Skiing in Romsdalen - A weekend to remember

Here is my next project for you to comment on, if you like and have the time:



I will make a shorter version too, more for just showing off the consept og ski touring in The Romsdal Alps.


I like comment on the filming, the edit and ift you like it - even just as a "normal" person, and if yoy think this is a better project then my last videos.

Thanks.

Just felt a little rush over me as I instantly recognized your first musical track in about 3 notes of the first bar. Its been years, but that's one of my favorite soundtracks ever (The Island). Unfortunately it doesn't last long, nor do I think you build your visuals up to the intensity that is developing in the music. Though the ferry's waterline shot was close, we had way too much of the mundane (backs of cars). Remember what your audience sees. The backs of cars is like being stalled in traffic, a negative experience.

Your mountain shots are gorgeous, I like the sun glare effect that forms a peak like the mountain. Having the sumptuous soundtrack of Steve Jablonsky suddenly brought to a screeching halt by that next song whose sharp pitchy banshee wailing is so off key, it's disturbing.

Fortunately your third track is back on the positive in a delightfully quirky way. But why are we 3 tracks in already? We need to tighten up your videos, too much of the ordinary. At least we don't have someone packing a suitcase for 10 minutes this time, but you need to ask yourself about each & every frame, does this add anything or does it take away something from the experience?

People parking their cars, even sped up, is still uninspiring. I like the introduction of the dogs. Having the various shots of the guy struggling to get into position on top of the peak also goes on too long.

You've got a glorious location, but I think you're losing the attention span of your audience by your choices. This could be really captivating. Shooting down a long slope of shadows is not the most cinematic. I do like the low tracking shot following him. I would have preferred instead of crossing thru his wake & spray, if you tracked along side, low like that maybe with the light behind him. Then we could do a speed variation where he slows just a bit so we can move by him & he travels back across our frame. Then we're ahead & slow as he swooshes past & sprays us with white & we flash transition. Or we're shooting into the sunlight as he does that & we slomo his white powder spray at the camera.

I'll try & write more later, I'm embroiled in a paying project right now...

cheers.



Edit:

So you're trying to tell a story, but like words on a page, the story must be crafted with carefully chosen words. Here those words will be your images. I understand you want to show the process, the task of getting to the mountain, but ask yourself why? The mountain represents this amazing place, full of wonder, closer to heaven, beautiful on top of the world, the excitement & danger there are thrilling. So how are we going to build the excitement of anticipation, to prepare us for this place as you're traveling there?

These are emotions we're discussing; excitement, anticipation, fear, passion, etc. Yet these things can't be felt by cars & boats, only by the people. Emotion is conveyed in closeups. Of course your music is crucial here.

I would have stuck with Jablonsky's masterful music, build the excitement as we draw closer to this life changing experience. We see our men, inside the car, show the mountain looming thru the windshield. Though I do like a medium establishing shot from a following car with your shooter up in the sunroof. We see our main car from the back approaching the mountain. Then back inside lead car, to the men. What this does, is show that even cars, which are so much bigger & more powerful than us, are tiny compared to this monolith we're approaching. Now we're drawing closer, show a head tilting upwards taking in the mountain's splendor, closeup of a hand gripping the wheel tight, eyes squinting at the light, face resolute, man will conquer this mountain.

Our cars & boats are not characters in this story, they don't deserve the screentime afforded to lead actors. They're merely tools our heroes use to propel the story forward.

I wouldn't mind a medium shot of our men preparing their skis, we pull back, there's the mountain, they're dwarfed by its stoic majesty. Medium closeup, man preparing skis, pauses, turns to look up at the giant, we move in on his face, what is he thinking, feeling? Might he die today? Or will this be the most exhilarating experience ever? Mountain again, sun gleaming on the snow. We're building now... establishing a story on a deeper level, something visceral.

Unlike the traffic experience, your viewer craves to experience this... we're engaged. Now you have a captive audience.


* Of course, these are just possible suggestions. Naturally you want to express your art in your way with your footage. But start to think along the lines of what REALLY makes the story, on its deeper levels? Then all these things with light, images, music, they all become like brushstrokes on a canvas, or better to not mix my metaphors, carefully crafted phrases to build your story. Why? To affect the viewer with the experience.

Damn, this was a well-documented feedback, and right on target - thanks. I really agree with what you write, and it looks very correct in retrospect.

I was probably aware that I went a bit far, and should stuck to two music tracks; Steve Jablonsky's and the RAC Mix. The challenge is that it is not easy to obtain enough material, and I'm a bit unsure if I had managed to combine skiing clips from the three mountains to one film set, where we had built oppforventningene against it.

What I've found is that it is important to build toward a climax, and there are many clips that would work for this, we could have taken something from the breakfast, when we refuel, name badges for the local valley mountains located in, some clips and close-ups around it to get on the equipment - Maybe focused on safety equipment relation. that there is a risk here?

Possibly we could use some more emotion around the job of reach the goal, and that managed/ the achievement to complete the whole trip?

I have at least now many good feedback for your next project! Thnaks you wery mutch - this is way I'm into FCP.CO two-three times a day