UWOL #23

Bill Thesken · July 6th, 2012, 11:52 AM

Watch this Youtube link and not the Vimeo link on the UWOL page. The Vimeo
version is very stuttery.
A couple of months ago we got heavily into astronomy, and with our trusty reflector have
been searching the skies for planets and galaxies. That's where the idea for this abstract
film came from. Imagine you are a visitor from another galaxy, and the first place you happen
upon is a little beach on an island.....

Ruth Happel · July 6th, 2012, 03:35 PM

I really liked the surreal feel of this video. The underwater footage of the surfers was amazing. I am assuming (hoping) that was shot with something like a Go Pro, rather than James filming with surfboards plowing towards him?!

The music was very effective, starting with the sci-fi style when the footage was helping us get anchored, to the up tempo feel with the surfing. The various views of water really showed the force of nature in these waves.

Imagine I am a visitor from another state and I would really enjoy that beach....

Chris Barcellos · July 6th, 2012, 04:55 PM

Great underwater shots and interesting sound track make this a very interesting film.

Per Johan Naesje · July 7th, 2012, 03:45 AM

This was a great and the score fit very well to the mood of the film!

Great job of James, your son? I can just imagine how it was to get the shot at about 1:31, when the huge waves hit his back!

Note: I didn´t notice any stutter through playback of the film!

Simon Wood · July 8th, 2012, 02:08 AM

There was some great imagery there, and some of it was very surreal. I guess you have slowed the footage down a bit in some shots?

The transition from clouds to the underwater wave shot at .30 secs is very cool.

I hope James was wearing a hockey helmet or something when those surfers came buzzing over his head! The shot at 1.29 when the surfer passes by on the other side of the wall of water is quite extraordinary. I guess this was all done on a GoPro, I'm pretty sure I recognize those purple lens flares?

Great work, and cool music score.

Trond Saetre · July 8th, 2012, 09:23 AM

Hi Bill,

Very nice underwater footage! That's always fascinating.

Didn't notice any playback issues.

Bill Thesken · July 8th, 2012, 11:39 AM

This was shot entirely with the GoPro except for the second shot of the blue sky and clouds with the XHA1.
James just turned 16 so he's pretty quick, however I told him not to let the surfers get too close to him. Some of those shots the surfers were probably inches away from his outstretched hand with the camera, I made a handle for it and showed him how to hold it away with his arm in a locked position to get a steady shot. A little worried about letting him use the camera again unless he really stays clear. Most of the water shots are way slowed down, around 30% with Vegas Pro. For my playback issues I think it's just my old computers, plus I've found if I let the videos load all the way before viewing they run fine in Vimeo.

Gordon Hoffman · July 8th, 2012, 03:12 PM

Hi Bill
I was also impressed by some of those shots. The waves have to make it a challenge not to mention how close you have to be with a GoPro. James shows some real talent. I enjoyed it.

Gordon

Mike Sims · July 9th, 2012, 09:26 AM

Hey Bill, not your typical Surf video! Spectacular shots, but I think this is a case where less may be more. I think you could trim 20-30 seconds of the repetitive shots for more impact. What a thoughtful interpretation of the theme. Amateur astronomy can be very rewarding. I wish you fair winds and clear skies.

Owen Dawe · July 10th, 2012, 03:32 AM

Greetings Bill,

Well in all my born days I must have seen miles and miles it seems of surfing footage. But. Nothing ever like this. Your footage was amazing and out of this world. Never before have I seen a surfer from a sharks perspective, from under water. An amazing result. Edited together in a way that unfolded like buterfly wings. I'm impressed.

July 6th, 2012, 11:52 AM	#1
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	UWOL #23 - Alien Planet Alien Planet - YouTube Watch this Youtube link and not the Vimeo link on the UWOL page. The Vimeo version is very stuttery. A couple of months ago we got heavily into astronomy, and with our trusty reflector have been searching the skies for planets and galaxies. That's where the idea for this abstract film came from. Imagine you are a visitor from another galaxy, and the first place you happen upon is a little beach on an island..... Last edited by Lorinda Norton; July 7th, 2012 at 11:47 AM.

July 6th, 2012, 04:55 PM	#3
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Re: Alien Planet Great underwater shots and interesting sound track make this a very interesting film. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

July 7th, 2012, 03:45 AM	#4
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Re: Alien Planet This was a great and the score fit very well to the mood of the film! Great job of James, your son? I can just imagine how it was to get the shot at about 1:31, when the huge waves hit his back! Note: I didn´t notice any stutter through playback of the film! __________________ - Per Johan

July 8th, 2012, 02:08 AM	#5
Simon Wood Major Player Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Entebbe Uganda Posts: 768	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet There was some great imagery there, and some of it was very surreal. I guess you have slowed the footage down a bit in some shots? The transition from clouds to the underwater wave shot at .30 secs is very cool. I hope James was wearing a hockey helmet or something when those surfers came buzzing over his head! The shot at 1.29 when the surfer passes by on the other side of the wall of water is quite extraordinary. I guess this was all done on a GoPro, I'm pretty sure I recognize those purple lens flares? Great work, and cool music score. __________________ http://vimeo.com/channels/guerrillafilms

July 8th, 2012, 09:23 AM	#6
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet Hi Bill, Very nice underwater footage! That's always fascinating. Didn't notice any playback issues.

July 6th, 2012, 03:35 PM	#2
Ruth Happel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Black Mountain, NC Posts: 488	Re: Alien Planet I really liked the surreal feel of this video. The underwater footage of the surfers was amazing. I am assuming (hoping) that was shot with something like a Go Pro, rather than James filming with surfboards plowing towards him?! The music was very effective, starting with the sci-fi style when the footage was helping us get anchored, to the up tempo feel with the surfing. The various views of water really showed the force of nature in these waves. Imagine I am a visitor from another state and I would really enjoy that beach.... __________________ http://rockfowl.com/

July 8th, 2012, 11:39 AM	#7
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet This was shot entirely with the GoPro except for the second shot of the blue sky and clouds with the XHA1. James just turned 16 so he's pretty quick, however I told him not to let the surfers get too close to him. Some of those shots the surfers were probably inches away from his outstretched hand with the camera, I made a handle for it and showed him how to hold it away with his arm in a locked position to get a steady shot. A little worried about letting him use the camera again unless he really stays clear. Most of the water shots are way slowed down, around 30% with Vegas Pro. For my playback issues I think it's just my old computers, plus I've found if I let the videos load all the way before viewing they run fine in Vimeo.

July 8th, 2012, 03:12 PM	#8
Gordon Hoffman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta Canada Posts: 619	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet Hi Bill I was also impressed by some of those shots. The waves have to make it a challenge not to mention how close you have to be with a GoPro. James shows some real talent. I enjoyed it. Gordon

July 9th, 2012, 09:26 AM	#9
Mike Sims Major Player Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 880	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet Hey Bill, not your typical Surf video! Spectacular shots, but I think this is a case where less may be more. I think you could trim 20-30 seconds of the repetitive shots for more impact. What a thoughtful interpretation of the theme. Amateur astronomy can be very rewarding. I wish you fair winds and clear skies.

July 10th, 2012, 03:32 AM	#10
Owen Dawe Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Lake Tarawera, Rotorua, New Zealand Posts: 244	Re: UWOL #23 - Alien Planet Greetings Bill, Well in all my born days I must have seen miles and miles it seems of surfing footage. But. Nothing ever like this. Your footage was amazing and out of this world. Never before have I seen a surfer from a sharks perspective, from under water. An amazing result. Edited together in a way that unfolded like buterfly wings. I'm impressed. __________________ Owen