A Minute Beneath UK Waves

Hi Wetpixellers,

I pulled this together for a competition that needed a 90 seconds or less video of UK Wildlife, but didn't get through. I'm interested to see what people think of it, is it just too darned quick to be effective? I was trying to inject some energy in to it by using fast cuts to a fast paced music track. Please let me know what you think.

Many thanks,

Jo

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Its great! We really enjoyed it here.

Alex

Nice one Jo. Great impact and pace.

Thanks Alex and Tim. Glad you enjoyed it!!

I would have varied the duration of the clips more and let a few of the clips run longer to give us a "breather" and let us absorb the scene between the fast sequences. To me the natural place for the first longer clip was at 0:20 when the music eases off right after the crescendo. The cuts are too fast from 0:20 to 0:30. Enjoyed it nonetheless and makes me want to go diving in the UK. Sorry it didn't get through.

Great pictures Jo,

but i also find the pace too hectic, it leaves no time to me to absorb and "digest" the imagines.

After 0:30 the lengt of the sequences is fast but good, before i personally find it too hectic and not adequate to the beautiful recordings.

Chris

Hi Nick and Chris,

Great feedback, thanks. Yes, I like the pace of it, but as you say varying the pace in places would help to make it less hectic. I've just moved to Final Cut Pro X, so if I'd edited this piece in there instead of Final Cut Express I think it would have been a lot easier to move things around so that the crescendos emphasised the action better.........I like the style though, so if I do another one I'll try some of your suggestions.

Many thanks,

Jo

Nice one Jo. The images were stunning, but I agree it was maybe a tad too fast. It's great to try new formats and styles out though as it stops you getting in a rut!

I've not been in the water at all at home this year and it made me determined not to let the same happen next year!

Hi Jo,

Good work that you can be proud of.

Why did it not get selected? Who knows how the judges judged. What they were looking for. Competitions have a big random element. These things are all very subjective so never lose heart.

Maybe some timing changes might have helped.

And there were a couple of out-of-focus spots that probably should have ended up on the cutting room floor.

But, all in all, I enjoyed watching it.

Regards

Peter

Basically, you simply cut to the beat and it was very effective in my opinion. You kept it short which was good. You could have used a slower paced music so as to stay on a subject for a bit longer time period as others suggested, but that would have produced an entirely different feel to it. You never can predict what an individual judge will see or how they will react to a given film so a lose in one competition might be a win in another. I did the same thing a few years back, simply as a fun exercise and having too much time on my hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EU54Y8B6EM If you watch it, you will see that its' 3;40 duration is way too long. I watched it yesterday for the first time in years and that is what I felt at any rate. But it was a cool piece of music and it was something I wanted to do just for the fun on it.

I liked your video...you kept it under 90 secs and it works. Give FCPX a little time and you'll see how intuitive it can be.

Steve

Nice one Jo. The images were stunning, but I agree it was maybe a tad too fast. It's great to try new formats and styles out though as it stops you getting in a rut!

 

I've not been in the water at all at home this year and it made me determined not to let the same happen next year!

Thanks Simon, always learning, which is good. Seems to be a general consensus that it was a little too fast....next time it will be better!!! Really enjoy mixing up the styles, I have some seal footage that is crying out for a funny script....just need to get my thinking cap on.

That's a real bummer that you've not managed to get in the water this year.....but I guess family has been a priority this year...bet it's worth it though!!

Was down at Selsey this afternoon under the lifeboat pier and was lucky to find a pair of Tompots having quite a spat, they totally ignored me and were having a real go at each other....reminded me a bit of the fight scene from Bridget Jones, very funny!! Selsey's an hour from us so we've been there quite a bit this year, if you ever fancy joining us, let me know.

See ya,

Jo

Thanks Peter and Steve, for a 1st time at this style I'm very please with how it turned out and learnt a lot from the process....will need to do some more experimenting with this style when I have a bit more time and improve the timing problem so that it's not too frantic.

Am enjoying learning FCPX, it's similar enough to be familiar to FCE, but just need to get used to where everything is and the extras that I've not had before.

Thanks again both.

Jo

PS. Nice video Steve

Tompots! You could make a feature film about them if you had enough time! Would be great to join you down at Selsey some time Jo, just let me know when you head down there again and I'll see if I can make it.

Yes little Oliver has kept us VERY busy but I actually got away for the first trip of the year a couple of weeks ago and we are off again next week with lots planned over the next 6 months so don't feel too sorry for us

Cheers, Simon

Hey Jo,

You can find plenty of good tutorials for FCPX here and their discussion forum can be very helpful. http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/fcp_homepage_index.html

Don't feel bad for Simon, he'll be diving in the Cocos Islands, Costa Rica very soon. I'm jealous.

Steve

Tompots! You could make a feature film about them if you had enough time! Would be great to join you down at Selsey some time Jo, just let me know when you head down there again and I'll see if I can make it.

 

Yes little Oliver has kept us VERY busy but I actually got away for the first trip of the year a couple of weeks ago and we are off again next week with lots planned over the next 6 months so don't feel too sorry for us

 

Cheers, Simon

Morning Simon,

Tends to be a bit last minute as we have to check the weather, but will let you know.

Hmmm.....now I definitely don't feel sorry for you at all!!! Have a brilliant time in Cocos.

Jo

Hey Jo,

You can find plenty of good tutorials for FCPX here and their discussion forum can be very helpful. http://www.kenstone....page_index.html

Don't feel bad for Simon, he'll be diving in the Cocos Islands, Costa Rica very soon. I'm jealous.

Steve

Brilliant, thanks Steve.......that'll come in very handy.

Don't feel bad for Simon, he'll be diving in the Cocos Islands, Costa Rica very soon. I'm jealous.