Don Souza | NewBlueFX Moving Mayan Ruins with Motion Blends
Now Featuring:
Don Souza: Moving Mayan Ruins with Motion Blends
How do you breathe life into something that hasn’t moved for centuries? Cinematographer and editor Don Souza faced this dilemma when shooting American Xplorer, an expedition- style adventure travel series (scheduled to premiere in January on HDNet).
Led by environmental conservationist Keith Neubert, American Xplorer takes viewers to the far reaches of the planet to explore lost worlds, foreign cultures and wild adventure. Keith, Don and crew spent an intense ten weeks traveling through eight countries in Central and South Americ a, shooting all 13 initial episodes in pristine 1080i High Definition video.
But when they returned and Souza began editing, he soon realized he had a creative storytelling challenge: “What can you do with big ruins that haven’t moved in centuries? For example, we’ve got shots of the great Mayan Ruins in Guatemala, but we demand more energy out of our shows than a breathtaking landscape. Our host, Keith, is upbeat, and we’re trying to convey both his excitement and the energy of the story. We needed to subtly add energy through the way we cut between these beautiful shots.” he explains.
Souza draws an analogy with human presentation. “I can’t sit in the living room of every viewer and tell them the story of the movie, but if I were there, I would be standing up, moving around, and putting inflection in my voice to add emphasis to what I am conveying. I can do the same in editing by adding emotion and energy via the pacing of cuts and smart use of transitions.”
“The shots are beautiful and they serve as the starting point. Then we add natural sound to enhance the viewer’s experience. And, we use the art of editing to inject more energy. With that in mind, I wanted to use transitions that would convey the kind of energy I needed for these scenes.”
Searching for a way to translate this energy onto video, Souza soon discovered NewBlue Motion Blends, part of the NewBlueFX line of video effects, tools and transitions.
“Motion Blends has Spins, Smears, Rolls, Shakes, and more – all these energetic moves,” he explains. “So I bought it, went into post and started
“NewBlue Motion Blends has been our key when we need energy on screen.”
playing around with it. I used a variety of the Motion Blends to see what Keith thought. Without even mentioning that I’d bought these transitions, I played for Keith what I’d done. After four transitions in, Keith says, Hit stop!’ I cringe. Where did you get those? Those movements! They are great! Look at all the energy they are providing!’
Souza continues, “So, we hit a home run right off the block. From that point on, NewBlue Motion Blends has been our key when we need energy on screen.”
The first episode of American Xplorer airs in January
You can learn more about American Xplorer at http://www.amxhd.info.
Want to be featured in an upcoming “Now Featuring” column? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us and let us know how NewBlueFX is making your work stand above the crowd.
Director of Photography | Don Souza
American Xplorer: Expedition Central America
AVID Online Editor | Don Souza
American Xplorer: Expedition Central America
Don Souza | Belize Mayan cave Actun Tunichil Muknal | American Xplorer
American Explorer Filming Complete
Keith Neubert, host of American Explorer, an all new, all high-definition adventure-travel TV program premiering this fall on HD NET has returned to Colorado after 60 plus days of non-stop travel and filming. Filmed, edited and broadcast entirely in 1080i high-definition, American Explorer is a spontaneous expedition travel program that is immersed in the authentic stops around the world. It is bold and definitely- not your typical “stand and point” travel program. Thirteen half hour episodes are scheduled to air during the Fall 2008 prime time season on HDNET without commercial interruption.
with no commercial interruptions during the program we are able to create compelling adventures that will truly make use of all that the HD format has to offer.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) June 7, 2008 — Keith Neubert, host of American Explorer, an all new, all high-definition adventure-travel TV program premiering this fall on HD NET has returned to Colorado after 60 plus days of non-stop travel and filming.
“First on my list is some family time, and as soon as I catch up on my sleep its straight to the editing booth” said Keith, after completing his epic, 10,000 mile, six country adventure, “The EarthRoamer performed exactly as advertised, it really is the ultimate base camp for the ultimate adventure.”
Filmed, edited and broadcast entirely in 1080i high-definition, American Explorer is a spontaneous expedition travel program that is immersed in the authentic stops around the world. It is bold and definitely- not your typical “stand and point” travel program.
Thirteen half hour episodes are scheduled to air during the Fall 2008 prime time season on HDNET without commercial interruption.
“Together with HD Net, American Explorer has created a truly unique television series that will stoke the audience’s imagination, create a meaningful bond with the adventure traveler and actually have viewers looking forward with anticipation to every episode.”
Said Dino Ianni, Executive Producer American Explorer / Major League Marketing, “with no commercial interruptions during the program we are able to create compelling adventures that will truly make use of all that the HD format has to offer.”
About EarthRoamer
Founded by a pair of engineers with a thirst for adventure, EarthRoamer is in its sixth year designing, building and selling the only fully self-contained expedition vehicles in North America. Built in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, EarthRoamer allows adventurers to travel far from the beaten path in unparalleled safety and comfort.
Director of Photography – Television Series – American Xplorer: Expedition Central America
AVID Online Editor – Television Series – American Xplorer: Expedition Central America
AMX Expedition Week 1: The Ancient Mayan Underworld Revealed Original Air Date: April 25th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 2 – Jungle Survival Original Air Date: May 2nd, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 3 – The Great Blue Hole – Belize Original Air Date: May 9th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 4 – Exploring The Lost World – Tikal Original Air Date: May 16th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 5 – Exploring Lago de Atitlan and Vulcan de Pacaya, Guatemala. Original Air Date: May 23rd, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 6 – Exploring the Epicenter of Eco-Adventure. Original Air Date: May 30th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 7 – The Expedition Reaches the Historic Panama Canal. Original Air Date: June 6th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 8 – Welcome to Fantasy Island. Original Air Date: June 13th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 9 – El Salvador: The Land of Special Places Original Air Date: June 20th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 10 – Wet and Wild in Honduras Original Air Date: June 27th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 11 – Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala. Original Air Date: July 4th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 12 – Nuevo Leon State: Mexico’s Best Kept Secret. Original Air Date: July 11th, 2009
AMX Expedition Week 13 – Copper Canyon: The Land of the ‘Running Indians’. Original Air Date: July 18th, 2009
