Well, I finished my UWOL Challenge film “Faith” on time. It is now in the hands of the judge who will determine it’s fate.
This was a hard one for me to do. Not because it was technically difficult but because it was emotionally. I debated a long time whether I should put this one out there for everyone to see. My friends around the world who participate in the nature film challenge all said that it needs to be given its wings. So on their advice, here it is.
I guess this is less of a film and more of a therapy session for me.
While I think most people can sympathize with how I feel, I think you have to be a nature filmmaker to really understand it. There’s a connection there that runs so deep you have to experience it in order to really understand it.
I feel responsible for not being able to make a difference. I feel like I’ve let nature down.
So, the only thing I can do is to try and make an impression on someone that is strong enough to make a difference and bring about change.
So this is my “Renewal.”
I don’t feel I’m any more talented than the next guy. But, I think what people are really seeing when they watch my work is a little of what I feel in my heart when I’m in nature.
If you really broke down my work, it’s really not that technically great. I see footage every day that I only wish I could do as well. I know filmmakers that can take a stick and make a masterpiece out of it. That’s not me. I don’t have that kind of vision.
I probably work differently than most filmmakers out there. For these challenges the first thing I do after I get the theme is I find the music that creates an emotion for me.
Once I find that music that tells me this is the one that makes me feel like the theme then I go out and shoot.
So while I was out shooting “Faith” I played the music I selected over and over inside my head. So as I shot I could see if it was matching the emotions I felt from the music.
I’m not sure if it worked or not but I guess if you like the film then maybe it did.
So anyway. Here it is. Maybe not much of a film but maybe it will give you a little insight. And maybe that one person will see it that can make a difference where I cannot.
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Seeing the Possibilities
One of the questions I’m often asked is how do I capture such beautiful imagery.
It’s a hard question for me to answer. It’s not that I’m reluctant to share some secret technique ( there really isn’t one ), it’s that I really don’t know the answer.
While composition and exposure can be taught, seeing the possibilities in a scene where there may appear to be none is much harder to explain. I think a lot of it is something you’re just born with.
I’ve been a dreamer my entire life. In my world of daydreams, there are never any limitations. I can be anyone, do anything, go anywhere. I think that allows me to look at the real world in different ways than just the current reality that’s in front of me.
I my latest film, “The River”, I scouted locations for the opening sequence. I was looking for something that would have a big impact and set the tone for the rest of the film.
This was the first place I scouted, a local state park which had great access to the Cedar River.
Really not much to look at. Certainly wouldn’t put it in the film as is. But, I saw the potential.
So I began checking sunrise times and position. I also checked the weather reports every night to make sure the morning sky would be clear. Nothing worse than traveling to a location to capture the sunrise only to find clouds blocking the sun.
By seeing the possibility in the location and a little planning I wound up with this.
Certainly much more impact as an opening shot than what I had seen when scouting this location.