• Notes about filming this video clip:
  • The specimen was collected from Sinking Creek in Giles County on December 11, 2003.
  • Video was recorded with a Canon XL-1 Digital Video Camcorder in EP recording mode onto a Mini Digital Video Cassette.
  • Two different lenses were used:
  • The 16x zoom lens which came with the camera was used for normal shots.
  • A 100 mm macro telephoto lens with the EF adapter XL was used for the close-up shots.
  • The camera was supported by a Vivitar V900 tripod
  • All filming (except for the stream shot) was done on my kitchen counter.
  • The l ight source was an incandescent desk lamp with a 60W bulb.
  • The specimen was filmed in two small homemade mini-aquarium tanks. The larger tank was constructed from 3"x4" lantern glass slides; the smaller tank was constructed from microscope slides. Tanks were assembled with silicon adhesive.
  • Approximately 40 minutes of video was recorded with various aquatic insect, aquarium, and magnification configurations.
  • Audio was not recorded.
• Notes about assembling this video clip:
  • Video was captured digitally by connecting the camera to an iMac computer via a DV-out to firewire connection.
  • Adobe Premiere 6.0 (for the Mac) was used to capture video clips directly from the camera at 640x320 resolution and 29.97 frames per second. Each clip was saved as a quicktime file.
  • An Adobe Premiere project was created using the DV-NTSC, 48kb preset.
  • The video clip was assembled by selecting portions of clips, ordering them, creating and adding titles, and setting transitions.
  • Once edited, the video was exported from Premiere with the following settings to optimize for the web:
    • filetype= quicktime, export video only (no audio)
    • compressor= Sorenson Video
    • frame size= 320 high x 240 wide
    • frame rate= 15
    • pixel aspect ratio= square (1.0)
    • data rate= 300 kb/sec
• The video was then embedded in this webpage.

Behind the scenes:

'Rock Shot' set-up

camera on tripod, 16X lens, medium aquarium, desklamp

'Closeup' set-up

camera on tripod, 100mm macrolens with adapter, small aquarium, desklamp

Small aquarium

small aquarium with specimen