UWOL #7 "Glider" by Meryem Ersoz at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > The DV Info Network > The UWOL Challenge

The UWOL Challenge
An organized competition for Under Water, Over Land videographers!

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:28 AM   #1
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3,015
UWOL #7 "Glider" by Meryem Ersoz

ah yes, the ol' feedback thread!

I had a lot of ideas for this one. If I had enough time, you'd be reading a thread for something called "In Search of the Jackalope" but instead you're joining me for a short glider ride through the Colorado skies.

I received a gift certificate for this trip as a Christmas gift, and I decided to use this theme to test out the possibility of using gliders for aerial footage--my studio shoots a triathlon for TV broadcast, and I was thinking that, if this test run worked out, I might add some of this type of footage to the broadcast in July. It's always better to check these sorts of experiments out, in advance.

My idea was to intercut this footage with birds, to show the animal/human contrast, but I totally struck out on that account. Those birds don't always cooperate when you want them to...I did finally get some decent footage of the birds, but it just didn't intercut well in the edit. So I had an effect in mind but couldn't pull it off. It's always interesting to witness the difference between what gets in your head and what the final outcome is.

So enjoy two minutes of hovering over my beautiful city, because that's all I managed to get! It was an adventure, though...
Meryem Ersoz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:36 AM   #2
Trustee
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Akershus, Norway
Posts: 1,413
Meryem, sure that was an adventure for you. Your aerial footage was very nice, nice colors and exposure. It can not be easy to control in the cockpit of a small glider?
It was some hard cuts in the start and end, but that was minor.

Thanks for showing us your adventure!
__________________
- Per Johan
Per Johan Naesje is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:48 AM   #3
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3,015
yes, inside the glider, i shot with an HV10 and stabilized it with a stiff piece of foam rubber to brace the camera.

the outside stuff shot with an HV10 on a monopod....so super-light rig through. the HV10 is not a good birding camera! but i'm having a little tendinitis in my elbow, so i have been shooting super light set-ups whenever i shoot for fun, to let it heal...

none of that jib, studio tripod, and long lens stuff like you do, at least not until everything is right in the elbow!
Meryem Ersoz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:54 AM   #4
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Warrington England
Posts: 143
Hi meryem I can't find the link to your video.

Alan
Alan Craig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 12:06 PM   #5
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3,015
hi alan:

go here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=115643

click the link, mine's the first one on the list...you have to right-click or control-click to download--the good news is that you can download all the films from the list, not just mine...

we are having some techie difficulties and had to throw up a stop-gap list for downloading....

it's a very modest offering this round...one of those where i had big ideas, and only a short time to actually execute...
Meryem Ersoz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 02:01 PM   #6
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Carol Stream, IL
Posts: 541
I liked it...
It brought back memories of the time I went for a ride in a glider....

I was anticipating the moment the tow cable was released, but you didn't have that in the video...shucks.
__________________
Bob T.
Bob Thieda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 02:05 PM   #7
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3,015
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Thieda View Post
I liked it...
It brought back memories of the time I went for a ride in a glider....

I was anticipating the moment the tow cable was released, but you didn't have that in the video...shucks.
let's just say that bit of footage was a little on the shaky side, along with the big full-on zoom that i had of massive long's peak. it would have made you a bit sea-sick!
Meryem Ersoz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 03:55 PM   #8
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 3,840
Meryem,

Thanks for the tow! As a glider pilot, I appreciate your efforts. Winter is not always the best time to try and catch birds on the wing from a glider. Usually, you'll have more luck shooting them inside thermals, which are more prone to form in warmer conditions. Ridge soaring and wave soaring are great in winter time though.

I have vivid memories of soaring in Phoenix, and looking up at hawks riding the same thermal as me, seemingly in formation together.
Richard Alvarez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 05:20 PM   #9
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 340
Meryem,

I liked the Glider video, have you considered using your last shot"the bird taking off" and inserting it as shot two, after the wide shot pan of the airfield and the plane taking off.

Bob
Bob Thompson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 07:45 PM   #10
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Elk Grove CA
Posts: 6,838
Meryem:

Made me want to try that adventure... I have toyed with getting into one of those one of these days, and now you got me excited to do it again.
__________________
Chris J. Barcellos
Chris Barcellos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 08:02 PM   #11
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Posts: 1,544
Meryem,

Nice use of a title to set the mood of your film.

Your music sure fit the piece.

I think it turned out just fine without having the birds to intercut.

I'm a little confused though. It looks like it's a high wing plane that's pulling the sailplane but then when it cuts to the interior shots, it's a low win plane.
It looks like your plane is actually coming in for a landing as the other plane is pulling the glider. Obviously you can't be in two places at once so you have to take some creative license.

The only other thing was that in your first aerial shot from the glider you could hear the wind noise but in subsequent shots you've eliminated it.

I bet it was an incredible experience even if you decide not to use it for the marathon this year.

It was very peaceful, serene and relaxing.

Would have been nice to have had some soaring birds but it wouldn't be a challenge if things were easy now would it? :)
__________________
--==Kevin==--
http:naturephotostudios.com.com
Kevin Railsback is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:20 PM   #12
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Mateo, CA
Posts: 3,840
The high wing plane towing the glider at take-off looks to be an O-2 BirdDog, and the low wing airplane towing the glider that Meryem is in is an "AgCat". You'll also notice the little piece of yarn taped to the outside of the canopy near the top of the frame, that's the glider's "Yawl" indicator.
Richard Alvarez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 24th, 2008, 11:54 PM   #13
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 195
Nice aerial footage, I bet it was hard to keep that lil HV20 as still as you managed to do. With only one camera it would have been difficult to get shots of the same plane taking off to cut-in, so I understood that. I liked the piece, made me feel like I was right there in the cockpit.
Adrinn Chellton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 25th, 2008, 01:29 AM   #14
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Johanesburg South Africa
Posts: 217
What a wild ride.You are very good at keeping that camera very still in flight,or is it just very calm up there in the glider?The flight did not look too long,so I am sure with more time up in the Glider you would find even more inventive ways of filming.
John Dennis Robertson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 25th, 2008, 01:48 AM   #15
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 3,015
you folks know a bit too much about airplanes and gliders! i can't sneak anything by you people. my shooting strategies are unmasked!

i thought it would be more interesting to cut back and forth from interior/exterior shots, so the film would not be too monotonous, shot from one perspective. the exterior shots in the take-off segment are a different glider and different airplane.

if you freeze the frame of take-off, that is not me in the front seat, ho ho it is my stunt double! (actually, it's a guy, and a complete stranger to me...).

the magic of continuity editing was supposed to make this appear seamless, but you people are too dang observant. you've unveiled the gaps in the narrative.

and who invited the glider pilot aboard to give me away?? just kidding, richard, it's great to have your input and knowledge about gliders...loved your story about riding thermals with the hawks.

it would have never occurred to me to take this trip, without a gift certificate to goad me. but i'm glad i did. why i love UWOL is that it shows me corners of the world that i might not otherwise encounter.

i think i did okay steadying the footage, for a first effort. i think i can do a little better, if i do this again for our triathlon broadcast. it was only a 15-minute flight, so there wasn't a ton of time to acclimate to the shooting environment. some of my best-looking footage was actually dumped because it didn't fit the continuity of the 2-minute version.

but it was an ADVENTURE and an interesting camera experiment. thanks for the comments, my friends!
Meryem Ersoz is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > The DV Info Network > The UWOL Challenge

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:25 AM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network