UWOL #4 "Water Falls" by Victor Wilcox

[Victor Wilcox]

I almost back out on this one. I got some great footage, but was brain dead looking for a theme. I finally got my clips together, but ran out of time before I could a voice over. You'll just have to use your imagination.

Any way, enough whining. I had a great time at Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN, shooting with my little Sony A1U. A great change from the rain in Houston.

Locations:
1. Millikan's Overlook
2. Fall Creek Falls (256 ft)
3. Cane Creek Falls
4. Cane Creek Cascades
5. Fall Creek Lake

[Dale Guthormsen]

victor,

I love the Music, you have some great shots and I enjoyed it. time is always an issue!! the first shot that is zoomed is zoomed to fast, otherwise I totally enjoyed your effort!@!

[Victor Wilcox]

Ouch! Did I leave that in? At the time I though I needed the whole set of falls. Guess I could have warped it, but time runs out. Thanks for the comments. I'm learning...

[Kevin Railsback]

Victor,

Nice film. I think you could have left out that zoom all together and it would have been fine.

Just a couple other points if I may...

The pan after the last water fall I think is a bit fast and starts to early to where you want to go.

We have a great slow trip across the beautiful waterfall and then we fly across the land to get to the lake in short order.

If you started your pan around 1:22 you could have taken the same relaxed pace in the previous shot and I think it would have flowed better. I think from a composition standpoint it would be better not to have that large bush travel across your frame and break up your shot.

Also, where you ended that shot, if you would have been up a little higher, I think you could have used the branches in the upper right hand corner to give you a nice dirty frame to your shot. At 1:27 you would have had framing in your lower left and upper right.

Were you hand holding your camera? It looks like there was some tilting with your pans.

Good tilts and pans are always tough. I still have a hard time with them which is why you don;t see me do them very often. :)

The final shot the horizon is a bit tilted. I have trouble with this too. I bought a double bubble level that I put on my cameras hot shoe to help me with that.

Also, maybe put the sun's reflection more to the left for a little better look from a composition standpoint.

The above is just my opinion and that and $6.00 will get you a coffee at Starbucks! :)

[Victor Wilcox]

Thanks for the detailed comments. I agree. I used a monopod, to keep the load lite. I'm not in shape for hiking. I'm learning how important level is in 16:9 format. The sunrise was shot with a tripod on the Inn balcony. The far bank is sloping away. I don't know if tilting the camera would have helped. I still have a bad habit of using too many zooms and pans. It's a hard habit to break.

This forum is the only place I've been able to get comments from this caliber of videographers. It's been an eye opener. Some hard lessons, but you can't beat the price for great advice.

[Geir Inge]

Hi Victor.
Beautiful trumpet sound to this video :)
And I loved your clip of the waterfall surrounded by all that green.
It shows what makes the earth come alive.
Nicely job done!

Geir Inge

[David Gemmell]

Hi Victor,
WOW, what a wonderful place to visit with a video camera - you wouldn't want to loose your footing!
I think Kevin does raise some very valuable points - particularly with the panning and pan speeds.
For what it is worth, I have used a monopod with video in the past and finally gave up - although you have certainly managed better than I ever did with any camera shake.
In terms of your overall approach and theme, I felt things flowed quiet nicely, taking the viewer on the journey from the water source to the sea/lake - with very impressive scenes included.
Well done...

[Jeff Hendricks]

The shot of the waterfall that looks as if it were falling into a crater was wonderful, it looked almost like a photograph taken with slow shutter speed to give the water that blurry look. Very cool.

I enjoyed this movie and it must have been an absolute pleasure to go out and film...nice looking weather and pleasant surroundings.

To give any advice on a nice film, I would say more edits with some extreme close-ups and perhaps a bit of a human element added narration/people present etc.

Overall great little film.

[Trond Saetre]

Victor, you captured the beautiness of that scenery!
Very nice shots of the waterfall.

A minor detail, but the transition at around 1:17 could have been a tiny bit longer to make it more smooth.
I agree with Kevin's comment about the panning at 1:22.

Keep up the good work!!
Thanks for sharing.

[Catherine Russell]

Hi Victor:

Beautiful subject content to be able to go out and film! I simply took it all in and enjoyed it. I scanned through Kevin's comments and he amazes me with his eye for detail and what he can pick out in other's films. I know one thing, if Kevin comments in this kind of detail, you are on to something! ;o).

All the best in uwol 5

Cat Russell

[Per Johan Naesje]

Hi Victor,
you got some stunning scenery in your film. The Fall Creek Falls was breathtaking. Will the spring season bring more water to that waterfall? Would love to see it with more water rushing over the edge.

Kevin has mention most of what my comments are too.

Nice work!

[Victor Wilcox]

Thanks for the encouragement.

That area of Tennessee was 15" behind in rain fall for the year, so the fall was not up to its normal flow.

[Ruth Happel]

I really liked the flow of the video. and the sunset at the end was spectacular. I felt the music worked really well with the footage.

Ruth