Jeff,

All of the flying footage is shot off of the shoulder with an xlh1. I do have a very good tripod but when Falcons are flying it is always unexpected as to direction and the speed of the stoop is almost impossible to follow with the tripod. You anticipate what is going to happen and do your best. The ends are always hardest to get. It can be done with a tripod but requires a lot more shooting, more Luck and they are usually only flown once or twice a day so you can't aford to miss any opportunities. Most of my footage in the field is Run and Gun. This spring through summer will be more static shots of the pod.

We have started working on the script for the voice overs of part one.

I truly admire you for braving such cold conditions to get this footage. You have certainly given yourself quite a task here - hard enough trying to get footage of such a difficult subject in the first place, never mind doing it under such difficult conditions! How does anyone keep track of a bullet stooping at 250 Kph? Look forward to seeing more Dale.

Guthormsen:Hunting the Hard way: Long form pt 2
 

the site below will show a better version of my submission. I do not really care for the 320x240 version

Uwol LF Winter flight on Vimeo


The footage is probably going to be used in the third part of our project, "Winter".

The spring shooting for part one should start in the next two weeks.

Hey Dale:

Nice footage you have here! I can tell you are getting quite good at following birds in the air, and falcons are fast! This is a great start to the long form. I know it's just the first 3 minutes into your documentary but I would have loved to have heard what the falconer had to say, in the beginning and at the end!

I'd love to know more about the sport, and the relationship between a falconer and the falcon. You would think the bird would simply fly away and never come home!

Very interesting film, and am looking forward to your next entry.

All the best Dale!

Cat

Hi Dale,

Nice sequence. I liked the shots from the car and the animals seen en route. A good intro. I noticed that in some of your shots, the subject is quite central. I think they would look nicer if they were to one side. Also I found the shots between the falconer and the falcon in flight were quite similar. Any way of varying that at all? Would be great to see big close ups of the falcon when on the falconers arm too.

Nice work. Keep it up.

Mihali

Hi Dale: Your 2 separate long form threads are now merged into one...

You'll use this same thread throughout the year.

Good evening,

First, thankyou Meryem for putting them together!! did not know, now I do.


I have run into several problems fiming falconers and their falcons: I have learned I need to coach them in several ways. something as simple as turning toward the camera man!!! I have learned, take nothing for granted!!!!

Secondly, everything is so important to them and their process with the falcon in order to get things right, they will never think of you ounce they are in action, totally focused!!


In the cold weather filming they will not doddle and take the time they would at other times.

Trying to get footage of them on the kill is really difficult because they often kill a long ways off. the falconer must hustle through the snow ( and they can go a lot faster than you can with the camera) to get to them before they eat so much they wont be able to be flown the next day. By the time i get their they are already picked up and often times hooded.

I have a complete sequence like this but i thought we were limited to three minutes so I only put up this one flight. On this sequence I have the falconer actually talking about the flight. I will post it on vimeo for those who may want to watch it.

When the fall comes I should be able to get a lot of fine footage, getting close ups on kills and all that.

Of course, as part three is assembled it will have some voice over discribing the cold weather conditions.

The monkey wrench in the works: The gyr falcon that was supposed to come to me this week has failed to materialize!!!! If I can't find a source for another youngster to raise that will blow part one and two out of the water. I could still produce the tv program as I have SD footage from the last one in 2007, but that will not help here!!!

Anyway, things look kind of bleak at the moment.

no worries, it's my job to keep you people in line....

sorry to hear of your struggles. i love falcons and all of the hunting birds and have been really excited to watch more.

there's an american kestrel that likes to hang out on the electrical wires in my studio, and it's a sure bet that if i have a camera in my car as i drive by, he will not be there. but if there's no camera, there is the bird. he's a super psychic....

Hi Dale,
you got some good shoots in there. Even if it's hard, as you say, to get those money shoot. I think that it is about shooting as much footage as possible when your're at the location. I'm not familiar with it's methods. But if it's possible - what about laying out a bait and then put a camcorder on the ground near by in it's widest lens position. If the falcon will go for a bait you could get the footage of the hit you want!

What do you think about this Dale?

Hi Dale,
Well i really liked this one from you. I loved the cuttaways of the animals you saw on the drive in. Most of all, i really loved the ambient sounds you had. The guys talking on the radio really made it feel like i was more involved in what was going on & get some insight into what these guys were doing. I hope to hear more of that sort of thing in your final piece.
You really have your work cut out for you with these birds, they are so fast, i can't believe you can actually follow them at all in flight! I like Per's idea of setting up a bait, you could really get some nice close ups that way.
I guess the only thing i can think of that would have made this one better for me would have been just a tiny bit of narration, not too much, just enough to fill in the blanks.
I really look forward to seeing your final film. This is something i know virtually nothing about so look forward to every new part.
Regards,
Bryce

Per,

Your idea of setting out bait would work, absolutely. However, my personal goal is to film it actually as it happens and only with wild quarries like uplands and waterfowl. It would be real easy to set it all up with bait birds; and, if i were doing a wild falcon video i would do this as getting wild falcons on kills is more than difficult, though doable.

this July/August we will have training footage and that should be far more dynamic in all areas.
During September and October we will be having footage of the falcons hunting waterfowl and this will be far more camera friendly for a host of reasons. I will certainly get some clean footage and (as meryem and others suggests) close ups. Also, my falconer friend and cameraman comes down virtually every weekend for two months which is great because he understands how everything will have to go. This last few months he has been out of action due to surgery.

Soon we go on a Trek in search of falcon nest sites for him to legally take one from the wild. I will be all over that!!!


The most exciting filming is yet to come. What i have shot has been to keep me in the game and get some winter footage that will not be available before November deadline.



Bryce,

All of the clips I have shown so far are just rough clips and not until I have them on the time line will I lay down necessary voice overs. there is much to be done for this part three. Yes, natural dialog will be an asset and I will try to get more of it!! Good suggestion.

it is quite possible i will have to rework my plans a bit to be sure! Guess that is why it is a work in progress.

thanks for taking the time to see and comment!!

Dale,

Somehow I got confused...I think I watched your 2nd entry first and your 1st entry second. So I will comment on the second one I watched which looks like it was the first...wait...I’m getting confused :)

Anyway, your ability to follow those birds amazes me. I enjoyed watching them it was very soothing and relaxing to watch. I thought that the bird flying against the clouds was a nice touch and watching it stand still in the wind that I presume was pretty strong up there was fascinating.

Do you plan to do some explanations/voice overs/interviews for this piece to give the viewers some insight as to what these birds are capable of doing and what the people do to train them etc? I would be very interested to hear and learn more about falcons.

Nice job

Jeff,

First, yes there will be voice over.

I will make every effort to get good dialog between people as well.

The more i have worked on this the more i realize I need a second operator for a second camera or for audio collection.

My biggest problem is the wind and I can't get good audio with my wireless mic unless it is still!!!



PART1,

I started it a week ago and I will be working on some exploratory footage this week and i will post some of it on my vimeo site. We worked on getting audio, but the wind was brutal.

I need a blimp and big furry cover over it. I am going to have to make one, surprising how expensive they are!!!

I made an one hour video of a 4 days flying the falcons in HD for myself and a few friends, if you like i could send you one down.

Dale-
I know your thoughts right now are all with your son (as are all of ours). When you get the chance, have a look at this blimp/ dead cat. DX-4400 Wind Screening Microphone Blimp - AUD/5120, KIT/AUD-5130, KIT/AUD-5135, KIT/AUD-5140
It's much less expensive because it's made in China from high impact plastics instead of metal. I have one and readily recommend it. Just don't sit on it!

My best wishes for you and your family.

Mike,

I have the blimp is on order!!!

When I get it I will make another trek back to the falcon nest sites and just record audio!!

thanks!!!


My son is still hospitalized, they have not been able to figure out what is wrong, or why. He sounds a lot better, so I think he is getting better. Last I heard they did some camera work in the lunds and vacuumed him out, Will see him tomarrow morning.



Dale