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muuuh

nature documentaries

Parc de la Frayère - Parc de la Frayère - 2024-10-27
Parc de la Frayère - 2024-10-27

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Videos - Production to Publishing

My goal is to publish Animal Special videos in 4k for each frog, snake, turtle, bird, or mammal species that spends one or more seasons in Southern Quebec, as well as Soundscape videos in 4k with ambient sound for each type of habitat across every season.

Last changed on 2024-12-14

Camera & Lens

Footage for Soundscapes is recorded with either NIKON Z8 / NIKKOR Z 24-70mm or iPhone 11. Footage for Animal Specials and Animal Trivias is recorded with NIKON Z8 / NIKKOR Z 100-400mm. Whenever possible I am using tripods for camera stabilization. For details about field sound recording see Sounds - Production to Publishing.

Production

For soundscapes, the decision to use the iPhone 11 or the NIKON Z8 depends on lighting conditions. If there is a wide range of light, I prefer working with the NIKON Z8, as its footage provides greater flexibility in post-production. Both cameras record in 4K, although NIKON Z8 footage is saved as a RAW file, while iPhone 11 footage is compressed. Camera settings are:

For wildlife recording, I always use the NIKON Z8 with the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm lens, occasionally extended with the TC 2.0 teleconverter. Recording is done in Nikon RAW 12-bit N-Log at 4.1K, high quality. The frame rate is either 24 fps or 60 fps, depending on whether the main subjects are fast- or slow-moving and whether I expect to slow down the footage in post-production.

If you plan to record with the NIKON Z8 in N-RAW 12-bit at high frame rates, 60 fps or higher, ensure that you have a fast-writing memory card. Check Nikon's website for suitable brands and models.

Post-Production

First, I copy all video files from the memory cards to the NAS. Videos recorded with the iPhone 11 are manually exported from Apple’s Photos app and stored in the corresponding NAS folder.

All editing is done in DaVinci Resolve Studio. I aim for a 23.976 fps cinematic style in Ultra HD (3840x2160px) across all video formats. Footage from the NIKON Z8 is recorded in Nikon’s 4.1K resolution (4128x2322px). My timeline is set to ‘Center crop with no resizing’ for mismatched resolutions, allowing me to take advantage of the extra pixels. This resolution difference provides flexibility for reframing or rotating shots without any loss of resolution.

Brand consistency is important to me. Intro and outro evolved overtime but have to match the design of my website muuuh.com. Achieving the consistency is guaranteed by using same intro and outro for every clip although changing text where necessary.

It’s important to note that, going forward, I am not using any third-party creative components. All elements - such as videos, photos, sound bites, ambient soundscapes, and background music - are recorded or created by me.

Publishing Videos

Videos are published on my YouTube Channel. You can conveniently search for specific videos here: Videos. There is no set schedule for publishing videos; whenever a new video is ready, it will be uploaded and published the same day or the next morning. Although, I almost never publish more than 1 video / day.

YouTube has proven time and again that it isn’t capable of finding the right audience for my type of videos. Therefore, every new video is promoted on my social platforms, but primarily through personal contacts.

Glossary & Conversions

Disclaimer

I am not sponsored by, affiliated with, or receiving any incentives from any brands or products featured in this article. All equipment and software mentioned was purchased at market price, and any mention of specific brands or products is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation.