A Day on the Kennet & Avon Canal

As it says, a forum guide to our members' own sites!
Please check this area's rules before posting - see sticky.
Forum rules
Members may enter their personal site details and a short description in the sticky (read before adding link), Please add comments in a new topic . Associates may enter same but must offer a reciprocal listing . We'd really appreciate if members were to do so as well. Strictly no spamming .
Post Reply
User avatar
SRD
Rantipole
Posts: 9252
Joined: December 31st, 2009, 7:23 pm
Location: Wiltshire
Contact:

A Day on the Kennet & Avon Canal

Post by SRD »

Little_John wrote:What a load of big 'eads! But seriously, interesting effect that worked very well and was quite comical because it was so well photo-shopped. What did you use to produce the film?

I was impressed by the way the crescendo was timed to coincide with the sudden rush of water into the lock. Lovely choice of music, excellent photography - loved the colours in the videos but it reminded me of a cine film rather than digital. Was that old rotten plank of wood in one of the shots ever actually used as a gang plank?

Nice one. And congratulations to the volunteers - and to Simon, of course, for organising it.
Thanks

I used Paint.net to create the "big'eads", simple enough, use the ellipse select tool around the area to be expanded, Copy and Paste into a new layer then drag the reference points on the ellipse until the area has reached the desired size. Finally Merge Layer down. I used a similar process to add the text to the pictures.

I used Videopad to create the vid itself. Originally I was using the free version but you only get the ability to save to mp4 for a couple of weeks so I purchased the home use version for around £30. I tried MovieMaker but it didn't have enough facilities for what I wanted and I looked at Lightworks but it was too technical and I wanted a result quickly so didn't have the time to learn it.

I haven't adjusted any of the clips or stills apart from some resizing of some stills so the photography is down to the camera operators. No CGI or special digital effects, I don't have the knowledge or the time.

The music was found by googling for English Idylls Music and following links from what that threw up although I did already know the pieces and the timing is pure skill luck (actually I did adjust some of the timings of earlier shots and didn't include a couple of nice shots I would have liked to use to get to that point).

Regarding the plank, it wasn't actually rotten but wasn't used whilst we were aboard as they have full metal ramps and we only stopped where there was a quay to easily cross onto. I imagine the plank is for those who book the boat for a week so they can moor at places where there's no quay.
Children are like Slinkys - not much use for anything, but it always brings a smile to your face when you throw them down the stairs. Chinchilla
User avatar
SRD
Rantipole
Posts: 9252
Joined: December 31st, 2009, 7:23 pm
Location: Wiltshire
Contact:

Re: A Day on the Kennet & Avon Canal

Post by SRD »

marymary wrote:How do you manage to steady the camera Simon? I had a wheelchair user a couple of years ago who would set it up almost like a steady cam then be able to operate it one handed very well. I have a boy starting with similar issues in August so I'm not just being nosey.
As far as I know no one steadied their cameras at all, [s]the 'hand-held camera' look is all the rage with the best current film directors[/s]. Actually, MrsSRD, who was the only one to take 'movie' clips, just points it vaguely in the direction of what she wants to capture, hence the poor framing and shakiness of many of them. It's a shame as she has a really good eye for a picture.
Children are like Slinkys - not much use for anything, but it always brings a smile to your face when you throw them down the stairs. Chinchilla
Post Reply