UWOL #7 - "Vision Quest" by Bruce Foreman
 

In many Native American cultures the "Vision Quest" is a journey into the wild where one can get away from culture and seek a personal vision, usually for some direction in life. In some tribes it was a "rite of passage" for the young warrior to be.

Not having a young actor who could look the part available to me, I asked Rick if he would consider portraying one who finally later in life would get around to such a journey. We chose the Apache because Lipan Apaches had roamed our area in the past and because we could achieve the look.

After we finished the project I described what we had done to a friend who had taken his son to Arizona to visit family and go through the formal coming of age rituals of the White Mountain Apache and this friend told me our film was more accurate than we thought.

For the Apache, the "Vision Quest" was a journey undertaken at any time a man felt he needed a vision for direction in life.

We enjoyed doing this one and hope you folks enjoy another glimpse of West Texas with a touch of adventure.

Go to this link and scroll down the page a bit for the video player. The window is not really much larger than the UWOL site window but it plays quickly like Youtube without the awful compression artifacts.

http://www.camcorderuser.net/cpg/dis...up&cat=0&pos=1

Canon HV20 with 0.45x wide angle auxiliary lens, Cinetactics MattebloxDV hood.

Bruce,
Very powerful piece. Im glad you chose to use that walking stick, because it added to the drama somehow. The indian gave me goossebumps as he walkd away. The music was perfect. I have been in that sort of location with the same kind of feelings many times over the years, but never knew what to call it.
Isn't it funny that when a man reaches a "milestone", like attaining a resting spot in a climb, the first impulse is to toss a rock over the side. We all do it. It's like saying "I am here. See me. I have power over you."
I was watching a PBS show on the Navaho "Long Walk" the other day. They call themselves "Dene" too. Is that widely used in the southwest?
One thing. I think the fade to black in the middle is distracting. Since you come right back to a close-up of the actor, a dissolve right to him may have done the job. You hit your stride on this one.

Bruce, a "strong" story which I liked to view. Some of the scenes was maybe a little bit static technical. You also got some wind noise.
Average a fine piece, good work!

The stick was Rick's idea. He pulled it out of a pile of cleared mesquite, and when we were done he left it at the base of that hill. I'm going to go back there later today and see if I can find it.

Thanks for the kind comments

Some of the Apache dialects are closely related to Navaho language. They may at some time have lived in close proximity. Apache were not fiercly warlike as depicted in movies until the Comanche pushed them down into the Southwest and the Mexicans from the south and Anglo's coming down from the East began crowding them. They actually did some trading in Mexican towns.

Geronimo (Goyatle) was trading in a Mexican village when Mexican soldiers raided his village and killed his wife and two small children. That's what started him off into history.

You're absolutely right. When I look at it now it is quite distracting and a bit jarring. Before I put this one anywhere else I will re-edit that part.

This kind of feedback is why these challenges are like a free film school.

Thank you for that one!

So did you, Steve. You had a very well done and powerful piece. I think the judge is gonna have some tough fun on this one.

Yes, I noticed I could not move around like I wanted. That hill doesn't look like much, a young person could go right up to the top with care and not a lot of climbing skills. But at my age, the footing was bad (lots of loose rock and brush with big thorns. Rick took 2 falls (I have one on tape) and I almost went down once.

The wind noise even made it through a Deadcat wind muff. The wind never seems to "lie down" here.

Thank you, my friend.

Bruce,

First of all, the music was perfect for this film. Good choice!
Great way to weave a story and adventure into one. It certainly looked like a struggle getting there!

In the first shot of Rick, even though he's moving towards camera, he's heading to the left, in the other shots he's heading to the right so because the right and left are butted up against each other it looks like he went this way but in the next shot it looks like he's going the other way. Granted when you don't know where you're going, you tend to go back and forth but because there was nothing in between it looked a little out of place. It's a very minor point and I think most people will disagree with me.

I also think some of the shots were a little long. A couple of cutaways would have helped.

Even though you were in some dangerous territory I think you could have pulled off a couple shots in less hostile spots that would have worked.

A close-upshot of the stick digging into the ground with the dust puffing up around it. A close-up of a hand coming into frame reaching for the rocks above. A shot of sweat on his face mixing with the dust as he struggled to crest the cliff. I think those could have broken up the longer shots and brought us in even closer to the struggle to obtain the vision.

The fade to black was a little jarring as was the wind noise in the one shot.

I think the SFX for the vision worked well. I don't think it would have worked had you not used it. It needed to have some sort of other worldly feel to it and you found the way to do it.

Really enjoyed it!!

Sadly safari wont let me play this one, I went and installed Mplayer like it asked , but still no go. I'll have to watch it later I suppose.

A nice strong story… good job. As Kevin already mention, some close-ups on the hand or stick when he was walking/climbing up would have been nice. The music fitted the film, but some times it sounded like you looped the music a bit too much.

Markus

kevin beat me to it...mixing up your shots a bit would have made the pacing and suspense a bit more dramatic.

nice piece, though, a good story, interesting landscape, good use of effects and sound mix. great to see the progress in your work.

Hey Bruce:

Fascinating take on the theme, special effects were superb. Well done in the story telling. Your characters did a really nice job here. The only thing that comes to mind is what has already been mentioned in creative way in drawing out the drama of the journey up the mountain. Still, a moving and powerful piece.

Cat

Bruce, as always I find your films interesting to watch.
And you delivered this time too. I have always been facinated by the apaches.
A nice story you tell here. And a very cool effect for the vision. This really helped that sequence becoming even better.

Bruce,

Of all your shorts this is my favorite one. Awesome job portraying your vision of adventure!!

Nice simple script driving your point home!

nice job

Hi Bruce,

I thought Rick was going to get to the top of the hill there and shout out for Cinco!

On a more serious note, I really like the theme in your movie and was very impressed by Rick's role. I thought the effects created exactly what you were trying to achieve very nicely.

On a more critical note, I didn't think the pause in the middle of the movie was needed and do agree with Kevin in terms of demonstrating the effort that it took for Rick to "make the journey" - as it seemed that the journey was one of the more important components of the whole film.

It might have worked better filming the "vision" from behind Rick, looking over his shoulder at the vision as he spoke aloud - so we could see the vision from Rick's perspective. Regardless, the approach you took worked well. Loved the music choice.

Once again, an excellent entry Bruce, and congrats to Rick who played a wonderful part.

Hi Bruce.
Would I be right in saying that you are just an ol story teller by heart? Not only do your video's have great story lines,but the video filming and editing are good too.I think this is your best one yet.

Hi Bruce.

Ancient history and different cultures has always fasinated me.
You bring this to us in your adventure film, "Vision Quest".
I liked it, the music and how you put it all together to a full story.
I envy you guys who have such a great way with telling stories.

Wish you good luck.
Geir Inge

Hey Bruce.

I love native American stories, culture and there outlook on the world...theres certainly much so called 'modern' man could learn from them.

A nice story and nicely portrayed and certainly very much one topic. I also think some of the shots were a little long and cutaways might have helped to weave the tale and pull us into the story more strongly. I would also have liked some facial closeups to add more emotion to the piece, but I know its difficult when someones not an actor to start sticking a camera in there face. I liked the way you used a simple effect for the 'vision'. it worked well and did what it was meant too.

Strong piece, interesting premise nicely told. Well done!

Hey Bruce,

I really enjoyed your video, having spent time in the SW I felt sure the man hiking with the cactus (?) stick was seeking a vision to help him in some way, your narrative confirmed that, I really enjoyed it. The dry desert ecosystem was an enhancement that helped set the stage for your "adventure". Good job.

Bruce I can't help you technically, because I can't help myself either.. I liked your idea, and film. Sometimes wish it was closer, but maybe that just means my interest was peaked. Imagine a nice close-up of his eyes squinting as he struggles to clearly see his vision. Oh lord, did I just make a suggestion? I'll shut back up now. Good job brother

Thanks for the comments, Mat. Very good points and I need to "burn" the necessity of shooting plenty for cutaways and closeups into my planning on future efforts.

Rick is enough of a ham that sticking a camera in his face is no problem. One of our main dificulties was footing. That hill does not look like much, and to folks in their 20's to 40's in fair shape should be no problem, but the inclines were covered in loose stones over dry shifting soil. Rick took two falls (one of them on camera), neither serious but definite reminders. Camera positions were limited without taking more risk, I'm coming up on 70 and don't climb well. Just the same I should have done more closeup and tight shots.

You told this story very well Bruce. I thought the technique that you used for the vision was very effective. I concur with a lot of what has been said before. Well done.

I enjoyed you film very much. Well done. I'm a every interested in native american culture and that makes this film even more interesting to me. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Hi Bruce,
As usual, you've managed to tell a great story. Others have mentioned the technical side of what could have been improved, but at the end of the day, i thought your story was the real star, & the way you told it through your friend & the special fx you used to see his POV. I thought it was great.

Bryce