UWOL#7 "The Beast Of Blue Bell Hill" By Mihali Moore

[Mihali Moore]

Hi All,

I am really pleased to have entered my first UWOL competition. Am looking through all your films and enjoying them very much.

I found it very hard to come up with an adventure theme and settled on doing a short piece on a guy who reports and researches big cat sightings in the Kent countryside, England. This is not their natural habitat and there presence (if at all) is questionable.

I guess I was trying to make his work seem like his own little adventure. There are definitely some shots lacking in it (namely wildlife!). It was unfeasible to actually get a big cat sighting, but maybe some night vision shots of a stakeout would have added to it. Some more local flora and fauna would have been beneficial too. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but hopefully next time I'll be better prepared!

Hope you enjoy the film,

Mihali

[Markus Nord]

I enjoyed this film, even if it didn’t include any big cats (cool if it did). For 3 minutes it’s hard to get an interview, establishing shots and “action” in thins kind of subject. Maybe you could have set up and night shot, and we could se the researcher sitting and waiting. Maybe like that time he was talking about in the film.
Nice job

Markus

[Rob Evans]

Enjoyed this film a lot, it was well edited, diverse in it's shots -it told a story well and was overall of very high quality. It kinda reminded me a of a spot on "fortean times" - the music was spooky and it's use really added to the feel - good interview shots too. Great 1st entry Mihali!!!!!

[Dale Guthormsen]

Mihali,

It is always great to do something you are passionate about!! This was a real nice entry.

All it really lacked was even a ghostly still of a black panther placed in at some place.

It was good to have the form/mold of a panther pug (that was what it was right?), that gives some credence to your story.

good effort!!

[Meryem Ersoz]

i love a good mystery, so i enjoyed this. reminds me a little of the chupacabra legend. the photographs were pretty interesting. good inclusion, striking images. i liked the way you shot them held in the subject's hand, while he explained the technical side of how the flesh was devoured...definitely invoked the suspense for me.

not much to say on the technical side. i thought this looked very clean and was well put together.

great first entry, mihali, bring us some more!

[Trond Saetre]

Mihali,
This was interesting to watch. Cool story.
I agree with what has been said already.

Keep up the good work, and stay with us for the future challenges.
Well done!

[Mat Thompson]

What a well crafted entry! Really well edited and nicely shot. I could really see this as an article in something like countryfile or a like. It had enough meat in the evidence 'pun intended' to keep the story rolling and you could see and hear the chap was very into what he was talking about. I might have liked some sort of faded picture overlay or flashback of the Cat but it didn't really need it. Good choice and use of music track too.

Good idea, on topic, well crafted.....top notch first entry!

[Rob Evans]

Oh, i forgot to add, I was just eating a BLT when the shots of the dismembered goat came up. Not nice!!! ;-)

[Catherine Russell]

Hi Mihali:

Welcome friend! I thought this was very informative, interesting and pulled together quite well. I simply don't have what it takes to stand in front of the camera and carry on a narrative like you did and keep it interesting, so I am absolutely amazed when someone else has the talent to do this. Well done and looking forward to your next go at it in uwol 8!

Cat

[Mihali Moore]

Wow! Thanks guys for all your feedback, it's all beeen very constructive.
Sorry about putting you off your sandwich Rob. Will put a pre-title warning out next time! ;-)
Dale. Good spot. It's amazing what you can do with a black bin bag!

[Per Johan Naesje]

Mihali, this was a very nice entry. You seemed like a pro in your narrating in front of the camera!
I was waiting for the cat though! In Norway we have something similar to your cat I think, which we call a lynx. They are seldom seen by anyone and watching your entry get me an idea of trying to capture some footage of the lynx someday!
I have a comment to your narrating in the end from 2:18 something happend with the level of your narrating, it was a bit difficult to hear through the music!
Overall a very nice and informational entry, which I liked very much to watch.
Keep up your good work!

[Mihali Moore]

Originally Posted by Per Johan Naesje

Mihali, this was a very nice entry. You seemed like a pro in your narrating in front of the camera!

Just to clarify, it was not me in front of the camera!

A big cat would have made the film (and probaly the news too!). Interesting you mentioned the lynx. They too were native to England, but were hunted to almost extinction for their fur. However numbers are on the increase and have featured in the media here recently.

(I agree the audio levels were not quite right towards the end of the film)

Glad you enjoyed the film.

[Kevin Railsback]

Mihali,

Very interesting film. Good job!

You know, sometimes not seeing something can be as exciting and mysterious as seeing it.

We were supposed to see much more of the shark in Jaws but because they had so much trouble with it you didn't see much of it. By not seeing it, you had a lot more tension in the film.

Couple suggestions and maybe others can chime in to see if I'm off my rocker or not.

But, what if you began the film with the clip at the 18 second mark? He talks about the first time he saw the Beast of Blue Bell Hill.

Then, look at the next shot, foggy, eerie, very creepy. You've set the stage right there and I think you grab your audience much more effectively then starting off with an introduction. You could always throw up a lower third or find another way to introduce your speaker.

I think you did a really good job of breaking up the narration with some nice action and scenic shots to break up the "talking head"

I like the way you framed him at 2:47 much better than the framing say at :20.

I thought Neil was very comfortable in front of the camera and spoke very clearly and I was able to follow the information he was giving very easily.

I feel I could tell you the history of what these cats are, where they may have come from etc by watching a single pass of your film so the message was communicated very well.

Thought your music was a good choice for the film as well.

Look forward to seeing your films in future challenges!
I hope you had a good time making this one as well.

[David Gemmell]

Hi Mihali,

Well, we almost had the same adventure as I was visiting my sister recently and went to a local quarry to try to film some peregrines. Whilst sitting in my hide, a huge black cat walked along the top of the ridge (beuatiful silluotte shot) and down the hill side towards me (filling up most of the frame). I had all the time in the world to film it - but didn't bother. When I mentioned to my wife, she said I could have been on the news "because people had been trying to capture footage of that cat for years"! Wish I had known.

Anyway, getting back to your entry, which I think you filmed so well. It is such an interesting subject and Niel did a wonderful job explaining it all.

The music was a perfect choice and the overall composition and flow was very, very well done.

Very informative and of great interest to me.

I've got a feeling we are going to see some great entries from you in the future. Well done Mihali.

[John Dennis Robertson]

Great first time entry...Good editing nice story..Im sure we are going to see a lot magic from you in future challenges...welcome aboard