Filming the Challenge?

[Jake]

Just wondered if anyone else is shooting some footage of the Jester Azores Challenge.

With fly-on-the-wall and real-life documentaries in demand, I've begun running off some footage of getting the boat ready, and filming people who are giving help and advice. I just wondered if anyone else was doing the same?

There was very impressive camcorder footage shot from the last Ostar, made all the more real by the jerky camera, haggard skippers and poor sound! You really felt you were there with them. (I've asked the skippers if I can use it, with positive results.)

My plan is to stitch it all together, recruit a decent narrator and organise some proper editing and sound. The result should be a short film along the lines of 'you don't need to be a millionaire to go ocean racing.'

I'm not doing it for profit - that goes against the Jester principles - just a lot of fun.

Any ideas or suggestions (including a title) and volunteers to talk to camera about their boats always welcome.

Incidentally, one of the shots I'm planning to set up involves going overboard under full sail - with harness - under controlled conditions with an RNLI D class standing by (as suggested here on the forums.) Should make a good rescue exercise when I can't climb back aboard.

Think I'll wait till mid summer, though...

[Scarboroughsloop]

Not thought of that for the 2010, but a bloody good idea though. I'll buy one when it's done......

[yeoldesalt]

What equipment are you planning on using to do this? I have been thinking of doing some recording too. While I have picture taking experience, I'm a novice with motion pictures.

[Jake]

Hi Peter

Did some research, and was told that the Mini DV camcorders are best for this work as they are easy to edit. (Apparently, the new discs need more specialised computer software, but the old mini DV tapes are very easy to work with). Better still, they are becoming 'old' technology, so prices are crashing as the new DVD camcorders come on the market.

Bought a Sony (good reputation for lenses, carl Zeiss) and the results are really very good. Camera was reduced by £50, so a tad under £200. For boat work, will pick up another, plus waterproof case and at least three spare batteries. (Batteries last about 90 mins of shooting if you are careful).

Another idea I had was to gimbal the camera. I always thought that when feisty little Ellen McA was weeping her stoic heart out, the boat seemed remarkably stable - especially when she climbed the mast.

Boat was all over the place, of course, but the camera was fixed. Now, if the camera had been even slightly gimballed, we would have appreciated just how much she was being thrown around.

Will try experimenting!

I'm hoping to weave the camcorder footage into some 'proper' footage of Whitbread, and Clipper etc and archive stuff from the early days, so all worthwhile cameos welcome!

[yeoldesalt]

Hi Jake
There was a piece of equipment at the Annapolis Boat Show last year to gimbal motion cameras. It worked really nicely. I'll try to find the info about it and get back to you. Also, I was wondering if there is a cap (hat) mounted web cam that would use something like 'BlueTooth' wireless technology to send & then record the pictures on a computer (or other device).
Peter S.

[DinghyMan]

Halford do a cheapish (£99) Helmet Cam (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&mpe_id=12054&jspStore Dir=HalfordsConsumerDirect&intv_id=37520&partNumbe r=543025&evtype=CpgnClick&langId=-1&catalogId=10151&ddkey=ClickInfo) - not great spec but states waterprof to 3m...

[st599]

DV and its variants store full copies of each frame, whereas DVD or MPEG2 based systems do interpolation between full frames to reduce the amount of data.

It's definitely easier to work with DV, but then you need to render it to DVD format once finished.

[Paw Paw]

Jake hello,

I have an edit system - similar to AVID but much slower. It also does a sound edit and mix - bit limited but sufficient tracks for these sort of documentary films. I edited and dubbed all my Blue Water Sailing and Destinations DVD's.. Ends up with a professional finish which is the good news.. The bad news is that the market is pretty small but as a Jester non profit sort of project it probably does not matter.

There are some excellent camera mounts made by an American company who supply mounts for GPS and monitors etc that can fix to bulkheads and swing around... You need two or three DV Cameras and probably a radio mike(s) not as expensive as they sound.

Trouble is shooting the material single handed in bad conditions... I know from bitter experience that when the going gets tough you need every hand for the boat and for yourself and the last thing you are worried about is shooting some tape... Fine afterwards to talk about how 'nasty' it was but the viewer need to see the action --- I think remote cameras around the boat that can be switched on from a central point might be part of the answer but it is extremely difficult to achieve interesting footage even in that way - wide angle lens tend to flatten even very big waves and make them look 'mild'... If I can help please do let me know.
Michael

[CPD]

A very dear friend of mine is a semi-pro film maker, and I was discussing this link with him recently. It made me think about why we/one would want a film made. Clearly for the participants, it would be a really good record of what would be a major achievement. But it also made me think of whether or not the film would have other applications eg expanding Jester Challenge participation, attracting Jester sponsors, offshore safety promotion etc etc etc.

Any other thoughts ?.

[andlauer]

Bonjour
jester Challenge is, as I understand it, not a "sponsor" spirit. offshore security promotion could be a second aim.
Eric

[joker2]

Hi...The big thing here is to help people get a life and inspire young people to have a go and believe in themselves and dream...I was blown away when I followed Willing Griffin in the OSTAR and in 68 Robin Knox Johnston was my hero...then one day I got to do a BOC...I'm sure you all have reasons to do the Jester Challenge born from a Dream somewhere in your life...so coming home with the story is as great an achievement as the sail itself...worth all the effort and pain of getting that great shot....I'll be there in 2010...can't wait...living the Dream is the colour of Life...and I'll be filming everything...hope to find support from any other competitors interested in signing up and provideing some footage.... to put together a snapshot of all the charactures in this, the purest of Adventures... to show it around the world...Hopefully into 32 contries, with any money generated put back into Adventure and youth....Mini DVD is the way to go...and if you can, grab the footage in "wide Format" ...look forward to seeing it....Don