Una tarde de sol

Whatever...

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Genete
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Una tarde de sol

Post by Genete »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDXaAvIQy24

This video was made two years ago. I used still images (photos) and animate them with cinelerra. It was my first aproximation to video compositing and animation.

Images are from my digital cameras and her digital one also. The localization are from Cádiz city, Tarifa beaches, Cáceres, and Grazalema (Cádiz)... Boat images are from a trip I made with my brother from El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz) to Cabo de Sagres (Portugal)
Soundtrack is copyright from Manolo García (spanish artist) and it is called "Una tarde de sol" (A sunny evenning)

I love this song...

Now you know a little more from Genete (and his girlfriend)...

-G
human
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Post by human »

Well, I hope you don't mind some constructive feedback.

First of all, I think the use of panning across your stills can be surprisingly effective... for instance, the first appearance of the seagull--it is strangely compelling to see this static image glide across the sky.

Sorry I can't share your enthusiasm about that song, but I didn't feel that it gave you a rhythm to cut your visuals against. Rhythm is key to the strength of your art here. Most of your cuts were held about twice as long as the eye wanted them; one is restless to move on. NOTE however this is really the remark of an American sensibility. One thing that European cinema in general makes very clear is that Euros have a vastly more leisurely attention span, so maybe this works for your audience.

Nor did your soundtrack establish, at least for me, a distinctive atmosphere that really set a unique character for the piece. I would have liked more distinctive sounds and instruments to help create a unique mood.

The other way to elevate this box of treasured memories into a work of art that speaks to your audience would be to open it up a little more to the world which the lovers actually inhabit. Your images embraced the lovers, but at the cost of the rest of humanity. It's the neutron bomb of love, which annihilates the local population, while allowing the invaders to take over their buildings. The local shoe repair man, the lady bakers, the aging pharmacist, the frustrated child, belong in your vision too--because they were, after all, there all along.

This gains more urgency because you reveal your characters far too timidly, giving us mostly safe, static, controlled, narrow, formal poses. No unguarded moments of vulnerability, surprise, anger which show that you trust us with the truth of your life.

The use of your camera's quick exposure feature to capture movement, the pretty colors and nice compositions, and the tenderness and careful construction are, I think, the piece's best features.
Genete
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Post by Genete »

First of all thankyou for your response and thankyou for your feedback. You are ver kind spending your time with me.

Thecnically speaking there are many mistakes in the composition. Too many panning, make the clip a litlle boring. The way it was done (still images edited in only two video traks) made the correction very difficult (crossfading between the tracks). Any movement in timeline of the images before or after in time move all of them. I was starting to learn how to use cinelerra when started this video also. So I didn't want to correct it once it was finished.
Yes the rithm could be a little slow. But consider that was my very first approach to non linear video edition... I still being a newbie.

Regarding to the content itself of the clip (the images and the sound). I understand you dont love the song. Perhaps if you could translate the lyrics you could understand it better. Mainly the images talk about the lyrics. They follow a very intimate lyrics that match my feelings in those days. Very intimate, yes. Not open tho the world, yes. But love is in this way. The world dissapear when love arises...
This gains more urgency because you reveal your characters far too timidly, giving us mostly safe, static, controlled, narrow, formal poses. No unguarded moments of vulnerability, surprise, anger which show that you trust us with the truth of your life.
Could be but, who keep photographs of those moments? I still learning to take photos... It is not easy. Light conditions velocity, framing, pose, ... so many variables to control during a pleasure trip. There is no chance to surprises if two lovers makes photos one to the other. We were (we are) looking to each other continously...

What is this for me, then? For me this is a mix of good memories. It is like a love feelings provisions to watch from time to time. Like the very good old songs. There are not more artistic intentions.

I only wanted you to know a little more about Genete. That's all.

Thank's again human.
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Touched
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Post by Touched »

I'll speak purely as a viewer. Personally, I thought it was a nice, gentle movie with a nice song evoking pleasant memories of spending time with a loved one (speaking of the music only, as I don't understand Spanish).

Your girlfriend is very beautiful and has the air of grace and intelligence about her. Where can I find a woman like that? And it was nice to see what you look like as well, as a fellow forum member.
Genete
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Post by Genete »

Touched wrote:I'll speak purely as a viewer. Personally, I thought it was a nice, gentle movie with a nice song evoking pleasant memories of spending time with a loved one (speaking of the music only, as I don't understand Spanish).

Your girlfriend is very beautiful and has the air of grace and intelligence about her. Where can I find a woman like that? And it was nice to see what you look like as well, as a fellow forum member.
December 25th 2003. 2:30 AM. I was travelling from Seville to Cadiz during the night. I did not know Cadiz's town centre streets, so I agreed with her to make a phone call when arrive Cadiz. I arrived and put the car in a parking. Her phone was out of battery. I just called her ten minutes ago advising I will arrive. What to do now? I thought. She told me where she was but only have a vage idea where it is. (I don't know if you know Cadiz center but it have a big amount of very narrow streets...) "Anyway I have to go". We were lucky. Just after I ramdomly decided to turn left a street I discovered her walking at the begining of it... I could not resist to start running and embrace her...

Perhaps If I decided to continue walking and not turn left on that street we probably wouldn't met that night and perhaps our relationship would never have started.

So don't look for a woman like that. You wouldn't find her. But once you met her. Don't let her go!!
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jahnocli
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Post by jahnocli »

Your girlfriend looks sceptical too! I think we all need that in a woman!!
You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
DarthFurby
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Post by DarthFurby »

It's like looking at a Spanish version of Kevin Costner and Julia Roberts!!!
Genete
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Post by Genete »

DarthFurby wrote:It's like looking at a Spanish version of Kevin Costner and Julia Roberts!!!
Hey! I'm taller than Kevin Costner!! :wink:
Thanks for watch it guys.
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bupaje
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Post by bupaje »

Hey Genete. I liked the song - going to add the artist to my 'listen' list. The views of you and your better half were also fun. :)

I found the panning a bit distracting, but guess that may depend on the individual viewers pov. I have never done one of these - may have to soon as we have a pile of digital images- but I wonder if it might not make a stronger piece when doing this type of work to select photos with the view of telling a story -beginning, middle and end- to better guide the viewer?

As I said never done this so not sure, but looks like fun. :)
[url=http://burtabreu.animationblogspot.com:2gityfdw]My AnimationBlogSpot[/url:2gityfdw]
Genete
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Post by Genete »

bupaje wrote:Hey Genete. I liked the song - going to add the artist to my 'listen' list. The views of you and your better half were also fun. :)

I found the panning a bit distracting, but guess that may depend on the individual viewers pov. I have never done one of these - may have to soon as we have a pile of digital images- but I wonder if it might not make a stronger piece when doing this type of work to select photos with the view of telling a story -beginning, middle and end- to better guide the viewer?

As I said never done this so not sure, but looks like fun. :)
Thanks for your kind words bupaje.
The images follow the lyrics of the song so there is no classical development (beginning - middle -end) in this clip. Only expresion of the feelings.
Best
Genete
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