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Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

3 D Video - Mermaid Show At Weeki Wachee, Fl


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The mermaid show at Weeki Wachee has been a Florida tourist attraction since the 1940's. Today it is a state park, and fortunately for tourists and the community, it is in lovely condition. In fact, Florida's State Parks, including the one at Blue Springs where we saw the manatees, are well maintained and deserving of their excellent reputation. I know we were impressed.

 

The show is performed in a huge natural spring, something I only fully realized after the show when we left the enclosed viewing stadium and walked up to the surface of the springs. After the show you can be photographed with a mermaid, or visit the well stocked gift shop. There were boat rides and reptile shows on the grounds as well.

 

Weeki Wachee is just off US19, west of Brooksville and about 40 air miles due north of Tampa It is marked on my map on You Tube along with the movie.

 

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Unbelievable that this has been going on for 60+ years! Do you know how this got started? jim

 

Jim,

 

American Road did something on it awhile back, and that is how I recognized it still existed. The fellow who started it in 1947 was a former Navy Seal who developed a breathing tube the girls used.

 

It was quite famous in its time, but places like Disney World drew visitors away. There was a near full house the day we were there, however.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Unbelievable that this has been going on for 60+ years! Do you know how this got started? jim

 

Check out this site for a history of the springs and the mermaid show.

 

http://weekiwachee.com/main/

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

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The underwater scenes don't seem to benefit from the 3D treatment as much as I thought they might. Maybe it's because there are just a few discrete "layers" (e.g., bubbles, mermaid, rock, fish). The distance between the layers is apparent but the depth of items making up the layers (yes, even the mermaids) isn't. Still, quite nice video.

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The underwater scenes don't seem to benefit from the 3D treatment as much as I thought they might. Maybe it's because there are just a few discrete "layers" (e.g., bubbles, mermaid, rock, fish). The distance between the layers is apparent but the depth of items making up the layers (yes, even the mermaids) isn't. Still, quite nice video.

 

Denny,

 

You are right. I think they were too far away. Note the lone fish swimming closer. He is in 3D. Had I used my old rig with the lenses spaced further apart, it might have been better.

 

I guess you just have to suffer a little for your art. ;)

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Enjoyed the video. I was able to point my dad to watching your 3D movies because he has one of the Fuji cameras too and hadn't seen any longer videos yet.

 

So the show itself looked a little boring, but maybe those were just the excerpts you had filmed. But I guess really what all can you do under water?

 

Chris

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Enjoyed the video. I was able to point my dad to watching your 3D movies because he has one of the Fuji cameras too and hadn't seen any longer videos yet.

 

So the show itself looked a little boring, but maybe those were just the excerpts you had filmed. But I guess really what all can you do under water?

 

Chris

 

Chris,

 

I included a very small sample of the program in a minute and a half movie. There is quite a bit of action, but it was noisy, and that didn't appeal to me as much as to kids....so as director, I left it on the cutting room floor!

 

I have developed a workflow that produces a video that fits the You Tube format. Fujifilm provides no software and no guidance whatsoever for anything post clicking the shutter. I guess they figured novices would buy the $400 viewer, and more advanced users would figure out how to display videos and stills themselves.

 

If you or your dad are not already familiar with Stereo Movie Maker, and video software that will handle 1280 X 480 easily, let me know and I'll toss a few hints your way. And if you do know of a nice workflow, I'm anxious to know it.

 

I like the camera because I can carry it in a pocket, and I'm glad I bought it, but I could (and did) do the same thing (a little less conveniently) for $200 vs. $600. And before you try to use the camera in sunlight, buy a shade for the screen, or you will truly be shooting blind.

 

Thanks for the comeback!

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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