INTERFACE by Dark Overlord Pictures

[Mobie540]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/36330/1213288365.jpg

Synopsis: A computer programmer discovers how to communicate with the future.

[Mobie540]

CREW
Director, producer, writer, et al - Christopher Westfield

Shot with a webcam.

CAST
Davie - Chris Thoman
DJ - Tara Turnbull
Doctor - Michael Silver

UPDATES
12 May - Script finalized
13 May - Storyboards finished
19 May - Set finished
20 May - 1st day of filming
21 May - 2nd day of filming
22 May - 3rd day of filming
27 May - 4th day of filming
02 Jun - Final day of filming wrapped.

[Mark Johnson]

Welcome to the party.

[Mobie540]

Screen Captures

6532

6533

6534

6546

[Mobie540]

Screen grabs posted.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Cool grabs! What ratio are you shooting at?

[Mobie540]

Cool grabs! What ratio are you shooting at?

I'm using my built in webcam so I'm not sure the ratio.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Very cool! I think all the movies must be 16:9 in order to be accepted but you could always crop it a bit if you have to.

Sounds interesting!

Mike

[Mobie540]

I think all the movies must be 16:9 in order to be accepted but you could always crop it a bit if you have to.


eh, really? Can I get a mod to confirm that? Otherwise yeah, I'll just crop it if need be.

[Simon Höfer]

Oh, just recognized this thread. Welcome to the fest!

How about a poster? :D

[Chuklz]

eh, really? Can I get a mod to confirm that? Otherwise yeah, I'll just crop it if need be.


Doesnt say anything about aspect ratio in the contest rules, does it?

[Simon Höfer]

Actually it doesn't. I also checked it. I think they somehow missed this part, because it states something about letterbox, which doesn't make much sense without it being widescreen. At least last fest it was widescreen for sure.

[Kyle Stebbins]

eh, really? Can I get a mod to confirm that? Otherwise yeah, I'll just crop it if need be.

Yeah, that's been the trend in most all previous dvxfests. - It's a real simple crop. What are you editing in?

It's really cool to see people shooting on webcams, and cell phones... sweet!

[Mobie540]

Poster added.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Yeah, that's been the trend in most all previous dvxfests. - It's a real simple crop. What are you editing in?

It's really cool to see people shooting on webcams, and cell phones... sweet!Very simple crop. I agree.

Nice poster, btw.

[Simon Höfer]

Yep, nice poster :)

[Mobie540]

Yeah, that's been the trend in most all previous dvxfests. - It's a real simple crop. What are you editing in?

It's really cool to see people shooting on webcams, and cell phones... sweet!

Final cut so it won't be too difficult.

[Chuklz]

I'd probably only crop it if it looks good cropped, or it disqualified you if you didnt.

[Mobie540]

Roughcut finished, color correct and sound next.

[Barry_Green]

Widescreen was a requirement for prior fests, but we dropped that requirement for this fest. The "letterbox" rule is still in there because it just makes for inefficient video; you should author your MP4 or MOV at the aspect ratio you're working with so that it's a full-frame 4:3 or widescreen image, not letterboxed 4:3.

[Mobie540]

Widescreen was a requirement for prior fests, but we dropped that requirement for this fest. The "letterbox" rule is still in there because it just makes for inefficient video; you should author your MP4 or MOV at the aspect ratio you're working with so that it's a full-frame 4:3 or widescreen image, not letterboxed 4:3.

Cool.


Well the film is finished!!!! Just struggling to get it under 50mb. Last save was at 51.9mb, eh.

Also, I'm debating whether to get a composer.

[Mobie540]

WOO HOO! The final cut is finished and under 50mb. Just waiting on where to submit.
/thumb twittling

[totitefilms]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/36330/1212766994.jpg


Synopsis: A programming student struggles to complete his time travel mod.

I like your poster :happy:

[Mobie540]

New poster added.

[Drew Ott]

Cool idea.

I thought the girl playing chess and the political thing at the end were both unnecessary.

Entertaining short though. I enjoyed it.

[Mattykins]

Rolling and Reviewing...

Had a very youtube effect to it. I think that is what you were going for. I liked the reverse shot in the mirror.

Essentially what you have is two parallel universes running separately? I don't actually understand the concept. But the end was certainly interesting.

President Obama? That totally pulled me out of the film. Politically that wouldn't make any sense what-so-ever. But I digress. The end killed it for me.

[Mobie540]

As far as feedback for 'Interface', please post any and all feedback. Good, bad, indifferent. What you did/did not like. Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings. Your feedback helps me become a better filmmaker.

[Existentialist]

Very interesting. Here's some feedback and my review:

The good:
I like the way the camera was always very "live recording", but then suddenly you get that documentary effect, as it goes to a film feel rather than the guy recording in his own computer POV feel. Well done and well conceptualized.

I love what you did to that wall. How many hours working on that? Good job.
The editing was pretty good as well, shows some skill, good job.

The bad:
Did not like the character AJ in there. But I suppose she kind of tied in at the written up wall scene. Still, her lines and presence I felt were useless.

The reporter's acting was pretty bad. Maybe a bit more work on him there.

The Obama thing didn't upset, it was your artistic touch to the future.


Overall, a good film. Would probably make an interesting long feature.

Good job.

[Gohanto]

Nice job. I really liked the wall covered in his writing, but the door frame kinda took me out of it as then I knew it was just a house. The editing of that scene was very good though.

The chess board wasn't really needed. I really liked the shot of the girl sitting down visible only through the mirror initially. Unique concept for a short and it was well done. Cool short overall and I enjoyed it.

[Zim]

Great idea. I liked the ending. Kind of a good spin on time travel. The chess board was not really needed. I thought the "president Obama" part was funny.

[Dustin R. Rogan]

I liked this one! I"ll have to re-watch this. watched it when I was tired. but I remember that I liked it...

will edit this later..

Rogan

[ZazaCast]

Good job. I liked the film overall, but have to go back and watch it again to grasp all the different concepts involved. I didn't understand the girls part? (is she just in his mind?) ...or the ending?

There were some really cool shots using the mirror and I loved the insane asylum (until I realized it was just bedroom or something). I think this one could have really benefitted from some music here and there (an underscore).

Really good & I look forward to future films!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Chilling! Pretty cool idea. I liked the last 2 acts and the way that you ended it. I'm a sucker for this kind of movie. :)

The asylum shots were quite good as well. Keep at it!

Cheers,

Mike

[Mobie540]

I love what you did to that wall. How many hours working on that?

Took about an hour or so.

I didn't understand the girls part? (is she just in his mind?) ...or the ending?



Essentially what you have is two parallel universes running separately? I don't actually understand the concept. But the end was certainly interesting.


ZazaCast, Mattykins those are some really great questions. The answers are there.

[Existentialist]

ZazaCast, Mattykins those are some really great questions. The answers are there.[/quote]

LOL great answer.

[pauly_the_hitman]

I dug this film it was well thought out and was a great concept. Well done guys.

[alex whitmer]

I need to watch this one again as well. I know the answers are there, just going to need a few runs.

Love the asylum scene. Must have been fun (and hard work) to set all that up.

alex

[gabrielflorit]

I was drawn into the film from the first second, but I thing you should have ended it with the shot of the observatin camera in the asylum. Everything else after that is unnecessary, and Obama ordering nukes.... that just doesn't work. But the first part was way cool, especially with the idea of one having a conversation with oneself... probably the first time in this fest that a film got me thinking. Way cool.

[Bryce A]

hey, i liked the use of the character based cameras. The film actually making itself feel. Huge fan of that.

I just wasn't sure of the tonal mix. It seemed like it started very natural, but shifted between completely natural (nicely done), overly serious in the mental institution, and humorous. Part of that could have been the acting (sorry!) or what you were going for. I would have loved to see the whole pic played straight. Completely natural.

I wanted it to be completely done through web cam/surveillance cam/ so on.... but it was wasn't it? cause he's dipping into the timestream and that's what he sees? VERY COOL IDEA.

I really liked your film. There are flaws for sure (yes, the news report acting was.... i have to just say it.... BAD. I'd rather not have it at all, than pull me out of the moment), but your creativity is in equal force. I'd reevaluate how to get that creativity to stop out the flaws.

Great work!!!

[Mobie540]

hey, i liked the use of the character based cameras. The film actually making itself feel. Huge fan of that.

I just wasn't sure of the tonal mix. It seemed like it started very natural, but shifted between completely natural (nicely done), overly serious in the mental institution, and humorous. Part of that could have been the acting (sorry!) or what you were going for. I would have loved to see the whole pic played straight. Completely natural.

I wanted it to be completely done through web cam/surveillance cam/ so on.... but it was wasn't it? cause he's dipping into the timestream and that's what he sees? VERY COOL IDEA.

I really liked your film. There are flaws for sure (yes, the news report acting was.... i have to just say it.... BAD. I'd rather not have it at all, than pull me out of the moment), but your creativity is in equal force. I'd reevaluate how to get that creativity to stop out the flaws.

Great work!!!

Thanks for the great feedback to you and everyone else who posted here.

SPOILERS:

To answer your question specifically on the cameras there are four POV's in the dorm room that Davie uses to capture his experiment 1) webcam 2)screenshot capture software on the computer 3)camcorder behind him 4)an unknown side shot. (This may help answer other questions about the plot)

When he wakes up in the bed I was going to go straight surveillance cam look but felt I was limited to only one shot and POV so I cheated with the reveal. I really wanted him to see himself in the fractured mirror and felt a sole surveillance cam shot wouldn't convey the message I was going for. Also I was shooting around my set limitations.

As far as the reporter in 'Cheyenne Mountain', unfortunately I was going for a straight read as if he was thrown in front of the camera at the last minute b/c of the incoming missile strikes. I even think it's bad but I spent many years in the military and people actually brief like that so I thought it was realistic enough.

[Horncastle]

This was one with real ups and downs. I really didn't feel that the long first half of him recording his own monologue worked. I think this was a basic structural problem with the script. Then suddenly we are in the clinic and everything's much better. I loved the black and white colour scheme with all the writing on the walls and the broken mirror. Some great shots there. And the violent cutaways were great for creating the atmosphere of the clinic. Then the end of the world/nuclear war thing passed be by really. It was written on the wall, so your character had presumably seen it in the future, but it seemed to be a bit of an add-on at the end.
It was well worth it for the clinic scenes though. Those walls had a definite 80's graffiti feeling to them which I really liked.

[Matt Sconce]

Interesting concept. It would be scary to have something like the ending happen. I am still confused as to why that happened, but I applaud you for making this on your webcam. It is time to grab a 24p beauty of a camera and get crackin. I look forward to seeing what you do.

[Mark T. Aro]

Yeah KUDOS for what you did with this and how you did it... I like the concept and it did kinda feel those errors that I get now and then where it is just cycling in a redundancy loop or something along those lines, but it seemed like there could be some clarification.
Overall... good job!

[Danielleus]

Hey,

Just caught the flick. Gotta say, I really really liked it. I like the elliptical nature of the whole thing (I just did a movie for LOVEfest with the same kinda structure) and commend you on writing and conceiving such a layered and intricate work.
This is a very interesting piece. I like that there are, overall, a lot of different ways of looking at it. Or maybe just one, but it's a bit of a maze to get there. I think you're right that the pieces are all there. For my money, I'd say work on making some of it a little more apparent. Not necessarily putting it in people's faces but kind of pushing us in the right direction. Best laid plans, right? As an audience member, I want a clue as to what I should be looking for. I know, it's all there but as the creator you see it much more vividly and directly then we could. It made a lot of sense to me the second go around but if I hadn't read some of the other posts, I wouldn't have had a second (third even) go around to try and piece it together. I think, if you downsized some of the layering (I know, it hurts) you could spend some time breathing some room into some of the scenes and maybe directing your audience too.
But I really like what you did here.


SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




The thing that gets me is the girl. I get the split personality stuff. I get that she's one of his personalities (I'm right there, right? Hence DJ and his own name) but where does it happen? It's hard cause when we see her in the, what I can only allude to as the present, it seems that she's physically there (I would have liked to have her only be in the mirror. I think that would have pushed it even more. Alas, she's in the web-cam shot). For me, I would have liked a how/why she is there/one of the personalities. If I missed something PM me and I'll watch it again.

I agree with the comments about the news reporter. It seemed a little silly. Pinning Obama to it hurts just because it gives it a name. We COULD fire nukes on China, but putting it Obama makes it seem.....fake. But I liked what you were doing and I got it. And I understand what you were going for (I read your earlier reply about being thrown in front of the camera, etc). I think he got that "I was just thrown in front of a camera and have no idea what these words are" down fine. I think it was missing the "damn, this is incredibly nerve racking as the end of the world is approaching and being in front of a camera unnerves me" would have tipped it more, for me, towards credibility.

Overall I think this is a great film that has an amazing attention to detail, subtlties, intricacies, and an interesting plot. I like that you took the idea, and the device, thought about how you wanted it to work, and then made it personal my investing it in a specific character. Love this piece, love your work. Congrats. Next time, slightly better equipment, eh?

Well done.

[jasonthewho]

I like the idea of telling the story mostly through footage from his webcam and the other cam he has set up. I think it would have been cool if everything could have been done this way, in a Cloverfield way where you could pretend that this was all found footage.

I'm not quite sure if all the logistics work in your movie. He calls himself from the future, but it appears that he never makes the call that he recieves in the past. And even if he did, it seems unlikely he would be particularly excited, since he would already know that his device worked. Am I making any sense? I'm not sure I'm making sense to myself. All I've got to say is, time travel is a tricky bitch.

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Very intriguing concept, though I thought you cheaped out in making it a 'is he crazy?' sorta flick. Loved the creative reasons for using a webcam and handycam.

Also loved President Obama nuking the world :-)

[Mobie540]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




The thing that gets me is the girl. I get the split personality stuff. I get that she's one of his personalities (I'm right there, right? Hence DJ and his own name) but where does it happen? It's hard cause when we see her in the, what I can only allude to as the present, it seems that she's physically there (I would have liked to have her only be in the mirror. I think that would have pushed it even more. Alas, she's in the web-cam shot). For me, I would have liked a how/why she is there/one of the personalities. If I missed something PM me and I'll watch it again.

Well, the audience is suppose to make the determination if DJ is real or not. There are two ways to look at it. SERIOUS SPOILERS:

In the case that DJ is NOT real (the present timeline is 2008), she is shown in the mirror and on the webcam. She appears on the webcam b/c there's a screen open on the laptop that Davie sees and she's there b/c Davie sees it. And in the mirror b/c DJ and Davie play chess with each other through this mirror. Since DJ is a personality of Davie (think Fight Club) she knows exactly what is going to happen if he tests his 'time travel program', hence the initial conflict between the two (DJ knows what Davie knows). The fabric of this dorm room life will be destroyed and DJ will no longer exist, revealing the truth = Davie is crazy and living in this mental institute. Several of his multiple personalities are revealed to him and he throws the baseball disrupting his dorm room world. At the end of the short he does not accept the truth he slips back into his dorm room world again.

In the case that DJ IS real (the present timeline is 2005), then the time travel program works. He really does chat with himself. But it's too much information to know and ultimately trying to tell people of the end of the world in 2012. People think he is crazy and they lock him in a mental institute 3 years later. Since he is theoretically still testing his program, he sees a glimpse of his future in the mental institute and this doctor talking about his mental illness. But he really is not crazy. Also on his computer screen is the future nuclear war (the third window at the end is his future graduation from college).

In both scenarios the ending is open ended. "CONTINUE Y/N? N" So does he not continue down this crazy dorm room world and accept his mental illness OR does he not continue looking into the future saving himself but letting this future nuclear end of the world happen?



I agree with the comments about the news reporter. It seemed a little silly. Pinning Obama to it hurts just because it gives it a name. We COULD fire nukes on China, but putting it Obama makes it seem.....fake. But I liked what you were doing and I got it. And I understand what you were going for (I read your earlier reply about being thrown in front of the camera, etc). I think he got that "I was just thrown in front of a camera and have no idea what these words are" down fine. I think it was missing the "damn, this is incredibly nerve racking as the end of the world is approaching and being in front of a camera unnerves me" would have tipped it more, for me, towards credibility.

Overall I think this is a great film that has an amazing attention to detail, subtlties, intricacies, and an interesting plot. I like that you took the idea, and the device, thought about how you wanted it to work, and then made it personal my investing it in a specific character. Love this piece, love your work. Congrats. Next time, slightly better equipment, eh?

Well done.
Thanks for the great feedback and taking the time to watch the short. Yes I was limited by equipment and lack of a crew so I focused completely on story and tried to shoot with the limitations I was given. But next time I'm raising the bar for myself and submitting an entry that is on par with some of the better entries.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Oooh... I like the idea that you stated in your spoiler. Very interesting stuff! :thumbsup:

[Mobie540]

I like the idea of telling the story mostly through footage from his webcam and the other cam he has set up. I think it would have been cool if everything could have been done this way, in a Cloverfield way where you could pretend that this was all found footage.

I'm not quite sure if all the logistics work in your movie. He calls himself from the future, but it appears that he never makes the call that he recieves in the past. And even if he did, it seems unlikely he would be particularly excited, since he would already know that his device worked. Am I making any sense? I'm not sure I'm making sense to myself. All I've got to say is, time travel is a tricky bitch.

Technically we are seeing the first iteration of his time travel test, so they are both excited. That's why Davie sat there and rub his head and eyes, he had to prepare his past self to know he was making the call back to himself. Now my head hurts from overthinking it.

[wesley]

haha this was a crazy film, cool concept and the clinic wall indeed looked great.
I liked the reality style that was going on in this. "i'm totally posting this on my myspace"

[Firemonkey]

Cool concept for this one, Like Jasn said I got a little lost in the paradox portion, time travel is very tricky to pull off, you run into problems like prior knowledge and seeing yourself, but its all fun, good job,.

[Susanne G.]

I am agree with the others - I like concept.

Susanne

[chstick]

I really liked your story/concept. Good job.

I also liked seeing your DV REBEL book....maybe you should read it. lol...just kidding. I love that book as it has become a bible of sorts. One thing that bothered me (about your piece) was the interlacing. Fairly easy to de-interlace. Always remember that interlacing has no place on the web.....it's for TV/broadcast.

Nice job overall. Your skills seem to be in place. Heed some of the DVXuser comments, get yourself a 24p camera, work on the audio and you're good to go.

and BTW- the end will be in 2013 (the next snake year)....close though.

[Mobie540]

and BTW- the end will be in 2013 (the next snake year)....close though.

I was going by the Ancient Mayan Doomsday which is 2012. :dankk2:

[chapelgrovefilms]

Excellent job! Could've used a better actor for the newscast. I know you said you were going for someone just thrown in front of a camera, but it failed for me. Not enough time to set that up to make it work. Use a REAL newsperson instead.

I have questions. What webcam do you use? Also, how did you get your screenshots to look so sharp and clear? I'm having a problem with that with my 'webcam' movie 'Tangled Web'.

All in all, great job!

[ConspiracyPenguin]

I was going by the Ancient Mayan Doomsday which is 2012. :dankk2:

The ancient Mayan doomsday is based on the end of the Mayan calendar which is actually 21 December 2012. :thumbsup:

As far as the film goes, I liked the concept. I got a little lost/confused in the last third. I think this shows how any camera is usable, and I like how you integrated it into the story. One thing that didn't bode well with me was the fast cuts between angles. I think I would have either kept the shot in the webcam and the video camera behind the main actor. The third vantage point never really lasted that long and kind of took me out of the story. Overall, good work, and good luck!

[ConspiracyPenguin]

Excellent job! Could've used a better actor for the newscast. I know you said you were going for someone just thrown in front of a camera, but it failed for me. Not enough time to set that up to make it work. Use a REAL newsperson instead.

I have questions. What webcam do you use? Also, how did you get your screenshots to look so sharp and clear? I'm having a problem with that with my 'webcam' movie 'Tangled Web'.

All in all, great job!

Sorry to take this off topic, but I just remembered reading "Tangled Web" for you a while back. That was when I had trouble giving criticism, but I remember I liked it a lot. Best of luck with that!

[Mobie540]

Excellent job! Could've used a better actor for the newscast. I know you said you were going for someone just thrown in front of a camera, but it failed for me. Not enough time to set that up to make it work. Use a REAL newsperson instead.

I have questions. What webcam do you use? Also, how did you get your screenshots to look so sharp and clear? I'm having a problem with that with my 'webcam' movie 'Tangled Web'.

All in all, great job!

Haha better actor, who says these folks were actors at all.

Well I used the webcam on my Macbook Pro and lit with a desklamp that had an opaque plastic cover.

[chapelgrovefilms]

Sorry to take this off topic, but I just remembered reading "Tangled Web" for you a while back. That was when I had trouble giving criticism, but I remember I liked it a lot. Best of luck with that!

Thanks man! It's cut together. If I can ever get the graphics of the simulated computer desktops figured out, it'll be ready for the composer.

[chapelgrovefilms]

Haha better actor, who says these folks were actors at all.

Well I used the webcam on my Macbook Pro and lit with a desklamp that had an opaque plastic cover.

And how did you do the screenshot images? Not the webcam video itself, but the shots of the computer desktop with the popup windows.

[Ben Sliker]

In the past few days, DVXusers Ben Sliker and Justin Kuhn sat down and chatted over AIM while simultaneously watching the same TIMEFEST films. We call them, "The AIM sessions". Here's their thoughts on "Interface"

This is a 'special edition' of the AIM sessions, Assistant Director Brad Mate and 'Woman on Bench' Marie Hartsell have joined the chat from the cast and crew of JAM. This is their second "4-person" review.

spesliker (8:52:33 PM): interface ready?
happygobo (8:52:46 PM): just a few seconds.
TheBrad84 (8:53:06 PM): what happened to marie?
spesliker (8:53:13 PM): she's here.
happygobo (8:53:25 PM): she's the strong silent type
mariaperky333 (8:53:25 PM): im still like this :o
mariaperky333 (8:53:33 PM): =-O
happygobo (8:53:35 PM): READY
TheBrad84 (8:53:40 PM): marie is hoping for more movies with boobs
spesliker (8:53:44 PM): a;right
mariaperky333 (8:53:48 PM): maayyybeee....
spesliker (8:53:48 PM): brad ready?
TheBrad84 (8:53:51 PM): yep
spesliker (8:53:55 PM): 3
spesliker (8:53:55 PM): 2
spesliker (8:53:57 PM): 1
spesliker (8:53:58 PM): go
TheBrad84 (8:54:06 PM): ack!
spesliker (8:54:13 PM): interesting choice with the quote.
TheBrad84 (8:54:13 PM): not teh abyss!
mariaperky333 (8:54:19 PM): my eyes hurt...
happygobo (8:54:27 PM): abandon hope all ye who enter here
spesliker (8:54:31 PM): zombie survival guide
spesliker (8:54:32 PM): nice
happygobo (8:54:39 PM): right on
spesliker (8:54:46 PM): what happened to the can?
happygobo (8:54:51 PM): is this dude the director?
TheBrad84 (8:55:03 PM): can keeps changing position
happygobo (8:55:12 PM): it's magical
happygobo (8:55:22 PM): oh look marie might get boobies after all
spesliker (8:55:27 PM): DUDE SHE WANTS YOU.
spesliker (8:55:33 PM): DOUCHE.
spesliker (8:55:39 PM): NERD.
spesliker (8:55:47 PM): but ... you didn't edit it out ... good call.
happygobo (8:55:49 PM): if the choice is getting laid and something else, pick getting laid
happygobo (8:55:54 PM): DUHskies... time travel later bro.
spesliker (8:56:14 PM): i figured he'd have a more sexy voice for his computer. ITS A MAC!
mariaperky333 (8:56:15 PM): im lost again
TheBrad84 (8:56:29 PM): hes talking to himself in the past from the future marie
TheBrad84 (8:56:31 PM): jeez
mariaperky333 (8:56:32 PM): 2005?
spesliker (8:56:34 PM): BUT YOU ARE YOU.
spesliker (8:56:46 PM): myspace is soo 2005
TheBrad84 (8:56:46 PM): what number am i thinking of?
spesliker (8:56:53 PM): 7 ... no 9
mariaperky333 (8:56:53 PM): woah
TheBrad84 (8:56:59 PM): 69 dude!!
spesliker (8:57:11 PM): WYLD STALLIONS!!!! Don't forget to set your watch Ted!
mariaperky333 (8:57:17 PM): spaz
happygobo (8:57:20 PM): ...
spesliker (8:57:42 PM): i want more bill and ted references.
mariaperky333 (8:57:43 PM): is he her?
happygobo (8:57:59 PM): maybe, im having a little trouble following this.
spesliker (8:58:07 PM): f*ck ... we only have 4 years to live.
happygobo (8:58:10 PM): nice bedroom as cell set-up
TheBrad84 (8:58:12 PM): bummer
spesliker (8:58:23 PM): was that a baby gate in the window?
TheBrad84 (8:58:41 PM): they really need to not do the handheld. it's a little distracting
happygobo (8:58:43 PM): they got MAD security up in this piece
mariaperky333 (8:58:48 PM): apparently the pysch ward cant afford getting their own folders
mariaperky333 (8:58:54 PM): they need a label maker
spesliker (8:59:04 PM): MARIE WITH A DYNAMITE DROP IN
happygobo (8:59:09 PM): ...why????
mariaperky333 (8:59:17 PM): was that the same guy?
mariaperky333 (8:59:27 PM): what's going on again?
happygobo (8:59:35 PM): why the nuclear war...?
spesliker (8:59:35 PM): WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY GLOBO-THERMAL NUCLEAR WARFARE?
TheBrad84 (8:59:46 PM): HOW ABOUT A NICE GAME OF CHESS
happygobo (8:59:54 PM): PLAY, (Y/N)?
spesliker (9:00:00 PM): Y
spesliker (9:00:08 PM): ah ... that was much better people.

mobie540, after thinking about it, the concept of this short was simple, man screws up universe by disrupting space/time, and it's a good concept at that. I think the methods that you chose to display it were a little flawed, but it looks like you've heard some of that already from other reviewers, so I'll try to offer some advice on what you can do to move forward.

I always try to keep this in mind when I'm trying to develop concepts for movies: KISS: Keep it simple, stupid (yes, i call myself stupid). If I know I can't do something without it looking silly, I don't even try. Cause it will detract from the movie instead of add, making the time and effort put into that section, virtually wasted.

Find/hire people who are good at what they do, and LET THEM DO THEIR JOB. If you REALLY want to be awesome, find one or two jobs that you really want to do and go after it. For me, it's direction and editing. It's hard to do it all and have a kick-ass product at the end. Hope to see you next fest. :thumbsup:

[Mobie540]

And how did you do the screenshot images? Not the webcam video itself, but the shots of the computer desktop with the popup windows.

Good screen capture software is expensive. But since my budget was the cost of Arby's for the actors.

I used a handicam for close up for the typing opening sequence.

With the footage I took of the main character chat windows it was footage I recorded via the webcam in the early days of shooting. I just used final cut and superimposed and resized it on a background of my desktop jpg. The chat requests popping up where just jpg's resized and superimposed on my desktop jpg. Having the smaller windows on the desktop background gave the impression it was screen capture software. If you want the menu bar there is screen capture freeware that will give you a jpg of your entire desktop.

Hope that makes sense.

[chapelgrovefilms]

Good screen capture software is expensive. But since my budget was the cost of Arby's for the actors.

I used a handicam for close up for the typing opening sequence.

With the footage I took of the main character chat windows it was footage I recorded via the webcam in the early days of shooting. I just used final cut and superimposed and resized it on a background of my desktop jpg. The chat requests popping up where just jpg's resized and superimposed on my desktop jpg. Having the smaller windows on the desktop background gave the impression it was screen capture software. If you want the menu bar there is screen capture freeware that will give you a jpg of your entire desktop.

Hope that makes sense.

I've tried all kinds of screen capture software. But when I pull the resulting images/video into Premiere, it looks like crap on the TV screen -- fuzzy, jittery, etc.

Great looking footage from your webcam, though! Can you give me a model number for that cam? I've never seen one that does such smooth full-screen, full-motion video. Nice job!

[Ben Sliker]

if you are on a mac, screenshot is shift-cmd-3

[chapelgrovefilms]

Wish I was on a Mac. :(

So when I get ready to do my other webcam feature -- 'The Circle' -- then all I need is 9 MacBooks. Hmmm.......that could get pricey.

[Mobie540]

I've tried all kinds of screen capture software. But when I pull the resulting images/video into Premiere, it looks like crap on the TV screen -- fuzzy, jittery, etc.

Great looking footage from your webcam, though! Can you give me a model number for that cam? I've never seen one that does such smooth full-screen, full-motion video. Nice job!

Apple Isight webcam. Mine's built-in to the laptop, they have a firewire version. It's really nice.

[Ben Sliker]

mobie,

just saw that you go to purdue, i'm a wisconsin grad myself. GO BIG TEN.

[ConspiracyPenguin]

Wish I was on a Mac. :(

BLASPHEMY! :evil:

[Postmaster]

If you are on a PC the screenshot is "print" (one of the last F-keys).

Frank

[chapelgrovefilms]

Yes, I know the key for screenshots. The problem is resolution. It's terrible when pulled into an NLE and displayed on a TV screen.

[Mobie540]

mobie,

just saw that you go to purdue, i'm a wisconsin grad myself. GO BIG TEN.

I actually graduated from Univ of Oklahoma, just taught at Purdue for a couple years. Now going back to school out in Colorado in the fall. But yeah, Go BIG TWELVE, I mean TEN!

[totitefilms]

I like the twist and the ending. The end of the world prediction is cool. I like the reporter scene. However some of the footages are a little dark and noisy for me. Adding some lighting would improve the quality of the movie a lot. You did a nice job. Congrats!

[Blaine]

You came SO close to losing me on this one. I was just about to give up on it when we got to the psycho ward. Personally, I think you would have been better served to end it on the doctor's report. The television broadcast didn't do it for me and felt like it went a bridge too far. And that had to be the youngest captain I've ever seen.

Biggest gripe was the appearing/disappearing camera behind him.

Overall, I think you did a good job.

[Chuklz]

One of things beginning filmmakers tend to is justify their choices with some sort of logic, or reason why they made a choice or kept something in that should have been cut. Unless your piece is a neo-realistic expression piece your allegiance shouldnt be to realism, or logic.

For example, in this piece theres an almost universal hatred of the newscaster. He does a poor performance and it takes the audience out of the moment. In hollywood, even if they were going to go for the- average army guy gets stuck in front of a camera... they would still hire a good actor, and pay him to make a watchable performance.

I think DJ also suffers from this a little, but she's also a legacy character from a previous draft as well. Cutting the shot of the camera through the door will do wonders to maintain the illusion of the sanitarium.

I wonder if you could add more text of do you wish to continue y/n and have him say yes... then see the graduation... then yes... see a reshot version of Obamathon.... and then the no if that would play better.

[Edgen]

Interesting idea using the webcam. Definitely takes the ‘any camera can be used’ part of the festival to the max. Time travel is always a sticky idea to people and it’s great to see your take on it.

Production wise… I don’t know what else I could say you could have done with a webcam. I think the editing could have been a bit cleaned up here and there and sound fx/dialog really seemed like they fit to the rawness of the video recording. So in that respect, I think it worked.

Who puts a mirror in a room with a crazy patient anyway? The ending doctor could have been cut completely from the film and you could just show the paper work. We don’t really need to be explained that the guy is crazy. And the end news reporter… did he smile? I would have cut that take immediately if my actors did such a thing. Friends dressing up in military gear doesn’t always work and definitely did not work here. You probably could have gotten away with a radio broadcast of the same thing.

Congrats on entering the fest.

[iSTy]

The acting was good, especially from Tara, and I did think Chris was really easy on the eye.
Liked the idea of talking to oneself ;) I do that often......... although I'm not 100% certain I understood the full story.
thank you.