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23. HELLA KITTY!
9 months ago
18. Cocker
10 months ago
16. a part of me
10 months ago
13. Tea / Las Alturas Fire, Santa Barbara California
1 year ago
November 2008 A fire broke out in the mountains above Santa Barbara California. I took my video camera up 2 days in a row and got all the footage I could before I got in trouble with the police for not having a press pass.

This was shot with the HVX200 (stock lens) and edited with FCP

The music is "in the cold I'm standing" by M83

Over 200 houses burned to the ground.
My heart goes out to everyone who lost their homes in this horrible fire.

Credits

384 Likes

  • Brian Boudreau 1 year ago
    Excellent work Patrick!

    Like the opening scenes had that run and gun warzone feel, good music choice. and over all well edited. nice work.

    I feel for everyone who lost homes in this fire
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  • ße ωell ;-) plus 1 year ago
    its like a day in hell or something from a warzone - something I hope I never experience first hand. My thoughts are with those involved in this terrible fate.

    Well put together and a chilling sound track - very fitting for the circumstance.
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  • brian hunt plus 1 year ago
    Dam that looked like a war zone

    Great work!
  • josh@firestorm 11 months ago
    it totally looks like that!
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  • David G Brown 1 year ago
    awesomeawesomeawesome
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  • Don Barthelmess 1 year ago
    Awesome shots and editing. You have a great career ahead of you.
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  • Blake Whitman staff 1 year ago
    this is amazing. thanks for sharing.
  • Patrick Lawler plus 1 year ago
    Thanks for taking the time to watch my video!
  • Gary Kitchen 11 months ago
    Very well captured in the heat of the moment (bad pun ;( such a horrible, pandemic feel, what a task to chronicle all that and not hurt for them. Really like your use of the fade shots and focus pull-in at the beginning, sets the stage for what's going to hit you next. Well done!
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  • ali 1 year ago
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  • Thaddeus Schwartz plus 1 year ago
    Very moving... it is one thing to hear and see a sound bite on the evening news... this however is entirely different... I could almost smell the acrid smoke. Excellent.
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  • Edgar Vasiluk 1 year ago
    very sad....this video should be on tv news
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  • Tom Dowser 1 year ago
    Very well done
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  • OnyxMedia 1 year ago
    Whoa... I felt like I was there, you really felt the tragedy. Much more impactful than anything I have seen on the news. Excellent work.
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  • Bertalan Nagy 1 year ago
    Crazy sight, i use to live there. We moved less then a year ago and now we heard our old house is gone. Pretty intense.

    Great vid by the way. Nice Music
  • GROCERYBAG.TV plus 1 year ago
    M83.
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  • Ben Millett 1 year ago
    Just amazing. Incredible what a fire out of control can do.
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  • Magnus Jørgensen 1 year ago
    Nice camera work. I was suprised how destroyed it actually was. This is not what was showed on tv. This looks like a war zone.
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  • Patrick Lawler plus 1 year ago
    Wow thanks everyone for the awesome feedback!
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  • adonis 1 year ago
    So terrible. And what a lovely place to live. The worst part is losing family pictures. That stuff can't be replaced.
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  • Perry Morris Jr. 1 year ago
    Wow! Looked like a scene from the PS3 game "Call of Duty 4"! Amazing footage. I feel sorry for the people who lost their homes.
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  • Mac 'n Cheese 1 year ago
    I live right next to where this fire was, awesome edit, you really captured and communicated the hopelessness that people felt and the real power of the fire.
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  • Jon Rawlinson plus 1 year ago
    That was incredibly powerful. The music made it very intense.

    So sad about all the fires in California. My moms house almost burned down last year in San Diego. All the neighbors homes were destroyed.
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  • Mark Birney 1 year ago
    That footage is chilling to watch. As people have mentioned, it looks like a warzone.

    The music made it all that more immersive. Could someone tell me the name of the song by any chance?

    I haven't seen or heard much about the fires in California, but this really brings you back to earth with a bump. I only hope aid can come to the people as soon as possible.
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  • Jan Merlin 1 year ago
    Very nice pictures!
    Can you tell me whats the name of the song? And what artist?
    Thank you!
  • Patrick Lawler plus 1 year ago
    the band is M83 and the song is called "in the cold I'm standing"
  • Mark Birney 1 year ago
    Thanks a lot :)
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  • Jordan 1 year ago
    fuck, thank goodness they finally have it contained, i was at SMHS watching their play when i first saw it
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  • Brett 1 year ago
    yeah i live in ventura county. great shots
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  • Scott Young 1 year ago
    Great work, Patrick. Except for the heat that is exactly what it was like. Oh, and the smell. Fires stink.
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  • Dominic Silva 1 year ago
    Really brings it into prespective at 1:07 when you can see how small the power lines are compared to the flames.
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  • Sean Miller plus 1 year ago
    fantastic footage!
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  • J-tec 1 year ago
    Unbelievable video, you really captured the horrific scene that it was there, great job

    added to my channel, The BVV
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  • yummygreens 1 year ago
    Amazing footage!
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  • brett stormoen 1 year ago
    well done.
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  • ◄TЯÜE► 1 year ago
    Upsetting to see the devastation, but well-captured nonetheless.
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  • Chad Beaty 1 year ago
    Hey Patrick! Just moved from Ventura to Texas. I miss the ocean... oh well. Great vid for a great tragedy... there seems to be more and more fires around the area lately. I remember coming out and having ash all over my truck... anyway, cool stuff...
  • Patrick Lawler plus 1 year ago
    thanks man! yea the ash everywhere really sucks, it gets in every small hole in your car and ugh just everywhere.
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  • THOMAS JULIEN 1 year ago
    great shoot
    i am french firefighter and when i see this video i m saad for the peoples who lost remembres
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  • Ant Barbour 1 year ago
    Excellent documentation of horrible circumstances you've put together a superb film
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  • Marcus Rådman 1 year ago
    No need for special effects there! Nice shots and editing!
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  • xavisert 1 year ago
    Bravo Patrick! Must be real hard to edit all this material without colapsing. Muy buen trabajo
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  • Beautiful and scary at the same time.
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  • RexInHiDef 1 year ago
    Excellent video work!
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  • André Kl. 1 year ago
    excellent thoughtfully work
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  • Caleb plus 1 year ago
    Better than anything produced for TV, that's for sure.
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  • Jessica Smith 1 year ago
    That's amazing and haunting. Thanks for sharing it with me.
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  • Evan 11 months ago
    wow it was so scary, but you captured it perfectly
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  • Sam Fluitt 11 months ago
    My name's Sam. I lived at 407 Conejo Rd. just down a few houses from the address shown at the beginning of the video. Our house was solid wood, on stilts, and we had no renter's insurance. I discovered the fire while on SBCC campus so unfortunately I didn't have the time to make my way to the house to see if anything could be pulled out. My room mate got out my laptop. That's all.

    You did do an AMAZING job of capturing what I came across when we finally got to see our place Monday morning. Police let us up early in the morning before most of the work crews crowded the area. Your footage is the most vivid I've seen yet.

    Also, I graduated from Westmont, also hit hard by the fire. I got on campus to see the extent of the damage, which was more than I expected. If you wish to see photos from there, go to westmont's main web page, there's a link. Or befriend Joel Phillips on facebook--he got the during and after shots on campus. Very moving stuff.
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  • express49 11 months ago
    This footage must be on medias , you can feel the heat and despair.And the nasty face of nature.
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  • jerm speaks 11 months ago
    I was just north of this and upwind, so I guess I got the long stick. However, I still sympathize with all of the victims, especially with the high winds and the hot weather.
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  • Demetrius Loadholt 11 months ago
    You did very well mate, love the video
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  • Marvin Bugalu Smith plus 11 months ago
    The power of nature is unbelievable the movement of air and fire on the ground is just beyond words. What this doze to the lives of the people it leaves behind it’s wake.
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  • Kenrick Fagan 11 months ago
    Wow, excellent video and editing, it demonstrates the power of nature! and its elements wrath!
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  • Slap&Tickle 11 months ago
    Wow. Fantastic compilation but sad to see. I hear that the doc from Back to the Future lost his house in it. Now, if only he could go back in time.....
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  • Sosauce 11 months ago
    great great work. thank you for this.
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  • Dan Moore 11 months ago
    being that I spent the last 4 years in college there, it blows my mind how bad that fire was. Thank you for the eternal memory.
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  • emperor makonnen plus 11 months ago
    this is just amazing..like a movie except this is real.great music. my heart goes out to those that lost their homes.
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  • Ashley Harrison plus 11 months ago
    amazing!
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  • Sam Fluitt 11 months ago
    i think it's ridiculous that the fire is primarily known for its destruction of celebrity's homes, which was rather minimal. the majority of the fire was within santa barbara city, not the more wealthy, celebrity homes of montecito.

    the only reason the media mentions celebrity losses is because the public can put a face on the destruction, a face that doesn't represent the other 209 homes that housed whole families and histories.
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  • Aaron Dalton 11 months ago
    good job on that. God, that was scary that night. I wasnt close enough to be evacuated but man, everyone in SB was effected a lil. Good edit.
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  • Brett Moulton plus 11 months ago
    two thumbs up !!!!.......love the opening scenes , hit the mark big time , great soundtrack too.....well done mate!!!
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  • Bill McKee 11 months ago
    Could I suggest that, if you haven't already, you watch the film Koyanisquatsi? The camera work is very like yours, except in K they linger over the images for 20 - 30 seconds, sometimes a minute or two. The effect can be breathtaking, and provocative. Watching the evening news, one sees much the same quickly edited shots of hillsides in flames as in your film. But one never sees the flames as they continue to lick up the hillside, destroying as they go, new trees bursting into flames, the ones behind now smoldering. Just a suggestion. Thanks for the close up view.
  • Patrick Lawler plus 11 months ago
    Oh I love Koyanisquatsi! And Powaquatsi, but the third (naquoiquatsi) wasn't my favorite because it was just them playing around with digital effects for 2 hours.

    Thanks for the comments!
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  • Emily Hayes 11 months ago
    A h u c h!
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  • Steve Field 11 months ago
    Powerful.......networks can learn a thing or 2 from your "coverage" ...very cool....
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  • Phil Carpenter plus 11 months ago
    Very nice. love the music
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  • Neil Caulfield 11 months ago
    amazing footage, although very painful to watch. i cant imagine what everyone over there is going through
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  • matty m. 11 months ago
    Awesome footage of a tragic event. I live about hour north from where this happened. This is something nobody should ever have to go through.
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  • UKAT 11 months ago
    everyone has said it. Peace.

    BTW - what cropping did you use?
  • Patrick Lawler plus 11 months ago
    2.35:1
    academy widescreen
  • UKAT 11 months ago
    thank you. Just finished checking out the rest of your clips - AWESOME!
  • Patrick Lawler plus 11 months ago
    Thanks man!
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  • Nerd Girls a Go Go 11 months ago
    Wow....
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  • Chris Kim plus 11 months ago
    Great courage to shoot this breaking news. Wish there would be voice narration to go with this remarkable video. --News junkie
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  • TRiSON 11 months ago
    astonishing footage, and love the M83, you are like those storm chasers...
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  • Traver Joehnck 11 months ago
    I live in rattlesnake canyon, and the fire burnt up to my backyard but not my house thankfully. On the night of the fire after watching my canyon glow from flames and smoke, I still didn't get the eerie feeling and sensation of devastation like I did watching this! The footage and music go SO well together, it opened my eyes to the how dramatic the fire really was!

    AWESOME WELL DONE!!!!!!
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  • Jim Graham 11 months ago
    Great Work!
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  • Paul Davis plus 11 months ago
    Unreal and haunting!
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  • Nicholas Whitaker plus 11 months ago
    very impressive work. Glad to see another TA putting out quality footage.
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  • Samuel Brady 11 months ago
    I understand why people want to move there--I use to live near there myself, and I still have family near there. However...
    theonion.com/content/video/californians_gather_to_celebrate
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  • Craig Fleming 11 months ago
    As I watched the opening scene I couldn't help but feel like I was playing "GEARS OF WAR" on XBOX. I really felt like a battered warzone.
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  • Paul Hamilton plus 11 months ago
    excellent editing - and intense coverage - well done..

    how were you able to secure the music licensing from M83? I love their music but have found it impossible to get in touch with them...

    cheers!
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  • Marcellus Suber 11 months ago
    Powerful stuff there. Excellent work.
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  • Pawlo Pascual 11 months ago
    Hi there,
    Let me just start off by saying that you a really did a marvelous work; the scoring, shooting and editing was great.

    But the thought really bothered me- how someone could shoot such a calamity and fashion it to a form of entertainment; like your work right here.

    While everyone is praising at how nice the video is, we often forget how a lot of lives were destroyed in that tragic event. It's like getting coverage of a dying person and making it a music video. idk... I just think that some things just aren't meant to be captured on cam.

    But again, great work. congrats.

    Pawlo
  • Patrick Lawler plus 11 months ago
    Pawlo I am thankful for your comments but keep in mind that no one died in this fire.

    My intent was not to exploit a tragic event and use it for entertainment purposes.
    My intent was to historically document a wildfire in a fashion that I personally had never seen before.

    I figured a musical montage would more effectively convey how it really feels to be there, in the middle of something like that, and how powerful and awe inspiring nature can be.

    I apologize if I offended you.
  • Pawlo Pascual 11 months ago
    Don't get me wrong okay? this work is on my fave list.

    I was just horrified at first to think that you were filming a musical montage on a place where people died.hehe But I was wrong. no one died. =D

    Keep up teh great work!
  • Patrick Lawler plus 11 months ago
    Thanks man, sorry about the confusion.
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  • mr. Mike 11 months ago
    This is amazing, depressing, beautiful, sad, captivating, devastating, breath taking shocking, intriguing, you walked between the legs of the beast to deliver a shocking glimpse into hell ....thanks for sharing. My heart goes out to all who have walked in this torment!
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  • T. Alan 11 months ago
    Yes, this is a very moving video. Thank you.

    A coworker of mine lost her home while she was away in Australia. No one was home at the time but she lost all of her belongings.

    She is dealing with the insurance now and my coworkers and I are holding a fundraiser breakfast for her on Tuesday.
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  • Steve 11 months ago
    Very thought provoking soundtrack that truly captured the firestorm. that was so well filmed and edited. Great journalistic coverage.

    My thoughts and prayers go out to those that lost their homes. I am so very thankful no one lost their lives in this fire.
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  • DainTurner 11 months ago
    Great doc video. Takes a lot of balls to get that close to the action. Kudos to you.
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  • Zoltan Ladanyi 11 months ago
    Very nice pictures!
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  • Ann Roche 10 months ago
    I found this very sad, fire is do destructive. You captured what happened so well.
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  • miguel jara 10 months ago
    beautiful!!! the fire in the woods...amazing. the music is really good too. thanks
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  • Philip Smith 9 months ago
    literally, this video makes me feel the heat
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  • Ozan Akinci 9 months ago
    An ethareal atmosphere!
    It strongly reminded me of Baraka and the music scored by Michael Stearns.. M83 suits seamlessly to this video!

    In certain places I noticed that you edited the rhythm of the editing synching with the rhythm of the music... adds up good momentum to the horrible event happening in front of the camera.. beautifully shot! What camera did you use? Is this the HVX200 M2 Redrock adaptor?
  • Patrick Lawler plus 8 months ago
    yea HVX200 just stock lens. There is no way that a lens adaptor could have been used, it was sooooo dark, I had everything fully open and the shutter speed way down for most of it.
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  • Arnold Marko plus 9 months ago
    Nice shots and good postproduction... I just hope, that you don't get too much of such horrible material with such a great picture in your life ;)
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