UWOL #2: "The fisher king" by Mat Thompson

[Mat Thompson]

Hey people.

I enjoyed this in the end and thanks to meeting a great chap 'Colin the conductor' yes he's a real conductor!! I managed to capture 'some' of the beauty of the fly fishing art....oh thanks to the Kingfisher too for hanging around a while...I just wish he hadn't been so efficient and quick at eating his fish....it was SO hard to re-frame and re-focus once he'd caught one and re-perched! Also missed 'the strike' too but I'm definately going to go back and fill in the gaps on this one....its fantastic to watch both 'fisher kings' !


.....rip it up guys ?

[Chris Barcellos]

Mat:

Loved this film. Very nice visually. Kept on theme point, and I think you are a contender !!

[Mark Williams]

Very nice. Yours is in my top three. The shots of the Kingfisher were fantasic. Where I am from Kingfishers are way to skitish to get that close. I have even tried using a blind with no success.

Regards,

[Geir Inge]

This was great Mat. I'm a flyfisher myself and enjoyd this video a lot.
Your changes between the fisher, the bird and the plants where all very nice done. I also liked the music mixed with sound of nature/birds.

[Ruth Happel]

One or the other theme- either fisherman or bird- would have been compelling enough for this video. But combining the two "fisher kings" of the river was really great, and I liked the way you moved seamlessly between the two. There was some amazing kingfisher footage- I really enjoyed it.

Ruth

[Ken Diewert]

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

Hey people.


.....rip it up guys ?

Sorry Mat,

But I really couldn't find anything to rip. So I'll have to say what I liked about it.

Nice titles, and establishing shots. The audio mix is nice. The blend of the two stories, the great kingfisher footage. Selective use of slo-mo. I enjoyed the pacing, although I suppose some might think some shots a little short, and others a little long, but... Most importantly, I think was the way you adhered to the theme. The purpose of the challenge (IMO) is to push ourselves to do something new. To move out of our comfort zones. In my mind this film stayed very true to the 'Recreation' theme, while incorporating the elements of nature.

For the above reasons (and perhaps because I'm a flyfisher), I rate your film as my choice for #1, amongst a field of great and worthy candidates.

[Gabriel Yeager]

Wow..... That was just, wow..... I am blown away! That was incredible. Music match the film almost perfectly, and the footage was beautiful!
Fly-fishing is such an art, it is cool to watch when it is pieced together right like you just did!

Very impressive. I did not see one thing I would change. It is absolutely incredible!

Nice work Mat! Please keep doing what you do so I can learn from you!
~Gabriel

[Kevin Railsback]

See, what did I tell ya Mat? :)

[Bruce Foreman]

Mat,

Another stunningly beautiful piece of work. Others have already mentioned all of the things I liked about it, the color, composition, and interplay between the kingfisher and fisher king were super smooth.

Bruce Foreman

[Dale Guthormsen]

Kevin,

I have you in my top four contenders!! I very much enjoyed the video. It really lacked nothing!!! so no criticism from here. I have never seen such a colorful kingfisher. all the ones we have are a drab blue with some white.

Great job.

[Catherine Russell]

Mat!

This was absolutely beautiful! I'm crying.... (am I supposed to admit this?). It could have been my dad.

This had everything, the music was perfect, the cinematography was rich and deep. Thank you for upping my existence in this world a knotch, I was swept away.

Was the bird a Kingfisher? If it was, that would really be amazing.... a Kingfisher juxtaposed with a fisher king. Hats off to you.

Thanks Mat

[Trond Saetre]

Originally Posted by Mat Thompson

.....rip it up guys ?

Sorry, that is just not possible!
Your video is on my top5 list!

Others have commented the technically, so I'll just mention what I like best:
After about 30seconds you had the reflections in the water from the fisher man. That was a great scene.
Also in the end where we see him in contrast to the sky, this was my favorite part.

What kind of bird was it?

[Marco Wagner]

Great film, you covered some wonderful shots and scenarios all while maintaining a common theme. Super good looking footage. Fisher King is the bird right?

[Per Johan Naesje]

Mat, this was very stunning to watch! The close-up of the Kingfisher was absolute great, it's very difficult to capture this!
The conductor seem like a real "pro", I'll guess he get lots of fish?

Very nice edit, I liked especially the silhouette footage at the end did a very nice ending.

You are on my top 5 list!

[Mat Thompson]

Hey guys....mucho thanks for all your kind comments, its a real pat on the back.

Cat,Trond, Marco....Its a common European Kingfisher...though not so 'common' unfortunately. The idea of piece was to try and show the two 'fisher kings' is a comparative way although I think I'd need a good few more sessions to start getting down comparative movements and such like....I still think it sits well as it is though :)

I did a lot of research for sites where I knew I if I got lucky I'd be close enough to get some good shots. I'm finding this research phase is as important as anything else doing these films....your only as effective as your 'inside knowledge' with wildlife.

Thanks for all the nice comments!