UC24- Plan B- Mike Sims

[Ruth Happel]

Mike,

I really like the opening, I had no problem with the way the cityscape was graded. The only footage I found hard to see, very dark on my monitor, were the pets/companion animals.

Like you, I have mixed feelings about zoos and captive animals. For my thesis I was forced into using captive along with wild monkeys in studying ecology of African monkeys. At the time I resisted, but since the monkeys I used were kept at the university there, and otherwise would have been eaten, I reluctantly came to accept the value in certain situations, where they could be helpful in learning more about how to conserve them. Zoos these days have complex missions, including conserving species that would otherwise become extinct.

It was really interesting to see people at the zoo. I helped act as an advisor for a woman getting her doctorate on wildlife sound recording, and she ended up focusing on zoo visitors rather than wildlife. It was an interesting twist, showing a lot about how people interact with their links to nature.

I hope someday you manage to go home!


Ruth

[Finn-Erik Faale]

You have a good and strong story to tell. I like your style with small drips of humor.
The title and the running rabbit and cat as examples.
It is always interesting to see your contributions. Plan-B is no means a B-film.

[Geir Inge]

I like your video very much Mike.
I think you also touch a relevant question about whether to keep wild animals in captivity.
On the one hand, I wish that the wild animals can live in freedom;
on the other hand I see that zoos can have their place and I’m thinking of people with disabilities.
I work for people with disabilities and the opportunity to meet animals in zoos or other places can do wonders for them.
Nothing much to complain about your video, just two tip from me and I hope you don’t mind.
Perhaps the watermark is too big and maybe not through the whole video? Now and then I think it is in the way of the objects in your video.
My second comment is about the pets in the sofa. A brighter color on the blanket would have given you a better contrast between pets and sofa.
Colors and editing is just fine, and I think the same about the sound tracks.
Bout your VO, background sound and music suits the video. Great story that got me involved from the first second, clever done.

Best wishes from Norway.

[Mike Sims]

Thank-you, Ruth. I almost made it there once but had to regretfully decline the job offer. One always wonders about roads not taken…

[Mike Sims]

Thank-you Finn-Erik, I am pleased that you enjoyed this one.

[Mike Sims]

Thanks Geir Inge. I appreciate your insight and agree with your assessment. By the way, the pets are all rescues. The rabbit arrived on my doorstep with a note which said “My name is Toby. Please take care of me.” The cat was a feral cat that was killing birds at my feeder until I persuaded her of the error of her ways. She is now reformed. I was returning from filming a kingfisher nest and found that someone had dumped a litter of puppies at the riverside. When I opened my car door two climbed in and came home with me (I later caught and found homes for the rest). Their names are Vixen and Sirius. Cat’s true name is known only to herself…

[Dale Guthormsen]

Mike,

As always, you throw something intersting out there for us to view and in this case ponder!! I think this is a good one for a 30 minute documentary!! you might consider that!! Your take on the theme is quite solid in my mind (maybe I should not say it like that, eh).
I loved the bunny and the cat sceene!! At 3:00 was the doe___?? with fawns which was really superb.

Nice job on the voice over.

I very much enjoyed the film!!

[Mike Sims]

Thanks, Dale. The scene with the pets didn’t turn out quite like I had planned it. Everyone cooperated until the record button was pushed and then they all proceeded to remind me that they have minds of their own…
What was it W.C. Fields said about never working with children or animals?