Sample image from the “follow me” cam

I know I’m probably wasting my time, but I edited a behind the scenes clip from yesterday’s video. I can’t publish the free clips with the resolution of the for-sale versions, but I always hope that someone will enjoy the “extra features”. Those of you who are on deepsinkingguys on Social Parody, and those with accounts here, I’d love to get some feedback. There is also a contact form on the main Mudlover site. It takes time to make these clips, compress them for the web, upload them, and make a pretty page to embed them. I’d really like to know if I’m wasting my time, or if the clips are of interest.

At least, in the case of teasers, I believe they help people make more informed purchases by giving a more comprehensive preview of the movie content. This out-takes clip does not have the same audio quality as it’s for-sale counterpart, because I synced audio from the two cameras in the “real” clip. This clip contains only sections I could not or did not use in A Narrow Escape. One day soon, I’m going to make a full-length, making of a mud video, video. I’ve wanted to do that, for a long time. So, enjoy this little clip and let me know what you think. If you happen to buy A Narrow Escape, I’d like to know what you think of that one, also.

As you can see, I already released the video from my unplanned trip to the swamp, yesterday. I pushed myself to go out, even though it wasn’t very warm, because the weather forecast is for cold, for the foreseeable future. Even if it warms up next week, the tides will no longer be favorable.
The description of the video I put on Clips4Sale goes like this …

The opening scene; walking over unpredictable terrain

This clip opens with Doug, in blue running shorts, navigating barefoot through a wooded swamp. The camera follows him as he feels his way across the unpredictable terrain. He sinks up to his crotch unexpectedly, gets out, and continues until he reaches a soft spot that looks ominous. He carefully navigates across the expanse of mud, holding onto a tree for support. Then, he reaches for a tree on the other side, but doesn’t quite make it before he sinks too deep to reach either hand-hold. He struggles and continues to sink deeper until he is up to his armpits. He twists his body around and strains to reach a small tree limb that is just beyond his grasp. He is still sinking, and time is not on his side, but, after a desperate struggle, his fingers close around the branch and he drags his body from the mire. The clip ends as he walks away, into the woods; covered in mud.

Reaching for a hand-hold on the other side.

Walking away, after a harrowing escape from sure death!

I made a video teaser (preview) of the new clip, because of the novel way it was recorded. I’m not sure everyone will like the body-cam effect. I like it, but I also intend to work on improving it. This is the first real clip where it was used. Check the trailers page for all of my teaser/trailers. Here is the direct link to the 2014-02-14 clip.

Cleanup frame grab from 2014-02-14 video clip

It was a warm, sunny day. The temperature was near 60F (15C) with a light breeze. Low tide was precariously close to sunset, but I was determined to take advantage of the nice weather and get some video.

When I got out on the water, I realized that the “light breeze” over the water was downright chilling. What I hadn’t considered was the effect of 2 inches of freezing precipitation that had fallen recently. The water was ice cold. I was under dressed for conditions, but I was determined to get some video with my new camera rig.

I had arrived at least an hour before low tide, since the sun would be near the horizon by the time the tide was all the way out. I found a muddy spot on the shore to stop and shoot some video of me, stomping around in ankle deep mud, while I waited for the tide to go out. Eventually, I got back in my kayak and went in search of some exposed mud. I was worried about the icy cold water, and I knew I couldn’t afford to get too cold, with the sun setting and my lack of warm clothes.

I found my mudding spot, set up my equipment, and stepped in. It took about 2 steps to realize that I wasn’t going to be able to walk around in that thick mud with boots. The boots got sucked in and it was nearly impossible to break the grip of the mud. I struggled hard until I got myself back onto solid ground. Then I moved my audio recorder and stepped back in. I already had mud up to my crotch, so I was determined to get more video before I stripped off my muddy clothes and made my way back. That second dip found me almost waist deep in thick mud and pretty effectively stuck.

I eventually dragged myself out of the mud and wandered into the water to rinse off, with the camera still recording. By that time, the sun was about to set, so I put the camera away and got serious about getting cleaned up and into dry clothes. My toes were nearly frozen and my fingers were pretty cold. I got my muddy boots off and stripped off my muddy jeans. I rinsed off as well as I could, toweled off the excess water, and put on dry clothes for the paddle home. Fortunately, I had dry socks and shoes with me. I had, at least, anticipated not wanting to stay in cold, wet boots any longer than necessary.

I paddled hard on the way back to build up my core body temperature. I was also racing the setting sun. I arrived back at my car shortly after sunset. My toes were still cold, but the rest of me was pretty warm. It was nice to get into a warm car, once I had my gear loaded. The best part was the hot shower I took when I got home, and the hot bowl of soup I ate after I got out of the shower. As I like to say, “Its all part of the adventure”.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention; the video is finished and available for download. It’s definitely not my usual video style. The body rig does not product a steady video, but it’s an interesting point of view. I found it conveyed the struggle in a way that you wouldn’t get from a tripod shot. Here is the link: Swamping in Jeans & Boots

This is the clip I made on November 16 (see my previous blog entry). I’m wearing skin tight, and I mean “skin tight”, shorts and a chopped t-shirt, because what would be the point in wearing skin tight shorts if I covered them up with a long t-shirt?

I tried to balance on that shaky, slippery beam and I fell into the mud (surprise!). The first time I fell in, it took me several minutes to get myself back out. After that, I fall in several more times; a couple of times I fall head-first. There is some more struggling, and some good shots of my muddy body, as I drag myself up onto the beam. Although I don’t go completely under the mud, I manage to get completely covered in mud.

The clip is available now, in my store. Here is a link to the clip.