Ok now what?

[shugar]

a fairly-serious albeit semi-stupid question: OK NOW WHAT?

after beetching and whining and waiting and cajoling the purchasing department (finally) got off their collective rear ends (i hate bean counters) and i am now the proud custodian of an ikelite housing for a VX2100 camera...

finally...

ok... so now what...

i've generally been doing u/w photo... and subject wise i can do macro or wide or closeup shots... i can play and shoot sunbursts or be an "artiste" and do complex abstracts w/ the sea life...

what can i do with video?

i'm not to hot to follow my photog friends taking video of them with their faces shoved into some coral...

being a director by profession and training i can't seem to pick up a videocam w/o the intention of telling a "story"... actors, sets, script and all...

do i have to do that w/ my u/w toy? always shoot a story?

what do you video guys do? what do you shoot?

any tips?

thanks!

Jag

 

[Empty V]

a fairly-serious albeit semi-stupid question: OK NOW WHAT?...

Hey Jag I'm still very new to u/w video but come from a film background. I believe that telling a story plays an extremely important part in u/w video, or at least it should be. Just plain imagery is, imo, pointless. Give your new rig a purpose. Keep your viewers interested instead of showing 15min of the same footage that everyone's seen 100 fold. Find a story to shoot and do it right i.e. shot lists, story boards, etc.

Billy

 

[icestac]

Just plain imagery is, imo, pointless.

Hmmm... look at your avatar

I have seen a lot of videos that were done really well that start out with the dive prep, discuss the plan, have voice overs during the dive, etc. I really enjoy watching those and at some point I'd like to do a few.

However, the purpose of my video has mostly been for my and my dive buddies to document the trip and have some memories. They mostly consist of a 5-15 second clips edited together put to music with a bloopers reel at the end. We always get a blast from them and it takes minimal work and editing.

In the end, I guess it just depends on what you're wanting to accomplish.

One side note, I not have a pretty vast library of video from all of the clips that I have taken on the previous dives. Now when I do want to do the whole talkikng thing and we reference some earlier dives, I can pick out clips of sites, skills, or people and insert them in.

Either way, it gives me something else to do on the dive and I love that.

Please let us know what you do and post some of your stuff.

~Jeff

 

[Empty V]

Hmmm... look at your avatar

I have seen a lot of videos that were done really well that start out with the dive prep, discuss the plan, have voice overs during the dive, etc. I really enjoy watching those and at some point I'd like to do a few.

However, the purpose of my video has mostly been for my and my dive buddies to document the trip and have some memories. They mostly consist of a 5-15 second clips edited together put to music with a bloopers reel at the end. We always get a blast from them and it takes minimal work and editing.

In the end, I guess it just depends on what you're wanting to accomplish.

One side note, I not have a pretty vast library of video from all of the clips that I have taken on the previous dives. Now when I do want to do the whole talkikng thing and we reference some earlier dives, I can pick out clips of sites, skills, or people and insert them in.

Either way, it gives me something else to do on the dive and I love that.

Please let us know what you do and post some of your stuff.

~Jeff

Hey what's wrong with my avatar? LOL

I totally agree and to each their own. My style is story telling in everything I do, it's what I like and keeps me interested. I think a story doesn't have to be the a-typical before the dive, gearing up, getting in the water and a few jokes yadda yadda yadda. It's invoking emotions in your audience and really getting them involved with what you've shot and edited. It's all about the way it's cut and how it works with the music.


Billy

 

[BeckyKagan]

Hey what's wrong with my avatar? LOL

I totally agree and to each their own. My style is story telling in everything I do, it's what I like and keeps me interested. I think a story doesn't have to be the a-typical before the dive, gearing up, getting in the water and a few jokes yadda yadda yadda. It's invoking emotions in your audience and really getting them involved with what you've shot and edited. It's all about the way it's cut and how it works with the music.


Billy

Good advice Billy....I'd have to agree, it doesn't have to be a complex storyline or anything but to be honost If you want to show your videos to others and non divers, and not loose interest, its best to have either some kind of storyline or at least a nice montage cut to music. Its really really hard to sit through some video's out there because its just a document of a dive. You could be creative...shoot your photography friends taking pics and maybe intertwine their stills into your video later? That might be cool to see.

You asked if you always have to shoot a story.....no you can do anything you want, watch others work on you tube to get some ideas if you dont know what to do.

You asked what we shoot? Everything from just montages of marine life to documentaries. I like to work with the same divers(models) they learn my shooting style and we work out a dive plan and shot list then go dive and have fun. Might be exploring a wreck and the story is just simple, lets check out the wreck. SHow plenty of cutaways of gauges or things that are identifiable to others. I like to shoot in caves, my story is exploration and whats around the next corner.

good luck!

 

[HiDefPics]

I shoot some cave diving as well, which is a blast. But in addition to that I like to do destination based pieces. I want to show other divers some of the beautiful places we can go, and to help them plan that trip. So our videos are not just a document of a dive in a certain spot, but a tour of the more popular dive sites in a place. Also we throw in some interviews with divers, captains, vacationers, etc, to get their perspective on why they chose a certain location and what they've enjoyed - advice for others, etc. And we always include some kind of 'out of the water' activity - I've heard some people go on a vacation and *don't* spend every day in the water! They actually like to do things like golfing, fishing, touring a museum.
So our basic storyline is - island X is a great place & here's what you can experience if you go visit there for a week.
I think this makes for an infinitely more interesting piece than just a collection of underwater footage.

Remember, the most important thing you should be doing with your new housing is having fun!

 

[ronscuba]

....
Remember, the most important thing you should be doing with your new housing is having fun!

Absolutely agree !

Magazines/movies...... Sometimes I want funny, sometimes deep and serious, sometimes educational, sometimes I just want to kick back and see some eye candy. The same can apply to video.

If your UW footage is really good, smooth editing and a good soundtrack can make for an entertaining video. Even the great ones like Howard Hall still put out storyless videos.

 

[shugar]

thanks so much guys!!! this is a great help...

Jag