UWOL #13-"Order, Chaos, and Butterflies"- Mike Sims 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 May 26th, 2009, 02:04 PM   #1
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 880
UWOL #13-"Order, Chaos, and Butterflies"- Mike Sims

Well, I can see my wry attempt at humor took a different track than most. At least it’s the shortest entry! I only had two days (two weeks apart) to devote to it , so I’m just glad to have finished something and delayed my first dip in The Tank.
Mike Sims is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 26th, 2009, 02:39 PM   #2
Trustee
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Akershus, Norway
Posts: 1,413
Mike, that was some kind of an ending, LOL :)
You had some good shots in there too! I liked the macro sequence very much, and the hatching out of the egg was nice to watch!
I think you got most of it out of the limited time you had!
__________________
- Per Johan
Per Johan Naesje is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 26th, 2009, 04:41 PM   #3
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 3,048
Mike,


another chaos theory guy, love it. the video was intersting to watch and you had some great close up shots!!! the break down at the end was unexpected to be certain, I had a good chuckle reading the follow up!!


Thanks for sharing and taking the time!!

The naration seemed a bit scratchy on my computer.
__________________
DATS ALL FOLKS
Dale W. Guthormsen
Dale Guthormsen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 27th, 2009, 08:47 AM   #4
Major Player
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
Posts: 562
I definitely got a laugh out of this! It already had a whimsical feel to me, which I liked. And the ending was wonderful. :)

The voiceover did sound a bit loud, possibly overmodulated to me. I did really love the transformation shot though. Very well done. All in all quite the nifty video. :)
__________________
Carl Middleton
Whizkid Mediaworks
Carl Middleton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 27th, 2009, 01:45 PM   #5
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bergen, Norway
Posts: 3,375
Mike, this was funny. And what an abrupt but fun ending you made.
Thank you for sharing a great story! I liked the close up shots.

Well done!
Trond Saetre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 27th, 2009, 04:43 PM   #6
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Carol Stream, IL
Posts: 541
Mike,

Good stuff...thought you had an encoding issue when the screen went dark...

Great shots....I like the butterfly thing. The first video I ever did was from a butterfly conservatory.

The sound was off on the voice over, but your style and script were great fun.

Keep it up.

Bob
__________________
Bob T.
Bob Thieda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 28th, 2009, 11:57 AM   #7
Trustee
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,569
Mike,

After turning my volume down for Annie's washing machine, I had to do it again - at least you got my attention!

Theres some real pretty butterfly/caterpillar sequences in there. I always like good macro video, never mind the distant birds and animals, familiar creatures, close-up, is just as fascinating for me.

You got me with that ending - I spent a moment wondering what was wrong with my computer, you cunning swine. And it's the first UWOL film since I started them that has made me laugh out loud!
__________________
Irish Railway Videos on Youtube
Mike Beckett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 28th, 2009, 02:18 PM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 880
My thanks to each of you for all the great comments.

The egg hatching- Oh yeah. That took three days to set up, so I guess I did work on this more than two days. There went my excuse (smile)! I got the eggs from a moth fancier who knew the exact date of laying. He told me they would hatch between sunrise and two hours after on a particular date plus or minus a day. All I had to do was frame the camera and burn a couple of tapes each day. Halfway into the first tape on the third day I got that shot. It is actually about 14 minutes long and sped up. All the caterpillars went back to the expert to raise.

The voice over- Truly deserving of all criticism. It’s actually one take, one reading and recorded on the on camera mic. All I had time to do in editing is chop and drop. The levels problem added to it. That is an encoding mistake. I went back and looked at the software and the level had been left high from a previous project. I was just too tired to catch it.

Timing Issues- If I’d had time I would have worked on the pace. The timing of the opening credits is wrong. I had intended that the scrolling title be readable a little longer.

I should have mentioned that the music is from SonicFire.

Thanks again for the helpful comments.
Mike Sims is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 30th, 2009, 03:32 AM   #9
Major Player
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Porsgrunn Norway
Posts: 280
Mike,
What a funny and surprising turn on your film. After the fascinating butterfly development I really jumped in my chair.
Finn-Erik Faale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 31st, 2009, 11:35 AM   #10
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Posts: 1,544
Mike,

Truly a clever take on the theme! At first I was thinking I needed to email you to upload a fixed version. :) Clever to speed up the scrolling text too. :)

Had some really nice shots in there too. You could easily rework this into a serious piece if you wanted too.

Good job!!
__________________
--==Kevin==--
http:naturephotostudios.com.com
Kevin Railsback is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 3rd, 2009, 04:36 PM   #11
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales
Posts: 734
A crafty one there - the scientific ORDER of Leptidoptera leading the butterfly wing CHAOS theory. I particularly like the caterpillars munching away - they seemed to be almost dancing to the music.
__________________
Canon XH A1; Canon XF100; Nikon D800
Annie Haycock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 5th, 2009, 09:23 AM   #12
Major Player
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Johannesburg South Africa
Posts: 768
Mike
I have to give you ten out of ten for concept - really clever the way you worked the butterfly theme through, from the Order Lepidoptera, to the rhythmic order of their lifecycle, to the wings and finally to the butterfly effect and all done in such a light-hearted, tongue in cheek way.

You certainly nailed the mathematical meaning of chaos even if in a round about way. Rather sobering to think that something as simple as even a few decimal points or the flap of a butterfly wing can, theoretically, initiate, or change the course of, an event - not least, as in this case, the course of a video! Really enjoyed this one.

Last edited by Marj Atkins; June 6th, 2009 at 12:56 AM.
Marj Atkins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 15th, 2009, 06:55 AM   #13
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 880
Thanks Finn-Erik, Kevin, Annie, and Marj for your kind comments. I’m glad I was able to make some folks smile for a moment.

Marj- You were right about that truly awful line. Just be thankful that you didn’t have to hear all of the next one about poets. It was worse. I was trying to sound increasingly pompous and condescending and had a particular former professor in mind- an undergraduate lecturer in English Literature. Shhh- don’t tell!
Mike Sims is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 16th, 2009, 11:27 PM   #14
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 904
Ya know ... the line betwen genius/idiot savant and pain in the ass is sometimes blurry.

Regardless your brain and wit is very enjoyable and stimulating. Whatever one you chose at the moment. Keep doing what you do. <wink> I get it.

Chris
Chris Swanberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old June 17th, 2009, 06:31 AM   #15
Major Player
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 880
Thanks Chris. I promise to choose to try not to be a blurry pain in the ass (or something like that!)…
Mike Sims 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 05:58 PM.


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