Winners - Underwater Videography Contests
October 2016 Video Contest Winner And Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND RESIDENT UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EXPERT JEFF GOODMAN
Winner: I Remember by Matthias Lebo
Winning Video:
A great month for entries, with 12 in total – and the quality of the submitted videos for the most part is very good. Let’s take a look at them:
Sand Tiger Selfie – Amine Lounes
Watch Amine’s video here.
Not sure what to say really. Interesting try maybe.
Dancing with Seals – Victor Hawk
Watch Victor’s video here.
Hi Victor. Looked like an amazing dive with the seals. Sadly there does seem to be a quality issue with the video. Not sure if that is in the camera, the edit or in the transfer to the web, but the images are very blurred and de-saturated of colour. Looking through that, the images were nicely framed and the music was good.
Playful Blue Grouper – Victor Hawk
Watch Victor’s video here.
What a lovely Grouper. Once again, well shot but there are quality issues that spoil the overall watching of the film. Maybe try adding an underwater video light to your kit and see how that improves things.
Dolphin Dive – Julio Cesar Pitombo
Watch Julio’s video here.
Excellent. Great opening with the wide shot and then just beautiful encounter images with the dolphins. Nice choice of music and perfect graphics with the spoken sentiments. Just the right length too. Well done.
The Odyssey Wreck – Julio Cesar Pitombo
Watch Julio’s video here.
Good opening shot and more dramatic shots to follow, but in all honesty it was far to long with many similar shots. Try to think about a variety of images both wide angle and closeup.
Underwater – Peter Salvatore
Watch Peter’s video here.
Some very nice individual images put into a catalogue type edit. Have a think about some narration on the next video, just to make more of a complete video.
I Remember – Matthias Lebo
Watch Matthias’ video here.
As always with your films Matthias, this was truly well conceived and planned. Beautiful narration and sentiments. Excellent choice of music and well shot. Just one thing though, I was expecting the diver to be a lady as the narrator was giving such a personal account. Perhaps the man’s voice would have been better with these images.
Manta Magic in Hanifaru Bay – Christopher Rodrigues
Watch Christopher’s video here.
Video is nicely shot and certainly portrays the elegance of the Mantas. While not technically the best manta video I have seen, what I do get is the feeling of excitement from you while you were with the animals and hence makes very pleasant viewing.
Kissed by a Shark – Khaled Sultani
Watch Kaled’s video here.
Great opening with interesting emotive music. Certainly sets the scene. Well shot with good steady camera work and all well framed. At first I was a little apprehensive about the long length of the video but in fact the time past quickly with some beautiful shark behaviour and images.
Got Muck? – Khaled Sultani
Watch Khaled’s video here.
Beautiful aerial video opening followed by some fantastic macro filming all accompanied by very emotive music. The constant and steady pace of the film had a quality of it’s own which enticed me to relax through it to the very end. A very good video.
Jellyfish vs Anemones – Burlakova Lidia
Watch Burlakova’s video here.
Good music choice with out of this world images. After all, these animals really are extremely dramatic. All well shot with moody lighting and good framing.
Tuwanek – Burlakova Lidia
Watch Burlakova’s video here.
Excellent reveal on the opening shot followed by good establishing shots of the area. Then, straight into the first very dramatic underwater animal. All the following images were beautifully shot but I would urge you now to go a stage further in your films and add some narration to tell a story.
And the Winner is….
Toughest one so far as there were many very good videos this month. The overall standard is now so good with all entries being well shot in terms of composure, sharpness, exposure and content. Although not always, but often, the winners are the ones who go that extra mile and add a story or sentiment to their video to make it more interesting. This month is no exception to that and that is why ‘I Remember’ by Matthias Lebo is October’s winner.
I feel I do have to mention a few others who came very close and they were Got Muck? by Khaled Sultani, Dolphin Dive by Julio Cesar Pitombo and Jellyfish vs Anemones by Burlakova Lidia.
Please do read my comments to all the films and I hope this will help guide you to improving your own videos. Have fun with your cameras and I look forward to seeing November’s entries.
Scubaverse.com’s November 2016 Underwater Video Contest is now live! 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.
-
News1 month agoIconic SS United States to become the World’s Largest Artificial Reef
-
Blogs3 months agoNovoScuba’s Game-Changing Approach for Dive Store Owners: WE PAY YOU!
-
News2 months agoBook Review – 52 Assignments: Underwater Photography
-
Gear News2 months agoDYNAMICNORD – New German diving brand enters the British market
-
News2 months agoExploring Cenote El Pit: A Diver’s Dream
-
Gear News2 months agoTry BARE drysuits (and maybe even win one!) this Friday with Sea & Sea at North West Dive Fest
-
News3 months agoComing Soon – 52 Assignments
-
News3 months agoSave £200 per person per week at Pole Pole Lodge with Dive Worldwide