"Undercover" A Ramsaur Film

[ramsaur]

Download film here (http://dvxfest.ramjetfilms.com/loss2009/Undercover-ramsaur.mov).


http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/TheatricalPoster-4.jpg

So randomly a few minutes ago I went back to the thread for the "Moment of Impact" Time Fest Entry and completely forgot people would comment on it. First off thanks to the ones who were impressed that I got it done at the last second. Second, yes I know what a lot of you mean by miss understanding story, actors just friends and not actors, jumpy music. 2009 my friends, all changing. So this film you should see a change in the time fest entry and any other films anyone has seen that Ramsaur Films has made.


Production Progress:
01.16.09
Finished Script

01.17.09
Casting, location scouting, finding crew.

01.28.09
All roles are casted. Now getting a little budget for some food, need one more prop, and need to get three locations.
As far as crew that's almost set. Two new roles of head shots shown below!

01.29.09
Believe we have two locations down and one more to go!
Have spoken with the actors and should be shooting sometime soon!

01.31.09
February 6th we will begin shooting!
Will be posting some BTS later that day to show you guys what we got done and will keep you updated!

02.06.09
Shot for a good six hours today with a good bit of footage. Now editing and will be posting BTS and a small trailer soon!

02.08.09
Edited from beginning to end. Just very rough cut right now. I now have some BTS pictures!
Screen Grabs coming here pretty soon!
Had a nice little budget of $4.75 :)

02.25.09
Film is just about complete. Editing up some small rough spots. Check Screen Grabs, BTS, and a new poster above!

[ramsaur]

Cast
[Click on their name and will take you to their IMDB page]

Barry Free - Agent 14
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/BarryFree.jpg

Mark Jones - Agent 35

Steven Williams (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931739) - Boss
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/StevenWilliams.jpg

Tim Hickey (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3120150) - Agent In Charge
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/headshotpics001.jpg

Cast is complete!
---------------
Crew
Director, Writer, Producer: Matthew Ramsaur (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850087)
Director of Photography: Matthew Ramsaur (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850087)
Editor: Matthew Ramsaur (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2850087)
Colorist: Jabari Thomas (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2313866)
Music: Erich Barto (http://www.myspace.com/x77music)
Boom Operator: Michael Smith
Production Assistants: Nair Haile and Jonathan Shoemaker
Behind The Scenes: Jonathan Tripp (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3036779)

[ramsaur]

Screen Grabs

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/1-2.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/9-3.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/3-2.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/11-2.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/6-2.jpg

[ramsaur]

BTS stills

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/GEDC3968.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/GEDC4019.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/GEDC4195.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/GEDC4207.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/058.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/061.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/047.jpg
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/077.jpg

Click HERE (http://www.flickr.com/photos/29693490@N04/sets/72157613501567305/show) for more.

[alex whitmer]

This is a nice surprise!

A big fat welcome to the fest.

alex



www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com (http://www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com)

www.brooklyngarrison.wordpress.com





.

[ramsaur]

So I only get a welcome from Alex? Come on guys. No I'm kidding, but I'm doing this to let others see that I have an entry since I posted at about 3am when almost no one was online.

[stinkpot]

I'll give you some thread luv. Welcome to the fest man!

:beer:

[ramsaur]

New updates! Check them out!

[Rodney V. Smith]

whoa, where did you come from? Sorry for the late welcome, but WELCOME dude.!

Link your banner back to the thread and head on over to the DVXFest Facebook page and upload your poster. Good to see you back into the fray.

[ramsaur]

Read the news on the production status - 1st post and BTS pics are up - 4th post.
Working on getting Screen Grabs within the next few days!

[ramsaur]

Everything is up to date. Please check everything out (poster, grabs, BTS) and give some good feedback when the film is online.

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Looks like a fun, low-key production. I like it! Good luck in the fest. Can't wait to see the action. :thumbsup:

[Richard J. Johnson]

Good film. I thought the grade was a little off on the exterior shots. Other than that. I enjoyed it. I did not who the hell was good or bad. That was dope.

[Chris Messineo]

Great opening shot.

I always have tremendous respect for those who do action and fight scenes - that can't be easy. I saw the BTS shots and I can't believe you got that running shot, by running alongside - impressive.

Your music was dramatic and fit the story very well.

Best of luck in the fest.

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Boy am I glad to see at least a little bit of decent fight choreography! The running stabilizer shots you did toward the beginning were nice and helped bring the pace up dramatically. Overall, the sound and video were fairly consistent with a few hiccups here and there as far as color/tonal shifts and a little choppiness in audio from one bit to the next. It suffers from what seems like lack of experience in all areas, but the piece still holds together.

It didn't quite grab me, but it was certainly a noble effort. Nice job! :thumbsup:

[ramsaur]

Thanks for the feedback guys. More feedback would be great!

[warau]

Not bad. The opening is nice, picks up the pace and sets a tone for the rest of the time. It was somewhat difficult to follow the story, who was who and why. I thought you had some good shot choices and overall a pretty fair film.

[Norm Sanders]

Watching this inspires me to want to do an action film, though I know they can be TOUGH if not done correctly. You had some strengths in here for sure, the most notable of which would have been (in my opinion) the short fight sequence. In the future, I think you could crank that up just a notch by shooting it in a higher shutter speed, and maybe increase the speed anywhere from 10-25% in post ... enough to where it still looks real & natural, but adds that extra wow factor. Something else I noticed in the new Batman franchise is their action shots are close up, so it really immerses you in the action, but you also don't have to be as exact with the hits but still sells because it's so fast & kinetic.

The guy getting hit by the truck should have been shot at a different angle, or have it be a locked down shot that you could then splice & edit together in post to make him look like he's REALLY hit by the truck vs. just reaching out & smacking the mirror with his hand, which also takes away from him being a professional bad ass.

Lighting is an area that could lend to further improvement of the shots, as well as mood of the settings, and audio especially needs further attention in the future, so it's not distracting of who's getting mic'd at the time, who's not, etc. You want the shots/audio/editing to be as seamless as possible, so that there's as little distraction to the viewer as possible ... allowing them to be further immersed in your story.

Hopefully these are constructive critiques for you, giving both some positive feedback as well as things that are great areas of focus on your next project! Thanks for making this & sharing it with your peers!

[ramsaur]

Thanks for the critiques Norm. You are right about a lot that you said and will be improved more for the next films I make. There are a few things myself I wish I could have reshot or added more to the film, but it's much better than a lot of my other films. And yes, action films are very tough to do and get it down right. Especially editing it as well for your audience view. The shooting of the running/fight scene took about 2-3 hours, but well worth all the time we used for it.

[Norm Sanders]

There are a few things myself I wish I could have reshot or added more to the film, but it's much better than a lot of my other films.

And that, my friend, is nearly all that matters ... that you're improving with each one! I still learn on EVERY single production I do, of what I could have done better, and try to apply it to the next ... hopefully I'll always be in that state of wanting to ever improve & not settle, and it looks like you're on the same path. :)

[Norm Sanders]

BTW, I posted this in someone else's thread, and thought it could benefit here as well:

One thing I've noticed ... is the director also being the camera operator. Once you can find someone you really trust to work the camera, you're going to see directing in an entirely new light, and be able to focus on it more. Something I heard a long time ago, and try to stick by was this: "The secret to success is surrounding yourself with people more talented than you are". So as you can begin to delegate things out, the more you can focus on directing, while having people even more profiicient than you at certain things be able to bring a LOT to the table.

[ramsaur]

Oh yea I've actually done that once. Wasn't bad. But later this year towards end of summer I'm doing a much bigger film and will not be on the camera. Only directing and a little producing but that will be my time to do all the directing. Will be a fun project too.

[MrKilloran]

Nice work on the tracking shot that you got... running along side of him on foot?! very good job keeping the camera stable, kudos.

Why do all that fighting, if he had a gun?

Saw some grading issues between scenes, it wasn't matching up and I was confused as to what the plot was exactly. Who are these characters and what are they doing, their stiff acting also sort of made it hard to get a feel for them and the story you placed them in. Overall well done just could use some improvement in areas.

[SMarston]

pretty good, kinda funny, kinda random. not really a convincing film but def. had some good shots and great imagination put into it.

[ramsaur]

Why do all that fighting, if he had a gun?
Give the audience the thrill and a good fight.


pretty good, kinda funny, kinda random.
"Pretty good" works but kinda funny and random? umm ok

[jasonthewho]

This was definitely an improvement over your last entry. Some really good shots in here, and some subpar ones. I really liked the low angle shot during the fight scene.

The story was hard to follow, with all sorts of duplicity. Could be cool, but it needs to be presented a little clearer.

Also, I thought you had a cool ending when the old guy kills the young guy then opens the safe and walks out. Then it didn't end for another couple minutes. And it ended with an awkward "You should go see a medic." If you had ended it with the twist and the old man taking the money and leaving, I think you would have had a snappier ending.

Haven't watched your other entry yet. Looking forward to it.

[Sprocketboy]

Get some people to help you behind the camera, so you can focus more on details. You have potential and yet you throw it to the wolves with camera shots that don't seem right, but almost do. The acting is not that good, but many of the characters look the part. Good actors with lines is a big deal in this festival. Great actors will knock your film out of the ball park.

Start finding some other filmmakers in your area and trade off help on each others shoot. I assure you, in the next fest, you will impress us all.

[vnguyen972]

This film reminds me of my 1st project while i was trying to do almost everything myself because I was wanting to learn all aspects of film making with my friends.
Are these actors real actors or your friends? I'm sorry but their acting are very bad. Maybe they need a better direction? I don't know... Camera angles and editing needs plenty of attention.
At the beginning, the 2 guys chasing each other, on the street...
1. why keep chasing him on the wide open road, can't just shoot him in the leg or something? the chase would be more effective if staging it on the smaller streets with lots of turns and stuff.
2. When the other guy hit the truck, didn't he see it? I mean, it's an open road and not a lot of traffic, and it looks like he just stepped out of the way then fell down... I did not buy the hit at all...

I know a fight would be more awesome instead of just using gun but the fight in this is a joke .. maybe trying to watch some of the fight on movies then study their angles and editing style? like Bourne movies... I love their fighting sequences!

At the end, I still don't know what the story is about? I was like.. that's it?

Over all, good effort and I really encourage you to make more and always learn it from it.

[Brian Parker]

Ah, a fight scene. I'm always a little terrified of the prospect of doing a fight scene but you pulled one off. I see what you were going for with this film and you do make it in some spots. The thing I think you should focus a little more on is the story. Make it clear for the audience who these people are and what's going on. Develop characters more so that they leave lasting impressions. Others have touched on it but work a little on the color grading and lighting to make sure it's more consistent. Also be carful with you music volume because it drowned out some of the dialogue.

It might seem like I'm being harsh but there's a lot of potential. A lot of directors make action films but far less make them well. You can be one of the few that make them well. Keep working on your skills and crew up. Doing something like this as a one man show can be murder. Thanks for sharing.

[MrKilloran]

Give the audience the thrill and a good fight.

Good answer.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Very much improved over last Fest but I have to agree with the comments about the opening fight. I actually chuckled when he pulled out the gun after the fight and shot him. I really don't think that's the response you were going for.

The story was also a little scattered and hard to follow.

You are improving though. Practice makes perfect.

MAH

[ZazaCast]

I agree with what has already been said. Keep hammering away.

[ramsaur]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I know what you all mean about the gun at the end. The best I've heard is shoot him in the leg, which that could have worked. But just running then a random shot I think would have killed some of the film off.

The color grading was not done by me. The ext. shots were color graded but I took it out because he applied way too much green, but the int. scenes were find. BTW, I'm just now learning myself how to color grade. So maybe next fest I will have some improvement :)

Also on the dialogue I think it's hard to hear when he's right up at the safe? Yea the mic was a little far off from the actor so that is why.


Are these actors real actors or your friends? I'm sorry but their acting are very bad. Maybe they need a better direction? I don't know...
Yes, they are real actors. They have become friends after working with them, but they are actors. And you could be right about my direction. Action is a tough genre and you have to nail a lot of it and especially this one since it was a thriller with a twist to it. So hopefully next fest you guys will see an even better improvement.

[Noel Evans]

I couldnt comment on your other piece. But just wanted to state here, this is good improvement on your other stuff I have seen. You have age on your side and I think if you keep plugging away, well who knows whats possible right?

[ramsaur]

That is right. I've actually gotten a lot of good comment from filmmakers about how good my films are for my age I'm at. But yea, I'm always up to do a film, short, feature, documentary, etc. Got a some good ones this year to make and show more improvement.

[ramsaur]

Some sad news about the actor who played the Boss... Just found out from his sister that he had a heart attack a few days ago and has passed away.

Steven E. Williams
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931739
http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd191/ramsaur/StevenWilliams.jpg

[Nick_Lee]

I'm sorry to hear that man :( that's terrible. I don't know the relationship you had with the guy but I hope you and his family are doing okay....

I didn't laugh when he shot him...My eyes did bug out though. I wasn't expecting that at all. I was like "WHaaaa...no way. that's cold blooded" haha. Overall I think the outdoor locations and performances could have made this much better than it was.

I thought the interiors were shot very well...way better than the exteriors which is weird. I usually feel like with indie stuff that the exteriors are shot better. Nice job on that though. I loved the set design in the boss's room. That tied with the color of the room was great. Only thing I didn't like was the tv. which is kind of a random nit pick so no worries there.

thanks for sharing!

[Blaine]

Wow. I'm just not sure what to say. I'd like to see you try something a little less ambitious and see you pull it off. This was a bit too much.

The whole Agent 14, Agent 52 etc, was just corny. It made me think of Get Smart and I know that's not what your were going for. This would have been better had you done it as a spoof.

The action sequences were a bit painful to watch because they were so obviously staged and played out too slowly. I chuckled when Agent 30 something "bumped" into the car.

I'd like to see you find a writer to collaborate with because I'm not convinced that's your strong suit.

[Postmaster]

Most is already said.

The film could benefit from more constant and carefull color grading.
When you cut from the int. to the first ext. scene I was kind a throw out, lookt like I was in an other film.

Like the tracking shot thou. How did you do that?

Frank

[ramsaur]

Most is already said.

The film could benefit from more constant and carefull color grading.
When you cut from the int. to the first ext. scene I was kind a throw out, lookt like I was in an other film.

Like the tracking shot thou. How did you do that?

Frank

Color Grading. Read this post (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1576907&postcount=33)

Tracking Shot. Check the BTS (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1524015&postcount=4)

[Chad_from_Chad]

Wow, that was different