Sharing our work

imaginACTION_films wrote on 4/10/2012, 11:15 PM

It was good to see Bob's impressive video. Thought I'd share something of my own.
This clip is from a documentary I made about my father's time as a searchlight operator at Australia's secret WWII airbase, Truscott, on the remote Anjo Peninsula in northern Australia.
To help bring the project to life I flew several events in Flight Simulator X, captured the sequences at full 1920x1080 using a program called FRAPS, converted those files to cineform AVIs, then edited them into the program using Sony Vegas Pro.

In this sequence, which shows the last flight of Australian air ace Keith 'Bluey' Truscott, I flew the same flight three times using each of the three aircraft, then using Bezier masking in Vegas, I produced the composite of two Kittyhawks following the Catalina.

It was a huge task for the entire 56 min program but extremely rewarding and made vastly simpler because Vegas is so powerful. Other sample clips are available on our website www.imaginaction.net.au and the finished DVD can be ordered by emailing me if you wish.

Hope you like it!
David

Comments

farss wrote on 4/11/2012, 2:11 AM

That's a great effort, well done.

What part of Australia are you from?

Bob.

ushere wrote on 4/11/2012, 2:33 AM

makes me want to spend the $25 for the full length version ;-)

excellent....

imaginACTION_films wrote on 4/13/2012, 12:00 AM

Thanks, Bob. Appreciated.

I'm a Melbourne boy. Check the contact details at our website

I'm screening the video and giving a talk about it at the Shrine of Remembrance in August. The video has put me in touch with a wide network of veterans, although of course their numbers are dwindling fast. It really has been a fantastic window on a little-known part of our Aussie military history.

Here's the blurb from the DVD.
Documentary film maker Dr David Smith and his father, searchlight operator Gordon Smith of the 67th AASL, visit RAAF Landing Ground Truscott for the 50th Anniversory of the completion of Australia’s secret World War II airbase. Truscott was a crucial departure point for heavy bombers making sorties over South-East Asia in the final months of the war. It was also critical in the defence of Australia following the extended bombing of Darwin from the 19th of February, 1942.

A grim feature of the base is the remarkably preserved wreckage of Liberator A72-160 which crashed on take-off, killing all of the crew. Pilot Frank Sismey’s wife, Enid, was pregnant at the time with their daughter, Helen. Helen Sismey, now Helen Brown, was tracked down just two weeks before the reunion and joined the more than seventy veterans and their families at the reunion in May 1994.

Remade using digital technology, Return to Anjo includes spectacular helicopter aerials and computer simulations of key events including Squadron Leader Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott’s last flight, as well as the crashes of Liberators A72-160 and
A72-80. David and his father explore the rusty remains of the base together. Helen confronts the wreckage of the aircraft in which the father she never knew perished.

“A masterpiece of historical significance...
...destined for the Australian National Archives.”
John Westwood,
Redgum Television Productions

imaginACTION_films wrote on 4/13/2012, 12:01 AM

Thanks Leslie. Email me via our website listed in the first post and I'll mail you a copy.

imaginACTION_films wrote on 4/13/2012, 12:02 AM

Meant to ask - where are you from? I've enjoyed your many cotributions to the forum.

ushere wrote on 4/13/2012, 12:41 AM

who, bob or myself?

bob's in the emerald city, i'm stuck way up the hunter valley (about 30km north of scone).

Rory Cooper wrote on 4/13/2012, 1:49 AM

Thanks David “labor of love” somehow always produces the best results as with Bob’s clip these type of projects touches you in areas that other pro work can’t reach.

ushere wrote on 4/13/2012, 2:39 AM

i have to say i'm truly amazed what 'makes it' on the net. the video i did 2.5 years ago for an exhibition has now reached almost 130k views! unfortunately it doesn't make any money, but the bragging rights are worth it ;-)