UWOL #32 Winter Water by Gordon Hoffman

[Gordon Hoffman]

Happy New Year everybody!
Well I managed to get something put together for this round. Failed to get the narration finished so just put it up with music. I had a number of different ideas but finally boiled it down to try to show a bit how winter can be both fun for people and challenging for wildlife. Weather can also be a challenge for getting out to do fun things, as well as time at this time of year so I didn't get some of the shots I was hoping for. I did managed to get some of the shots I needed yesterday. It's a good thing I don't leave things to the last minute.
Anyway I hope a person can kind of see what I was thinking of with out the narration. I'm not sure for this video so much but as for comment rating I think some where between 1 and 2. I like to get out to just shoot nature of any kind, so that is what make these challenges a challenge for me. I just shoot everything that interests me at the moment, which doesn't always fit what the theme is. I'm not really looking at being a high end person but would really like to get better at editing my stuff together to make something interesting out of it. So I guess what I'm looking for is what works and what doesn't for you and a little explanation as to why would really help. I know this can be some what subjective but different ideas could help and others may have the same comment.
Thanks everyone.

winter water by Gordon Hoffman on Vimeo

Gordon

[Steve Siegel]

Gordon,

I really liked your entry for the peace of it. The scenes were all just the right length, and your camera work is good. The sunset at the end makes it.

[Trond Saetre]

Hi Gordon,

I think you and I have about the same way of doing things. Our videos often have the same shooting and editing style. So I don't find any "errors" or better ways to improve your editing here. I like what you produced.
Yes, a VO would have improved the over all quality, but really just having music was good too. This made me focus on the visuals only.

I agree with Steve, the sunset at the end was wonderful!

Well done!

[Geir Inge]

This is a well thought out piece, and in my opinion in line with the theme.
I love the clip when the moose slides on the slippery road, and I also like the clip of the coyote.
I think you have a nice rhythm in editing and found a piece of piano music that fits well.
You have created a movie that is food for ones mind, and I like that very well.
One can have many nice things in mind when sitting by a campfire, and philosophize about life.
By the way, what is it you have in the saucepan on the fire - coffee?
One can have different taste when it comes to how to edit a video.
When using music and foley sound simultaneously,
I personally like a smooth fading in and out of the foley sound.
In the beginning you have flowing water,
perhaps it would be better that the sound started a little before and ended a little after the clip itself?
Just a suggestion.

Thanks for an excellent video Gordon, with great nature images.

[Trond Saetre]

Geir Inge's suggestion that the sound of the water begins a little before you fade into a clip, is a good one.
I have done that with success sometimes.

[Vishal Jadhav]

Gordon,

i like the flow of the video , with all that wildlife captured makes it interesting.

The difficulty it possess to the wildlife due to winters is very nicely depicted in here , the sliding of the moose was very interesting.

nice one over all

cheers
vishal

[Paul Wood]

Gordon,

Geir Inge has already made my first comment about the sound cut at 00.40, and if I am being grade 1 critical, (I know its easy for me to say this round, but, being constructive,) I thought you started well - the fire being lit in the snow, with the title and the frozen river, but then went a bit off on a tangent from the title Winter Water.

It starts well with some shots of snow the the ski slopes, but then I got a bit lost with some very nice shots of animals in the snow, and the moon and hooting owl, then culminates with the cut back to the campfire with the water.

It flowed well, and the music cut well with the shots, but I wondered what the message was, and how it fitted in with the title, which, with the first shots, had left me expecting something else.

[Gordon Hoffman]

Steve - Thannks much appreciated.

Trond - Thanks. I had planned on narration so I was editing with that in mind but I got myself in a bind for time. Murphy's law kicked in at the computer.

Geir Inge - You are right. That's the trouble with rushing things. I oringinally did have the sound of the water coming in before the clip but some how things got out of wack and I never checked it before I uploaded. I was boiling water for tea! That was done quick and dirty to so had to watch that the pot didn't tip over. Thanks and hopefully I will pay more attention next round.

Vishal - Thanks for the comments. Yes ice can be a challenge.

Paul - You think you got lost ha! I think (hoped) narration would have helped a lot and that was what I had planned on when I edited it the first time. As Geir Inge mentioned that a person has time to think around a fire and that was what I going for. Oringinal plan was for a fire at night but things didn't work out for that either. Thanks and much appreciated.

Gordon

[Mick Jenner]

Hi Gordon,

Lovely entry cut together nicely with the beat of the music that made it both tranquil and compelling to watch to the end. Not sure if the lack of narration is a good or bad thing? I think you may have just pulled it off without.

Would love some of that snow over here at the moment, tipping hard with rain as I type


Mick

[Gordon Hoffman]

Hi Mick - Thanks for the comments. Maybe some snow but I don't think you want the cold. Mind you it's only -25C at the moment. Thanks again.

Gordon

[Andrew Hood]

Hi Gordon

I liked some of the small details - things like the ice clumps floating down the river and the snow particles shown closer as they fell. Was great to see the animals dealing with the seasonal challenges. Sunset was nice, but I actually quite liked the Moon shot, rising partly obscured by silhouetted trees.

It felt like a few distinct segments which obviously would have been tied together by VO. But the flow was good overall so it was still engaging. I can relate to rushing things at the end... and always tell myself it will be better next time. Nice to see a slice of that part of the world.

[Gordon Hoffman]

Hi Andrew
I always find it interesting what different things people like in a video. I do think a VO would really help to tie it together. I wish I could get a clear idea of what I want to do with the theme early on but it never seems to happen. I always wait to see what I get for footage then start to try to make something out of it. Doesn't take long before you up against the clock it seems.This round the NLE was causing me some grief.
Anyway thanks alot for your input. Much appreciated.

Gordon

[Mark Williams]

Nice looking video. I also like the small details. It can be difficult shooting when temperatures are so low.

[Gordon Hoffman]

Thanks Mark. If the wind is not blowing it isn't to bad shooting in the -20"s. Just have to put on more clothes.

Gordon