I spent some quality time in the museum down the street from me, and came away with a slideshow of my visit:

http://www.vimeo.com/9282603

The video is one minute long, with audio. I'd appreciate any thoughts on it, good or bad.

A photo from it:



Thanks.

About the picttures, my preference goes to the silhouette ones, they look misterious, they look fantastic with that background ( I guess is a window), the ones on white are thechnically great, but not my taste. I probably would have seen more consistency in the series if the series had only pictures of silhouettes, shadows and the ones with the names.

About the audio, it is difficult for me to focus in a presentation like (pictures) when there is music in the background, it needs to be not so intrusive so I let it go on. In your video I hear first a song, which I like I think goes with the topic but I feel the talking ( ambient sound from the museum) a bit distracting because I don't know if they are giving information I have to pay attention to, maybe related with the pictures and I stop admiring the pictures.

On the other hand English is not my native lenguage, I have always to pay much more attention than if it were in my own lenguage.

I have never given a review in a presentetion like this one. I hope my comments are usefult in any way.

Hi, Matthew! I thought the audio was very apropos to the subject matter of the video.

I haven't been to the ROM for MANY years. Isn't that always the way when we live in the same city as an amazing venue such as that?

I assume that there are many photo opportunities there. Are photographers welcome inside?

Regards.....Dennis

Matthew, this video impressed me so much. I watched and listened again and again. I don't know anything about this museum but should be great and so impressive. In your video, especially the voices at behind made me cry. I can't explain this, but when I heard prayers and calling for prayers in Islamic words and at the same time the calling of the bells of the church and on the screen the photographs of Dinosaurs, I was almost lost between all these impressive touches, my eyes, my ears, my heart! Probably you expect technical comments from me, sorry for this. But being an ordinary watcher, reader, I can say, this was the most beautiful thing that I have seen in near past. I wished to express much better my feelings and thoughts.

Thank you,
Blessing and Happiness,
with my love,
nia

Irma, thank you, your comments are quite helpful. I've had a similar comment that the male voice is distracting, as it's quiet and indistinct and draws too much effort to decipher it. I like it, but then I already know what he's saying. There is another problem on that audio track, and I'm leaning toward removing it completely - it's something that I had removed for most of the editing, and then re-included it at the end. That will also reduce a small amount of the ambient background, but there are still four other audio tracks building the sounds.

Dennis, the ROM allows cameras without any restrictions, but flashes, tripods/supports, and commercial/professional photography is prohibited. So personal use and hand-held only, but nobody looked twice at me as I wandered around with my D700 and tilt-shift lens. The other thing to watch out for is the size restrictions on bags, which is enough for small camera kits, but not larger bags.

Nia, than you very much, I appreciate your comments. The audio was recorded at two different places in the museum. The filler tracks of the voices talking are from a video presentation and ambient sound from the display area. The bells and the call to prayer is from recordings that are played in a common area that serves as a darkened lounge on the ground floor but extends up through the building, and has walkways crossing over the open space that connects the two halves of the dinosaur exhibition. So while those sounds aren't directly related, the contemplative and dreamlike mood - and a sense of age - is what I was trying for. Thank you for expressing yourself so wonderfully.

I love it - particularly the soundtrack. The call of the muezzin is inspired and I ttotally liked the crowd chatter. From the earlier discussion, I thought that I would dislike that aspect - but I don't. Well done!!

matthew Wrote:Nia, than you very much, I appreciate your comments. The audio was recorded at two different places in the museum. The filler tracks of the voices talking are from a video presentation and ambient sound from the display area. The bells and the call to prayer is from recordings that are played in a common area that serves as a darkened lounge on the ground floor but extends up through the building, and has walkways crossing over the open space that connects the two halves of the dinosaur exhibition. So while those sounds aren't directly related, the contemplative and dreamlike mood - and a sense of age - is what I was trying for. Thank you for expressing yourself so wonderfully.

As I tried to express my feelings and thoughts, this video project has been done so beautifully; the sounds or the soundtrack really has a great touches, (I am not a religious one, even I don't believe in religions but I do believe in God) but in this video, the photographs, the realities of life and once upon a time these creatures, they all hit my mind through the sounds. We are all in the same ship, dragged me into the thoughts.
You are welcome and thanks once again for this beautiful work and for the details about this video. I wished to visit this museum.

Have a nice and enjoyable day,
with my love,
nia