"1-UP" A Brian Parker Film

[Brian Parker]

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236651571.jpg

[Brian Parker]

PODCASTS


PODCAST 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxW-YGd-kYw

[Brian Parker]

CAST
(In Order of Appearance)



http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236655232.jpg


Darren Hendricks


http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236654020.jpg


Brian Parker


http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236654421.jpg


Reneé Parker


http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236654515.jpg


Quynh Thi Le



Special Guest Appearance


http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/30849/1236659968.jpg

Aria Mays

[Brian Parker]

Reserved for BTS III!

[Richard J. Johnson]

Welcome back my friend.

[stinkpot]

Cool... another entry from Champloo. I look forward to what you bring to this fest. Good luck!

:beer:

[Rodney V. Smith]

Champloo returns... and another Atlanta "mental connection" makes my list. Our films both have the word UP in the title...

[Brian Parker]

Thanks filthrich. It's good to be back. Looking forward to your next project too stinkpot.

LOL...what's up with that puckthemad? That keeps happening...maybe it's the water.

[Rodney V. Smith]

don't drink the water! Wait.. isn't that from "Harold Allen?" damn, wrong fest. Stop stealing my brainwaves man. they're limited.

[Tom Marshall]

Stop stealing my brainwaves man. they're limited.

Well, if you didn't drink so much alcohol...

[Rodney V. Smith]

i like my alcohol more than i do my brainwaves

[Tom Marshall]

You and me both...

[Kholi]

If any of you Atlanta kids want some help let me know when you're shooting! I'm originally from Georgia (Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna area) and I'd be willing to come and shoot for ya!


I still have mucho family and friends back home that I lodge with when I visit.

[pauly_the_hitman]

Cool looking forward to seeing what you put up...
Pauly

[Susanne G.]

Best wishes and much luck! :)

Susanne :bath:

[Mile Bozicevic]

Champloo good luck here. 1-UP huh? Reminds me of Super Mario. :grin:

[Brian Parker]

Thanks Pauly and Susanne.

Very astute observation Mile :Drogar-Evil(DBG):

[Rodney V. Smith]

Super Mario eh? What's percolating in that mind of yours there Brian?

[Mile Bozicevic]

I bet there will be some evil mushrooms in his film.

[Brian Parker]

LOL...nah, it really doesn't have anything to do with video games although I did, of course, take the term 1-Up from Mario Bros. I just like the nomenclature.

[Rodney V. Smith]

hey man what's going on with this film?

[Brian Parker]

*stumbling out of the shadows into the light...*

Ah, yes...I'm still alive....and this film is still in production. Excuse my absence but I have been mired in various aspects of life but I still fully intend to complete this film for Loss Fest!

So, although I am a little late with this, I bring you my first official production Podcast!!


PODCAST 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxW-YGd-kYw



Thanks for checking in puckthemad. I promise I'll be back with more consistent updates guys. Looks like this one is going to be down to the wire!

[Rodney V. Smith]

Welcome back! Time for real-life to take a break. Any updates on when you wanna shoot this puppy? I'm planning to be in Atlanta in 2 weeks for 2 weeks, so we've definitely got to get together.

[Brian Parker]

You know what man? Give me the dates and we will definately get together. I would love to be able to shoot this while you're in town so if I have to grind for the next two weeks to be ready to shoot by then, well, so be it!

[Brian Parker]

Uggh...just finished another draft of this script but it's still too long. Everything left seems like any cuts would hit a vital organ or aorta.

[Richard J. Johnson]

cut it down and get it in damn you!

[Brian Parker]

*sigh*...guess I have to....

[Mark Harris]

Holy cow, is it possible someone is behind me in getting their film done??? I feel like such an achiever now! Thanks Brian!

And yeah, cut it to the bone. You'll be surprised how much better it comes out.

[Brian Parker]

LOL...yeah Mark...I procrastinate to motivate.

Always comes down to the wire for me. And yes, I'm definately pulling out the hatchet.

[Marlon Ladd]

What up, Champloo? Glad to see you back in. Hey, tell me what's up in the ATL as far as this industry. I'm thinking about moving down there.

[Brian Parker]

FINALLY, an update. Poster and cast list added to front page!! More to come!!

[vnguyen972]

wow... multiple genres and styles in one little short... did you do that animation yourself? it was amazing!

[Brian Parker]

Thanks vnguyen972. I'm glad you liked the animation. Yep, did it myself. Felt like it would take forever but it was fun. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the feedback!

[Postmaster]

Pretty cool. Somehow it felt it is way longer than 6 minutes.

The "Film Noir" part could have used a bit better lighting and grading, but otherwise good Job.

Frank

[Brian Parker]

Thanks Postmaster. Is the fact that it felt way longer than 6 minutes a good thing or a bad thing? :cheesy:

[Postmaster]

It´s probably just because I watched my entry so many times, that it feels shorter now.

Frank

[armisiano]

I really liked it conceptually. There were a number of technical things that could've been executed much better. But as an idea for a short it's perfect. It gives you the opportunity to play around and have fun, that's the beauty of shorts, you have a lot of freedoms that being committed to a two hour story may not necessarily give you. On a side note, if you get the chance to buy Barry Green's "Sound For Film and Television" (I think you can buy it in the user store) do, you will learn a lot that will help you very much with future productions.

Anyway, thanks for the entertainment!

[Rodney V. Smith]

I've wanted to use that tunnel for a long long time man. My first thought was "how the hell did you get out there with guns, without getting shot" then I remembered the neighbourhood and that you probably shot on a sunday.

Anyway, focus: I guess your exploration of the theme was through the searching for the right idea, an inside joke of sorts that did allow you to explore different styles and genres. In terms of technique you could have done a few things a little differently, especially in the film noir bit. The different styles did allow for inconsistency in the editing and even the shot choice, so i can see where you were just messing around.

One thing you would have improved was to keep the sequences the same length in terms of time. The comedy bit was the longest and I could see you having fun there, but you;re right: comedy is the hardest to shoot and you have to try to set up the joke and get an instant payoff. If that sequence had been around the same length as the others, it would have felt more even, kept it snappier, kept it moving.

You did mumble a bit on the voiceover, but who am I to say: I mumble just saying good morning.

All in all it was an enjoyable distraction and I watched it all the way through, so that's gotta mean a lot. Thanks for sharing the film and lettign us see how much fun you had making this.

[warau]

I really enjoyed this film! The animation was cool, enjoyed seeing your take on the different genres.

[Richard J. Johnson]

Very creattive. that actress is too cute. I enjoyed this. "and maybe he'll pull out in time" funny.

[Kegan]

I enjoyed this one. Definitely a fun short. It could have improved slightly technically, but you were able to achieve a "look" for each of the genres, so I thought that was pretty cool. I agree that the sound could have been improved as well.

Congrats on a unique piece,

Kegan

[ramsaur]

I liked this one; the way the story flowed about the film. Though, a few things could have been tweaked, but good short.

[Brian Parker]

armisiano- Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, my old nemesis sound strikes again. Glad you enjoyed it though.

puck- Yeah man, Krog Street has a great look. The actor was a little hesitant to pull out a gun but we just did it real quick, guerilla style. I did have quite a few technical issues during production but that's the best part in a way. It means a lot to me that people be entertained by it because I did have fun making it. Thanks for checking it out man!

Warau- Arigato. Glad you enjoyed it.

filthrich- Glad you enjoyed it man. Yeah, I use her a lot but it's because she takes acting very seriously and she's a blast to work with. She's funny too. That scene is her playing herself.

Kegan - It was fun making it so if people have fun watching it, I'm happy. Gonna keep working on the technical stuff but I'm glad you got something out of it. Thanks!

ramsaur- Thanks! Looking forward to checking out yours as well.

[AJ Brooks]

Champloo, great short. Definitely enjoyed it.

I felt it slowed a bit during the comedy, but I enjoyed all the other bits.

Good work!

[timbook2]

I liked it! actually liked it a lot!

[Chris Messineo]

I totally enjoyed this. In fact, I even made a similar film once when I entered a contest and had trouble coming up with an idea (only I think your film is probably much better than mine was).

I especially liked the way you started in the action film and then the way we fell out of it. Very clever.

I liked all of your actors and it was fun to see what genre's you would be tackling next. Well done.

[Maximus]

Very entertaining. You handled all the different genres very well. Any of those movies would have been fun to watch. I found it ironic that when the 3D scene ended, you said, "I couldn't do that." and you probably did.

Good job! :beer:

[Noel Evans]

From a cinematography perspective I was a bit distracted from the story as everything seemed over lit and a bit un natural looking. There were a few points where your focus point was off, so I was looking at the wall instead of you. Sound also suffered, the comedy skit as an example, whenever she spoke because of the sound reflection her tones were giving mea headache.

I think though you took on a tough concept and did a pretty good job of fitting all the pieces together. It was entertaining and thats the toughest part.

[Will Clegg]

Brian, this was definitely a cool concept. I like the way you structured it and it had the right payoff in the end.

I would have liked to see either different actors in each scene, or the same actors in each scene, rather than a mix. I also agree with that the comedy scene was a bit slow - but the film noir scene made me quickly forget that. The only other thing is that I wish you had done a little more production design with the room where you are trying to find inspiration.

Nice job overall.

[MrKilloran]

Creative for sure, using writer's block in your advantage so that we get vignettes of many films. I liked the look of each individual concept, each has its own style and feel that really fits well.

The audio work with some of your dialogue (such as the narration and comedy sequence) could use some smoothing out, the lighting for the noir and comedy just seemed off to me but honestly it works in regards to the style of this film, like an idea still in development, it definitely works and I had fun watching.

[hoz]

the beginning was really cool how we cut from the gun to the writer axing it out. liked the black and white mystery part too. good acting, especially from the writer. could've been faster paced with some of it, but i like that you tackled so much.

good film!!

[pia12254]

Good job here guys! I think this was the first film I watched and I wasn't sure what to expect.

I loved it when you cut to him writing the first time...very unexpected! Good transition in and out of the various "scenes".

Really enjoyed this!

Daniel

[Brian Parker]

AJ Brooks - Thanks man. Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah the comedy did run long but I was having fun with it. Really should have cut it and put in another clip though. Thanks for watching!

timbook2 - I like that you liked it! Thanks for the feedback.

Chris Messineo - Yeah, I think that the whole idea block is something we all suffer through at some point. The action scene was one of my favorites...it was hard not to finish it. Glad that you enjoyed the actors...it was great working with them and glad you enjoyed the film. Means a lot to me.

Maximus - Thanks. Glad you liked the super shorts and yeah, the 3D scene was a trip to make. Thanks for checking it out! :beer:

Noel Evans - Thanks for all of the constructive feedback, really. It's one of the best things about this fest. I'm still very much learning and struggling and always looking for input. The fact that you got something out of it makes it worthwhile.

Will Clegg - You know what? Keeping the same actors in each scene never even occured to me but I definately see what you're saying in terms of a consistency. Yeah, the comedy did drag on but glad you enjoyed the noir. I did think about adding more to the room where the search for inspiration took place but I was hoping that the emptiness would add to the sense of stark void that one has during creative blocks....might have overdone that though. Thanks for checking it out!

MrKilloran - Yeah, still trying to iron out those technical flubs. My goal is to just get better with each film. As long as it works. Glad you had fun with it.

hoz - Pacing is something I'll be focusing on improving. Glad you liked the acting and noir elements. Thanks for the feedback!

pia12254 - Not sure what to expect? Nice. Glad you enjoyed it man. Thanks Daniel!

[singleframe]

worked out well...love the animation sequence -- good job there!
puckthemad was right about the comedy sequence being a tad too long -- it is def a hard thing to nail.

overall, well done!

[jasonthewho]

Cool concept, and great job showing you can handle all the different genres in one short.

I really liked that overhead shot of the filmmaker. Hopefully you know which one I mean.

Some distracting elements were a few out of focus shots, and the fact that the filmmaker scenes were properly ratioed, but the "film" scenes were squeezed. I think maybe you wanted to give them more of the cinema ratio. In that case I would have cropped them instead of squeezing them.

Good job with an ambitious project!

[Brian Parker]

singleframe - Glad you liked the animation sequence. Yeah, I probably should shoot another genre sequence and trim the comedy down. Thanks for the feedback!

jasonthewho - Thanks man. I know which shot you're talking about. I made some cardinal filmmaker sins with this short but some things turned out ok. I shot the film sequences with my XH-A1 but used a Canon HV-10 for the filmmaker parts because I wanted it to feel gritty and low grade as compared to the cleaner look of the film sequences so sacrificed some focus there. LOL, I'm afraid of cropping but you're definately right.

Thanks for all the feedback. It definately helps!

[alex whitmer]

Very enjoyable. Loved the journey through filmmaker angst. Really enjoyed the genres, especially the tongue-in-cheek take on comedy. Pretty funny. I can see a lot of effort went into making it 'not funny'. Acting was great!

Animation was nice.

always enjoy your work.

aw


www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com


.

[Blaine]

You have made giant strides since "Troika" which had a lot of problems.

This one caught my interest. The first transition to the writer caught me by surprise and was very clever. I loved the personal touch you gave this.

I thought the "comedy" skit was a bit long as things started to drag there and you were in danger of losing me. But you pulled it out with the "mystery" skit. Loved that one.

There were some small technical issues that others have mentioned so I won't bother, especially since your story was good enough that I wasn't distracted that much by the technical. With a bit of tightening up (especially the comedy skit) you could take this 1-Up.

[Brian Parker]

alex whitmer - Glad you enjoyed it. The fact that you work with talent and you think the acting was good means a lot. Thanks. I apprecite it.

Blaine - Wow...the fact that you remember Troika and have noted an improvement means a lot to me. If I can just improve each time, than I'm happy. That's why I love the fests. The feedback is infinitely valuable. The prizes are the icing on the cake.

Yeah, in retrospect, I need to trim the comedy down. Glad you liked the mystery segement. I have been a HUGE fan of noir stuff since I was a kid. I know I need to work on a lot of technical aspects but if you got some enjoyment out of the story then it was all worth it. Thanks so much for your feedback Blaine.

[Ryanrjack]

This was fun to watch, because every filmmaker can relate to this. I know I can. Good job man.

Ryan

[Rodney V. Smith]

looks like you;re up for the "Dustin Rogan Award" dude. :beer:

[John LaBonney]

I really really liked this. I thought it was very well thought out. The animation scene with: "Nah, I could never pull that off" came off extra-poignant because you just did pull it off...

The comedy section seemed to drag on a little bit, and I didn't think the music fit, but I liked the acting.

The general premise of a filmmaker looking for a film to make was done very well here in my opinion, and I hope this does well.

[orchidsofwrath]

Imo the comedy one (although not neccessarily humor) pulled me in as a story. I was kind of dissapointed when it went back to "reality" because I liked where the comedy scene was going.

Did you actually do that whole CG scene yourself? modelling/uv mapping/texturing/animating/rendering all that?!?!?!

If so thats infrickencredible the amount of time you put into that film. And if so then you have mad skills. Just modelling that girl or that monster (not even textures) would take me more time than I spent on my entire film.

[Geoff_R]

Liked this one. Cool concept with the struggling screenwriter! Liked how you incorporated multiple stories, multiple characters. I like the noir one the most.. I'm a sucker for noir material :) Thanks for sharing.

[Brian Parker]

Ryanrjack - Thanks Ryan. Yeah, it's one of the many crosses we must bear. Glad you had fun with it.

puckthemad - Man, I'm not sure if I qualify but I'm more than flattered to even be considered. :beer:

John LaBonney - It's really cool that you enjoyed it. I haven't gotten a chance to watch Saint Anthony yet but I'll definately stop by your thread when I do. The animation sequence was a little intense, but fun to make.

Yeah, the comedy sequence is definitely in need of the most revamping. I just broke the director's rule and let myself get attatched to it so I didn't trim as much as I should have.

Glad you liked it and thanks for the feedback!

orchidsofwrath - LOL...glad you enjoyed the comedy scene. We had a lot of fun making that one and got a couple of good outtakes.

I must confess that I didn't do all of the animation scene from scratch. I bought the warehouse set and the demon from a 3D modeling site and then changed his texture maps because he was a boring solid red color. The girl, I did design and I did do texture work on her. The lighting took a really long time for some reason but I was pleased with how it came out. I did all of the animation from scratch start to finish, fx, sound design. I rendered it out myself. I have an animation background (half animator on my mother's side) and I would have loved to model the demon as well but time wouldn't allow. I didn't even get the idea for 1-Up as it stands until the beginning of February.

All that being said, I hope the fact that I bought the demon model doesn't cheapen the film any. I still worked like hell on the sequence and I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback!

Geoff_R - That means a lot since I've been so impressed with your previous work. I'm really looking forward to when I get to your new one. Yeah, noir stuff is awesome. Glad you liked it man. :dankk2:

[orchidsofwrath]

All that being said, I hope the fact that I bought the demon model doesn't cheapen the film any. I still worked like hell on the sequence and I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

Naw man I hate it now :). jk ofcourse thats still a HELLUVA lotta work and am still utterly impressed. I wish I wasn't such a useless animator. How long have you been doing cg and where did you learn if you don't mind me asking?

[Brian Parker]

Naw man I hate it now :). jk ofcourse thats still a HELLUVA lotta work and am still utterly impressed. I wish I wasn't such a useless animator. How long have you been doing cg and where did you learn if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks man. I've been trying to make cartoons since I was a kid but I started working with cg like back in '02. I went to Art Institute of Atlanta and studied Media Arts and Animation. Got to senior year but couldn't finish because I ran out of money. It's a good program but a lot of cg skills can be self taught. I mean you can get some good books and training DVDs(Gnomon DVDs are really good) and work hard at it and you'll get better really fast. Some people like 3DS Max, but Maya is my home. Let me know if you want to learn and I can hook you up with some good links and reference materials.

http://www.simondanaher.com/tutorials/Maya-3-parter/Part2-Rigging/02.jpg

[orchidsofwrath]

I mean you can get some good books and training DVDs(Gnomon DVDs are really good) and work hard at it and you'll get better really fast. Some people like 3DS Max, but Maya is my home. Let me know if you want to learn and I can hook you up with some good links and reference materials.


pm sent.

[krestofre]

You have a really good screen presence. I enjoyed your performance in the piece quite a bit.

As has been said, I think the comedy section is the weakest part. The situation is funny, but I think the editing could really be tightened up to accelerate the pacing. As it is now we're left waiting for the punchline for a few too many beats, whereas if the lines came faster, almost on top of each other, it would strengthen that section.

[Zim]

I liked this film,,,,man I can relate!! Trying to come up with an idea!! I liked the writer thinking of an idea then it is acted out. I might cut the comedy scene down some. It was funny but hey comedy is hard to do!! Good idea. Nice work.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

This was fun. Pretty well put together actually.

A few nitpicks, the focus seemed off on the closeups of his face when in the apartment. The focus seemed to be on the background in the distance, not his face. The lighting was also pretty harsh/shadows during the comedy piece.

As for the movie, it was pretty good and very well thought out. I was engaged and interested to see what he was going to come up with next.

Nice finish as well.

MAH

[Dustin R. Rogan]

looks like you;re up for the "Dustin Rogan Award" dude. :beer:


Hmm, I have an award named after me? Cool.

I always like seeing film makers in their own films.

Thanks for sharing

Rogan

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Hmm, I have an award named after me? Cool.

I always like seeing film makers in their own films.

Thanks for sharing

Rogan

My quote in your signature cracks me up *pushes glasses back up onto nose*
Your sig is just a riot in general. I like your sense of humor. :thumbsup:

And Brian, I'll be checking your film out very soon. Looking forward to it. Heard good things.

[Gord.T]

Really enjoyed it. Kind of showed your versatality as a writer and also as a filmaker, not sure how to phrase that. I thought you covered a lot of theme styles in there and handled them really well. Very cool.

[Brian Parker]

krestofre - heh heh...thanks. I enjoy doing the acting thing too from time to time. I'm definately going to re-edit the comedy scene to tighten it up. I hadn't made an attempt at comedy since I was a little kid trying to make improvised scriptless movies around the neighborhood and was always afraid of trying. Having done it, it really is fun. Just have to tweak it. Thanks for the feedback!

Zim - Thanks! Glad it was relateable. Yeah, I need to pick up my pacing. It's great though that you guys are unanimous in that regard so that I know a definite direction to go in order to improve. Glad you liked it!

Michael Anthony Horrigan - Thanks man. I'm a fan of your stuff so it's good to hear you liked it. Yeah, I shot the scenes in the apartment with a Canon HV-10 on a tripod so I had some focus issues. Oh yeah, the comedy lighting was blown out in spots. It was my first real attempt at actually lighting a scene instead of using one worklight to the side or something. I'm glad that it kept you interested and that you got some enjoyment from it. Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.

Dustin R. Rogan - Thanks for watching man. Always cool to be seen by a DVXuser celebrity.

Lawsuit Boy - Cool man. I'm behind on my viewing but I've heard some good stuff about Tiny Dancer as well. I'll swing by your page after I watch it.

Raptor365 - Thanks. The fact that you thing I showed versatility and theme well really means a lot to me. I appreciate the feedback.

[ZazaCast]

This was really good Brian! Great way to get a bunch of different feels into one film...like a great club sandwich, it's in there. I'd like to see you expand on a few of those ideas.

Edit was cool, and as always, the music was too. There were a few funky things with the light in the kitchen scene, but other than that it was a fun ride! Thanks for sharing.

[Brian Parker]

ZazaCast - Thanks! I'd thought about doing some further work with the super shorts. Still working on my lighting skills so hopefully I'll get better in time for the next one. Glad you had fun. Thanks for watching!

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Lawsuit Boy - Cool man. I'm behind on my viewing but I've heard some good stuff about Tiny Dancer as well. I'll swing by your page after I watch it.



Cool man. I hope you enjoy it.

Anyway, onto the review! Gotta love crime films. Oh wait...WHAT?

Haha, that was a very good start to the film. I loved the reel ending on the projector and coming into the reality of the scene. Loved the Tarantino line. :thumbsup: But you know, I suppose we have Godard to thank for starting the chain of reactions with his saying, "All you need to make a good movie is a girl and a gun."

The toenail...priceless. This film is chock full of charming and poignant lines that actually tend to carry a bit of weight with them once dissected a bit. From the get-go, I really became attached to what was happening. As a fellow filmmaker and creative mind, an audience member like myself simply cannot help but feel a genuine relation to the characters and the material. Presenting the protagonist's struggles to write a good film screenplay as separate cut-aways to possible visions of his future film is not necessarily a technique that hasn't been done before, but it is most certainly fresh in this film and keeps the comedic beats flowing in a strong, even rhythm. And man, it's just really difficult to not fall in love with the protagonist and wish to see him succeed.

The juxtaposition of "cinematic" style in the ideas and more grounded, documented 16:9 frame is a great way to discern reality from imagination, just like all of us sitting around in probably mundane atmospheres, that with the touch of a clever and imaginative mind, will be transformed into a location that's new even to the writer.

And I agree that comedies are very difficult to make correctly (and cause the majority of viewers to laugh), but this was pulled off very well.

I also felt, as other did, that some of the reality sequences expressed slightly improper focus. There were little hiccups in the lighting from shot to shot on occasion, and one or two sound hiccups, but the sound and image were very consistent throughout. There were a few awkward cuts as well (one in particular was during the noir scene).

Really, this was such a fun and charming film. I also commend you for jumping into the film noir arena! You did a great job creating the typical soft, high-key lighting on the woman as one would see in a film noir. Great work! :beer:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Michael Anthony Horrigan - Thanks man. I'm a fan of your stuff so it's good to hear you liked it. Yeah, I shot the scenes in the apartment with a Canon HV-10 on a tripod so I had some focus issues. Oh yeah, the comedy lighting was blown out in spots. It was my first real attempt at actually lighting a scene instead of using one worklight to the side or something. I'm glad that it kept you interested and that you got some enjoyment from it. Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it.
No problem, man. I'm sure this film taught you a lot in so many different areas. Can't wait to see what you do next.

MAH

[SMarston]

i love a movie thats interesting and easy to sit through, the type you dont want to end because you're sure there is more to be done, that was this movie for me. great job, keep up the good work

[Brian Parker]

Lawsuit Boy - I just left a review of Tiny Dancer over in your thread. It was...well...I'll just let you read it.

Wow, thanks for the awesome feedback man. Tiny Dancer was so good and the fact that you liked my film is pretty cool.

I hate to admit it but I'm not to well-versed on Goddard's works yet. Any reccomendations?

I'm glad you liked the protagonist and were able to relate. That was a very important thing for me, especially considering who the initial audience is. I was a little hesitant about switching betwwen ratios for the "reality" and "immagination" sequences but it looks like it paid off. I'm definately working on improving my technical details. Which shot in the noir sequence was off?

Thanks again for leaving such great feedback. I love these fests primarily for that reason. This stuff is gold! I'm glad you enjoyed the film man becuase I enjoyed making it. :beer:

Michael Anthony Horrigan - Oh yeah. I learned a lot. Looking forward to your future projects as well.

SMarston - Thanks a lot...really. That is an amazing compliment. I appreciate it.

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Lawsuit Boy - I just left a review of Tiny Dancer over in your thread. It was...well...I'll just let you read it.

Wow, thanks for the awesome feedback man. Tiny Dancer was so good and the fact that you liked my film is pretty cool.

I hate to admit it but I'm not to well-versed on Goddard's works yet. Any reccomendations?

I'm glad you liked the protagonist and were able to relate. That was a very important thing for me, especially considering who the initial audience is. I was a little hesitant about switching betwwen ratios for the "reality" and "immagination" sequences but it looks like it paid off. I'm definately working on improving my technical details. Which shot in the noir sequence was off?

Thanks again for leaving such great feedback. I love these fests primarily for that reason. This stuff is gold! I'm glad you enjoyed the film man becuase I enjoyed making it. :beer:

.

Thank you for the wonderful words, Brian! I appreciate it so much. I've been worried about the film lately, but you and the critics I know over at Rotten Tomatoes gave it fantastic feedback as well as everyone else, so I'm not so worried anymore.

Anyway, Godard...I recommend starting with Breathless, which is one of the films that really established the French New Wave, along with Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" (which I recommend HIGHLY. Now, Truffaut is my favorite of the two, and there are of course other french new wave filmmakers, but Godard is a taste that must be aquired. After Breathless, I recommend checking out A Woman is a Woman (where a lot of inspiration for Tiny Dancer stemmed from), Contempt/Le mepris in french (which is fantastic), Pierrot le fou, Band of Outsiders, Alphaville, and Masculin/feminin.

Heh, that's quite a bit of homework! I'm an enormous international film buff and am constantly filling my collection with Criterion Collection dvds (I know that sounds snobbish, but I'm really not. They're just fantastic films). I just feel that while America turns out some amazing films, other countries turn out stuff equally impressive, if not more impressive. And all of the film movements since the advent of sync sound are worth looking into. I really recommend seeking out some German expressionist work too.

Anyway, hope that helps!

[Lawsuit_Boy]

OH! And if you're into political satire at all, check out Godard's La Chinoise. Great film with some fantastic cinematography.

[Brian Parker]

Thanks man. I'll check those out!

[KTOOFRESH]

"if only i could make a film by myself" well put!

ya know, the difference between actors and directors is the stress level haha. while directors have in our minds every single intimate detail of every scene. we know what we want it to look like, we know what need it to be, we try to get the best people and the best places to make our imagination come to life. while actors are able to separate themselves from clip to clip only focusing on what needs to be done right then.

you have managed to pull off both roles and made it look damn good. amazing job

[Marlon Ladd]

Champloo, I haven't watched yours yet, but I plan to tonight!

[jmc]

I really liked this one. The premise was funny, and the comment about making a film by yourself definitely struck a cord with me. :) The CG was also impressive. Not feature film quality, but very good for a short like this. And I know how quickly a "short" animation like that can eat up your time.

My only crits are that the comedy scene didn't have enough comedy. My expectations may have been misplaced, but I was thinking it would be a sitcom style with shallow jokes and lots of laughs. Because of that expectation, the reality was a let down.

Also, in the sequence that starts at 1:10, the close up dolly shots, the hand-held nature of the motion took me out of the scene.

Still, it was a great effort, and I enjoyed watching. Thanks!

[Norm Sanders]

Brian, I loved the concept & the originality of this compared to many of the other fest entries. Loved seeing the little splices of other films you put together.

You've got a penchant for the written word, and loved the writing in the noir/detective piece.

Technically, I felt some of the acting was off at times on the delivery, most notably with the room mates, and some of this really came down to editing, which if there was some tightening up, it'd help the deliveries better, in my opinion, to keep the dialogue quicky, whitty, and almost on top of each others, so basically just speeding up the pace a little more.

In my mind, I think to REALLY have sold this film, and all the clips within it, since we're dealing with the filmmaker's imagination here & he was just brainstorming, would be to have everything OVER THE TOP. The action opening with some ducks & rolls from the main character (gun fire coming from some where), the drama could have the actress have a HUGE tear running down her cheek with REALLY moving/swelling score, the comedy to be more animated, fast paced, etc.

The detective one was so perfect, because of the writing/dialogue/narration in it, and made the others pale in comparison because they seemed more flat ... again, since we were in his imagination, may as well had fun with it.

BTW, GREAT animation on that CG section ... the gal's face had incredible expressions on her!

[Sprocketboy]

I had a long day and just sat down to watch and review a dozen films. Your film is the first. I'm so glad I did. I needed a laugh and you certainly have me one. Thanks. The writing is real good. I like both the VO and sync material. They both have a natural tone, not forced. The performances are actually quite good, but the editing affected the pacing a bit. There are several moments in the kitchen when I would have laughed, but didn't, because of the editing.

I caught a glimpse of what Norm wrote and agree about the beginning action scene. That should have been a no-holds-bar shootout or chase. There was also an editing problem with the POV of the cop. You had him run up to the camera in almost a full shot and then cut to the POV. The POV can only be only shown after the CU, not that full shot. Then again, you may have not had the shots to continue continuity to get to the CU. That's a nit pick and I'm lingering too long on it. There are edits like that throughout which if done correctly would give this short some wings. Like I said the writing and acting are there, they are the two hardest things to get, now you need to tighten up on the technical end. That techie stuff is the easy part.

Keep up the good work. I want to see more from you.

[Marlon Ladd]

Champloo, loved the film! Very entertaining and funny with a very original idea. As filmmakers we all go through that process while writing a film, so that was very cool. The only thing I could nitpick at is your voice in the kitchen seemed off a little at time (seemed like it was adr) and there were just a couple of things or shots rather, that would have been better had the camera been on a tripod. Like in the drama piece, showing all the pics and books. A small thing, there so no biggie. Anyway, a very creative film and I commend you for wearing all the hats that you do (I know exactly how that is and how hard it can be).

[Brian Parker]

KTOOFRESH - Wow, thanks. That's a big compliment. Glad you felt that I made it work. Thanks for the feedback. :beer:

jmc - Hey jmc. Yeah, based on the feedback I've gotten, I realize that picking up the pace on the comedy sequence would have created better impact. It's my first time seriously attempting comedy and I learned a lot from it.

The shaky cam on the drama piece bothered me too and I didn't have time to reshoot. I'm going to have to invest in a stabilizer.

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

Norm Sanders - Thanks man. Im always a little insecure about my writing capabilities.

I see what you're saying about the roommates. I'm really feeling a little down about the comedy piece. I'm planning on doing a re-edit but I hate the feeling of dropping the ball.

You know, I never really thought about pushing the super shorts to the extreme like that but it does make sense because it's imagination.

Glad you enjoyed the cg. The bizzare thing, is that animating her was very much like working with a real actor. I'd animate the facial expressions and then render out a "take" and if It didn't work, didn't have the right timing or emotion, I'd reanimate and we'd try it again. It was kind of surreal.

Thanks for all of the great feedback and advice Norm!

Sprocketboy - Man, thanks. I'm really glad it gave you some laughs. That's what I really hoped for. I vow that the comedy scene will be re-edited to be better paced and effective.

Thanks for the correction on the Cop POV shot. I didn't know that. I'm learning so much invaluable info from the feedback. Yeah, I was a little short on footage for that sequence due to location elements but I definately see what you're saying. Really glad that you like the writing and acting and I'm going to keep grinding away to learn the tech stuff.

Thanks for all the feedback. Looking forward to seeing more from you too man.

Marlon Ladd - Thanks Marlon. Yeah, the creative process is the old gift and the curse. Yeah, there were some sound issues during the kitchen scene. Still trying to get audio. The tripod thing was just me slipping. Heh heh...I can admit that. Thanks for checking it out Marlon. Glad you liked it. I'll be getting to yours soon.

[abraham]

Good stuff. You kind of took the approach we did: the fact that you couldn't come up with an idea IS your idea. And the way you shoot each idea down is pretty dead on -- I found myself agreeing with you for the most part, except on the comedy tip. :costumed-smiley-047

Word. My favorite bit was the comedy.
keep it up!

[TiJo]

just creative work here! i totally enjoyed this one. The actress had some great lines! she is really good. i loved the animation sequence

[Brian Parker]

Abraham - Thanks man. I haven't seen Lost at Sea yet but I've heard a lot about it. I'll be sure to stop by your thread after I watch it.

TiJo - Thnaks! Glad you had fun with it. Yeah Quynh is a blast to work with. That's why she always winds up in my projects. Glad you liked the animation too. Thanks for the feedback!

[Spear670]

Hey man I thought this was a lot of fun to watch. I enjoyed the range you showed with the all the mini film ideas we got to see. While the comedy could have been better, I really enjoyed the noir feel and the cg stuff was really cool.

Films that address the creative complications we as filmmakers (and especially us writers) face are always a joy to watch when done right and this was definitely a joy!

[Drew Ott]

Favorite part: The writers block montage with the toe-nail clipping and dancing.

What would have made me like the film more: A secondary conflict. What does the protagonist lose if he isn't able to write a great film?

Overall I enjoyed the film. It kept my interest. Good work.

[Tim Joy]

This was very enjoyable, and a great improvement on your Twilightfest entry. I was laughing MAO.

The biggest laugh was the Noir/ detective scene. Great VO and writing on that one.

Second biggest was the comedy scene. The pace could've been upped a tad for my taste, but it still played really well.

I think you captured the feeling of the genre in the action and drama sections, but I wanted to see a mini story in there like the comedy and noir sections have.

The CG stuff was very impressive. I was saying, "he actually MADE this?" Cool.

I liked the VO throughout, and it probably echo's the thoughts of all of us here when were trying to come up with an idea for the fest.

You gave me a big smile and some good laughs. I look forward to more from you.

[Brian Parker]

Spear670 - Glad you had fun with it man. It was a lot of fun to make. Yeah, I enjoy films like that a lot as well. So relateable. Thanks for the feedback man!

Drew Ott - Glad you enjoyed it. You make a really good point about the secondary conflict. Would have uped the ante. Thanks for checking it out!

yeehawnow - Thanks. That's a big thing for me. As long as I'm improving. Glad it got some laughs out of you.

Yeah, the noir was fun. I've been such a big fan of noir since I was a kid. Heh...I've already recut the comedy section to pick up the pacing...shaved off like half a minute. I would have loved to flesh out the drama and action more.

The cg was crazy to do but fun in it's own way. I have an animation history so it was nice to do something with it again. Glad you could connect to the conflict in this one and that you had fun with it. Thanks for all the feedback man.

[eustace]

Cool idea. Well shot - especially liked the opening scene. Well edited - really liked the film reel transitions.

I didn't love the comedy section, but looks like you've already changed some of that.

Overall, I thought this short was pretty good, but I think it could have been much better if the Writer contemplation scenes were a little more interesting. These scenes were basically silent film pieces, so I think you could have gone a few ways to make it more interesting here. One way could be using more overly expressive acting. Conversely, you could have used extreme close-ups on more subtle acting. Also, I think the art direction could have gone a long way to make the Writer scenes more interesting. As it is, I don't think the set lends much to the building of his character. Lastly, the VO, I think, was a bit weak - not quite expressive enough.

Again, though, I really did like the concept and I thought the production quality, especially with the many genres used (and animation!) was really great.

[Brian Parker]

eustace - Glad you liked the opening. It was fun to shoot. Yeah, comedy is being recut.

With the contemplation scenes, I used the empty room to try create a kind of stark void. I wanted those scenes to be muted in comparison to the film idea sequences so I left the room empty, didn't do any real ligjting, no color correction, etc. I guess I did overdo it a bit to where it became detrimental to the film.

Glad you liked the concept and if the production quality of my films improves each time, then I'm happy. Thanks for all the feedback!

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

lol, very funny dude.

"she tried to f1ck me", :-)

You are very skilled man. And its because of that...that this short sort of bummed me out. BECAUSE, dude, I want to see you make a "real" movie, you've got the chops!

Every single one of those "mini movies" was excellent.

Now that i've had the sampler, I want the main course!

[Brian Parker]

shawneous - thanks man, that means a lot. I've thought about expanding each one of them and I might end up doing it. Especially the noir. I love noir.

It's cool though. My next film will be a single full narrative....I think...