Winners - Underwater Videography Contests
July 2020 Video Contest Winner and Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S EDITOR-AT-LARGE AND RESIDENT UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EXPERT JEFF GOODMAN
Winner: Weird, But True by Betsy Beasley
Winning Video:
It would be so easy if there were a few terrible films in each months competition. But there aren’t. Every entry is a joy to watch and technically excellent. So how to choose a winner? Videos can often be judged partly by the quality of the camera work; the lighting; the editing; the style; the music; the information imparted to the viewer; the rarity of the subject; the length of the film; the graphics, and so on. But when all the films are technically excellent there are only a few criteria left. Congratulations to everyone. As usual please do read comments made on other films as well as your own just in case you pick up a useful tip.
Fijian Blue by Jay Shipp
Watch Jay’s video here.
Beautiful beautiful images and I loved the way you cut them to the music. The entire video had a very relaxing pace to it and was a joy to watch. Excellent camera work and very nice lighting. Perfect ending too.
Weird, But True by Betsy Beasley
Watch Betsy’s video here.
Brilliant opening and the graphics were exceptionally good. The narration is compelling and easy to listen to. The script is perfect. Not too laborious. Just short and interesting accompanied by stunning images. One thing that did slightly bother me though was the pace of transition from one animal to another. I felt you could give the narration a few seconds break each time to allow the viewer to assimilate what they have seen and prepare for the next event.
Scuba Diving with Grey Seals at Lundy Island, Devon by Daniel French
Watch Daniel’s video here.
Hi Daniel. First of all thanks for the written intro and telling us what camera you were using . Good start to the film with nice aerials, coastal and harbour shots. It set up the location perfectly. The dolphins on the boat journey over to the island were a real bonus. Then came the diving and the seals. Excellent. Great encounters and well filmed. Good quality. What a brilliant trip.
Dancing Stars by Catrin Pichler
Watch Catrin’s video here.
Another excellent film from you. The music choice for the Pom Pom Crab was great fun. Your macro work really is exceptional. Great lighting on the Coleman Shrimp. Iv’e never seen an Emperor Shrimp before. They were extraordinary as were all the other species. The Donald Duck Shrimp, who would have guessed it. I have to stop naming now all the remarkable species you have filmed. They are all stunning and so is your presentaion of them. Perhaps you would like to consider making a single species video and take just one of the animals to make a full feature on it with narration. I think you could do that well.
In The Sheepy Realm – The Costasiella Seaslug by Catrin Pichler
Watch Catrin’s video here.
Loved it. What more can I say.
Caballitos de mar (Seahorses) by Casiano Pérez
Watch Casiano’s video here.
Fantastic opening shot. I loved the mystery of it and the the incredible revelation of the seahorse. Magnificant. Very well filmed and excellent music choice.
And the Winner is….
When all the films are technically excellent there are only a few criteria left. Enjoyment and lasting impression and so it is with this in mind that this months winner is Weird, But True by Betsy Beasley. Sometimes I really hate picking a winner because you are all winners and I mean that. Thanks to all those who entered and I hope you are able to use the Scubaverse video competition to help showcase your work.
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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