Kayaking Primer video

UK Active Outdoors is a website I have become involved in. I recently redesigned the site for them and put it into the ModX CMS system for easier management and updating over the Dreamweaver method that was previously being used. It is a fairly big project with a huge directory of campsites, outdoor centres, and retailers. The idea behind it is to get people involved in different activities instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer all day.

We decided that video could form a large part of the site. Not just any video though, but professionally produced video. We will be covering all the different types of sports and activities around, as well as various shows such as the Canoe & Kayak Show in Exeter in September.

Recently I produced this kayaking primer video. I am making such videos as a labour of love. I want to move my video producing more towards this sort of area, and by producing such videos it enables me to make contact with the various manufacturers and retailers so that they are aware of my work. Because these videos currently have no budget (and I want to be clear, I'm not being hypocritical regarding my recent rant. These are my own personal projects) there is a limit to what can be done. But I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm currently looking to get hold of my own kayak, and possibly join that up with videomaking opportunities.

A few details about this video. It was shot on an EX3 using a combination of Cinegamma 3 for general shooting and Cinegamma 1 for the sunny conditions. The shots I took on the River Wye were quite troublesome because the lighting really was very harsh indeed. In fact that shoot stressed the EX3 codec to total breaking point. I really must get myself an NanoFlash because the compression artefacts were really very visible when I was grading.

I recently discovered a great film stock emulation filter for FCP called FxAndy, and I used this throughout the video. I hate the over stylised looks of Magic Bullet etc, but this one is really fantastic. It takes a bit to understand how all the functions work, and I probably have some way to go before finding the right optimisation. But on the whole I love it. Especially the black and white emulations.

The onboard POV shots were taken using a GoPro HD Hero. I added some grain for a bit of stylisation. I would never normally do this, but it helps to cover up some of the compression issues and gives it a bit of a retro look.

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