UWOL #8 "JiuFen" by Benjamin Durin
 

This is my first real attempt for a documentary and I am aware there are many flaws.
First I am sorry for the strong accent, sometimes I myself even can't understand what I am saying!
Everything was shot in one morning because, well, I didn't have much time.
I also learned (afterwards) that it is better to write the narration before doing the shooting.

Well, I hope you will enjoy the landscapes.

Hi Benjamin,

Now I learned something new about your part of the world too.
Very nice scenery there.

I look forward to see your next videos in the future challenges.
Thank you for sharing.

This is an impressive amount of footage for one morning! I liked the way you wove in some historical documents to illustrate the development. The music fit your piece really well. It was fascinating to see your corner of the planet, thanks for sharing.

Ruth

terrific,

I really liked the sepia (I think that's the term) look for the early historical section and then the transition to colour. At first I thought they were pictures but they are miniature models in a museum right?

I thought the music and narration fitted will, although the music volume was a little strong in a couple of places.

Your accent is fine - we all have them, we just don't notice. There are really only a couple of words which you have to listen to. If you write your narration down and then get someone else to pick those words you need to be particularly clear on (I think tourist was one) and underline those you should be fine. Some VO guys make lots of lines and squiggles on their text to help with pronunciation and emphasis.

there was a sense of peace & solitude through the whole footage - quite calming

Very pretty shooting, nice colors. And an interesting topic -- this is the kind of setting that you only get to see in UWOL films.

I like the historical backstory approach.

I only wanted to see and know more! Feels like the trailer for a larger documentary...

Paul, you are absolutely right.

Meryem, you are welcome to come here to make a complete documentary. I will show you around ;)

Benjamin, great images - i think you could have quite easily expanded to 3 minutes and gained the space to tell a bit more of the story. It was well captured and edited with good use of stills and effective music. As the others have said, it's great to see more of the world too!!!

Looking forward to your next film!!!

ooo, tempting! i love the concealed corners...

(sorry i ended up tagging you post with the "edited by" - i hit the secret editing button by mistake, when i meant to hit the "quote" button - hamhanded bit of wrangling there...)

Benjamin,

A film from somewhere different! I think I'm the first Irish entrant to UWOL, and I think you're the first from Taiwan. And your English is probably better than mine!

There's some lovely shots in your films - I can't get enough of the architecture, such as at 0:30 showing those lovely houses on the hill side.

The landscape is incredible, and you've got a great eye for video - your framing is excellent.

My only complaint (as with a lot of these films!) is that it was a little short. More please!

Well done!

Hi Benjamin,
What a nice surprise to see this film from you this round. I was in Taiwan for work for a couple of days at the end of last month, & thought the scenery was stunning. You have captured exactly that with the scenery in your film. I loved the use of the stills in your film, i thought they helped to tell the story very well. I'm very impressed that you have put this all together with only one mornings filming. I will be very keen to see just what you can put together with a couple of days or more. I found your voice over very good. You spoke with a very natural & relaxed voice, & that somehow told the story without drawing attention to the voice over itself. (If that makes sense)
Well done, i can't wait to see more from you.

Bryce

Benjamin,

I enjoyed your entry for more reasons than the videomaker's aspect. While in the air force I was stationed on Taiwan twice, 1967 and 1968, and again in mid 1974 thru mid 1976. I lived a few months in Pei Tou and the rest of the time in Tian Mu, worked at Shu Lin Kou air station.

I enjoyed my time there very much and made some very good friends, including a Buddhist priest called Sing Hai (the temple above the police circle in Tian Mu) and a photographer named Xie Qeng Da who used to have a small photo store/studio (LeeDa Studio) in Tian Mu.

Your film brought a lot of that back to me. Just where is Jiu Fen in relation to Tai Pei?

Benjamin:

Thank you for giving us your part of the world on a silver platter! You have beautiful scenery and awesome history to inundate us with! Like it's been touched on before.... we only wanted more! Next time, give us the full 3 minutes!

Sincerely,

Cat

You have created a beautiful documentary here Benjamin, albeit short and sweet. Your story about the transformation of a quaint mining village in north west Taiwan is both interesting to listen to and a delight to watch - set in such a scenic location. It is just so fantastic to get an opportunity to see all these wonderful places around the world on this forum. I just love it.

You have a good eye for both composition and colour. I like the way your colours indicate the progression of the transformation: introducing your story using sepia tones to set the historical scene, then moving into near-muted colour tones for the village scenes in the recent past and finally moving into a heightened colour saturation to reflect the vibrant nature of the little village as it is today - a humming tourist destination by the looks of it. Not sure if that was deliberate or not but that’s how I saw it. Your story certainly demonstrates a good degree of transformation has taken place.

Your choice of music is obviously well suited and complements your images. Your sound quality is good - I really admire all you people who attempt VO in a language foreign to your own.

I am so glad all those time restrictions you mentioned did not stop you making this video!! Tres bien Benjamin! (couldn’t resist : ) Hmm - seems odd to have a French man in Taiwan creating an English documentary.)

Great to get some video from Taiwan.Well told story and nice use of the stills...I might steal that idea in future.

Thank you everybody for your comments.
I am a little late replying because I was in Indonesia with my family for a few days.
I even didn't have time to watch all the entries yet. I will post my comments when I finish viewing them.