UWOL #7 "Vera In Wonderland" by Trond Saetre

Ruth Happel · February 25th, 2008, 12:50 PM

This was really fun to watch. Vera is growing up so fast- but she is still a bundle of energy. I liked the variety of shots, and the energy of the music NEARLY matched hers :)

Ruth

Trond Saetre · February 25th, 2008, 12:56 PM

Vidar,
I'm glad you like the film.

Rob,
You are right, it was all filmed in a very small area. Maybe 50 x 50 meters.
I'll keep that in mind to next time... Include more of the location itself.

Dale,
You bet Vera has a character.
You can see it in her eyes when she's up to something.

Ruth,
I am really glad you like it. Yes, Vera is a huge bundle of energy. She loves running around, and it seems like her favorite is playing in the snow.
Nope, the music isn't even close to match Vera's energy, haha. (Maybe in the film, though)

Thank you for the feedback!

David Gemmell · February 25th, 2008, 11:50 PM

Hi Trond,

Well, Vera certainly had quite an adventure!

Lovely film - very relaxing and enjoyable to watch. I think you captured the situation very well however, I also would have liked to have seen some wider angles of what looked like a pristine lake.

I notice you used disloves as well as sharp transitions - which did detract a little from the start. I probably would have overlapped the disolves on the timeline - or just used the sharp transitions throughout the film however, I am nit picking a bit here.

This is definately the best in image quality I have watched so far - very sharp indeed.

Nice one Trond.

John Dennis Robertson · February 26th, 2008, 04:48 AM

Like most people I cant believe how big that Dog has grown.I understand how you feel when she jumps into the water and you have your cam pointing in the other direction.Great colours in you video.....I need to get some compression tips from you because every time I compress my video all the rich colours wash out

Trond Saetre · February 26th, 2008, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Dennis Robertson

Great colours in you video.....I need to get some compression tips from you because every time I compress my video all the rich colours wash out

I use Sorenson Squeeze 4.5 for compressing/encoding to quicktime.
I'll check the settings when I get back home from work, but I think I had the bitrate fairly high at around 2400kbps.

Edit:
John, sent you a mail.

Bob Safay · February 26th, 2008, 07:20 PM

Trond, what a great video of Vera and your sister. It was so much fun to watch them playing in the wild. What fun. Makes me really miss my old doggie. Bob

Adrinn Chellton · February 26th, 2008, 08:00 PM

Hey Trond, good film. At the end were you suggesting the whole thing was a dream. If so we have both cat and dog dream adventures represented this time. Also, I liked the idea of having the small frame in her eye reflect what she saw. A good way to do that is in Photoshop where you can take a still image and trim the edges to fit the eye just right and use an opacity gradient, takes more time though. Anyway, I liked it, keep it up.

Trond Saetre · February 26th, 2008, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrinn Chellton

At the end were you suggesting the whole thing was a dream. If so we have both cat and dog dream adventures represented this time. Also, I liked the idea of having the small frame in her eye reflect what she saw. A good way to do that is in Photoshop where you can take a still image and trim the edges to fit the eye just right and use an opacity gradient, takes more time though. Anyway, I liked it, keep it up.

Adrinn, yes the ending sequence was supposed to show that it was all a dream.
I am aware that it is possible to do it better in Photoshop, but the time was running out, and I just did it in Premiere instead. But thank you for the heads up about this detail.

Bob,
I'm glad you had fun watching it.
Having fun is an important part of the uwol challenge, both when making and when watching the films.

Geir Inge · February 27th, 2008, 06:53 AM

Hi Trond, Vera and Trude.

Nice film and Vera is becoming quite a moviestar :)
You've made a fine mix between original sound and music. Also your editing skills has improved. I have just one comment (personal opinion), maybe you or perhaps Trude should try out to be Veras voice? Text in a small videoframe somehow dissapers from the viewer.

Wish you all the best my friend.
Geir Inge

Trond Saetre · February 27th, 2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir Inge

maybe you or perhaps Trude should try out to be Veras voice? Text in a small videoframe somehow dissapers from the viewer.

I will definitely keep your suggestion in my mind for future films of Vera.
These kind of comments is what I learn from, so thank you very much.

Eric Gulbransen · February 28th, 2008, 09:12 PM

Trond you make me miss my dog. And I'd just gotten over him too! Nice fun film.

Gordon Hoffman · March 2nd, 2008, 08:13 AM

Trond
Vera is really growing. I thought you did a good job putting this one together. As mentiones a couple of rough cuts there is the things I noticed. Maybe a cut away would work to transistion between them? Anyway you are improving each round.

Gordon

Marj Atkins · March 3rd, 2008, 01:22 PM

This was a delightful movie Trond. I really enjoyed seeing the stunning scenery that formed the backdrop to Vera’s adventure and thought the transitions at the beginning were very effective. Your images are very clear. Thought your ending also very effective although I’m not sure the square image coming from the eye in the scene before worked that well.

I just loved the scenes of Vera’s bath and her reaction to it and then the way she went back and barked at the water/reflections - not sure she’ll do that again in a hurry!
Oh yes Trond - I distinctly heard Vera say “C’mon guys!!! what’s the hold-up?!!” at :39 :)

Trond Saetre · March 11th, 2008, 03:23 AM

Eric,
Yes it's amazing how close we get attached to the dogs. They really become a true family member.

Gordon,
Yes, the rough cuts should never have been there. Thanks for the tip about using cut aways. I'll remember that.

Marj,
I'm glad you liked it.
I can see what you mean about the square image. The idea was to do something special instead of only the regular transitions. Guess it didn't work out as it should. But it was fun trying it. Might have worked slightly better if the image was round instead of square?
Oh, and at :39, Vera was waiting for my sister to take a bunch of photos of her.

Warren Cook · March 28th, 2008, 10:19 AM

It looks like Vera was having a ball out there. Great shots and a beautiful area. I liked the part where Vera was sleeping and dreaming of her adventure.
Thanks making this film, I really liked it alot.

February 25th, 2008, 12:50 PM	#16
Ruth Happel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Black Mountain, NC Posts: 488	This was really fun to watch. Vera is growing up so fast- but she is still a bundle of energy. I liked the variety of shots, and the energy of the music NEARLY matched hers :) Ruth __________________ http://rockfowl.com/

February 27th, 2008, 06:53 AM	#24
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,342	Hi Trond, Vera and Trude. Nice film and Vera is becoming quite a moviestar :) You've made a fine mix between original sound and music. Also your editing skills has improved. I have just one comment (personal opinion), maybe you or perhaps Trude should try out to be Veras voice? Text in a small videoframe somehow dissapers from the viewer. Wish you all the best my friend. Geir Inge __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

March 28th, 2008, 10:19 AM	#30
Warren Cook Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Yulan, New York Posts: 61	Wonderful film It looks like Vera was having a ball out there. Great shots and a beautiful area. I liked the part where Vera was sleeping and dreaming of her adventure. Thanks making this film, I really liked it alot.

February 25th, 2008, 12:56 PM	#17
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Vidar, I'm glad you like the film. Rob, You are right, it was all filmed in a very small area. Maybe 50 x 50 meters. I'll keep that in mind to next time... Include more of the location itself. Dale, You bet Vera has a character. You can see it in her eyes when she's up to something. Ruth, I am really glad you like it. Yes, Vera is a huge bundle of energy. She loves running around, and it seems like her favorite is playing in the snow. Nope, the music isn't even close to match Vera's energy, haha. (Maybe in the film, though) Thank you for the feedback!

February 25th, 2008, 11:50 PM	#18
David Gemmell Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bendigo, Australia Posts: 234	Hi Trond, Well, Vera certainly had quite an adventure! Lovely film - very relaxing and enjoyable to watch. I think you captured the situation very well however, I also would have liked to have seen some wider angles of what looked like a pristine lake. I notice you used disloves as well as sharp transitions - which did detract a little from the start. I probably would have overlapped the disolves on the timeline - or just used the sharp transitions throughout the film however, I am nit picking a bit here. This is definately the best in image quality I have watched so far - very sharp indeed. Nice one Trond.

February 26th, 2008, 04:48 AM	#19
John Dennis Robertson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johanesburg South Africa Posts: 217	Like most people I cant believe how big that Dog has grown.I understand how you feel when she jumps into the water and you have your cam pointing in the other direction.Great colours in you video.....I need to get some compression tips from you because every time I compress my video all the rich colours wash out

February 26th, 2008, 07:20 PM	#21
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,557	Trond, what a great video of Vera and your sister. It was so much fun to watch them playing in the wild. What fun. Makes me really miss my old doggie. Bob

February 26th, 2008, 08:00 PM	#22
Adrinn Chellton Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Carlsbad, CA Posts: 195	Hey Trond, good film. At the end were you suggesting the whole thing was a dream. If so we have both cat and dog dream adventures represented this time. Also, I liked the idea of having the small frame in her eye reflect what she saw. A good way to do that is in Photoshop where you can take a still image and trim the edges to fit the eye just right and use an opacity gradient, takes more time though. Anyway, I liked it, keep it up.

February 28th, 2008, 09:12 PM	#26
Eric Gulbransen Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Palo Alto, California Posts: 520	Trond you make me miss my dog. And I'd just gotten over him too! Nice fun film.

March 2nd, 2008, 08:13 AM	#27
Gordon Hoffman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pincher Creek, Alberta Canada Posts: 619	Trond Vera is really growing. I thought you did a good job putting this one together. As mentiones a couple of rough cuts there is the things I noticed. Maybe a cut away would work to transistion between them? Anyway you are improving each round. Gordon

March 3rd, 2008, 01:22 PM	#28
Marj Atkins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Johannesburg South Africa Posts: 768	This was a delightful movie Trond. I really enjoyed seeing the stunning scenery that formed the backdrop to Vera’s adventure and thought the transitions at the beginning were very effective. Your images are very clear. Thought your ending also very effective although I’m not sure the square image coming from the eye in the scene before worked that well. I just loved the scenes of Vera’s bath and her reaction to it and then the way she went back and barked at the water/reflections - not sure she’ll do that again in a hurry! Oh yes Trond - I distinctly heard Vera say “C’mon guys!!! what’s the hold-up?!!” at :39 :)

March 11th, 2008, 03:23 AM	#29
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Eric, Yes it's amazing how close we get attached to the dogs. They really become a true family member. Gordon, Yes, the rough cuts should never have been there. Thanks for the tip about using cut aways. I'll remember that. Marj, I'm glad you liked it. I can see what you mean about the square image. The idea was to do something special instead of only the regular transitions. Guess it didn't work out as it should. But it was fun trying it. Might have worked slightly better if the image was round instead of square? Oh, and at :39, Vera was waiting for my sister to take a bunch of photos of her.