UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord at DVinfo.net

Markus Nord · April 1st, 2012, 01:27 PM

Hi everyone

>This is a non-competitive film<

My plan was to make a film about some of the invasive species that you can find in the Baltic Sea. The problem was that I couldn't get enough useful UW shots, so I had to use some archive materials... and by that it was about 25% archive.

But I would lite to get your comment on this film anyway... 'coz I'm gonna send this film to a filmfest, and would lite to make it better...
so please, tell me what you think.

Thanks Mike Sims and Bill Thesken for you help with the script!

Ruth Happel · April 2nd, 2012, 08:03 PM

I found this very effective. My only suggestion might be to focus more on the paint issue, since that seems like a real conundrum- adding toxins to avoid the barnacle. Maybe say more what the toxin is, and how it affects other wildlife. But the film is very nice- a good flow, with amazing underwater sequences. Good luck with the filmfest.

Ruth

Mike Sims · April 3rd, 2012, 10:23 AM

Hi Markus. When I read your script I knew this would make a great video and you did. I’m sorry it turned out to be too long for the competition. I’m sure it will be well received in the film festival. I just have one very minor point. When pronouncing the word “cnidarian” the “c” is silent- it is not generally pronounced. Most people wouldn’t know this and far fewer will care. All in all, another fine video as we have come to expect from you. Well done.

Markus Nord · April 3rd, 2012, 12:16 PM

Hi Mike and Ruth

Thanks for you suggestion, Ruth, I'll see if I can put some more info about the toxic in the film... now the paints got copper in then, but until the 70ths the big problem was TBT, and We can still see a lot of problem from that time.

Mike, the problem was not really that the film turned out to be 4 minutes, I cut it down to 3 (leaving the Hyroid out), but I didn't get enough good UW materials, so I needed to use stock, and in the end, is turned out to be 25-30% archive... so I kept it at 4 minutes...
About the silent "C", I probably got some other words wrong... I try to record the VO again.. thanks for your help.

If anyone viewed the film during the last hours, I uploaded a new version, with a new tune (I had to change it), and the first one went wrong in the export. But now anew and working film is up, I hope you enjoy.

cheers and thanks for watching.

Geir Inge · April 5th, 2012, 04:26 AM

Hello Mark.

What a pity, wish your movie was in this round.
It is a very good video ou have made, and it deals with an ecological problem.
I like that :)
Technically there are different things you can work on to make it better, but I mean no offend.
For example you can add sounds that can be related to the different objects.
When barnacles wave their legs out to catch food, you can add the sound that corresponds to this movement, etc.
In general you can add extra atmosphere and excitement, through audio post.

Good luck on the film festival.

Geir Inge

Owen Dawe · April 5th, 2012, 04:33 AM

When I viewed this clip I thought I was watching a short film on the National Geographic Channel. That's how good it is. A nice audio track with a mix of music and sound effects. Very well done.

Bill Thesken · April 6th, 2012, 01:39 AM

Markus, you asked for critique on this so I will 'geevum' as we say. We want you to get this to the film festival and stir things up a bit.
The only flaw I could sense was the audio voice over sounded like it had some echo like maybe it was made in a small room, and there was some wind noise, or was that a sound effect? I only have headphones, so that may be a reason it sounds like that to me. Also in the very beginning the very first shot, the establishing shot I thought would work best with the big view of the boat being chomped, then the closer view bringing the viewer into the action, thinking what the heck am I being dragged into?
You could probably use some quiet moments without music or any noise to let the gravity of the situation seep into the viewer, then slowly bring the sound effects up with the visual for impact.
I helped a friend dry dock a 35' Pearson sail boat at Sand Island in Honolulu in 1990, and we scraped and repaired the fiberglass bottom for a week, and then applied that red paint with the copper. It's the most horrible toxic smell you can imagine, and we had professional respirators. That stuff has to go away.
Anyways, very amazing underwater shots you have there. Probably a Canon. They put my GoPro shots to shame!

Dale Guthormsen · April 6th, 2012, 12:16 PM

Marcus,

What an educational piece, well thought out and produced.

Suggestions:

1. I feel the piece definitely needs some color grading/correction. I had the urge to want to download it and work on it!!! I really like working in this area myself. Would be glad to tinker on it!!

2. The audio needs softening and eco/reverb removed, The script is very good.

Thank you for posting it, your stuff always amazes me!!

Dale

Markus Nord · April 9th, 2012, 01:10 PM

Hej Geir Inge – Yes sound is something I need to get better at, but I'm not keened of using sound when it's no real sound. Even if that would enhance the story. But, yes, that may have worked in this film.
I'm glad you liked the story.

Hi Owen – Thanks, it makes me happy you thought the film was showed on NG. That would be a dream gone true.

Bill – Good suggestions Bill, I have worked a bit on the sound, tried to cleaned the VO a bit. I rushed the recording of the VO, that's why it sounded a bit “echoish”.
I get the question nearly every week of what I think about different paints and so on... But I always answerer the same “do not paint the hull, use a boat wash, better for you and the environment”. But our problems with barnacles is not to compere with what you got in the tropics.
You use the gopro in the right way, giving us a unique view UW with time lapse.

Dale – Thanks dale. I've been working a bit on the VO, I'll post an update of the film shortly.
About CG, I used the Cinestyle PP on the 7D and “just” corrected it to look as normal as is I'll could.

Thanks for commenting and helping me getting better.

Cheers
Markus

Trond Saetre · April 12th, 2012, 08:37 AM

Hi Markus,

Since I use my boat a lot, your film has an interesting theme for me.
Worth noticing is that it is no longer allowed to use the effective copper in the painting, due to the environment issues.
Instead they use other toxins which in my experience is worse. It pollutes (as did the copper), but without doing a good job at what it is supposed to do... to keep the boat hulls clean.

Earlier I had my boat right next to the old copper mine where the copper for the Statue of Liberty comes from, and the sea floor in the closest area was totally dead. Not a living creature, and basically there was no need for any paint at all. The boat hulls were clean all year. (shows the effect of copper polution in the water, and why it is banned now)

As Dale mentioned, some color correcting could be done.

Good luck with the film festival!

April 1st, 2012, 01:27 PM	#1
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hi everyone >This is a non-competitive film< My plan was to make a film about some of the invasive species that you can find in the Baltic Sea. The problem was that I couldn't get enough useful UW shots, so I had to use some archive materials... and by that it was about 25% archive. But I would lite to get your comment on this film anyway... 'coz I'm gonna send this film to a filmfest, and would lite to make it better... so please, tell me what you think. Aquatic Aliens on Vimeo Thanks Mike Sims and Bill Thesken for you help with the script! __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

April 3rd, 2012, 10:23 AM	#3
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hi Markus. When I read your script I knew this would make a great video and you did. I’m sorry it turned out to be too long for the competition. I’m sure it will be well received in the film festival. I just have one very minor point. When pronouncing the word “cnidarian” the “c” is silent- it is not generally pronounced. Most people wouldn’t know this and far fewer will care. All in all, another fine video as we have come to expect from you. Well done.

April 3rd, 2012, 12:16 PM	#4
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hi Mike and Ruth Thanks for you suggestion, Ruth, I'll see if I can put some more info about the toxic in the film... now the paints got copper in then, but until the 70ths the big problem was TBT, and We can still see a lot of problem from that time. Mike, the problem was not really that the film turned out to be 4 minutes, I cut it down to 3 (leaving the Hyroid out), but I didn't get enough good UW materials, so I needed to use stock, and in the end, is turned out to be 25-30% archive... so I kept it at 4 minutes... About the silent "C", I probably got some other words wrong... I try to record the VO again.. thanks for your help. If anyone viewed the film during the last hours, I uploaded a new version, with a new tune (I had to change it), and the first one went wrong in the export. But now anew and working film is up, I hope you enjoy. cheers and thanks for watching. __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

April 5th, 2012, 04:26 AM	#5
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,343	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hello Mark. What a pity, wish your movie was in this round. It is a very good video ou have made, and it deals with an ecological problem. I like that :) Technically there are different things you can work on to make it better, but I mean no offend. For example you can add sounds that can be related to the different objects. When barnacles wave their legs out to catch food, you can add the sound that corresponds to this movement, etc. In general you can add extra atmosphere and excitement, through audio post. Good luck on the film festival. Geir Inge __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

April 5th, 2012, 04:33 AM	#6
Owen Dawe Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Lake Tarawera, Rotorua, New Zealand Posts: 244	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord When I viewed this clip I thought I was watching a short film on the National Geographic Channel. That's how good it is. A nice audio track with a mix of music and sound effects. Very well done. __________________ Owen

April 2nd, 2012, 08:03 PM	#2
Ruth Happel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Black Mountain, NC Posts: 488	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord I found this very effective. My only suggestion might be to focus more on the paint issue, since that seems like a real conundrum- adding toxins to avoid the barnacle. Maybe say more what the toxin is, and how it affects other wildlife. But the film is very nice- a good flow, with amazing underwater sequences. Good luck with the filmfest. Ruth __________________ http://rockfowl.com/

April 6th, 2012, 01:39 AM	#7
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Markus, you asked for critique on this so I will 'geevum' as we say. We want you to get this to the film festival and stir things up a bit. The only flaw I could sense was the audio voice over sounded like it had some echo like maybe it was made in a small room, and there was some wind noise, or was that a sound effect? I only have headphones, so that may be a reason it sounds like that to me. Also in the very beginning the very first shot, the establishing shot I thought would work best with the big view of the boat being chomped, then the closer view bringing the viewer into the action, thinking what the heck am I being dragged into? You could probably use some quiet moments without music or any noise to let the gravity of the situation seep into the viewer, then slowly bring the sound effects up with the visual for impact. I helped a friend dry dock a 35' Pearson sail boat at Sand Island in Honolulu in 1990, and we scraped and repaired the fiberglass bottom for a week, and then applied that red paint with the copper. It's the most horrible toxic smell you can imagine, and we had professional respirators. That stuff has to go away. Anyways, very amazing underwater shots you have there. Probably a Canon. They put my GoPro shots to shame!

April 6th, 2012, 12:16 PM	#8
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Marcus, What an educational piece, well thought out and produced. Suggestions: 1. I feel the piece definitely needs some color grading/correction. I had the urge to want to download it and work on it!!! I really like working in this area myself. Would be glad to tinker on it!! 2. The audio needs softening and eco/reverb removed, The script is very good. Thank you for posting it, your stuff always amazes me!! Dale __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

April 9th, 2012, 01:10 PM	#9
Markus Nord Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Vastervik ,Sweden Posts: 639	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hej Geir Inge – Yes sound is something I need to get better at, but I'm not keened of using sound when it's no real sound. Even if that would enhance the story. But, yes, that may have worked in this film. I'm glad you liked the story. Hi Owen – Thanks, it makes me happy you thought the film was showed on NG. That would be a dream gone true. Bill – Good suggestions Bill, I have worked a bit on the sound, tried to cleaned the VO a bit. I rushed the recording of the VO, that's why it sounded a bit “echoish”. I get the question nearly every week of what I think about different paints and so on... But I always answerer the same “do not paint the hull, use a boat wash, better for you and the environment”. But our problems with barnacles is not to compere with what you got in the tropics. You use the gopro in the right way, giving us a unique view UW with time lapse. Dale – Thanks dale. I've been working a bit on the VO, I'll post an update of the film shortly. About CG, I used the Cinestyle PP on the 7D and “just” corrected it to look as normal as is I'll could. Thanks for commenting and helping me getting better. Cheers Markus __________________ www.nordproduktion.se https://vimeo.com/nordproduktion

April 12th, 2012, 08:37 AM	#10
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Re: UWOL#22 "Aquatic Aliens" by Markus Nord Hi Markus, Since I use my boat a lot, your film has an interesting theme for me. Worth noticing is that it is no longer allowed to use the effective copper in the painting, due to the environment issues. Instead they use other toxins which in my experience is worse. It pollutes (as did the copper), but without doing a good job at what it is supposed to do... to keep the boat hulls clean. Earlier I had my boat right next to the old copper mine where the copper for the Statue of Liberty comes from, and the sea floor in the closest area was totally dead. Not a living creature, and basically there was no need for any paint at all. The boat hulls were clean all year. (shows the effect of copper polution in the water, and why it is banned now) As Dale mentioned, some color correcting could be done. Good luck with the film festival!