UWOL #2: "Desert Playground" by Marco Wagner
 

The winters in Phoenix are not much different from the rest of the year. In our first competition EVER we had an overload of ideas and a learning curve of a new HD cam. I wanted to capture things that are not only done year round in (and about) Phoenix, but also activities that you don't think about too much, like hiking, rock climbing, ultralite flying, relaxing.

The waverunner portion was tough, it was 89 degrees out, but the water was 50 degrees! You did NOT want to get wet or fall in, I almost fell in with my new camera as well. We couldn't really get out of town for this contest, so all the footage was shot within 30 minutes of my house or work. I tried to keep it more on the artsy side but with a little sporty flavor. I think my personal favorite cut is the Waverunner rocking by itself in the water in what appears to be a totally unpopulated lake.

Thanks for watching and allowing me to participate. Any criticism is welcome.

Competition Size -428x240 16:9 QT 49.5MB
http://www.uwolchallenge.com/challen...playground.mov

Full Size -720x480 16:9 WMV 66.0MB
http://www.timelake.com/media/DesertPlayground.wmv

This was a great video to show all the opportunities. Looks like you live in a great place for recreation! The opening titles were really nice, too.

I particularly liked the framing of the parent/child with the rocks, really a wonderful image.

Ruth

the good....
Nice shot of the waverunner pushing up a lot of spray! I thought that was the best part.

the not so good....
the timelapse of the sailboat....didn't work for me...it just looked like a sailboat more or less.

the questions...
what tripod do you use? the pans/tilts seem a little shaky.
what was on the rock at one point - a climber? I cannot tell.

Congratulations on a nice video and I wish our winters were like that!!!!
James Hooey

Thanks for your input James. That was my wife on the waverunner. I used my old crappy tripod because I didn't want to sink my brand new one into the lake mud. I used a homemade steadycam or handheld on a few shots etc. The good steady shots were with a Smith-Victor Propod III Aluminum 2-Stage Tripod with Pro-3 2-Way Fluid Head. It's me that's shaky, I have a badly herniated disc.

The rock, if red, had a climber on it, as most of the rocks did. In my larger file size (encoded now) you'll see MUCH better.

Did you notice the fish jump next to the sailboat at the end?

Thanks again!

Thanks Ruth, that boy and child happened totally by accident, I loved it.

I am broken-hearted. I was sure that shot was magnificent planning. I pointed it out to my wife. On the other hand, being in the right place at the right time takes effort, and let's face it, you got a great shot.

Thanks Steven. I was actually trying to get a static shot to zoom out and pan left. BUT that spot is so popular people kept coming through the "Hole in the Rock" (it's called). I'd had to keep starting over...once the kid and his father came through I thought about its potential.



UPDATE: FULL VERSION AVAILABLE NOW< SEE TOP OF POST

You got quite a variety in your video. I actually felt like my face got wet from the spray during your opening sequence.

I also was one going to complement you on the composition of the guy and the kid coming through the "hole in the rock". But I guess having sense enough to use the shot has to count for the same.

Something no one else has commented on yet is the contrast of subject you got in that shot of the ?yucca? cactus on the hill with the pool in the park below.

Glad you didn't wind up "dunking" a camcorder, that would be enough to me this old man cry.

Bruce Foreman

Marco,
your place is totally different from where I live! Nice to view and something I can dream about when the cold and severe wind howling in my face on a mountain summit.

I'm not fan of using to much zoom and I think you overused it a little to my taste and it was a little yerky in a couple of shots. As mention, the timelaps of the sailboat did not come out well. But I saw that fish leap!

Overall impression, this film maintained my interest all over and I had to view it several times to get all the details. The man and the boy in the cave was astounding, so was the slowmotion of the waverunner. I think you did a great job, your are on my top five list!

Thank you for your thoughts Per Johan,


I tried my best to break up the zoom shots with some static ones inbetween, but I can see the overuse. I think I was just trying to give the whole experience too much, lol.

I was so hoping for a child and parent to come walking through that AFTER I got some other shots I wanted, but things just happened right, thank goodness.


What do you think I could have done better on the sailboat? Better backdrop? Tighter shot?

Thanks again Per Johan, and everyone who has commented so far.

Some great scenery shots, in an obvious recreation oriented activities.

Flow of film was not felt a bit disjointed, but that is something we wer all having to deal with in the effort to stay on theme was appreciated.

Your jet ski footage was great...loved it! The music was perfect too....it really has a dersert feel, don't really know why but it seems to fit like a glove.

I think you had a few to many big zooms and possible not enough detail shots.

Nice piece and bang on topic :)

Nice job Marco! I really liked all the rocks, very cool scenery.
That was a risky move taking your camera out on the jetski, I would not do it, lol.
Good music too, nice choice.

Keep on rollin' (film).
~Gabriel

I enjoyd this video. Very nice done and great scenery.

Thanks Gabe, Chris, and Mat!

We almost flipped twice, my friend wasn't used to my waverunner! I had him take it easy though. My BIG issue was lake water on the lens. It would NOT come off! I had to soap them when I got home lol!

Music was from a Time Lake licensed local band "Heroes for Ghosts"
http://myspace.com/heroesforghosts