UWOL#15 "Barnacle Kingdom"-Finn-Erik Faale
 

It is three years since my boat Flora last time was set on shore.
The animal life on her underwater hull gave the idea to this video.
I must confess, it has been a bit hectic to participate simultaneously in the short and the long form competition. However, it is fun.
In lack of underwater housing, I have used a small aquarium from my childhood.
Some underwater shots are taken on the seashore with the camera inside the aquarium, others with the camera outside and the barnacles inside the aquarium.
I neither have jib nor jolly. When the camera is moving along the boat's keel, the tripod is hanging in a rope.
As you see, I am a low-end video-maker.

Finn-Erik... you claim to be a low end film maker but the imagery and storytelling was excellent. A very enjoyable watch.... and the underwater footage... magnificent.

[Note to self: Hmmm I think I must have an old acquarium lying around I can add to my film-making tool kit !]

Chris S.

Finn,

Great Job!! Nothing like creativity to come up with cool ideas like using an aquarium to do some underwater shooting, Brillant!!

It was a really nice piece and I loved the barnicle feeding footage!!!

Very pleasurable.

Hi Finn-Erik. Low budget but high production values! I always love watching your work, you have such great camera angles and varied shots. I especially liked the above and below water shot. Very well done. I never knew barnacles were called Waving Angels!

Thanks for encouraging comments,
the aquarium was useful but I took many scenes with poor quality because I did not hold it steady in the waving sea.

Finn-Erik,
You are no longer a low-end film maker!
This was quality work in my eyes!

I like the story about the barnacles and the shots of the waving angels, which reminds me a little about my uc14 entry, and the underwater shots were really cool. Great idea to use the aquarium as a housing.

Well done!

That was a very clever way to get your underwater shots Finn-Erik. I would have to agree, a low-end film maker you are not. Fantastic.

Finn-Erik,

I agree with previous comments, this is not a low-end video! You have really put together a nice piece.

The underwater sequences were outstanding. And that you were able to shoot this using an aquarium as an underwater housing is amazing!

Once again the music was really well done.

The only thing I found negative was the "wave" transition was a little over used.

Finn-Erik,

Very atmospheric piece that, I love that crisp, clean light that you have.

The underwater footage worked very well, considering the improvised housing. I liked the macro pans/tracking shots, and the nice, slow, sink into the water to show us the barnacles feeding. There's some remarkably clear video there, despite filming from inside a fish tank!

Good voiceover too.

Definitely an interesting take on the animal kingdom theme.

Finn-Erik,

Nice, nice film!

The underwater shots of the barnacles was just beautiful. There's no other word for it. I loved the split-screen shot of the barnacles above and below the water.

I thought it was well paced and your VO was very smooth. I thought the music went well with the natural sounds.

Let me just throw a could things out there.

Try adding a drop shadow to your titles. It'll make them stand out a bit more and not look so flat.

What if you switched things up a bit and started out sailing and talking about the boat not being as fast and THEN get into the boat coming out of the water revealing the "stars" of the film?

It started with the boat out of the water, then sailing and then back out of the water again.

A great example of not having to have the latest greatest gadgets to make a good film!

Finn-Erik....Nice job...

I really liked the underwater shots of the feeding barnacles....

And the aquarium idea...just brilliant!

Not to mention, I love sailboats, so I was pulled right in to the video.

Excellent entry.

All of you,
thanks a lot for feedback and comments.
The bad thing after all, is that I did forget to de-interlace the uploaded video.
So, the small UWOL film is not as good as the Vimeo version.
Kevin,
Thanks for good suggestions. The text is not easy to read.

Finn-Erik:

I don't know much about water craft, but had heard that barnacles are a problem on them. Your piece made the problem that is caused understandable. Thank you for a very informative and very neat film !

I loved this piece.

The aquarium idea has been something I kicked around about 15 years ago, but never had the guts to try.

I know better now.

I have collected some of those barnacles, and have them in the basement, with a collection of other things, to show the kids.

I guess I will now show them this video, and what they are like when they are alive.

Thanks for comments.

Chris,
The barnacles can really slow down a sailing boat.
Motor vessels can get serious problems if the propeller is inhabited.

Sam,
The aquarium idea did work, but my boots were filled with sea water during the filming.

Better your boots than the aquarium withthe camera in it.

Some of the people I work with are weekend sailors, and have also gone through having to scrap zebra mussels, off the hulls, as they were fowling up everything, and slowing them down, during friendly competions, on the Lake Ontario.

Finn, this brought back memories when I helped a buddy sail his 35' Pearson to a nearby island and re-do the bottom. It's a big job. I really appreciated the close up shots of the live barnacles.

Hi Finn-Erik

Your video is the first I'll comment. I will use the list at The UWOL Challenge - Wildlife & Outdoor based film competition but watching the videos I might use the vimeo files.

I have watched your video on Vimeo and must say I like it a lot.
You give us (the viewer) a look into the world of Barnacles, but also how they can affect life of human. It gave me a laugh when you tell about how they can make our feet bleed, taking a bath in the sea. Reminds me of the summertime way back when…
All in all I think this is a good story, it fit the theme very well and you tell it quite well I think.
Nice VO and when it comes to editing you do a splendid job. Also want to mention your transitions. Most of the time I myself like clean cut. Still, I think you are using the theme in your transitions making them a part of your video in a cool way.
At 1.08 you go from the underside of your boat to the beach and at 1.16 where you are using a drop. I think both of these transitions can be used as an example for others. Very well done!
One question about the transition at 1.16, because I wonder if it’s on purpose we can see the video maker in the drop, or just coincidence? Anyway, I liked it.
Again a good story, told very well along with good technical skills when it comes to editing and filming.

Good luck and all the best.
Geir Inge

Thanks again for nice comments.

Bob, Sam and Bill,
I did not know that we are a whole sailing team here at UWOL.
I am happy for that. I hope to see some more sailing related videos sooner or later.

Geir Inge,
Your comments are always so rich and generous.
I am glad you had time for them between all your studies.
About 1.16: Your observation is correct, it is the video maker you can see in the drop. I was happy when I discovered when I came home and viewed the shots that there was an auto-portrait in the droplet.

Very nice piece Finn-Erik and well deserved win. Story is king and this was a great little story with a personalised feel !

Please drop me a email and I will let you know what I need for your place in the Winners Circle!

mdtmail@yahoo.co.uk

Finn-Erik,

Personally, I hate cold water, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Congratulations on the win.

P.S.

I haven't taken the camera out on the water for a long time, I guess I will now have to.

Excellent film, and very educational.

I really liked the use of the split under/over water shots showing the barnacles feeding and "sleeping" - I don't think I've seen that before. I used an old aquarium for stills, many years ago, but hadn't thought about it for video. Maybe I'll try it some time.

There are two or three clips at around 00:45 that I think are too short - there wasn't time to appreciate one before moving to the next. The criticisms that other people have made - I noticed them when I first watched the video, but when I looked for them on a second viewing, I did not find them a problem. I wonder if we, as film-makers, are sometimes too critical of technique (eg use of watery transitions) because we have been told that that they are bad, so we see them before seeing the overall picture of the story.

Ah, I have just seen that you won this competition - congratulations. I haven't yet looked at any of the other entries, but I know I liked this one.

Annie and Sam,

Thanks for comments and gratulations.