UWOL#8 “Primavera” by Geir Inge Bjørneseth Brekke
 

Some facts:
I made my first shot 2. April and the last shot was taken 19. April.
For this film I’ve been on 4 different locations. That is if I count my hiking as one location.
In fact my hiking scenes are made from out of 5 tours, all from the same area.
All is filmed with my new nr 2 camera, Canon HV30 except for the opening scenes by the sea, as they are made with my XLH1 camera.

My idea for the film:
I believe many of us, living in the arctic climate zone, welcome the spring (primavera) very much. In fact I think we need it to recover from the cold and dark winter.
This is the time for renewal and for me it’s the time when I start my hiking season.
It’s what I need to load (charge) my batteries so I can cope with my everyday life.
Not so easy as to capture what you see, is to capture what you feel. In fact, I think it’s darn difficult.
When I trespass the wild birds and animals own backyard, I’m always filled with respect and try to show some consideration. And they let me in, if not then just for a short visit.
Out there in the wild, when you are surrounded by silence, maybe just the sound from the cool breeze, a singing Dipper by a mountain creek or the sound from your own footsteps.
You will sense it, and you will know that this is a great gift to you from Mother Nature.
This is the time to slow down, take time to look around and listen, and I’m sure it will make your day a whole lot better.
Maybe transform us to be better human beings?
Never the less, it’s what I am trying to capture when I’m out there filming the wild, and some of it I have tried to put into my 3 min of “Primavera”.

Uwol version: http://www.uwolchallenge.com/challen..._primavera.mov

Larger versions
Primavera - QT
Primavera - WMV

I appreciate your feedback and comments.

Hey Geir

Well I have to say your shooting ability is going from strength to strength. This is for me the prettiest film you’ve produced to date. Some great shots,lighting, compositions and a really smooth flowing edit to boot. I like the level of your VO and the way you let much of the film breathe without any...very nice indeed. The premise while being simple was well used and well described with some great wildlife footage in there. I love Dippers, although a close up would have really made that sequence!! What’s there to critique, well not much fella. The quality of your shooting, editing and general film making is now producing very pro output indeed.

Yeah, totally have to echo Matt's words. As a viewer, I was out there walking with you, breathing the clean mountain air and feeling exhilarated. Magic.

Geir,

Very well done. A terrific short. you displayed the scenery terrificly. your voice over was just right. so far in the top of my list.

Great Job Geir!!!

Wow....it's like I was there with you....

Your shots of the ocean and mountains were breathtaking. I can not offer anything to improve on your work.

Nicely done and I'm glad I was lucky enough to see it.

Was the rabbit shot luck, or did you know he was there when you set up your camera?

Bob T.

Geir Inge, what can I say, except for...
Another master piece from you!

This video reminds me of all the great hiking trips I have done myself.
And you are right, it is the best way to "reload the batteries".
It is an awesome nature you have there.
I really liked some of the close up shots you had. Like the one of your shoe hitting the water, hearing the splash. Not often we have seen such camera angles in previous uwol films. Well done!
Oh yeah, and the rabbit shot at the end, priceless!!

What a stunning film. Not only are your shots stunning to me but also your editing. I still have alot to learn but the whole composition to me was incredibly fluid. I loved it. It must be nice to have that scenery in your backyard?

Oliver Pahlow

mmmm… nice film Geir!
I liked how the story really followed through the whole film. In some of the shot, they didn’t feel balanced. Sometimes it was too much sky, but I know… it’s hard to film yourself.
I like the colours and the exposure.

Good job!

I have always been in awe of country so big the "sky goes from horizon to horizon". Your use of perspective really told that story well (1:53). One day i will be young enough again to take on that hike.

Beautiful

Jim

Hey Geir,
Wow what an entry from you this time round! That little HV30 sounds like a little ripper of a camera. You managed to get some amazing shots with it! I loved all the different angles you had in your shots, & i'm blown away with the quality of picture from that "handy cam". Great V/O as usual, music went perfectly with it too.
Seems like Meryem had the perfect idea to make it easier for the rest of us this round by making Per Johan judge, & therefore inelegable to compete, but it looks like the rest of the team from Norway have all stepped up, to well & truly fill that gap!
Well done on a beautiful piece,
Bryce

OK, I understand focusing the camera on a tripod and walking through the shot. But how did you get the rabbit to cooperate? Nice touch.

Wonderful video.

Geir is one of the reasons why I hesitated about joining UWOL several times - how do you compete with the quality of this man's productions? Just fantastic.

Such beautiful scenery, and music, and every shot seems to be perfect. The climb up the moutain, the footstep in the marsh, the shadow from the mountain top all just flow beautifully together. Those birds must be made of stern stuff to go dippig in that water though, it looks just slightly cold.

I bet the air up there is REALLY pure, I can almost sense it from here, it looks so invigorating. The hare was a great shot too, hopping around nearly at your feet. And the pan near the end and the sunset - what a way to finish.

I wish there was GeirTV to watch 24/7, I can't get enough!

Gier, this was a totally powerful recharge for me just to be able to accompany you on this quest. Stunning visuals, well composed, skillfully edited. But the moment that caused me to gasp was you standing there on top of you world, arms outstretched as if to encompass all of it, exhulting in the accomplishment.

Mike, I cannot really compete with something like this. But it is great to be in this group, participating, and being inspired by what we all see here.

Geir, thanks for sharing your journey with us.

Geir

In my humble opinion this is the best of your best so far. Being one of those that lives through (still doing it) long cold and dark winters I truly can appriciate the point you made i.e. the time of year to charge ones batteries.

Excellent piece well done.....it's in my picks to take home the gold.

Thanks for the battery charge, makes me want to go to my special place this weekend.

Brian

I've been a little overwhelmed this Challenge round with my day job and other things...so this is the first film that I watched. I like using the numbering system instead of names, because I have no idea whose film it is in advance.

And I have to say, after another long day of work, this re-charged my batteries all right. Geir, you made my day. What a beautiful film and it took me out of my too-busy mode for just a moment.

I don't know how you visualize shots with yourself walking through it, the way that you do. Your composition, using yourself in the frame, just gets better and better.

It's always a treat when the animals cooperate. That rabbit was a special moment.

Great film!

Hi Geir:

What would we do without you in our lives? I think this is your best. The shot of you opening your arms and taking it all in with such scenery! I was captivated, holding back tears, living the moment.

I honestly don't envy Per this round!

Thank you for your excellent talent, and who you are.

Cat

I echo others comments here.... beautiful images, great narration, giving us who haven't been there, a front row seat.

Thank you for nice comments on my film.
Right now I'm away at a big national youth conference and will stay here until Sunday. I have downloaded all the films and taken them with me. I have seen some of them and I will give my comments, maybe starting this evening, if I find time. If not you have to wait until I'm home on Sunday eve.

Just for your information, it's not a rabbit running from under the stone, it's a hare (snow shoe hare). Rabbit and hare are two different species :)

Geir Inge

holy crap!

yea.. well alright .. that was pretty good, I just keep replaying it - it's the location! if I lived in a place that good I could.... no, no I couldn't - not even close.

absolutely loved it!

Hallo Geir Inge.

Yes, greit nature and allso the man,you have here fine clip ,and werry
nice sekvense.Very insperating film!!!


And present ouer Nature at max.

Vell done.


VJV.



____________________

Geir,

Thanks for letting us join you on your hike. It was a vicarious adventure, walking along with you through late spring snows into the mountains. The hare was very cooperative, as were the birds- I really enjoyed the dipper footage. When you are in your films, you have a way of making your audience a real part of your expedition, so they are all very fun to watch. Thanks for sharing your walk!


Ruth

I'm just briefly in again to respond to some of your comments.

I did 4 or 5 hikes in the mountains for this film, all in the same area, but over a period of 2.5 week.
It is a 2 hours walk to the little lake where the dipper is filmed and another 15 - 20 min to where I filmed the hare.

To film the dipper I had to sneak closer and closer to the lake.
And as there was nothing to hide behind I had to sneak each time the dipper took a dive. The White troated Dipper is in fact our national bird in Norway.
The dipperis dependent on running water and is a very fasinating bird to watch. In these clips it is eating caddisflies.

To film the hare was another issue. I saw it from a distance and had to figure out how to get it on tape. It was plenty of snow and not so easy to walk.
Ther ewas 2 ways for the hare to run from the stone, so I guess I was lucky as it ran the right way. These animals are not used to humans like many rabbits are, and thereby very shy animals. The hare is all white at winter, with only some black on it's ear tip. This animal is starting on it's transformation to it's summer habit, and that you can see in it's face with grey/brown spots.

So to get these clips from the bird and the hare took me many hours, not sure exactly how many. But these are wild creatures and you can not plan things, just hope for the best.

Thanks again for all kind words and comments.
I have given my comments to a few of you as I am away on a congress/conference I will respond to the rest of you on Sunday.

Geir Inge

Geir you do very professional work, you are one of the filmmakers I hope to meet in quality someday. Your cinematography left nothing to be desired and the VO was well done. I felt like I was there witnessing those events.

You conveyed your message very well here, good work!

I am not going to mention everything that all who have responded have already said.In every round I re -watch 0ne or two video's . This is one of them that gets filed away as one of the best UWOL entries.

This was a wonderfully exhilarating hiking trip Geir - absolutely breathtaking scenery, masterfully captured.
Your introduction sets the scene beautifully for what is to come, with stunning images, restful music and clear, well scripted VO.
You certainly had your job cut out for you setting up your camera to film yourself so many times along the route. You are very skilled at it too because it worked flawlessly - especially the feet. You must have been pleasantly surprised when that hare came into the scene! (Okay, I read now that you had to plan that one carefully!)
You live in a most scenic area of the world - what majestic views. One of my favourite scenes was the dipper - such an amazing creature - this tiny little bird that swims underwater using its wings and without webbed feet!
My only negative comment about this video would be the ending. It seemed to fade away without a definite conclusion - other than that it was outstanding. Thanks Geir - always look forward to your videos.

Hi Adrinn, John Dennis and Marj and thank you for taking time commenting my film.

The flu has flown away and I'm back on my feet.
I always struggle with my endings, don't know why but maybe I have to work harder on that part. What really worries me is my English talking and writing.
It's my seccond language and there is quite a difference between Norwegian and English. Both in the way we put the words after one and eachother, and what they mean.

Now I am a bit ashame because I always comment the others film before the judge picks a winner. This time it was impossible for me. Sorry about that. I also do like the idea of give my comments (and get from others) to all of the films participating, as this is the most important part of uwol, if you ask me. I call it the uwol school and it's a wonderful place to learn from eachother :)

Thanks again for nice comments.

Geir Inge

Geir! Your video was the first one I watched weeks ago now. I was so blown away that I didn't feel I could possibly write feedback that could capture how I felt about it. I still feel I can't adequately comment on it, but I will try. My feeling when I saw Primavera for the first time, and second and third time since, is that it's the video that I've been wanting to make for years, but have not found "my voice." Before my friend Brian convinced me to run so much, I used to hike (and now still do from time to time, and bring my video camera when I feel like lugging the 11 or so lbs of my XL2 around), and I share your sentiments about the "recharging" aspects of nature.

Your video speaks with sincerity, confidence, and beauty. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

Amelia