More on those always entertaining and interesting hummingbirds. This film – “Nature’s Flying Jewels” – comes from Los Angeles area musician-artist, Sheri Watson. Her first-hand documentary of Allen’s Hummingbird chicks begins with the mother’s nest building and follows them to their fledging from the nest and first flights. The video was re-edited from an original version posted in 2012; it corrects some initial mis-information and includes additional educational commentary. Original music by Sheri from her album “Shuniya.” See her additional post-production comments below.  Time: 8:18.

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When I contacted Sheri about her film, she added these following retrospective comments. I include them, with her permission, as an interesting and personal view into the process of creating the film.

This is the first film I ever made; I saw the nest and began taking photographs with a tiny digital elph point and shoot camera, never intending to make a film. When I realized the camera shot motion picture, I started filming them that way. I stood outside on a window ledge for hours and hours capturing the footage. I spoke to a hummingbird rehabber who guided me through what to expect.

I went to the Apple Store almost daily for six weeks to their one-to-one trainings where you can go and work on your projects and get instruction. Sadly, they do not offer that program anymore. I edited the first version in iMovie, which I posted on YouTube and to date has nearly 3 million views. I then went back to the Apple Store and and re-edited it in Final Cut Pro X, which is a more professional editing program, just to learn that program. The music in the film is from my CD called “Shuniya.”

I did learn after posting the original version that I made some errors, so while preparing to enter the film into a film festival a few years later, I used that opportunity to go back in and re-edit the narration, correcting my errors and adding even more educational information. I called this film “Nature’s Flying Jewels,” which is what the Europeans called the hummingbirds when they arrived in South America and saw them for the first time, as hummingbirds only exist in the North and South Americas. I recently posted this updated version on YouTube and this is version that is shared in this blog.

I have made other films if you care to see them. There aren’t any more about birds, but I seem to like to film things that fly: kites, fireflies, and butterflies, so far. You can view these films on my channel:    https://www.youtube.com/c/SheriWatson724

Thank you for your support!

Thank you very much, Sheri.
[Chuck Almdale]