…
Great energy in your music and transitions, and you captured some beautiful moments of light in the wildlife. Similar to the suggestion above, perhaps providing just a few wider shots that give a little insight into the overall scene, the surroundings, so we are brought into that world, not just shown pieces of it.

EQUINOX…
Good sense of atmosphere and environment. I appreciate the contrast of light and dark in ice and snow on the darker terrain. Has a really good flow and nice build in specific places with image and music synchronized. Perhaps find a few additional shots and angles to tell your story whereas some of the ones used felt repetitive.

PLAYMATE…
The owl in the tree is one of my favorite shots. Nice storytelling and good job of showing the challenges of natural lighting. Be sure to keep in mind what the story is you want to tell and how you want to tell it. It felt inviting how personable and casual you were in the beginning, it was about you. Then you changed tone and made it about ‘her’ (the light) and became more poetic. Of course you can mix tones, but perhaps find a way to transition a little more smoothly. The more personal we make our films, whether directly or indirectly, the more an audience is likely to respond to the story. You were clever in finding ways natural light is ‘bounced’ in nature.

SEARCHING THE LIGHT…
Great storytelling…you have a beginning, middle, and an end, and wrapped it up nicely. The pace and flow of your film was really nice. You had moments of sharing your experience, and at other times you allowed us to just watch what was taking place in front of us. I felt as though we spent the day with you on your journey.

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD…
Gorgeous imagery and music were pieced very well together. Would like to have felt a little more specific sense of story, though works without it too. Very nice transitions and flow.

Congratulations, thank you again, and I look forward to seeing more of your films!

Mike Sims · May 2nd, 2011, 08:37 PM

Congratulations Steve and Dale. Thank-you MaryLee and Catherine. See you around...

Bill Thesken · May 2nd, 2011, 08:49 PM

Thanks MaryLee. Great job guys, see you next round.

Catherine Russell · May 3rd, 2011, 06:53 AM

Congratulations to the winners! Steve, Dale and Mike. Your hard work and dedication is paying off. And to everyone else, good efforts and jobs well done as well.

MaryLee, thank you for being our esteemed judge this round and for going the extra mile and commenting on everyone's film. I know this is very much appreciated by all.

Cat

Victor Wilcox · May 3rd, 2011, 07:37 AM

Congratulations Steve, Dale and Mike.

There's no better way to learn the trade than watching those who know it well, and I get to do it for free.

Geir Inge · May 3rd, 2011, 08:55 AM

Congratulations to you Steve, Dale and Mike and to the rest of the uwolbunch.
You deliver all great videos.
Many thanks to you MaryLee for judging this round and to you Catherine for good management.

See you around :)

Chris Hurd · May 3rd, 2011, 10:54 AM

Congrats to our winners and also to everyone who submitted -- just getting
an entry completed and in front of eyeballs is an accomplishment worthy of
high praise. Well done, all! And many thanks MaryLee for taking this on.

Steve Siegel · May 3rd, 2011, 12:37 PM

Congratulations Dale and Mike, and MaryLee, thanks for judging for us this round. Winning is really a thrill, but as everyone says, what you learn doing this wins every time.

Cat, I can't wait to see what you and the guys have come up with for the "new" UWOL, which starts next time, right?

Ruth Happel · May 4th, 2011, 04:12 AM

Great job, Steve, Dale and Mike. And thanks for the constructive comments, MaryLee.

Trond Saetre · May 4th, 2011, 07:18 AM

Congratulations to the winners and everyone who submitted an entry!
Haven't had time to watch and comment every film yet, but those I have seen have been great!

Meryem Ersoz · May 5th, 2011, 10:17 AM

Congrats, boys, you all made some great films -

I've been rooting for Steve to win one of these suckers for a long time.

And I'm happy to see Dale's relentless participation in the contest paying off, in more than just educational ways. 2nd place, check it out!

Steve Siegel · May 5th, 2011, 05:34 PM

Thanks Meryem,

I was beginning to feel like the perpetual bridesmaid.

Dale Guthormsen · May 6th, 2011, 03:43 PM

good afternoon,

Congratulations Steve, your video was oustanding and a worthy winner!!!

Thank you to everyone and all the participanted!!!

Wayne Reimer · May 7th, 2011, 02:01 PM

Congratulations to the top three especially and to all who took the plunge! Kudos to Dale G especially; I know your original plan sort of came apart...you made a pretty darned good recovery there, my friend!

May 2nd, 2011, 07:54 PM	#1
MaryLee Herrmann UWOL Judge Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Louisville, CO Posts: 3	And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Thank you so much for sharing your films and for allowing me to be part of this very cool competition. Wow, it is fascinating to see how each of you chose to interpret the theme of ‘light’ in a wildlife film, and I enjoyed each of them, though each for different reasons. Congratulations on a wonderful accomplishment- getting your film done! Here are my selections, based on the judging criteria given… 1st Place: Steve Siegel - "Playmate" 2nd Place: Dale Guthormson - "Equinox" 3rd Place: Mike Sims - "Total Darkness" Cat granted me permission to comment on each individual film, which I am so happy to do; because each of you has spent your time and talents creating something unique to you, and we can all learn from other people’s feedback whether we accept it or not, just as I am excited to be learning from watching what each of you has created. TOTAL DARKNESS… I really like that you went for the contrast in darkness and that you have a specific world you wanted to share and a story to tell. Some of the images were so interesting and unique. The transitions could be a bit smoother. The voiceover lacked energy and personality. When doing narration, keep in mind, the voice and tone need to be engaging to bring your audience in to what you are describing. It cannot just be what you say, but the tone with which you say it. In some ways the audio is more important than the picture. I would love to see this with just a little music in some places, which could really enhance your theme and support your light switch sound effects. VERNAL LIGHT… Beautiful, clear images with good examples of light. The music was very nice and airy. It is well shot, and some of it is absolutely spectacular. However, I would like to have seen more of a story. The close-ups and medium shots are nicely done, but perhaps add a few shots to show the ‘big picture’ of where these animals and flora exist together, or if they don’t. Show us what you like, what is appealing to you, and then find a way to tell us just why you like it or appreciate it. This doesn’t have to necessarily be done with dialogue. SUNLIGHT ON BRAZOS BEND… Great energy in your music and transitions, and you captured some beautiful moments of light in the wildlife. Similar to the suggestion above, perhaps providing just a few wider shots that give a little insight into the overall scene, the surroundings, so we are brought into that world, not just shown pieces of it. EQUINOX… Good sense of atmosphere and environment. I appreciate the contrast of light and dark in ice and snow on the darker terrain. Has a really good flow and nice build in specific places with image and music synchronized. Perhaps find a few additional shots and angles to tell your story whereas some of the ones used felt repetitive. PLAYMATE… The owl in the tree is one of my favorite shots. Nice storytelling and good job of showing the challenges of natural lighting. Be sure to keep in mind what the story is you want to tell and how you want to tell it. It felt inviting how personable and casual you were in the beginning, it was about you. Then you changed tone and made it about ‘her’ (the light) and became more poetic. Of course you can mix tones, but perhaps find a way to transition a little more smoothly. The more personal we make our films, whether directly or indirectly, the more an audience is likely to respond to the story. You were clever in finding ways natural light is ‘bounced’ in nature. SEARCHING THE LIGHT… Great storytelling…you have a beginning, middle, and an end, and wrapped it up nicely. The pace and flow of your film was really nice. You had moments of sharing your experience, and at other times you allowed us to just watch what was taking place in front of us. I felt as though we spent the day with you on your journey. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD… Gorgeous imagery and music were pieced very well together. Would like to have felt a little more specific sense of story, though works without it too. Very nice transitions and flow. Congratulations, thank you again, and I look forward to seeing more of your films!

May 2nd, 2011, 08:37 PM	#2
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations Steve and Dale. Thank-you MaryLee and Catherine. See you around...

May 2nd, 2011, 08:49 PM	#3
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Thanks MaryLee. Great job guys, see you next round.

May 3rd, 2011, 06:53 AM	#4
Catherine Russell Trustee Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lyons, Colorado Posts: 1,224	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations to the winners! Steve, Dale and Mike. Your hard work and dedication is paying off. And to everyone else, good efforts and jobs well done as well. MaryLee, thank you for being our esteemed judge this round and for going the extra mile and commenting on everyone's film. I know this is very much appreciated by all. Cat

May 3rd, 2011, 07:37 AM	#5
Victor Wilcox Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Iron Horse Guest Ranch, Waller County, TX Posts: 340	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations Steve, Dale and Mike. There's no better way to learn the trade than watching those who know it well, and I get to do it for free. __________________ Vic Wilcox, http://wilcoxvideoproductions.com/Default.aspx Sony FDR-AX100, DJI Phantom 4 Pro, GoPro Hero 8 Blk, Vegas Pro 15, DaVinci Resolve 18

May 3rd, 2011, 08:55 AM	#6
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,343	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations to you Steve, Dale and Mike and to the rest of the uwolbunch. You deliver all great videos. Many thanks to you MaryLee for judging this round and to you Catherine for good management. See you around :) __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

May 3rd, 2011, 10:54 AM	#7
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congrats to our winners and also to everyone who submitted -- just getting an entry completed and in front of eyeballs is an accomplishment worthy of high praise. Well done, all! And many thanks MaryLee for taking this on. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 3rd, 2011, 12:37 PM	#8
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations Dale and Mike, and MaryLee, thanks for judging for us this round. Winning is really a thrill, but as everyone says, what you learn doing this wins every time. Cat, I can't wait to see what you and the guys have come up with for the "new" UWOL, which starts next time, right?

May 4th, 2011, 04:12 AM	#9
Ruth Happel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Black Mountain, NC Posts: 488	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Great job, Steve, Dale and Mike. And thanks for the constructive comments, MaryLee. __________________ http://rockfowl.com/

May 4th, 2011, 07:18 AM	#10
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations to the winners and everyone who submitted an entry! Haven't had time to watch and comment every film yet, but those I have seen have been great!

May 5th, 2011, 10:17 AM	#11
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congrats, boys, you all made some great films - I've been rooting for Steve to win one of these suckers for a long time. And I'm happy to see Dale's relentless participation in the contest paying off, in more than just educational ways. 2nd place, check it out!

May 5th, 2011, 05:34 PM	#12
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Thanks Meryem, I was beginning to feel like the perpetual bridesmaid.

May 6th, 2011, 03:43 PM	#13
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... good afternoon, Congratulations Steve, your video was oustanding and a worthy winner!!! Thank you to everyone and all the participanted!!! __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

May 7th, 2011, 02:01 PM	#14
Wayne Reimer Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Regina, Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 255	Re: And the winners of UWOL 20 are... Congratulations to the top three especially and to all who took the plunge! Kudos to Dale G especially; I know your original plan sort of came apart...you made a pretty darned good recovery there, my friend!