UWOL 41 - Tales of wonders and woes

[Mark Hartopp]

I've never been in such low temperatures. Closes I think was -10 many years ago. Haven't seen real snow drifts since I was about 12 years old then winter warmed up. I would love to to spend 24 hours filming in those conditions. Same as I would like to film penguins.

[Gordon Hoffman]

Mark if it is calm it's not to bad but if there is a wind it takes the fun out pretty quick. Gear can get pretty stiff and if the snow is blowing around it seems to get into everything.

Gordon

[Mark Hartopp]

I appreciate that, bit like sand and very dry dirt in high wind. I film a few adrenalin sports. So I like filming difficult shots.

[Mick Jenner]

This is getting repetitive, turn on the computer, open up my uwol project on the timeline, thinks to myself must get some footage laid down, and then open up another project! Must get my act together

[Mike Sims]

Well, it sounds as if you have the theme in mind, Mick!

My worst cold weather problem occurred last year. I got caught in a late April snowstorm in Utah. I was set up with the Edgertronic, 400mm lens, 600 FPS, 720P when the mountain lion caught a jackrabbit right in front of the blind. I couldn’t do a thing because the calibration shutter on the camera had frozen half-way open and the camera was stuck in a calibration loop. All I could do was twiddle my thumbs until it was safe to go back to camp. I warmed up the camera and power cycled a couple of times and it has worked flawlessly ever since. I called California and they took a dozen cameras into a walk in freezer and weren’t able to reproduce the problem. Just my luck and super frustrating.

I’m a bit frustrated right now because I haven’t accomplished anything for this round yet. I had a minor surgery last week and the anesthesia knocked me for a loop. I’m having trouble finding my sea legs, so to speak, and I have another procedure scheduled for the end of the month. This is all related to me having been mugged and beaten last fall and you may correctly surmise that it was also the root of my recent bad attitude. No excuse though. I have an idea that I like but if I am able to do anything it will be an abbreviated attempt. Fewer repetitions, perhaps…?

[Mark Hartopp]

Sorry to hear about the mugging and beating, hope they find the scum who did it.
Regarding the comp I don't think you are the only one having problems with equipment or weather. This one is always going to be about plan b or c maybe idea 47. There is always something going wrong or getting in the way with my idea.

Hope you get well soon and a film in the can.

[Trond Saetre]

Hope you get well soon, Mike!

[Mike Sims]

Thanks, guys. My only lingering injury at this point, besides a general lack of trust, is the broken teeth. I’m in the process of having them mended and, yes, they did catch the two miscreants. Sad, but they are just misguided kids really. I’m hoping to make a video about my DIY motion time-lapse apparatus. “Shoot, Move, Repeat…”

[Mark Hartopp]

That idea sounds cool. Looking forward to seeing your film. I just been looking into some kind of slider, at the moment they are out of my price range. Did look into a diy version. But me and diy don't really mix. Just really bad at it.

[Lorinda Norton]

Good heavens, Mike. I had no idea you had been assaulted. I hope you get all fixed up--body and eventually your ability to trust again.

Looks like many other people are dealing with extraordinary weather. We have never seen so much snow here, followed by rain, freezing rain, and now frigid temperatures. I've been busy with a leaking roof, wet carpet, a cat enclosure cave in, dogs and cats with cabin fever, and more, so I haven't concentrated on coming up with an idea that wouldn't be boring. Supposedly, rain and warmer weather is on the way; I just hope it doesn't become a repetitive pattern, as in, more frigid temps after the storms.

[Mick Jenner]

Sorry to hear about all you problems Mike but pleased to hear you are now on the mend an moving forward. Take care Mick

[Mark Hartopp]

I don't like dog walkers or joggers anymore.
Had two days of good weather to film in. So I decided to do time lapse of shadows and sun rise. It's like a camera draw's them out of the wood work just to walk in front of me. Most people do listen to what I'm saying and walk round.

Then you have the ones that see the camera and stand in front of the lens to talk to me. " Say that's a nice camera. Must be wort a bit? Filmed anything good with it.

The dogs like to drool in my backpack and pi** on it.

Jogger just like running in front of the lens and let me to f-off.

In short no time lapse yet.

If I get a film uploaded. I'm a winner just for getting it done and I think that is true for everyone.

[Trond Saetre]

How's everyone doing? Remember to send an email to uwol@dvinfo.net to request the upload details to the UWOL Vimeo page.
(Better to request early and not complete your film, than waiting until last minute...)

Hoping to see many entries this round.
Have fun! :)

[Mark Hartopp]

OK. I'll put in a request for upload details. Just looking at all the footage tonight and working out if I need to reshoot or shoot new footage or just start editing tomorrow and go with what I have.

And it is quiet here.
Has it ever been so quiet before?

[Trond Saetre]

Yeah, it's been very quiet here.
(It varies from challenge to challenge, but it is really quiet now.)

Upload details is coming to your email, Mark.