Winners - Underwater Videography Contests
May 2016 Video Contest Winner And Review
WINNER CHOSEN AND REVIEW BY SCUBAVERSE.COM’S UNDERWATER VIDEOGRAPHY EDITOR JEFF GOODMAN
Winner: Klemens Gann
Winning Video:
Three excellent videos this month and very hard to choose a winner as they were all of a very high standard. In the end it came down to the film that was most rounded and had the greatest production values, which was Thresher Sharks hunt with their tails by Klemens Gann. A good story and script which were well narrated. The images were well shot and edited. An all round good film.
This should by no means distract from the other two video as they were extremely nice to watch, but there can only be one winner. So there are no losers, just runners up.
Cave Diving – Cenote Isla Alamo, Tulum – Mexico – Tom St George
Watch this video here.
Being a cave diver you obviously know how to control your buoyancy and hence the lovely steady smooth shots. Very good music choice to help enhance the mood of the images which were sharp, well exposed and well framed. You certainly captured some of the magic of the underwater Cenotes.
Diving with Hamerheads in Bimini, Bahamas – Dan McGanty
Watch this video here.
Excellent opening with great shots of the sharks. All well exposed and sharp which makes for very easy watching. Love the dramatic images of the Hamerheads and perfect music choice to compliment the feel of the film. I’m not usually a great fan of image mixes but in this case you made them work really well which helped to keep up the pace of the video. Interesting that you put in the extra shots of other marine life and I have to ask why? They actually detracted from the shark experience. I think I would have made two separate videos, one on the sharks and one on the other life. But, great video and very well shot.
Thresher Sharks hunt with their tails – Klemens Gann
Watch this video here.
What a beautiful place. Very nice opening to the film where the opening shots and music kept me captivated and wanting to see more. Not sure about the black and white at first in case the whole video was like that, but when it came into colour and the narration started I could see it’s relevance.
Good narration to set up the story and a very nice narrator’s voice with interesting script accompanying some great images. The explanatory graphics to follow were very good and well worth the effort of producing.
So well done on your victory this month Klemens!
I’m sure there are lots more of you out there with some great underwater videos that you really should be sharing with the world, so please do make sure you enter June’s contest.
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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.
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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