"Picture" - A film by Amy Beth O'Brien [Archive] - DVXuser.com -- The online community for filmmaking

AmyO

08-03-2008, 04:05 PM

Well, here goes. Third times a charm, right? And this time, wait for it, I've got a crew! Yes, seriously, I went out and got myself a crew.

Obligatory poster:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/amyholly/TwilightFest/4072a970.jpg

Cast:
Rebecca - Laura McGreevey
Little Girl - Logan McGreevey

Crew:
W/D/E - Amy Beth O'Brien
Director of Photography: Sam Naiman
Camera department:
Jon Beanlands
Travis Ezell
Jake Effert
Rose Ayers
Sound Tech: Cassie Cohn
Musical Score: Justin Durban
(rest of crew signed up, but positions TBD)

AmyO

08-03-2008, 04:06 PM

BTS of Day Two (I was too focused on getting everything going Day One I didn't hand my camera to someone)

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1221606621.jpg

My awesome DP Sam (in green shirt) and Key Grip/Dolly Grip/All Around Cool Dude John set up lights while Sound Op Cassie stands (or sits) in for the talent.

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1221606398.jpg

Actress Logan gets a feel for being on the crew while Gaffer/AC/AD Travis models the new West Coast "C47" look.

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1221606588.jpg

Logan really liked the slate.

DAY THREE

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222203779.jpg

"Is that a dolly in your pocket or are you happy to see me?"
The guy I rented the HVX from had this awesome pocket dolly, so I took it for our third day of shooting to get some nice camera moves in my "cozy" house that the doorway dolly we had the weekend before couldn't manage.

SCREEN GRABS

Uncorrected

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376931.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376984.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376912.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376877.jpg

ZazaCast

08-03-2008, 04:31 PM

Welcome back! Looking forward to whatever this might be.

Simon Höfer

08-03-2008, 04:44 PM

Whoohooo!! A crew! How cool is that? I am teaming up as well!

Welcome to the fest :)

pauly_the_hitman

08-03-2008, 04:46 PM

Cool good luck look forward to seeing your entry...
Pauly

Rodney V. Smith

08-03-2008, 04:48 PM

crews really do help, so good luck and.... WELCOME!

Troy Ruff

08-03-2008, 06:52 PM

Hey welcome to the fest! Good luck :)

krestofre

08-03-2008, 08:39 PM

I really enjoyed your Timefest entry. I'm glad to see you back for this Fest. Good luck.

Shawn Philip Nelson

08-04-2008, 05:09 AM

Oh hey, I like Sam Naimen, he gripped for me on one of my shorts earlier this year, way cool dude.

Matt Sconce

08-04-2008, 09:18 AM

I loved your timefest entry. It was in my top 5. I hope everything goes great for you this time around! Congrats on the crew!

Michael Anthony Horrigan

08-04-2008, 09:27 AM

Looks great! Welcome back.
Crews are cool, or so I'm told.

Good luck!

Mike

Mark Harris

08-04-2008, 09:49 AM

Really glad to see you in again, Amy.

AmyO

08-04-2008, 06:42 PM

Thanks for the warm welcome, guys. I can't tell you how excited I am about this film. This Fest even. What a great idea for a theme.

Oh hey, I like Sam Naimen, he gripped for me on one of my shorts earlier this year, way cool dude.

Yes, Sam is great. I'm glad I got him on board as DP.

AmyO

08-09-2008, 03:29 PM

Still in pre-production mode here. I've assembled a crew and worked out my main location. I still have to lock down a second location for a brief, yet pivotal scene. Fellow DVXUser Justin Durban is also on board to provide the musical score, which I am extremely excited about! Next up: Auditions on August 23rd!

Susanne G.

08-09-2008, 04:41 PM

Hi Amy,

very much luck for your film - lovely to see you back with a new entry. To have a good crew is like to have a family - compliments!

Best wishes

Susanne

Gord.T

08-10-2008, 12:26 AM

I remember you from last fest. You have Justin Durban already? Must be nice.
"You go girl". (In my best politicaly correct ethnic voice impersonation).

AmyO

08-23-2008, 07:42 PM

Well, I accomplished a major production task today - AUDITIONS! I don't know who was more nervous, me or the actresses! I haven't auditioned someone in forever, and that was for a stage play. Casting decisions should be made by early next week and I will update the front page with the new details.

Next step: Get crackin' on nailing down my second location. . .

AmyO

08-29-2008, 06:12 PM

The film is cast! I found a great mother-daughter "team" and am really excited to be working with them.

In other news, I got a lock on my second location! Only one scene takes place there, but it is critical that I have it or the film won't have a solid conclusion - well, as solid a conclusion as this film can have, I suppose ;) .

Off to do more producer type things . . .

alex whitmer

08-29-2008, 06:42 PM

Also glad to see you back. Your timefest entry set a pretty high bar. Looking forward to this one.

a

AmyO

08-29-2008, 11:11 PM

Thanks for the kind words Alex. I'm also looking forward to what you've got it store this time around. :)

Horncastle

08-31-2008, 04:08 PM

You seem to have things well in hand, Amy. I'm looking forward to it.
Jason

AmyO

08-31-2008, 05:03 PM

Thanks Jason!

gabrielflorit

08-31-2008, 11:31 PM

Off to do more producer type things . . .

I hear you. I've been running around with my producer hat quite a bit this weekend.

Anthony Pierce

09-08-2008, 04:05 PM

Hope everything is going well with you Amy. Looking forward to watching your entry.

AmyO

09-08-2008, 05:03 PM

Thanks Anthony! I'm just racing around doing last minute things to get ready for this weekend's shoot. A little stressed because a few people I had lined up to help dropped out, but those left are solid indie types and I think we'll get it done. This is gonna be my first film with a crew so we'll see how that goes :)

ZazaCast

09-08-2008, 05:12 PM

I had one other person (beside myself) help on this one...and I can't tell you how much easier it was than shooting alone. I don't think I could have finished it without the help!

You are going to love it....best of luck on the shoot.

Tim Joy

09-09-2008, 08:03 AM

Looking forward to this one!

Have a good shoot.

AmyO

09-09-2008, 11:17 PM

Thanks! :)

ZazaCast

09-12-2008, 06:18 PM

Make sure to post some BTS pictures...best of luck on the shoot!

AmyO

09-12-2008, 06:59 PM

Will do! I'll have my digital Rebel on set and have whoever isn't busy snap pics for me. Prolly won't get them up until late Monday or Tuesday, though.

Fun begins in 14 hours . . .

Shawn Philip Nelson

09-12-2008, 10:40 PM

Good luck Amy!!! I'd love to meet and hang out and talk film with you sometime

AmyO

09-12-2008, 10:43 PM

Thanks Shawn. Now that I'm not working at the Film Center any more, I'll have more time for film pursuits (I am aware of how ironic that sounds). I'm always up for meeting with fellow PDX film people. :)

AmyO

09-16-2008, 05:33 PM

Production update:

Added BTS pics to second post.

This weekend went really well, considering. I couldn't have asked for a better crew. Everyone was there to contribute and help pull this off (and no one complained about the 8am Saturday call time). And boy, the saying about 90% of the work in directing is in the casting is so true. I had two wonderful actresses who were patient and fully engaged in the process.

We got off to a slow start and that put us behind the schedule I'd hoped to stick to. At the end of day one, we only had filmed half of what was scheduled. I sent the talent home at 6, and the crew stayed for another 45 minutes and pre-lit the first scene for the next morning. We got more done on day two (even though we were down two crew members), including moving to a second location, but didn't catch up. We had to schedule another day of filming for next Sunday. Which is actually good, because after a brief review of the footage, I realized I missed a couple of shots in the hectic dash to get Logan's scenes done before she had to go home (only had her for half a day Sunday). The shots don't require her, but I lost track of a few details later in the day.

Overall, I'm happy with what we accomplished. It's probably better that we didn't rush through with the goal to just "get it all done." I've got a crazy week ahead of me, so I don't know if I'll get grabs any time soon. I'm still in production mode, but I can't wait to move to editing mode! :)

gabrielflorit

09-16-2008, 06:16 PM

Congratulations!!! I've assembled a crew too - could never do all this by myself.

But you better be sure I'll be slating the first shot.

AmyO

09-23-2008, 03:10 PM

And we're wrapped! Yay! We crammed in SIX setups into eight hours on Sunday to complete principle photography. I had to snag a few actorless shots on Monday, but we are complete. I finished the rough cut I started last week and it comes in at 6:20! I'm sure I'll get it safely under six minutes no problem.

Check out the additional BTS pic in the second post. Screen grabs may follow in a few days as I progress through editing.

ZazaCast

09-23-2008, 03:56 PM

Congrats again! I'm sure this is going to be a good one. Great work AmyO!

AmyO

09-23-2008, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the support, Zaza! :)

Susanne G.

09-25-2008, 01:40 PM

I like your BTS :thumbsup: and I am waiting for the grabs! Compliments!

Susanne

Mike Manning

09-25-2008, 01:45 PM

Yeah lets see them grabs!

AmyO

09-25-2008, 03:16 PM

Thanks Susanne and blindbutza.

Grabs are now at the end of post #2 on the first page. Enjoy! :)

Susanne G.

09-25-2008, 03:24 PM

It seems that you are good with the details - zucchini, glass of red wine!
Very nice :thumbup:

BTW - I am getting hungry :D

Susanne

AmyO

09-25-2008, 03:31 PM

Funny, those pics make me thirsty :)
Glad you liked them.

Mike Manning

09-25-2008, 04:19 PM

Very cool. Like the mood you've set. Looking forward to it!

John LaBonney

09-29-2008, 03:08 PM

Looking good Amy. I'd love it if you could share your impressions of the casting session. Casting was a big deal for me on my film (I did three auditions), and I'm trying to learn about what I might have done right and wrong.

Michael Anthony Horrigan

09-29-2008, 03:11 PM

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376931.jpg

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1222376984.jpg

Nice grabs! Love these two especially.

Cheers,

Mike

AmyO

09-29-2008, 05:05 PM

Thanks Michael. That was our first set up, actually, and the reason we got so far behind the first day. It turned out to be a tricky room to shoot. But, as the screen shots show, it was worth it. I had a great DP.

John, I don't know if I can give you much more insight into the audition process as mine was a bit different, but here goes. I asked for headshots/snapshots to be sent via email so I could gage whether the actresses would even fit the part (when I posted the audition notice, I was holding out hope for a certain young actress to play the part of the Little Girl, so I needed the woman playing Rebecca to have a certain look). This narrowed down the field already, so that helped get everyone in to one day. My script is 3 1/2 pages with very little dialog, and the majority of that is at the end. So, I asked the adult actresses to prepare a monologue for me as well as be familiar with that last scene. The monologue was to give them an opportunity to show me their range if they felt the scene was too short. Not everyone did, but most. Those that had monologues performed them for me and then I had them read the scene from the movie with my "assistant". I gave feedback to a few and asked them to repeat the scene. The day ended with three contenders out of eight women who auditioned.

For the young girls (4-6 year olds), I just talked to them for a little while to see if they would engage with me, if they could speak up, and how personable they were. Then, I had them follow a simple series of directions that I coached them through a few times, then asked them to do it without me coaching. Most of the girls did a great job after a few run throughs. One poor girl with a modeling resume could barely look at me and answered everything with her hands clenched in front of her face. Her mother sat on the side, encouraging her, but I knew that girl wanted to be anywhere other than that audition. I didn't even have her go through the following directions game. This gave me three contenders out of ten.

In the end, I went with the first two who auditioned, since they were both in the top three and had a connection as mother and daughter. The auditions themselves were brief. Maybe too brief, but I didn't see how keeping them around longer would give me any more to work with in making my decision. I've never auditioned people for a film, only live theater, and then I had a lot more material for them to work with at the audition. But, I'm happy with who showed up and very happy with who I cast.

Hope that helps. Each audition situation is unique, and presents its own challenges. Are you happy with the cast you have? Or do you ask because you had to hold three auditions to find them?

John LaBonney

09-29-2008, 05:26 PM

John, I don't know if I can give you much more insight into the audition process as mine was a bit different, but here goes.

Are you happy with the cast you have? Or do you ask because you had to hold three auditions to find them?

Thanks for posting this, it's interesting to learn how yours went. I'm really happy with the cast that we selected for Barn Dance, I ask because I really haven't done much casting before and don't have anything to compare it to. So your insights about what happened at yours is very helpful to me. We had three sessions because we were having trouble filling the main character role and I didn't want to compromise. Two of the three main actors we found in the first session, which was the biggest. I'm just trying to learn how to make things go even better next time around. In the future I'm going to look for an opportunity to observe someone else's casting session.

MOVIE MASTER

09-29-2008, 06:07 PM

I love purple macaroni it is my fav i eat it every night after i get done taking care of business in my morgue

AmyO

09-29-2008, 08:09 PM

I'm really happy with the cast that we selected for Barn Dance. . .

I figured as much from your production notes, but thought I'd ask to clarify. Glad it all worked out for you.

I love purple macaroni it is my fav i eat it every night after i get done taking care of business in my morgue
Sounds good! What's your trick for getting the pasta purple? :)

And, seriously, do you know how much junk mail I get for people wanting to sell me used equipment from food processing plants? Or finance the expansion of my "factory?" I was even invited to participate in university study for people in the food industry.

Anthony Pierce

10-06-2008, 08:43 PM

Amy

How did everything go?

AmyO

10-06-2008, 08:58 PM

Thanks for checking in, Anthony. Glad to hear your shoot went well.
Our third and final day of filming went great. We blasted through 6 set ups in 8 hours to wrap production. An awesome task when you realize there were only four other crew members besides me.

Picture edit is locked and it is now in the capable hands of Justin Durban for scoring. I'm working on CC and a few VFX shots and then this puppy will be all set.

gabrielflorit

10-06-2008, 11:31 PM

Oooh, nice grabs. Is that with a 35mm adapter?

AmyO

10-06-2008, 11:36 PM

Thanks. That's all my DP's doing, really.
Yeah. I used a Brevis with flip. I almost didn't use an adapter, but caved at the last minute.

AmyO

10-12-2008, 12:09 PM

Just got the completed score back from Justin. It is AWESOME. I am so happy with the way this film is shaping up.

Oh, and here is an example of the ingenuity of my DP and crew. These Ikea lights were used as a top light here, and side lights in another shot, and as cabinet fill lights in another scene. They are awesome.
http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/18/1223834627.jpg
photo courtesy of Travis Ezell's iPhone.

Edgen

10-12-2008, 11:19 PM

Just got the completed score back from Justin. It is AWESOME.

:)

Your film was fun to score. Moody and right up mea' alley. Looking forward to seeing the finished "picture".

Cheers!
/j

Simon Höfer

10-17-2008, 12:12 PM

Hey Amy, so are you already finished on this one? Even got you score already... far ahead of me :D

AmyO

10-17-2008, 12:17 PM

The picture edit and score are done, yes. I am just finishing up color correction, one pain in the ass VFX, and the sound design. I have to get this done by next Thursday as my family is going to the coast for the weekend right before the deadline! (Why did I agree to that?) Anyway, just down to picky little details at this point.

ZazaCast

10-21-2008, 05:45 PM

All is well....yes?

AmyO

10-21-2008, 09:07 PM

Yes. All is well. Chipping away at my "last minute details" list. Including recording an offscreen V.O. tomorrow night! Eek! That's cutting it close.

I really don't know how you made TWO movies and got them done ahead of schedule. I'm impressed.

Michael Anthony Horrigan

10-21-2008, 09:08 PM

This is near the top of my list for sure. Can't wait to see it.

Cheers,

Mike

ZazaCast

10-21-2008, 09:11 PM

I really don't know how you made TWO movies and got them done ahead of schedule. I'm impressed.

I just hope you're impressed when you watch them! :beer: No great feat, I just jumped right into it as soon as it was announced.

No worries, you'll get this one done & we'll all be blessed with another great AmyO film...I'm looking forward to it!

AmyO

10-21-2008, 09:14 PM

Thanks Michael! I'm looking forward to your film, too.

And, Zaza, thanks for your kind words. I'm interested to see how people react to this film. I've got a bit more invested in it this time around.

Shawn Philip Nelson

10-22-2008, 09:14 AM

Michael Anthony Horrigan

10-22-2008, 09:18 AM

Hey Amy, are any of the pictures you posted of you?

Some trivia for you, my wife is about to give birth to our second child (her due date is monday, but it could be any day) and we're going to name him Tristan Daniel Obrien Nelson, since my grandma was an O'Brien.Congratulations!! :beer:
Nice name as well.

I have a little one of my own. Changes your life completely, as you already know. :thumbup:

Cheers,

Mike

AmyO

10-22-2008, 09:20 AM

Nope. No pics of me. I prefer to be behind the camera! The pic above in the doorway is my actress, Laura.

Congrats on the baby-on-the-way! I love the name. I'm an O'Brien by "marriage" (changed to partner's name), but think its a cool name nonetheless. How old is your first child?

AmyO

10-22-2008, 11:36 PM

Oh my goodness! I just finished my last image correction pass! I'm puttin' a fork in that part and calling it done.

Went over to Jeff Mills' house this evening to record an off screen voice. Took all of 10 minutes 'cause he rocks the Casbah. Gonna drop it in and clean up the sound tomorrow and I think I may just have this done before I leave town tomorrow afternoon!

Compressing and uploading may have to wait until Sunday evening when I return, but I've already made some tests with my rough cuts so I already have the settings programed in to Compressor.

That is all.
Good-night.

Jack Daniel Stanley

10-23-2008, 12:28 PM

Good luck with the compression / upload.

Definitely looking forward to more of your work. Your timefest entry was cool. :beer:

AmyO

10-23-2008, 12:29 PM

Thanks Jack. I'm interested to see what "Cold Calls" is all about. :)

MOVIE MASTER

10-26-2008, 12:34 AM

http://www.picturegrill.com/images/people/frozen%20man.jpegKNOW I JUST NEED A COLD PHONE

AmyO

10-26-2008, 12:37 AM

Awesome!

AmyO

10-27-2008, 01:03 AM

Upload complete!

I had all my ducks in a row Thursday to be done before I went out of town.

Then Soundtrack happened. Not "the soundtrack". Apple's capital "S" Soundtrack.app. I exported my mix back to FCP and the levels were all wrong! Went back into Soundtrack to see what was wrong, everything looked okay, but played back with no regard to the levels I had so carefully set. No time to fix. Had to go load suitacases and kids in the car.

Came back this afternoon and fought with Soundtrack over audio levels. I had carefully adjusted levels, scene by scene, and in relation to the score. Export to FCP, and Soundtrack decided my levels were wrong, and so ignored them. Not just ignored, in one scene it RAISED the levels so they clipped! Got it to behave with 90% of the film. Replaced the other 10% with unaltered audio in FCP and set levels clip by clip. Annoying!

But, hey, it's midnight and my film is uploaded! So, yeah. I'm going to bed. Good luck to those who are finishing up. Can't wait to start watching! :)

Drew Ott

10-27-2008, 01:04 AM

Congrats!

ZazaCast

10-27-2008, 07:54 AM

Ditto....Congrats!

Michael Anthony Horrigan

10-27-2008, 07:57 AM

Great job! Should be a good one.

Cheers,

Mike

AmyO

10-27-2008, 08:40 AM

Thanks guys!

Now, all I can do is sit back and anxiously await the reviews to come in. It's gonna be a long week (assuming a Halloween opening date for viewing).

gabrielflorit

10-27-2008, 08:42 AM

Congratulations Amy! Yes, I had strange happenings with Soundtrack earlier today. For some reason the mixer would work the levels by itself when I hit play. Very strange, but it actually did something great for me - for some strange reason it leveled out all my clips so they were normalized, so to speak - I had already normalized the entire thing.

Who knows what happens in the wee hours of the morning after you've been editing ALL YEAR LONG, it seems.

Rodney V. Smith

10-27-2008, 08:44 AM

Reviews are the real hard part, but totally worth it. Looking forward to your film. The cast and crew on Blood & Coffee are all looking forward to seeing this on the first night of viewing (and me too).

AmyO

10-27-2008, 10:27 PM

Thanks Puck! Can't wait to see your vampire filck!

On a side note, in kind of "Twilight Zone" vibe, I had a very surreal moment today. Less than 12 hours after submitting "Picture" for this fest, I turned in a MiniDV copy of "Four" (from TimeFest) for the Northwest Film and Video Festival. I found out I was accepted a few weeks ago, but because of working on "Picture" I put off making the tape until today. It was a little weird turning in my TimeFest film so soon after submitting this one.

And seriously, 70+ films (I'm counting the planned "exhibition" films in that tally)? Wow. I'll have to stock up on snacks . . .

Danielleus

10-28-2008, 02:01 AM

Hey, psyched to see you in this one. Is the kid going to be in this one too? She's a cutie. Good luck. Can't wait to view.

AmyO

10-28-2008, 08:03 AM

Thanks, Dannielleus!
I wrote this script with Cheyenne in mind. In fact "Four" was really a sort of camera test to see how well she'd do taking directions and so forth. Along the way, I practiced the lines for "Picture" with her, but she'd either flat out refuse to say them, or get really self conscious about the whole thing. If that was how she acted around just me, I knew she would gave a harder time with a crew. So, I made the decision to cast someone else. I think you'll find Logan pretty cute, too! :)

Ken K

10-28-2008, 06:19 PM

Looking forward to this one, Amy! This will be 2nd viewing, after AJ's. :)

AmyO

10-28-2008, 06:51 PM

Thanks, Ken.

I just hope I can live up to everyone's expectations . . .

AmyO

10-30-2008, 08:02 AM

Approved! I feel all warm and fuzzy inside now.

Brian Parker

10-31-2008, 01:57 AM

Hey Amy. Just wanted to stop by and show some Thread-Love. Great BTS. I really enjoyed your film Four and I'm definately looking forward to this one as well. :beer:

eustace

10-31-2008, 07:54 AM

Hey,
Been meaning to drop by this thread for awhile. I really liked the look and feel of your TimeFest entry, so I'm eager to see this one.

AmyO

10-31-2008, 09:13 AM

Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to what y'all have cooked up as well :)

Brandon Rice

10-31-2008, 09:55 AM

Amy,

I won't be commenting on all of the films this fest. Just too many and not enough time. That having been said I would really love to comment on the films that I really enjoy and strike me. Your film is one of them. It was the first film I watched (after watching through at least 15) that actually moved me. I thought the story was fantastic, your visual style of storytelling was great. The editing was good as well. Some things I think that could be improved was some of the acting toward the end when the woman talks to the little girl. That really came off forced to me, a little over the top. Your actress did a great job of selling it with looks and without speaking, might have been a stronger choice to rewrite that scene and do it without dialog. It's important to know the strengths and weaknesses of your performer on set. Again, just some food for thought, and the reason I give it is because I saw a ton of potential in the short and really enjoyed it. Also, great choice in getting Justin for the score, it sounded great. Thanks for the great short.

Mike Manning

10-31-2008, 01:28 PM

Hey Amy,
I have to agree with Brandon. Your film is clearly one of the best in the fest.
The style and tone are right on the money and I was so engaged the entire way through.
And as Brandon also said, the only issue I had is the acting when the woman finally starts talking. The film is so effective up until that point, and then her delivery isn't on par with the rest of her performance. It's really a minor issue in the scheme of things, because you have such a wonderful film. But learn from it, you're very talented and I think you should be very proud of this film. Congrats!

Zak Forsman

10-31-2008, 02:59 PM

woooooooooooow. amy. this was fantastic. and i have to say it displayed some of the best editing i've seen so far in this fest. the rhythms of the cut were just perfect.

AmyO

10-31-2008, 03:12 PM

Thank you for your feedback, guys. I hear what you are saying about Laura's performance. That scene may not be as strong as it could be, and I own that as the director. Directing for film is the area I have the least experience in (okay, well, directing people who aren't my kids :) ). Your notes on her performance will give me something to work on for next time around. Thanks.

And Zak, as someone who fancies herself an editor above all else, your comments are music to my ears. Very kind.

Beat Takeshi

10-31-2008, 04:23 PM

Hey Amy,
I see you are improving so fast. This is your 3rd film and it looks like you have been doing this for years. The editing, the lighting, not too much dialog, the camera moves all were on point. It was a little hard to hear the answering machine but we went back and watched that part again cause I felt like I missed something and I wasn't sure why she went back. The machine cleared that up for me. Great work and hope to see more from you. Was that you making a debut?

AmyO

10-31-2008, 11:33 PM

Tim Joy

10-31-2008, 11:47 PM

*****SPOILERS BELOW****

Wow Amy. Wonderful piece. The part that sticks in my mind is the diffused light from the hospital doors. How was that achieved?
I have to commend you for such great direction of a kid. I learned that it 'ain't so easy!

You really fooled me and creeped me out along the way. Awesome work.

Michael Anthony Horrigan

10-31-2008, 11:51 PM

Very nice! Your DOP did a really great job. The acting was quite good as well. The little girl was also spot on. Great direction.

Like Beat, I kind of missed something first time around but I got it clearly after the second viewing. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Very solid work!

Mike

ZazaCast

11-01-2008, 12:43 AM

Nice job AmyO! Really enjoyed the fim. The score, the 'look', the camera movements...all worked for me. I just couldn't buy the story totally, having had to spend 3 weeks in the neonatal ward with my wife and first child. When it's your kid, wild horses couldn't drag you away. (hey, that should be a song!)

Now she's grown, off at college and only calls me when she needs money...go figure!

Great job on the film...I've seen your last two now and both involve children. Am I seeing a pattern here?

Shawn Philip Nelson

11-01-2008, 12:48 AM

Brandon Rice

11-01-2008, 12:55 AM

Shawn Philip Nelson

11-01-2008, 01:00 AM

The girl was her baby who was in neonatal care... she was depressed about the situation and hopeless her baby would come out alive... she hadn't taken any pictures of the baby... and then at the end she decided she needed to...

Seems plausible, but the movie does not convey that information to me. I like that idea, that would be a cool direction to go.

Shawn Philip Nelson

11-01-2008, 01:05 AM

I'm not meaning to pick on Amy, it's just equally plausible, based on the movie, that the girl is a premature baby who died and she took one last picture to remember her by. Also possible that the ghost girl is an earlier baby who died and the mom is now dealing with a second one. The first one (now the ghost), she never took a picture of. She's now racked with guilt and the dead soul of her first child convinces her to take a picture of her second baby who is near to death herself.

Shawn Philip Nelson

11-01-2008, 01:38 AM

Big shout out to Sam for a stellar, amazing job on DP. I'll have to track that dude down and tell him a job well done.

Zak Forsman

11-01-2008, 03:15 AM

Hey Amy! I enjoyed watching this. Absolutely beautiful to watch, I didn't understand what happened. I thought the girl was a ghost, but then she goes to the hospital, and then you end on a shot of a living premature baby, so not sure what the point was. The bummer for me was that you spent 6 minutes on one setup: mommy, take a picture. And then you didn't pay it off. I'd have loved to see less repition of 'oh look, ghost girl saying the same thing again' and more payoff about what happened.

That said, i think you are growing tremendously as a director. You have a strong sense of vision, big bravo.

my impression was we were to make the "ghost" assumption upon seeing the girl (and her disappearing act), and then with the reveal of the baby fighting for its life, it revealed that young girl to be a future echo of the girl the baby would grow into. i'm not saying it's right, but that's the thought process that ran through my head as i watched it.

darkrequiem1134

11-01-2008, 03:49 AM

nice poster

Zim

11-01-2008, 08:37 AM

Nice film Amy. As far as the ending goes some people seem to forget it is the Twilight Zone!! If it gives you something to think about then it work....

Brandon Rice

11-01-2008, 10:52 AM

my impression was we were to make the "ghost" assumption upon seeing the girl (and her disappearing act), and then with the reveal of the baby fighting for its life, it revealed that young girl to be a future echo of the girl the baby would grow into. i'm not saying it's right, but that's the thought process that ran through my head as i watched it.

that's what I got Zak... you just put it into better words.

Michael Anthony Horrigan

11-01-2008, 10:55 AM

SPOILER: highlight text below to read.

And she did end up taking her picture. :)

alex whitmer

11-01-2008, 10:56 AM

So bummed. I can't open this one. I'll keep trying.

Jason Miller

11-01-2008, 02:01 PM

I enjoyed this film, like Zac I thought it may be a ghost, or just her mind playing tricks on her, I really enjoyed it, I like the dark but well defined lighting, the acting was good as was the camera work, topped off with a good story great job

Darkline

11-01-2008, 02:06 PM

I keep thinking there's no more good films to come but I thought this was really well made and subtle. Your actress was perfect. Technically great, lighting, camera, sound - apart from one element - i could not make out what the guy was saying on the phone.

Other than you made some great directorial choices and the mood of the piece was pitched just right.

SPOILER AHEAD

I have to ask about the end as we're a little confused. Did she go to see the body of her daughter and then put the pictures back into the frames or have we mis-read it? Either way I assumed she confronted some repressed feelings about facing her lost child.

AmyO

11-01-2008, 06:09 PM

Wow, take a day off to help a friend with a movie and look what I come back to!

First, thanks for the compliments and comments. I'm glad people are enjoying the film. I've passed your comments on to Sam, my DP, as well.

I'm not really sure as to how far I should go into explaining things. I don't want to venture into "defensive" territory. I intentionally left certain things vague. Hopefully, that doesn't come across as a cop-out. I have a clear idea of the story and back story, and if people see it the way I do, great. If they get something else out of it, I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. If you want to know how I see it, check out Zak's answer a page back. He hit it on the head, and quite eloquently.

If you want a further peek into my thinking, here goes (highlight to read):

In short, no, the baby isn't dead. She's alive the the NICU. Rebecca is processing her guilt and grief over the situation, and hasn't quite come to terms with it. Taking her baby's picture is accepting the reality - a picture is a record of history, it is saying "Yes, this is happening." One of the pictures is of the baby being held by her mother. FYI, these are actual pictures from my daughter Cheyenne's 12 week stay in the NICU.

I won't go to far into defending my story, but I have to say that I disagree the idea of a mother not going to see her child in the hospital is far-fetched. Post-partum has different effects on different women. That's all I'll say about that.

It wasn't my intention to confuse people, just allow some room for thinking. I don't need to get into a whole long discussion about it here. I felt I should offer my perspective on things. Not syaing I won't talk about it at all - I'd be happy to have a more in depth conversation with those who want to in PM's or email. Don't think we need to fill this thread with it.

AmyO

11-01-2008, 06:10 PM

So bummed. I can't open this one. I'll keep trying.
Didn't you have that problem with my film last time around? Sorry. Thanks for being persistent.

AmyO

11-01-2008, 06:19 PM

The part that sticks in my mind is the diffused light from the hospital doors. How was that achieved?
I have to commend you for such great direction of a kid. I learned that it 'ain't so easy!

You really fooled me and creeped me out along the way. Awesome work.

As for the lights, we put a couple of 1K Arris behind the doors, but that created hot spots. In Motion (I don't know After Effects that well, but I'm sure you could do the same thing in AE) I applied a "Glow" filter that blew out the windows to even out the lighting. That's it. I had to mask out the ceiling lights so they wouldn't blow out any more than they already were.

And, wow! I creeped you out? Anti_De_Presence is far creepier, so thanks.

AJ Brooks

11-01-2008, 07:18 PM

Really enjoyed it!

Great acting by the little girl and some beautiful shots. Chilling!

galbach

11-01-2008, 09:50 PM

Great job! Did you use a steadicam? Also i loved the score it was perfect for this film...

armisiano

11-01-2008, 09:57 PM

That was awesome! Wow. Really wow. The pace was so spot on. It was a slower pace but never lulled. It felt so real. I actually gasped a little and said "da**it" when the glass broke in the sink and she cut her hand. The lighting was so natural. The entire time I never once felt like I was looking at something that had a half dozen people behind the camera standing around working. Subtly gorgeous, really. And the music was PERFECT. Great job, again, it looked and felt SO real to me. Wow.

Susanne G.

11-01-2008, 10:06 PM

Amy - you are extremely incredibly professional with lighting and framing. I love the score. The story and the acting were so emotional. Very nice work - it's one of my favourites! :thumbsup:

Susanne

AmyO

11-01-2008, 10:43 PM

Thanks for the comments! I can't take all of the credit, so I'll pass along your compliments to my awesome crew.

Galbac - we used a combination of doorway and pocket dollies.

Erez Henya

11-02-2008, 01:03 AM

Beautiful.

bosindy

11-02-2008, 09:58 AM

Great to see you in the fest Amy,

This is a bit more serious than your previous work and its good to see you spread your wings. I really like the score with the music box notes in the beginning. Creepy and appropriate for the subject matter.

The lighting is very naturalistic, it could be raised in a few areas but I would rather error on the darker side given the tone. I think it would help if you rerecorded the answering machine male voice. It's a bit inaudible at times and it easy enough to fix. The jump cuts in the bathroom are a nice touch, I would have like to see the performance be a little less linear to give them greater impact. It feels like only a half of second or so passes and I think they could be broader to show a steeper arc of grief; crying hysterically, staring into space, sobbing. Love the dolly out at the end of it though.

One of my favorite shots in the entire fest is the hospital hallway shot. Steady cam, camera sped up and the subject in silhouette as she walks toward the doors. beautiful! your lead actress is good thought but I really like her performance on the phone, very subtle given the climactic info.

No problem understanding the story, well executed.

Great job!

Jim

AmyO

11-02-2008, 10:42 AM

Thanks Erez and Bosindy.

I love the hospital shot, too. It came out just as I envisioned it when I wrote it. It was the reason I stepped up to the HVX (as opposed to my DVX) and shot 720pn rather than 1080 so I could take advantage of the frame rates. It's all about knowing what you want to accomplish and choosing the right tool.

The answering machine was recorded "clean" so I can go in and play with the post effects to make it more audible. Thanks for the advice.

Glad you enjoyed it. I think next time I might try my hand at a little bit of action . . .

FDL film music composer

11-03-2008, 12:37 AM

Hey Amy,
I like the story and your film very well done...i Like the final light at the end and the score of justin have very impressive sound feeling on some scenes..

Noel Evans

11-03-2008, 02:09 AM

Amy, I really really liked it. The story is interesting, the characters easy to empathise with, solid shots.

I wondered though about the exterior light. Some the shots felt like evening in the light but as she passed windows it clearly wasnt. Thats how I perceived it.

In the top 3 for me.

AmyO

11-03-2008, 10:24 AM

Thanks for the comments! Glad you enjoyed it.

Noel, what shots in particular stood out to you? The film takes place over two days, with the shift being between the dining room scene and second kitchen scene.

Noel Evans

11-03-2008, 05:18 PM

Amy, to answer. The shot at 2.02 and then again at 3.10.

2.02 seems like broad daylight outside and doesnt suit the interior lighting for time of day. I see you ND'd the windows, but to my eyes looks a little off. Not sure what ct you were wb'd at or the gels used on your lights, but maybe would have been easier to light match for exterior and then use some grading to assist there. An exterior light source on that kitchen window, could have helped serve time of day also, shadow angles etc .

3.10 Watched it again and I just realised its a different day through clothing, but the colors are so similar its easy to miss and also the lighting is the same throughout the entire piece, so initially I assumed it was all one day, similar time. Even though you did the fade out after the 2.02 shot.

jpsheets

11-03-2008, 08:43 PM

Really loved the opening montage Amy, very nice. And I thought the lighting and the look all around was very good. As I recall you were using the HVX with an adapter with this one. Looked great all the way around.

On the con side, I thought it was a little slow to get going. I think it could have been 3 minutes instead of 6, but hey, that's just me. Also, as a father I just can't imagine a new mother not being with her daughter in the NICU. That breaks any kind of movie reality I had for your film. But that's just my gut reaction. So long story short, I thought the story was a tad weak, but technically it all looked absolutely great. I really enjoyed the time out story you did for Time Fest. It looks like your daughter is going to have a reoccuring role in your shorts!

best,
Jon

Robbie Comeau

11-03-2008, 08:53 PM

Amy,

Wonderful short. The cinematography really stood out in this one, and excellent camera movies.

The audio sounded decent, but it was maybe the compression?

Good acting, and I would have loved to see the husband/boy friend at the end.

Score fit well!

Robbie

AmyO

11-03-2008, 09:03 PM

Thanks Jon and Robbie! To clarify, the little girl in this movie was not my daughter. The role was played by Logan McGreevey. I wanted Cheyenne to do it, but she wasn't ready.

Cinematography was all my DP's doing. I've told him to pop in here and read the comments, since they are all good where he is concerned! :)

AmyO

11-03-2008, 09:13 PM

WayneB

11-03-2008, 09:22 PM

Amy,
First off, very well done. The story for me was hard for me to follow even tho you gave me hints. I was relieved the baby was alive, but then felt completely out of touch with what you were feeling and why.

Camera work was well done, lighting worked well throughout the film.

Overall a good film, thanks for making it, I appreciate seeing it.

Wayne Beck

Michael Anthony Horrigan

11-03-2008, 09:32 PM

Amy, I just wanted to say. I was telling my wife about this movie the other night. I have to say.... this got to me. Her as well.

We have a little girl. Things were not always easy.

Anyway, once again, I loved it. Just fix the voice mail audio and get it Fest bound.

AmyO

11-03-2008, 09:44 PM

Michael Anthony Horrigan

11-03-2008, 09:49 PM

Thanks for the kind words, Wayne. :)

Michael, I'm flattered this film moved you. Even though this film is fictional (I never gave birth - we met Cheyenne when she was 2 weeks old, still in the NICU), there are kernels of truth. I'm sorry you had rough times with your daughter, and I hope things are better now.

Gonna get a sound person in to take a "look" at the overall sound mix. :)
Sorry to mislead, my daughter is fine, always has been. We just had problems along the way and can relate.

On a happier note... our daughter is in CFTFB and doing fine, as you can briefly see. :)

AmyO

11-03-2008, 09:51 PM

Sorry to mislead, my daughter is fine, always has been. We just had problems along the way and can relate.

On a happier note... our daughter is in CFTFB and doing fine, as you can briefly see. :)

Ah, I see, well, good to hear. :)

stinkpot

11-03-2008, 11:09 PM

Your movie is heavy. I really felt this one... the story, the characters, the set, the whole look and feel. Your DP did a wonderful job moving the camera around on that dolly.

SPOILER BELOW...

I got a completely "different" ending then Wayne and would like to know what you had intended.

This is a great short film!

:beer:

Inexistence

11-03-2008, 11:39 PM

The visual quality here is perfect. Story pretty much held my attention until the glow at the
very end. This is me nitpicking... the glow goes to grey and then to white which kills the effect
for me. Less light rays perhaps? Solid film here with running legs for future film fests, but
doesn't quite fit the Twilight theme. Still, nice job Amy!

pauly_the_hitman

11-04-2008, 02:06 PM

I love seeing what a different perspective female film makers have. And I was not disappointed at this one. It was shot very well and the editing and post was great. The story really got to me too being a DA and all, well done it was a truly brilliant film.
Pauly

John LaBonney

11-05-2008, 03:13 PM

Amy:

I echo all those comments on the photography. Nicely done.

I got what you were going for story-wise, I think you could have held a little longer on the shot of the picture in the frame at the end of the movie (a total nitpick, I know). I thought Laura's acting was good but Logan's was slightly flat. I can't imagine how I would have done it any better though. Justin's score is great.

I thought the story, while interesting, was a little slow to develop, and a touch repetitive with "take my picture."

All-in-all a very good short film.

Ming

11-06-2008, 05:32 PM

I just didn't quite get it. Was the mother haunted 4 years after her newborn daughter died because she never got a photo of her? What just happened? I was definitely moved at the very end. Even though it was unclear it was depressing. Nicely shot. The sound was unclear on the message and I'd have made it more easy to understand. My third view of the fest, nice job. Oh and good score.

Dick Campbell

11-06-2008, 09:10 PM

had to watch it twice to see what I missed and still not sure. had a hard time understanding the answering machine, and I figured that message was crucial to the story. but, a well done production and easy to watch.

christa McGuire

11-06-2008, 09:13 PM

i think your pics are awesome i am still writing a script.

Beat Takeshi

11-07-2008, 03:36 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you liked it.

As for the "debut" question, if you are referring to the actress, that wasn't me. That was Laura McGreevey and she was awesome to work with. She's also an accomplished singer/songwriter. I'm gonna brag on her a bit and pimp her site: lauramcgreevey.com.

I thought it was you from old bts pics from the last film. I guess you guys look a like or something. Or it could be the twilight thing where nothing is as it seems.

Brian Parker

11-07-2008, 08:10 PM

Amy, this was a very well made film. I love the way that you took your time telling your story. It unfurled naturally and never felt pressed for time or like it was dragging on. You have amazing shot composition going on her and I really like how it was lit. It looked like you not only worked with lights, but worked with the absence of light as well in order to create your final image. You worked with a great crew.

Both actors did a good job. Music was perfect. I can't really think of anything else to say except that it's a beautiful film. Always a pleasure to see your work in the fests.

alex whitmer

11-08-2008, 12:59 AM

Finally got it to downlooad. Worth the wait.

Let's see. The house had purple walls/accents. Coinidence to Purple Macaroni.

Very beautiful film. The actress did a great job, especially the crying in the bathroom scene. Nice angles throughout. It was beauitful architecture, and she was alone in this big house, which to me added to her solitude. Nice.

Just a tad thrown off at the end. It seems the girl is still alive but deformed??

A little dark at points. Opening scene more or less telegraphed something happend to the child. None of that really took away from the superb artistry of this film.

Certainly memorable.

Alex

Mile Bozicevic

11-08-2008, 04:41 AM

First time it rejected me somehow, and I didn't want to write enything cause I said-let's watch it again.

Now, the things are quite different. It's amazing how these shorts needs full atention to get them right, otherwise you can end up being totaly confused.

Picture is very emotional film, which I sincerely doubt a man could perform as female filmmaker. The whole story developing was a little bit slow and monotonus, but I think it was neccesary for the effect on the end.

I like the music very much, it really flows with story.

The little girl could be something like her conscience in metaphorical sense, rather than ghost.
In any way, I liked this film a lot, and I'm glad I gave it another chance (I guess that's with us younglings-rash about most of things:huh:)

Geoff_R

11-08-2008, 03:11 PM

Amy, nicely done! I was engrossed in both the story and the visuals. Very strong production valuesl excellent sound and cinematography. Samuel Naiman did such a great job of matching the tone of this piece. The lighting and shot selection are spot on. I love the slow move behind her in the hospital ward hallway and that ultra slow push into the kitchen at 1:40ish... I can tell you guys took the time to light and rig properly. You've got a lot of setups; curious, how many days did you shoot?

Also, I like how the first scene is more bright, more airy in tone/lighting and then the following scenes have this underlying dark mood to them, as if it were raining or just after a rainfall. That's just the impression I got and it helped to set a strong tone for the rest of the film.

The Durbanitor did some fine work here as expected :)

Lastly, some strong directing at hand here. Your lead did a fine job and the little girl as well. I believed in their world. Good mixture of both physical and dialogue driven beats. Overall, a solid film with strong production and good story. Thanks for sharing!

Bryce A

11-08-2008, 09:21 PM

I enjoyed the light in this flick. It was soft, diffused and full of deep shadows. All of that paired with the color tones of the locations made for a piece easy on the eyes. The pacing and music were great as well. Story-wise though, I felt there was no real urgency in finding out what was going on (and I don't mean the pacing). The conclusion, while I normally applaud ambiguity, left me a little unfulfilled (though, yes if we’d followed her through the door, it would have been too much). I did like how the mystery was set up asap with the girl in the beginning. A very solid pic.

Robert Eldon

11-09-2008, 01:32 PM

Amy,

After enjoying your last couple of entries, I was looking forward to see what you came up with for this fest, and you didn't disappoint. I enjoyed this from the beginning with the establishing shots and credits, it felt like it was time to settle in and be told a story. Nice.

Everything about this film is pro. Nice use of a great location, lots of great color and the lighting and camera movement felt right on.

The editing had a nice flow to it, and conveying that the little girl was there... and then not, didn't seem contrived, but very natural. There was only one time that I got confused and it was the 'cut to' near the end when the woman leaves the house and then is walking down the hall in the hospital. My first thought was that she walked out of the room and into the hospital hallway. Maybe a 'fade into' with her already walking down the hall would have worked here. imho. :)

Wonderful acting here by Laura! She took her time, conveyed a lot of emotion with very little to no dialog. I especially thought she did so well when she broke the glass and also the crying scene.

Nice camera collection! Was that set design or does some one actually own that collection?

I really like the music. I'm a big fan of Justin Durban and knew instinctively near the beginning that this was his work, but it was right on with the theme and I really enjoyed the 'nursery' sounds. It really set the mood at the right places.

Favorite shots were at about 1:38 with the dolly in, about 3:01 at the sink, and about 3:46 in the bathroom.

This was one of my favorites in this fest. Another great film from you. Keep up the good work!

-Robert

AmyO

11-09-2008, 04:26 PM

Sorry for being a bit MIA. Had to catch up on stuff I put off to finish "Picture" and I've got another film in a local fest this weekend. A bit crazy.

Thanks so much for all of your feedback! I'm happy people are enjoying the film. Again, I have to give credit to a great DP and crew for helping me make this film what it is.

I do like to take my time and just watch my characters, but that's becoming a pattern of mine. I'm thinking of writing an action flick for my next time out. . .

And for those who want to know the "whys", here's more from the mind of the filmmaker:
(highlight to read)
I understand the confusion in the storyline and just who the Little Girl is supposed to be. Part of that is my fault for not wanting to be very direct. Also, I think the answering machine message needs to really be clear to get an important bit of information. He says in there "I just had a great talk with the doctor," giving us some hope that things are going okay. The baby is not dead, just born too soon and sick. Rebecca blames herself for this, even though she followed her doctor's orders, and has to overcome her guilt and grief ("losing" the "healthy" child she dreamed of having) in order to accept the reality of what is going on. The Little Girl who appears to her is the hope that Rebecca must hold on to in order to move forward. (Zak said it best at the top of page 11: the "young girl (is) a future echo of the girl the baby would grow into".) Taking the picture is accepting the reality - a picture makes it permanent. It says "This child is mine." One of the pictures is of the baby being held by her mother (cameo appearance by Cheyenne in a roundabout way).

Tim Joy

11-09-2008, 04:34 PM

I for one would love to see an AmyO action flick. :thumbup: With kids?

I think you're right about the answering message. I also feel like you could hold on the shot of the picture at the end a little longer. A reshoot with a nice push-in might really drive it home too.

AmyO

11-09-2008, 04:50 PM

I used every frame I trimmed from elsewhere to hold on that last shot of the pictures without going over 6 minutes. I will extend it a bit for later releases. I agree, it needs to sit for a bit more.

Action with kids? Don't know. Perhaps a child will be in the film in some way. I do really like working with children - even when they aren't my own. I did a bit of kids and action in "Girl vs. Boy," (if you count a foot chase on the beach "action") but I think for what I have in mind, I will stick to the grown-ups doing the action parts. :)

joeloud

11-10-2008, 06:20 PM

Great use of camera movement, I thought. And I see a lot of people were somewhat confused by the ending, I thought it was an interesting twist on a twist.

(Spoilers ahead)

We think the girl is dead, and it's her ghost talking, but it turns out it's a future version of the girl, and she's very much alive. What I gathered from the ending, maybe it's been said here before, but I thought that perhaps the mother abandoned the baby. I know she's living in a nice house, and she's not exactly desperate, but the father being absent, I thought that maybe she had left the baby at the hospital, and the image of the child was her guilt telling her to go take care of the baby. That was one theory I got from it.

Anyway, great job, Amy.

Hey, I'm almost eligible to vote, this will be my 49th post ;)

jojopop

11-11-2008, 02:37 AM

This is one of my favorites. Easily.

I loved damn near everything in this one... acting, look, feel, visuals. Awesome work.

The acting is great - both the little girl and your lead do fantastic jobs. It's a very subtle performance that could easily sway into melodrama but I think you've balanced that very well.

The 'haunting' aspects are sufficiently creepy -- unsettling to a point yet there's a sense of poignancy in their presence. They succeed in creating enough intrigue to have you guessing, but they don't overstay their welcome. Another fine balance handled with care.

And then you've got the ending tying everything together... and it's truly effective. In essence you've got a really simple story but you've told it really well. Kudos on that.

The few gripes I have: the audio when the husband leaves his message is really garbled -- I had a hard time making out what he was saying. The ending bright light to white has a little bit of cheese on it... but ultimately I was still pretty satisfied.

Great job... one of the few that I felt really had heart!

Horncastle

11-11-2008, 01:05 PM

SPOILERS BELOW

Amy, you've made a beautiful film, the most emotional piece in the fest I think. You're very good at slow pacing, it didn't drag at all - the editing was lovely and I think the jump cuts at around 3:40 when she's putting the plaster on her hand are great - they just gave that umph that the rest of the pacing needed. Justin Durban's score went beautifully with it too. I loved the filmography - the look of dim natural light and the camera movements. My criticisms are the same as others - the phone call sound and the confusion. Not that it took me out of the film at all. I rather thought the girl had died and there was a second, new born child in the hospital. I therefore thought that she was remembering the first child while hoping the second would survive. However, I've read your explanation above and it is rather beautiful, especially with the idea of taking a picture as accepting reality.
This is definitely a finalist for me.
Jason