Tales of Wonder and Woe: UWOL #2

James Hooey · March 13th, 2007, 07:08 PM

Well it's been a very good learning experience thus far I must say. Here are just a few of the things I have learned from this UWOL #2 experience.

1. I need a good tripod!! The XH-A1 on a flimsy little camera tripod is enough to bring you to tears. A good deal of the shots I had planned could have gone over much easier with a good strudy tripod and a fluid video head. I have picked the least shaky and suitable footage but so much ended up being unsuable that the lesson is hammered home! A good tripod is essential.

2. Past experience with planning paid off. In general I was able to shot with purpose and come away with a good amount of footage without feeling like I cannot work with it. Making a storyboard and planning the shooting schedule helped to make sure I got what I needed!

3. Don't be the talent AND the camera operator. Several of the ideas I planned would include a bit more action follow and that was impossible without being behind the lens. This also paid it's own rewards however as I am the type to not use many static shots and it taught me a great deal about how to work with well framed and camera movement free shots.

4. Your learning curve accelerates the more that you do things. The ideas were always there but implementing them takes practice and experiencing the logistics of getting that perfect shot. It's by no means second nature to me yet but things are easier than they were.

5. DV info has great resources, informative forums and excellent links to examples of videography techniques. Kudos!

Jeff Kilgroe · March 14th, 2007, 01:12 AM

OK,

I'm officially bowing out of this competition... Bummer. I actually shot some stuff last week and today. Anyway, my little girl is sick with strep and apparently she gave it to me too. Ah, the things kids bring home from school. Anyway, that combined with a huge project I need to wrap up by monday just doesn't leave me enough time.

Why couldn't the competition go for another week? Hehe.... I pretty well have all next week to screw around and do what I want from Tuesday on. Guess I'll go build me a new web site.

Grant Sherman · March 14th, 2007, 11:48 AM

See attached photo :(

Marco Wagner · March 14th, 2007, 11:52 AM

Ouch! That doesn't look good!

Grant Sherman · March 14th, 2007, 12:19 PM

On the positive side, it'll give me more time for editing my footage.

Trond Saetre · March 14th, 2007, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hooey

3. Don't be the talent AND the camera operator.

I tried this too. Cut everything away and didn't use it. Found it hard to set correct exposure.
But the UWOL2 has been really fun anyway. Nice to try new things, even though some of them didn't work out as planned.

Grant:
Hope you get your lense fixed soon.

Per Johan Naesje · March 14th, 2007, 03:39 PM

Grant, how did you manage to do that, it must have been a real knock?
Did you finished your recording before this happend?

Well, my film is almost finished, just some small adjustments to do. Almost hit the time limit of 3:00.
For the first time I've tried to do some narrating, this gonna be real fun for you to listen to....to me it has been a real challenge....!

Meryem Ersoz · March 14th, 2007, 05:24 PM

yes, tell us what happened to your poor misbegotten lens...must be a tale in there.

i know we're doing a good job if we're managing to challenge you, per!

Geir Inge · March 15th, 2007, 01:47 AM

Than I've finished my UWOL#2 and it feels good.
This time I've tried to be a little peotical, but again, at the end of my filming the rain set in, and I had no time left to use on this project. Thats life.

Wish everyone all the best in their work.

To you Per Johan:
Don't worry about your Norwegian accent, I think it's beautiful, but than again, I might be incompetent in this matter :)

To you Grant:
I'm really sorry about your lince, hope you'll work it out, some how.

Bob Safay · March 15th, 2007, 06:19 AM

Grant, There, but for the grace of God (and a good shoulder strap) go I. If it were mine I would still be crying. How did that ever happen? Did you drop it? Bob

Brendan Marnell · March 15th, 2007, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grant Sherman

I just unpacked a nice new manfrotto 501HDV video head. It finally arrived (we only get post twice a week over here). Just out to see if I can get some footage for plan A, B, or C.

I am looking forward to your findings & output with Manfrotto, Grant.

Gabriel Yeager · March 15th, 2007, 10:11 AM

So I just ran into another problem... I have yet to shoot my film (I have no idea what it is going to be), and I am out of hard-drive space!!! My main computer that I am on now has about one gigabyte, and my PC has about 10, my brothers computer has about three or two. My PC does not have a firewire in, so I am out of luck!! Aahhggg!!!!!! So even if I do shoot it, I can not edit it, let alone upload!!! OMG.................

Bad times....
~Gabriel

Lisa Shofner · March 15th, 2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabriel Yeager

So I just ran into another problem... I have yet to shoot my film (I have no idea what it is going to be), and I am out of hard-drive space!!! My main computer that I am on now has about one gigabyte, and my PC has about 10, my brothers computer has about three or two. My PC does not have a firewire in, so I am out of luck!! Aahhggg!!!!!! So even if I do shoot it, I can not edit it, let alone upload!!! OMG.................

Bad times....
~Gabriel

Gabriel,

On your main computer, you could free up some space pretty quick by doing the following:
* empty the trashcan/recycle bin
* clear out all of the "temp" directories and clear out all the browser temp files
* grab any video you are done using and burn it to a data DVD (that will free up about 4GB per DVD)
* burn data DVDs of photos, to get them off your drive

Just a few ideas. I've been in similar situations myself. Once I cleared my web browser cache and it cleared up over a GB of space. :-)

Gabriel Yeager · March 15th, 2007, 11:20 AM

Thanks Lisa. Those are good suggestions. I only have about eight minutes of raw dv on this computer so it is not taking up to much space, however, there is over two thousand picture! lol.
Thanks for the help.

I found out that there is six gigabytes on my brothers computer, so I will just use it and not do any fancy stuff. Just Transitions with music. nothing big, nothing fancy, just flat out simple.
Hey, maybe that way I can get some more recreation in! :-P

~Gabriel

Marco Wagner · March 15th, 2007, 01:40 PM

I'm just confused as to why .MOV is preferred even though we are striving for cross platform... I have to download/purchase QT Pro in order to do this as I am on a PC. Trying to get 3 minutes on an MPG1 file and have it look good is NOT easy.

March 14th, 2007, 01:12 AM	#32
Jeff Kilgroe Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Golden, CO Posts: 681	OK, I'm officially bowing out of this competition... Bummer. I actually shot some stuff last week and today. Anyway, my little girl is sick with strep and apparently she gave it to me too. Ah, the things kids bring home from school. Anyway, that combined with a huge project I need to wrap up by monday just doesn't leave me enough time. Why couldn't the competition go for another week? Hehe.... I pretty well have all next week to screw around and do what I want from Tuesday on. Guess I'll go build me a new web site. __________________ - Jeff Kilgroe - Applied Visual Technologies \| DarkScience - www.darkscience.com

March 14th, 2007, 11:48 AM	#33
Grant Sherman Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lundy Island, UK Posts: 175	Woe, woe, and thrice woe See attached photo :( Attached Thumbnails __________________ www.returntickettonature.co.uk

March 14th, 2007, 11:52 AM	#34
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	Ouch! That doesn't look good! __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

March 14th, 2007, 12:19 PM	#35
Grant Sherman Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lundy Island, UK Posts: 175	On the positive side, it'll give me more time for editing my footage. __________________ www.returntickettonature.co.uk

March 14th, 2007, 03:39 PM	#37
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Grant, how did you manage to do that, it must have been a real knock? Did you finished your recording before this happend? Well, my film is almost finished, just some small adjustments to do. Almost hit the time limit of 3:00. For the first time I've tried to do some narrating, this gonna be real fun for you to listen to....to me it has been a real challenge....! __________________ - Per Johan

March 13th, 2007, 07:08 PM	#31
James Hooey Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bruce Pennisula, Canada Posts: 316	Well it's been a very good learning experience thus far I must say. Here are just a few of the things I have learned from this UWOL #2 experience. 1. I need a good tripod!! The XH-A1 on a flimsy little camera tripod is enough to bring you to tears. A good deal of the shots I had planned could have gone over much easier with a good strudy tripod and a fluid video head. I have picked the least shaky and suitable footage but so much ended up being unsuable that the lesson is hammered home! A good tripod is essential. 2. Past experience with planning paid off. In general I was able to shot with purpose and come away with a good amount of footage without feeling like I cannot work with it. Making a storyboard and planning the shooting schedule helped to make sure I got what I needed! 3. Don't be the talent AND the camera operator. Several of the ideas I planned would include a bit more action follow and that was impossible without being behind the lens. This also paid it's own rewards however as I am the type to not use many static shots and it taught me a great deal about how to work with well framed and camera movement free shots. 4. Your learning curve accelerates the more that you do things. The ideas were always there but implementing them takes practice and experiencing the logistics of getting that perfect shot. It's by no means second nature to me yet but things are easier than they were. 5. DV info has great resources, informative forums and excellent links to examples of videography techniques. Kudos!

March 14th, 2007, 05:24 PM	#38
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	yes, tell us what happened to your poor misbegotten lens...must be a tale in there. i know we're doing a good job if we're managing to challenge you, per!

March 15th, 2007, 01:47 AM	#39
Geir Inge Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Larsnes, Norway Posts: 1,342	Than I've finished my UWOL#2 and it feels good. This time I've tried to be a little peotical, but again, at the end of my filming the rain set in, and I had no time left to use on this project. Thats life. Wish everyone all the best in their work. To you Per Johan: Don't worry about your Norwegian accent, I think it's beautiful, but than again, I might be incompetent in this matter :) To you Grant: I'm really sorry about your lince, hope you'll work it out, some how. __________________ Geir Inge B. Brekke Visit me at: https://vimeo.com/gibbfilm

March 15th, 2007, 06:19 AM	#40
Bob Safay Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 1,557	Grant, There, but for the grace of God (and a good shoulder strap) go I. If it were mine I would still be crying. How did that ever happen? Did you drop it? Bob

March 15th, 2007, 10:11 AM	#42
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	So I just ran into another problem... I have yet to shoot my film (I have no idea what it is going to be), and I am out of hard-drive space!!! My main computer that I am on now has about one gigabyte, and my PC has about 10, my brothers computer has about three or two. My PC does not have a firewire in, so I am out of luck!! Aahhggg!!!!!! So even if I do shoot it, I can not edit it, let alone upload!!! OMG................. Bad times.... ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

March 15th, 2007, 11:20 AM	#44
Gabriel Yeager Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Washington, NorthWest USA Posts: 788	Thanks Lisa. Those are good suggestions. I only have about eight minutes of raw dv on this computer so it is not taking up to much space, however, there is over two thousand picture! lol. Thanks for the help. I found out that there is six gigabytes on my brothers computer, so I will just use it and not do any fancy stuff. Just Transitions with music. nothing big, nothing fancy, just flat out simple. Hey, maybe that way I can get some more recreation in! :-P ~Gabriel __________________ Gabriel Photography

March 15th, 2007, 01:40 PM	#45
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	I'm just confused as to why .MOV is preferred even though we are striving for cross platform... I have to download/purchase QT Pro in order to do this as I am on a PC. Trying to get 3 minutes on an MPG1 file and have it look good is NOT easy. __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto