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Winners - Underwater Videography Contests

December 2019 Video Contest Winner and Review

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WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND RESIDENT UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EXPERT JEFF GOODMAN

Winner: Season by Sylvain Camps

Winning Video:

A fantastic Christmas treat of excellent videos.

When judging these videos for the monthly competitions I usually look at how the video was made rather than content, as it is often unfair to compare a film shot in the UK to one from say Indonesia where the animal life is more abundant and dramatic. I usually look at how the film is constructed, was there any pre-shoot planning, are the images sharp and well framed with good exposure. Has any animal behaviour been fully explored and captured rather than a simple portrait shot. Is the lighting good and the overall colour balance consistant throughout. I look at the editing skills shown as well as the style and relevence of any accompanying music. Are there titles and is there any narrative to help tell a story. I look at all these things before looking at content. But this month, as the overall video making standard was so high, I fould myself drawn over and over again to one film which had the most stunning content.

Hidden in the Sea Grass by Kiril Ivanov

Watch Kiril’s video here.

Really nice. Loved the mood you created with the music and the information graphics were perfect. Excellent establishment of the location and environment, followed by very good fish closeups and behaviour. This is without doubt the best behavioural film ever entered in our competitions and would fit well into any TV natural history programme. Lighting was perfect, images were sharp and steady as well as being well composed. Well done.

Um El Faroud Wreck, Malta by Lee Jellyman, Mocean Images

Watch Lee’s video here.

Loved your opening shot. Slow, purposeful, steady, well framed and exposed. The music was just right for the pace and mood. All followed by some great wreck interiors. Interesting lighting, especially from the divers torches. Intended or not, it was quite effective. Very busy down there as well…….Well shot deck images to round off the rest of the video although I wasn’t sure about the octopus as it looked as if it was shot at a different location, perhaps on a reef and not part of the wreck. All in all a very good visual tour and story of the ship.

Season by Sylvain Camps

Watch Sylvain’s video here

Beautiful. Fabulous audio and music. The images were breath taking. You did well with the pace of editing to the music. The dolphins with the humpback were totally amazing and then the baby humpback with mother were to die for. I often try to encourage a narrative or story line to make videos more interesting, but with subjects like you had, words would have been of no use as the images told their own story and were totally captivating.

Seven Days of Diving the Red Sea by Hank Hall

Watch Hank’s video here

Oh wow! If that was day one……. Not only a dugong but one doing some great behaviour. Day two didn’t disappoint, with some excellent reef life, all well filmed and edited. Same with day three. Not too sure about the music, but in the end it’s all subjective. Day four and five were even better. Day six was even better still, but day seven was just perfect. Great lighting and framing. Loved the coral trout in the bait fish.

Rangiroa by Serge Melesan

Watch Serge’s video here

That was a fabulous opening shot with very interesting audio. Interesting choice of music but not to my personal taste. I found it gave a slight threatening feel to the images where as visually the animals looked relaxed and controlled.  Amazing shoals of fish later on. Wonderful to see so many in one shot. Sharks were also good and probably fitted the music better than the rest of the film as they did look slightly aggravated. All well shot and nicely edited.

Rangiroa – Dive with dolphins by Sylvain Camps

Watch Sylvain’s video here

Hi Sylvain. Good for you for entering again, but slightly confusing. The title you entered was ‘Dive with Dolphins’ but the actual video uploaded was ‘300 Sharks’ from your previous entry which did indeed win that months competition. No matter, I have taken 300 Sharks to be the one to look at. As I said previously, love the opening. Real cinema. I guess I will say the same as before. Really liked the open coast shots where you created a perfect mood for the rest of the film. Good music choice too. I did like the cutting back to land to eventuate the feeling of peace and tranquillity which was then again reflected back into the water. I was totally spellbound from beginning to end. The slow motion schooling fish were magnificent. In addition I thought your editing to music was perfect. Well done.


And the Winner is….

I fould myself drawn over and over again to one film which had the most stunning content: Season by Sylvain Camps.

Having said all this, I would like to give special mention to ‘Hidden in the Sea Grass by Kiril Ivanov’ for producing the best animal behavioural film to have ever been entered.

Happy Christmas and New Year everyone and hope you got that new camera you wanted.

Jeff is a multiple award winning, freelance TV cameraman/film maker and author. Having made both terrestrial and marine films, it is the world's oceans and their conservation that hold his passion with over 10.000 dives in his career. Having filmed for international television companies around the world and author of two books on underwater filming, Jeff is Author/Programme Specialist for the 'Underwater Action Camera' course for the RAID training agency. Jeff has experienced the rapid advances in technology for diving as well as camera equipment and has also experienced much of our planet’s marine life, witnessing, first hand, many of the changes that have occurred to the wildlife and environment during that time. Jeff runs bespoke underwater video and editing workshops for the complete beginner up to the budding professional.

Winners - Underwater Videography Contests

December 2022 Video Contest Winner and Review

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WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND RESIDENT UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EXPERT JEFF GOODMAN

Winner:

Winning Video:

Hi everyone. Happy Christmas and New Year. Just four videos this month. I felt the Maria Bereozka  film ‘Jingle Fish’ had the edge over the others by way of carefully executed shots and editing, which gave a good steady pace to the video.

Looking forward to more films next year.

If you are keen to advance in your film making skills, don’t forget to look at my book and/or take my RAID Action Camera course.

A love story by Ronald Faber

Synthetic voice – Really!!!  Didn’t know there was such software in existence. Should have know better really. Nice video though. I don’t get many entries with David doing the narration. Good story and well shot with great steady camera work and lighting. The editing was spot on as was the music choice. The David voice did give it a certain quality that no matter how good or poor the film actually was, the audience automatically assume it has to be professional and thus top quality. It’s a clever trick but not sure I like it.

Jingle Fish by Maria Bereozka

Nice thoughts and excellent images with great quality. All works really well. The video has a real good feel to it and I love the diver/animal shots.

Fish Dance by Maria Bereozka

Ah Maria, Once again it is your narration that lifts the film by 100%. although your camera work is very good with steady well lit shots.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Dives! by Maria Bereozka

Not sure about this one. Didn’t quite work for me. It seemed to be a collection of loose shots put together to the music.


The January competition is now open for entries. You can enter up to three videos by clicking here.

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Winners - Underwater Videography Contests

November 2022 Video Contest Winner and Review

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WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND RESIDENT UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EXPERT JEFF GOODMAN

Winner: Sharkydelity by Fredi

Winning Video:

Such good films this month. It took me a while to decide on the winner. I had to watch them all twice. But in the end my choice was Sharkydelity by Fredi. You can seen my comments on this film as well as all the others below.

If you are keen to advance in your film making skills, don’t forget to look at my book https://www.divedup.com/shop/action-camera-underwater-video-basics-the-essential-guide-to-making-underwater-films/


Time to breath by Maria Bereozka

Yep!  Love it. So relaxing to watch and I really feel a bond with Turtle. Good camerawork.

Sharkydelity by Fredi

Lovely written intro thanks. Adds so much to the actual film. It’s a great story and stunning images.

A perfect blend of aerial, land and underwater sequences. Your music choice was perfect as was your camera work and lighting which gave wonderful clear, steady, sharp, well exposed and beautiful framed images. I liked your creativity with the editing, especially where you made the most of the music phrases.

Point of view by Maria Bereozka

The written intro was obviously heart felt and moving. It is so good to set up a video in this way. Once again it is your narration combined with your artistic skills and imagination that make your videos so unique.

Underwater Red Sea paradise by Maria Bereozka

Nice feel to the video which was well complimented by the music. My only suggestion is that for general reef shots you try some way to hold the camera steady. It’s not so important with moving subjects like the ray but when there is just coral and background fish the camera must be as steady as possible.

Banda Sea, Seram Sea and Raja Ampat by Daniel French

Sounds like a fantastic trip from your write-up. The on-screen identification captions work really well.  I like the slow motion throughout. The slow steady tracking shots and the slow animal movements. It creates a very peaceful feel and the music is perfect.  Great camera work and lighting. I also like your camera angle perspective on subjects where you get below the animals.

Maldives Far North Expedition with MantaTrust by ondrejv

Good written intro thanks. I liked the personal on-screen introduction. Wonderful shots of the mantas. What amazing animals they are. Having gone this far though with the shooting and editing I would have loved to have had some information on what you learned about the Mantas especially as you were with the Manta Trust.

Calm Indian ocean by ondrejv

Stunning opening shot of the Sweetlips. Fabulously sharp and well lit. You have captured some excellent wildlife images and the music fits really well. Loved the turtle turning to look at you.


The December competition is now open for entries. You can enter up to three videos by clicking here.

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