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Kevin Railsback
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Yellowstone
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Views:293  Favorited:2 Reviews:0 Comments: 14
Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Since the first explorers began documenting their discoveries to modern day, the features of Yellowstone National Park have virtually remained unchanged.
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Updated:  5 months ago
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Cinematography/Videography: Kevin Railsback Rating:  5.00 Rate: 1  2  3  4  5
Editor: Kevin Railsback Rating:  5.00 Rate: 1  2  3  4  5

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Comments



Shiv Kumar    March 13, 2008 08:30 PM
Kevin,
This was the first video I'd seen of your work. Simply, Awesome! I've wacthed this video many time and find it inspirational (I want to shoot like this one day) and calming all at once.

You've got some really good shots of the animals and the natural beauty of the place. A true eye opener for someone like me who thought Yellowstone was to do with hot water springs and the largest super volcano.

Shiv Kumar    March 13, 2008 08:31 PM
By the way, what camera and lens (if applicable) did you use?

Kevin Railsback    March 13, 2008 10:07 PM
Shiv,
Thanks for the kind words.
It was all shot with the HVX200 and the stock lens.
It was kind of a whirlwind trip at the end of May beginning of June.
Up early in the morning to catch some nice light, looking for places to film the next morning while the light was harsh and then finding a spot to catch the evening light. Then, doing it all over again the next day.
Course, I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

Donna Rowland    March 13, 2008 11:12 PM
Yellowstone
Wow, for a whirlwind trip you sure were good at finding wild life and got some spectacular shots of the animals. I know how illusive they can be!
Donna

Kevin Railsback    March 13, 2008 11:16 PM
It also helps that I've been going to Yellowstone for over twenty-five years. :)

Sadly until the laws change to eliminate the park from imposing enormous fees to shoot commercial video, I won't visit there again.

Shiv Kumar    March 13, 2008 11:29 PM
Kevin,

Would you mind elaborating on the fees part? Or actually what confused me is is this video considered "commercial"? Or did you want to actually make a commercial film kind of thing? What are the fees?

Kevin Railsback    March 14, 2008 06:47 AM
A lot of the stuff I shoot I sell as stock footage.
So, because I could potentially make money off this Yellowstone footage, it's considered commercial filming.
I planned to go on a photo tour this past February with a bunch of professional still photographers. Because I shoot video that could be used to make money, I needed a $200 permit. I needed to have a $1,000,000 liability policy with the park service named as an additional insured. On top of all that, the park service wanted to require me to pay a ranger $65 an hour to follow me around since a video tripod is considered a "tripping hazard." So, the total bill just to be allowed to shoot in the park was over $4000.

Still photographers are exempt from this. So they can use their tripods, don't need a liability policy and aren't required to pay for a permit. If you shoot video and plan to make any money off it, you are required.

Most of the still photographers that I was going on the trip with make a lot of money off their Yellowstone images. Still photographers spoke up when the legislation was being made and are exempt.
No filmmakers spoke up so we have to pay fees.

So, I can;t afford to be paying that kind of money every time I want to go to Yellowstone. So, I just won;t go again as long as the law remains to charge me these crazy fees.

There's a bill in committee right now that would eliminate them bill H.R.5502.

Sorry for the long rant it's just that I love Yellowstone so much and want to share it with people but can;t afford to do it anymore.

Shiv Kumar    March 14, 2008 07:32 AM
Kevin,

Thanks for the info, and it didn't sound like a rant. The rules seem to be absolutely absurd and you’re rightfully pissed. I think we all need to get together for this cause. Do you know what kind of action we could take? The permit fees are fine, the rest seem ridiculous.

Kevin Railsback    March 14, 2008 05:25 PM
Well, I've just been trying to inform as many people as I can. I've written all my congressmen. I've written the author and co-sponsor of bill H.R. 5502 and my next step is to start talking to organizations to try and get them onboard as well.
Photographers spoke up and were taken out of the current rules. We need to speak up as well.

Shiv Kumar    March 17, 2008 01:16 AM
So let's got organized!
We can use the XR platform to create awareness. If you have ideas about what we can do XR will be more than willing to do its part.

Mark Williams    July 20, 2008 08:09 PM
Kevin,
Very nice piece. Regarding the HVX200. I am thinking of upgrading to the HVX200a or HVX170 and want to know if you think the limited telephoto lens is a limitation. Do you use an extender and it so, details...

Thanks,
Mark
natureflixs.com

Kevin Railsback    July 20, 2008 09:24 PM
Mark,
I'm also looking at upgrading to the 200a or to the 170. The 170 has the least reach of the two but has more features than the 200a.

I think the 200 is already wide enough. On most of the shots in the Hawaii short I put up today, I had to zoom in some because the horizon line would start bowing and it looked like you were seeing the curvature of the Earth. :)

So, wider really isn't important to me.

I recently borrowed a 1.6X converter and really liked it. Barry Green told me that he can't see any real degradation in the image of the 200 with a 1.6x on it.

So sure the limited telephoto is an issue especially if you're doing wildlife and nature but I find myself wanting to do more of an animal in its environment than the in your face stuff anymore.

And frankly, if you go to places like Yellowstone you can get very, very close.
The black bear in the shot walked right next to my car. I could have reached down and pet him he was that close.

Course now situations like the wolf being chased across Lamar Valley by a pack of coyotes would have been great to have a longer reach. But, those are the times when you just sit back and marvel that you're able to see something like that happen.

So right now, I'm leaning towards the 170. It's a lot smaller than the 200a so easier to travel with as well as fit in with the tourists. It also has more features than the 200a. The only negative is it's a wider lens than the 200a.

Keep me posted on what you decide to do.

Mark Williams    July 20, 2008 10:22 PM
Kevin, thanks for the response. I am thinking the 170 with the 1.6x extender would do the job for me. I agree that its smaller size would be a real advantange to what you and I shoot. So, I am saving the $$$ at this point and maybe by December I will make the plunge. By the way, love your slow-mo work with the hvx200.

What are your editing system specs. I will probably have to upgrade from my old computer and premiere 6.5.

Regards,

Mark

Kevin Railsback    July 20, 2008 10:45 PM
Mark,

I'm just editing with Final Cut Studio 2 on a 17" 1.67 Ghz G4 Powerbook.
I can't even watch my own videos on ExposureRoom because my computer can't handle it. :)

One of these days I'll upgrade but I'm putting money into gear since even though it's slow, I can still edit on the system I have.

I'm a 60fps junkie that's for sure! :) My HVX defaults to 60fps when you turn it on so I hardly ever shoot anything at "normal" speeds anymore.



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