Winners - Underwater Videography Contests
February 2016 Video Contest Winner And Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EDITOR JEFF GOODMAN
Winner: Dallas Staheli
Winning Video:
Thanks to all who entered and all the hard work you have obviously put into each film. I hope you have enjoyed watching the videos this month; please do read the comments I have made on each film as they may help you with your own future underwater video projects.
This is why I scuba dive! – Matthias Lebo
Watch Matthais’ video here.
Another most excellent video from Mattias. Well planned and shot. Supported by wonderful aerial drone images and very emotive music. The video has a good mixture of close ups as well as general reef shots. The video only lasts for two minutes which is perfect as it leaves any audience wanting to see more rather than getting bored.
Crazy Nemo 33 – Richard Stevens
Watch Richard’s video here.
What a great dive/training venue. Well shot and edited, but I really would have liked to have had some facts on what divers do there. This could be either written on the screen or narrated. Good steady camera work which was both sharp and well exposed. I realise this was meant to be just a glimpse of a nice day day out, but with a little more shot planning and editing the film could easily have jumped up a level. Perhaps you would like to think about joining a course one day as I think you would enjoy learning more film making skills.
Try Dive Session – Richard Stevens
Watch Richard’s video here.
Hi again Richard. Much better on the planning side. You had an interesting introduction and the music fitted well. Good steady camera work with nice framing. I would imagine the video was well liked by all the people who were in it but as someone who wasn’t there, I found it became repetitive and went on far too long. As with your other film, some narration or facts would have kept my interest. When making a video that relies solely on the bare images and music sound track, the images have to be emotive in some way. Either very moody or bright and active. I only say all this as I hope it will encourage you to do more rather than put you off. One last thing, don’t forget the occasional close-up.
The Mighty SS Thistlegorm – Richard Stevens
Watch Richard’s video here.
Nice one Richard. Your video certainly gave a good feel of the wreck and made me want to dive it again. Loved the ray in the cargo hold which was well lit and sharp and the colour of the ray certainly stood out from the background. Nice image mix too into the next shot. A few moments later you caught it feeding but for some reason never made more of that. All in all though a great video with good framing and lighting. It also had a nice thread going along and through the wreck, finishing nicely with the surfacing divers. No need for narration on this one, as the pictures were interesting enough on their own supported by good music.
Maldive Magic – Phil Medcalf
Watch Phil’s video here.
Good film Phil. Pacey opening with exciting shots and good supportive music. Looking at all the wildlife in the video, you must have had a great trip. The night material was particularly good.
Stuart Cove’s Shark Dive Of A Lifetime – Dallas Staheli
Watch Dallas’ video here.
Excellent. Nice use of the graphics for the opening. When the music track started I was afraid it wasn’t going to work but in fact it all fitted together really well. You set up a pace for the film and kept it going right through with very good camera work and some great artistic framing. With so many sharks in the frame, continuity wasn’t a problem, but even so you kept the story concise and immediate. Perfect ending too.
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As usual it was difficult to pick a winner for the month but in the end it had to be Stuart Cove’s Shark Dive Of A Lifetime by Dallas Staheli. The video was very well shot with great camera work, a bit of pre-dive planning and very good editing. I personally am sceptical about shark feeding but even so, the video was very well made.
Thanks again to all who entered – I look forward to watching your entries in next month’s contest!
Scubaverse.com’s March 2016 Underwater Video Contest is now open! You have until midnight on Friday 25th March to enter up to 3 of your best underwater videos. Enter here.
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.
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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