Documentary Filmmaker Janssen Powers makes me want to go to the mountains immediately. The beautiful Pacific Northwest is on amazing display in "Muir Song," an ode to naturalist and conservationist John Muir. Fittingly released on what would have been his 178th birthday, Powers takes us on a beautiful journey through the mountains and sea. If after watching this video you haven't booked your tickets (or if you're lucky to live there and don't go outside immediately), there is truly something wrong with you.
Even if you're not an outdoor enthusiast, this video will probably turn you into one or at least get you curious. I for one know that after watching this, it makes me miss the time I spent in the mountains, and I'm currently searching Google Flights. The words of John Muir are spoken by Lou Whittaker, an amazing climber and PNW native. The delivery and imagery of the quote got me right in the heart, and Powers captures so well that each of his "actors" really feel what's being said; they are each living out their song.
Filmed with a Red Scarlet Dragon and Freefly MoVI M10 Gimbal, Powers' team needed to keep things compact as they were traveling and hiking into challenging locations. He was able to keep this beautiful cinematic look by using a Isco Ultra Star anamorphic lens adapter. For the amazing aerials, a DJI Inspire 1 was used, purchased the day before production started. Filmed over the span of multiple seasons, Powers had time to edit and color the film himself. Often overlooked, sound can make or break your film, so he turned to sound designers to help him tie everything together.
This beautiful work captures such a true and raw beauty of the natural world and a look at the relationship between people who care for her. Earth Day is tomorrow, so let this film inspire you to get outdoors and enjoy Mother Nature, but please be sure to take care of her too. With limited resources and some people's general disregard for caring for our planet, it may just be our jobs as photographers and cinematographers to capture the beauty that is still here to help show others that our Earth is worth saving.
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I loved the opening sequence. At first, I was mentally criticizing how dark and dreary it was but then... Just perfect. Of course the rest was good but you kinda expected it to be.
Terrific. It is all very well done of course, but I think what sets this apart from similar productions is the amazing soundscape.
Amazing job