UWOL#1 "Friendly Skies" by Jim Michael at DVinfo.net

Jim Michael · January 23rd, 2007, 04:55 PM

My goal was to come up with something that was upbeat and fun. This was my first attempt at a musical composition. My "birds" are aluminum, tube, and fabric.

http://uwolchallenge.com/challenge1/...ndly_skies.mov

Camera - Sony Z1

Gabriel Yeager · January 23rd, 2007, 06:14 PM

Very nice video Jim. It was fun to watch. I would have liked to see some footage from a plan - But that would more the likely be spendy.

Funny Idea, I wanted to do something like that here, but the weather just was not working, so I went for 'living' birds and snow..

Fun, creative, entertaining, nice editing, beautiful footage, good music, sounds like a good film to me! :D

Keep up the good/fun work!
~Gabriel

Kevin Railsback · January 23rd, 2007, 06:27 PM

Jim,

Nice film man! My favorite shots were the ones at 49 seconds and at 1:36.
Good job on the music too. It fit the film. It would have been cool to get some aerial footage but the film still works without it.

Jim Michael · January 23rd, 2007, 06:41 PM

Thanks for the comments. I was hoping to get some aerial footage but the weather conditions didn't work out. If you notice on the approach of the airliners they were adjusting for a pretty strong crosswind so I didn't get to take the Stinson up (that's it in the hangar).

Ruth Happel · January 23rd, 2007, 08:04 PM

For a first try at musical composition, that was great. It really fit the video. I liked all the angles of the planes- neat how you cut between them to give a real sense of motion and speed.

Ruth

Cody Lucido · January 23rd, 2007, 08:16 PM

Your footage has a very stylized look that I like. Many shots feel like they are from a 16mm training film. Was that achieved in post?

Very good composition of many shots. Fun and bubbly video.

Jim Michael · January 23rd, 2007, 08:31 PM

All the clips were used in FCP straight with no post-processing. I do like the settings I have configured on the Z1 and achieved some footage on an Alaska trip last year that I'm pretty happy with.

Bruce Foreman · January 23rd, 2007, 10:29 PM

Jim,

From someone with 20 years air force service that included 3 years of aircrew duty, I still feel that one of the most graceful sights is an aircraft in flight, taking off, or landing.

You got some beautiful shots with great skies showing the aircraft off.

And as a non musical talented type (if I try to sing in the shower the plumbing moans!) my hat is off to you for composing your own score.

It works.

Bruce Foreman

Per Johan Naesje · January 24th, 2007, 02:34 AM

Jim, this was fantastic to view. In fact I like to do some aircraft-spotting from time to time. I'm living just 20 min. from the main airport in Oslo.

The first ting I noticed is the sharpness in the footage, stunning! Your pans is veeery nice. The edit was seamless and very nice, only thing I noticed was the windsock after one aircraft was approaching (at 00:58), showing tailwind landing ;-)

Keep up your good work Jim!

Trond Saetre · January 24th, 2007, 06:43 AM

Jim, very nice video you have.
You did well with the music.
As an air traffic controller, I see departures and landings all day at work, but I am impressed with what you show us.
I especially liked the clip after about 45 seconds when you see the white contrails against the sky.

Bob Safay · January 24th, 2007, 06:48 AM

Jim, great video. I loved watching those planes come in. I have lived in Atlanta 24 years and never went to the airport just to watch the planes come in. Great idea. Bob

Randall Allen · January 24th, 2007, 06:54 PM

I love airplanes....this was very exciting for me to watch. Had the weather been nicer here I would have done something either with full scale aircraft or gotten some of my RC buddies to fire up and gone with that. Glad you were able to get such good footage.

Randy

Brendan Marnell · January 26th, 2007, 04:52 PM

Several beautiful skyscapes Jim.

Geir Inge · January 27th, 2007, 04:34 AM

Hi Jim, Nice work - though I'm a bit afraid of flying (my wings are too small)...
But I do like aeroplanes, watch them as they come and go. I think you've done a great job editing and these big "birds" are in some way, our way of keeping up with the real birds :)

Bradley L Marlow · January 27th, 2007, 06:18 PM

Cool aluminum bird tubes! Yes...you can definitely see the wind was blowing pretty good that day. I really liked the #2 and #4 airplane shots. Those really stood out.

Looks like a nice small airport. Am I to understand that is YOUR plane (Stinson) in that hangar? I found myself hoping to go for a ride as soon as that hangar door opened.

Love that you composed your own tune "Friendly Skies" for your film. Nice job on that!

Best wishes~
Bradley

January 23rd, 2007, 06:27 PM	#3
Kevin Railsback Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 1,544	Jim, Nice film man! My favorite shots were the ones at 49 seconds and at 1:36. Good job on the music too. It fit the film. It would have been cool to get some aerial footage but the film still works without it. __________________ --==Kevin==-- http:naturephotostudios.com.com

January 23rd, 2007, 08:16 PM	#6
Cody Lucido Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 206	Your footage has a very stylized look that I like. Many shots feel like they are from a 16mm training film. Was that achieved in post? Very good composition of many shots. Fun and bubbly video. __________________ www.CodemanStudios.com

January 24th, 2007, 02:34 AM	#9
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Jim, this was fantastic to view. In fact I like to do some aircraft-spotting from time to time. I'm living just 20 min. from the main airport in Oslo. The first ting I noticed is the sharpness in the footage, stunning! Your pans is veeery nice. The edit was seamless and very nice, only thing I noticed was the windsock after one aircraft was approaching (at 00:58), showing tailwind landing ;-) Keep up your good work Jim! __________________ - Per Johan

January 27th, 2007, 04:34 AM	#14
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,343	Hi Jim, Nice work - though I'm a bit afraid of flying (my wings are too small)... But I do like aeroplanes, watch them as they come and go. I think you've done a great job editing and these big "birds" are in some way, our way of keeping up with the real birds :) __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

January 27th, 2007, 06:18 PM	#15
Bradley L Marlow Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Central Wyoming Posts: 484	Hi Jim! Cool aluminum bird tubes! Yes...you can definitely see the wind was blowing pretty good that day. I really liked the #2 and #4 airplane shots. Those really stood out. Looks like a nice small airport. Am I to understand that is YOUR plane (Stinson) in that hangar? I found myself hoping to go for a ride as soon as that hangar door opened. Love that you composed your own tune "Friendly Skies" for your film. Nice job on that! Best wishes~ Bradley

January 23rd, 2007, 04:55 PM	#1
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	UWOL#1 "Friendly Skies" by Jim Michael My goal was to come up with something that was upbeat and fun. This was my first attempt at a musical composition. My "birds" are aluminum, tube, and fabric. http://uwolchallenge.com/challenge1/...ndly_skies.mov Camera - Sony Z1

January 23rd, 2007, 06:14 PM	#2
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	Very nice video Jim. It was fun to watch. I would have liked to see some footage from a plan - But that would more the likely be spendy. Funny Idea, I wanted to do something like that here, but the weather just was not working, so I went for 'living' birds and snow.. Fun, creative, entertaining, nice editing, beautiful footage, good music, sounds like a good film to me! :D Keep up the good/fun work! ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

January 23rd, 2007, 06:41 PM	#4
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	Thanks for the comments. I was hoping to get some aerial footage but the weather conditions didn't work out. If you notice on the approach of the airliners they were adjusting for a pretty strong crosswind so I didn't get to take the Stinson up (that's it in the hangar).

January 23rd, 2007, 08:04 PM	#5
Ruth Happel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Black Mountain, NC Posts: 488	For a first try at musical composition, that was great. It really fit the video. I liked all the angles of the planes- neat how you cut between them to give a real sense of motion and speed. Ruth

January 23rd, 2007, 08:31 PM	#7
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	All the clips were used in FCP straight with no post-processing. I do like the settings I have configured on the Z1 and achieved some footage on an Alaska trip last year that I'm pretty happy with.

January 23rd, 2007, 10:29 PM	#8
Bruce Foreman Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Angelo Texas Posts: 1,518	Jim, From someone with 20 years air force service that included 3 years of aircrew duty, I still feel that one of the most graceful sights is an aircraft in flight, taking off, or landing. You got some beautiful shots with great skies showing the aircraft off. And as a non musical talented type (if I try to sing in the shower the plumbing moans!) my hat is off to you for composing your own score. It works. Bruce Foreman

January 24th, 2007, 06:43 AM	#10
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Jim, very nice video you have. You did well with the music. As an air traffic controller, I see departures and landings all day at work, but I am impressed with what you show us. I especially liked the clip after about 45 seconds when you see the white contrails against the sky.

January 24th, 2007, 06:48 AM	#11
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,558	Jim, great video. I loved watching those planes come in. I have lived in Atlanta 24 years and never went to the airport just to watch the planes come in. Great idea. Bob

January 24th, 2007, 06:54 PM	#12
Randall Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 192	I love airplanes....this was very exciting for me to watch. Had the weather been nicer here I would have done something either with full scale aircraft or gotten some of my RC buddies to fire up and gone with that. Glad you were able to get such good footage. Randy

January 26th, 2007, 04:52 PM	#13
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	Several beautiful skyscapes Jim.