UWOL #3 "Go Wild" by Cat Russell

[Catherine Russell]

Points are well taken Per and Brian. I am submitting among the gurus of film. More film would have made this a more well-rounded and full submission. I confess, I took film with every still photo to cover the bases. The resolution of my camera just didn't make the cut for me over the stills except in the few places I allowed them to go into the clip. I think the challenge for me next challenge is an improved video camera and using it. Thanks for moving me forward.

Cat

[Gabriel Yeager]

Wow Cat! That was awesome!

I was not expecting anything of that sort! Great job, very artistic!

My head still hurts from trying to rap my mind around how you managed to do that!!

Excellent job, two thumbs up!
~Gabriel

[Rob Evans]

Hey Cat!

Unique and wonderful build up - great concept carried through really well. Stands out as one of the most individual and creative entries - well done!
Must start honing my AE skills again ;-)

Cheers!

Rob

[Catherine Russell]

Gabriel and Rob:

Thanks for the kind words and a bit of cheer you two!

Gabriel, you are one of those kind of people that I would love to wrap up and take you home with me! ;o). Don't change except to keep on honing those film techniques of yours.

Rob, what encouragement from someone with your caliber of talent. Thank you.

Cat

[Gordon Hoffman]

Cat
Yes this is a pretty neat piece. Compositing is a real art. Your elk antlers look a little strange thou lol. Like some have said I would like a little more full frame video shots. Also are some of your flower shots out of focus or is that a compression issue?

Gordon Hoffman

[Steven Gotz]

Please don't take this as a criticism of any sort. I just wanted you to know what I was thinking as I watched your piece.

As it all came together, I thought that the end result was that all of the different portions would eventually build a still. That it would morph into an actual photo of what you were creating. I assumed you started with a photo and were recreating it as you went along. And we would see the original photo at the end.

I don't have the skills to do that, but for some reason I thought that was the goal. After I gave it some thought, I realized that what you did was even harder.

All in all, a very intersting piece. Thanks.

[Catherine Russell]

Hi Gordon and Steve:

Thanks for the critique! All comments welcome!

Godon:

I think we all agree that more video footage would have rounded the piece out a lot. The elk were actually masked from live footage I took last winter of elk in our backyard. The one grazing in real life has it's antler pointed towards the camera, so it does get lost in the masked replica. The other's anterlers were up against a background that was very similar in color so it was hard to tell exactly where the points went. So I just did the best I could do. As far as the flower shots being out of focus, wow no comment on that one. I don't think it was a compression issue so if they were, it falls on me and my equipment. I thought they were okay.

Steven:

The picture was in "my mind's eye!", but the whole thing morphing into a final still would have been a great idea. Thanks for thinking of that!

I greatly appreciate your time and comments.

Cat

[Kevin Railsback]

Cat,

Well, karma brought me to this thread. I thought I had commented on it but it must have been Ruth's of the same title.

Great concept. I love how you wove the tapestry of life all together. It's the little things that when all placed together make the big picture.

I never noticed the bird or was it a bee flying around in the upper left hand corner at the end of the film. Nice attention to small details.

The only real note I have for you is that some of the shots are in some fairly harsh light. I think if they had been shot during magic hour it would have raised the look of the film a bit higher. I think the lighting took away some of the beautiful colors of some of your subjects.

Open shade can work great in harsh light. Sometimes I even stand over a subject to cast a shadow on it to deal with the harsh light if I have no choice but to be out filming in it.

It had a nice building of anticipation as I wanted to see the picture you were "painting."

Good uplifting happy music too. :)

[Catherine Russell]

Kevin!

I'm nonplussed! That was very kind of you to go to the trouble of taking a look at a past film, with so many to review this time around. Your comments are well taken and I will experiment with soft lighting for an overall feel. Thank you!

It's funny but this one was not as well received, and I personally had a blast with it and really liked it. Ah, diversity is the spice of life!

You're the best,

Cat