Lost Souls

[Shrimpfarmer]

Now I have no idea what reaction this film is going to be met with as its a rather sensitive subject. In Sussex, England we have the South Downs national park, part of which is an area known as The Seven Sisters. The sisters are a chain of gleaming white towering chalk cliffs. Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors visit the park but sadly some of them deliberately choose to end their lives there.

I have wanted to film the area for a long time but the weather can be very challenging at times. Yesterday the weather was perfect and myself and another pilot flew the sisters. I had no intention of making this film but whilst we were there I had a discussion with a South Downs chaplain who was on patrol. The cliffs attract so many potential suicides that there has been a 24hr patrol mounted every day of the year by a team of volunteers.

When I got home and reviewed the footage I felt drawn to make this film. I would be interested in hearing your reaction to it.

http://vimeo.com/91969399

I posted just the link as the screenshot just showed a black screen.

[momoffduty]

Very nice and tenderly filmed. The view of the drone flying over the edge really brought the height into perspective.

[Dave McElderry]

So nicely done. The video is incredible. What a gorgeous location!

I think you know how much I'm enjoying these productions, so take this in the right spirit. After watching a number of your vids I think that you should do whatever possible to keep the rotors out of the shot, either in flying technique or in post. I find that I'm quickly drawn into the world that you create, but when the rotors appear I'm suddenly jarred out and I lose the magic. My opinion, for what it's worth.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Shrimpfarmer]

Thanks folks.

Have no worries about me taking things in the right way I like my feedback straight

I accept exactly what you say about the rotors. I hate to see them myself but depending on the flight conditions it can be really hard to keep them out of the picture. There are tricks you can use like flying backwards or sideways but sometimes the light on the subject prevents that. The other option is to film in 2.7K and then there is plenty of room to crop them out. I hesitate to do that though as the raw files are huge.

On this shoot we shot in 1080p and it just does not have the resolution to get away with the crop. Your right though. With this film I tried to convey a spirit replaying their route to the cliffs. The rotors do jar you out of that belief.

Thanks for the feedback, its appreciated.

[Gerlinde]

Very nicely done, Ken. Again breath taking footage. I must say I don't mind the rotors a bit. It gives me the impression I'm in the helicopter. I flew once in one on Hawaii and really enjoyed it.

[joper]

That was an excellent show. I thought the sound track fitted it perfectly. I wish I could drive my Phantom 2 as well as you do.
Could you come over here and give me a few lessons?

I really like all you shows, Thank you for letting us see them.

Peace,
John P.

[Peru]

Very professionally done. I do agree with Dave about the rotors, though. I wonder if a vignette would look OK and hide them?
What effect did you use at about 1:20?

[Ron]

I posted just the link as the screenshot just showed a black screen.

You seem to have more strict permissions on this particular video.

[momoffduty]

I forgot to ask earlier, did you use a lens filter?

[Ron Hunter]

Loved it. Amazing videography. Such beautiful scenery. I must agree with the comments on the props though, it does break the mood of the film (only slightly though). Can't you angle the GoPro down? I'm not being critical, I just thought the GoPro was on a gimbal that was remotely adjustable??

I think it would be an interesting view to have the quad fly level with the ground and then soar out over the cliff's edge with the GoPro pointed down. That would be contrary to the message of your film though.

[Shrimpfarmer]

I agree with all the comments regarding the props so I spent sometime today thinking through my options for a post for a quadcopter forum I use.

I can tilt the camera down however that increases the fisheye effect.

There are options and I used one of them to produce a better version of my film.

[Dave McElderry]

I'm very impressed. I know it's subjective, but as for myself I really like this edit.

[_Paz_]

I've just watched the new, letterbox version and then the first again. In my opinion, without propellers is better, even though I do miss the full view. Seeing them jogs me back to reality and disallows the 'suspension of disbelief' that I'm flying and seeing this.

I remember you saying looking down increases fisheye. Not good. So, I wonder if there is any other way to remove the rotors in software. It is not as if you can hang a green screen from them, but could they be cloned out in some way? Perhaps like the shaving cut demo using After Effects?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwoKvWILEmc[/youtube]

Oh, another great video and I agree this treats a sensitive subject with delicacy. I especially liked the 'ghosts' that appeared around 1min 48 seconds or so.

But also, I really enjoy seeing the cliffs! Probably most of us have heard of the "White Cliffs of Dover," but I did not know such cliffs exist in other areas of England. I looked it up on Google Maps. They are pretty far from one another. Is the whole coastline along that shore like this?

And last, have you ever heard of Northington Grange? If so, is it far from you?

[sidd finch]

Very similar to our Golden Gate Bridge here in San Francisco. Sad that folks choose a majestic exit point in life.

Sidd

[Shrimpfarmer]

Thanks for that link Paz. I think that would deal with the props for shots where I have to keep more of the sky in the frame. I don't have After Effects on my system. I did try a demo once and I was impressed with it. I am put off though by the steep learning curve but I might have to go for it one day.

The Severn Sisters stretch for just a few miles and then its fairly flat either side.

Never been to Northington Grange yet. Its 85 miles from where I live, why do you ask?