September 11, 2007 at 3:09 pm
· Filed under Portfolio
Here is a self assigned project I completed on a unique volunteer who gives his time at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport Oregon.
While the Aquarium has about 120 volunteer scuba divers, Derek Perry is the only volunteer freediver they currently have donating time to help with the day to day care and cleaning of the Aquarium exhibits. He drives 2 hours each way, twice a month to donate his time because he believes in what the Aquarium is doing.
The story idea was conceived, shot both above and underwater, and edited by me.
This project was challenging due to the low light conditions I encountered while shooting in the Aquarium exhibit while freediving with Derek.
Overall, I feel this is a solid slice of life story.
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Terry Maas wrote @ September 16th, 2007 at 7:53 am
Cliff,
I enjoyed your piece. Your technique looks good despite the low-light conditions. Your subject is interesting. Would like to know more about how long and deep he dives. Also, a few more shots of him from outside the tank looking in would be good. Great animal shots and a very interesting piece.
Terry
You matched rhythms - the pace and steadiness of the GVs ( General Visions) with the subject’s delivery and your voice over (VO). The result is something we can easily watch - harmony.
We don’t often talk about video in terms of harmonics, because technically unlike music (notes) it’s a trite difficult to deconstruct on the page/scale. I wierdly call it “Energy in the lens”
For a shoot like this - allowing stunning pics to breath and finding the right music ( you’ll feel it when it’s right) - See the BBC’s Blue Planet - creates good moods.
Agree with Terry. One of the USPs is free diving so there’s great shots to be had of him prepping ( CU) of face, perhaps before he drops in.
On a creative bent If he’s holding his breath for 2 mins - that’s the length of the video. As a free diver yourself shoot him in the one take. Put a stop watch on screen. Then you could intercut this with the interviews.
Don’t free divers go through some kind of phase in breathing. Cuz one of the questions with him outside the tank could be describing what’s going on in his mind. The classic sprinters watch back- where they describe mental preparation after a winning run.
That’s how I might have done it, but the great thing with video is the square root if 4 is not 2; there’s no abs. way.
Good shoot, good video
