My Alaskan Backyard Squirrel
My Alaskan backyard squirrel came by this morning for some sunflower seeds I had put out from him. The squirrel in return gave me quite the performance for the camera. It is amazing to see the squirrel this up close and alert for all the sounds in the environment of the city, in our small backyard here in Anchorage Alaska. The technique for opening the seeds and just enjoying the core of the sunflower seed is amazing.
So, how many seeds did it have this morning?
How did it put them all away? - Must have been hungry.
No AI was used in making this documentary film about the Alaskan backyard squirrel, just a great sound scape with music composed by Brian Satterwhite and his team of talented musicians.
Our Alaskan squirrel is a member of the Sciuridae family of medium sized rodents. It’s a fast runner, on a run before eating the sunflower seeds, it could make a run at ten to twenty mph. This morning after the visit, may be not quite so fast, but who knows, it would at least have the energy on a full belly.
This SlowTV film by Paul Andrew Lawrence was filmed in Anchorage Alaska USA one morning during late winter using the Arri ALEXA Mini LF with the Arri Signature Prime lens 280mm T2.8 with 1.7x extender. The shallow depth of focus was creatively used to separate the Squirrel from all the tree branches of the background and have the distinct focus on the Squirrel handling and eating the sunflower seeds. This makes the experience so much more distinct, having the time to see, hear, observe the small animal up close and personal, learning how it opens the seed and the technique applied. The details of the large format video sensor of the camera makes all details and the whiskers stand out in clear sharp focus and the small front paws handling the sunflower seed makes for added respect of the small squirrel and the animal being alive and intelligent as it is expressing an acute awareness of the environment, a wild animal always alert and knows its place in the larger environment of the inner city.
The sound design created for the film in Dolby ATMOS was done with great attention to detail, handling the sunflower seed, opening them and putting them away one after another and the free flowing music score written by Brian Satterwhite and performed by Yngvild Vaten Guttu on the very unique Norwegian “Willow Bark Overtone Flute” also known as the Seljefloyte together with the rest of the music team.
The film “My Alaskan backyard squirrel” is part of the Slow TV broadcasting genre. What makes this such a unique film, its a one take, from beginning to end, just one continues take, no cuts just a fun continues take and no “AI” applied to the production or post production. Uninterrupted real time coverage of the event and performance of the Alaskan Squirrel. The real time immersive visual experience is additional enhanced with full immersive sound design in Dolby ATMOS and made available in binaural stereo for headphone or earbuds viewing.