The Tell

[lyonfilms]

From the creators of "Tarts, Fools & The G-Men" we bring you The Tell...

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/the-tell-temp-poster_small.jpg

[lyonfilms]

Production Updates

8/1/09 - Actor 1 Secured. Jillian Rabe.
8/5/09 - Script draft 2 sent out to two actors.
8/7/08 - Location scout at the historic Bridgeport Brewery in downtown Portland. Could work...
9/20/09 - Norm Sanders and Todd Robinson are in as the actors.
10/2/09 - 10/3/09 (one long shoot) - picture's in the can.
10/7/09 - First pass rough cut done.
10/23/09 - Edit lock. VFX lock. Waiting final sound mix.

A few raw, uncorrected grabs.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-waitress1-300x126.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-joe-300x126.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-rich-300x126.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-rich-2-300x126.jpg

[lyonfilms]

Presenting (again) Jillian Rabe (http://jillianrabe.carbonmade.com/).

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/moon.jpg

And presenting Norm Sanders (this time as a talented actor, not a talented director)

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/norm_sanders_1-226x300.jpg

And presenting TODD ROBINSON (no picture) but here is his excellent website : CLICK HERE. (http://www.backstagebranding.com/ToddRobinson/Todd_Robinson)

[AmyO]

Yay! More PDX filmmaking action. Looking forward to it.

Let me know if I can be of any help to you. :)

[lyonfilms]

Here are some BTS.

Some BTS Photos (not screen grabs, not yet...)

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-1-200x300.jpg
Hmmm....wonder what this is for?

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-2-300x200.jpg
Lft to Rt (Jamie Jordan, Dan Walker, Todd Robinson, Kevin Curry)

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-3-200x300.jpg
Devon Lyon and Norm Sanders
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-todd-1-300x200.jpg
Actor Todd Robinson on monitor while Devon and Kevin look at shot.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-devon-1-200x300.jpg
Devon and Todd chat.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-jason-1-200x300.jpg
Jason Ptaszek studies shot list.
"How the heck am I going to slate this deviation..."

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-jillian-1-300x200.jpg
Jillian Rabe.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-dan-devon-200x300.jpg
Devon and DP Dan Walker
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-wounds-300x200.jpg
Did someone fall out of the truck?
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-kevin-and-dan-300x200.jpg
Kevin Curry and Dan Walker
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-devon-2-200x300.jpg
Director Devon Lyon is not pleased...but why?
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-norm-2-200x300.jpg
Norm...you have such long eyelashes...

[AmyO]

I figured you were busy with the LA screening. No worries ;-)

[Rodney V. Smith]

Welcome back guys.

[Brian Parker]

This is gonna be good....welcome back guys.

[lyonfilms]

Thanks :) Now we tweak the script, find actors, locations, etc., etc., LOL.

Good times.

[~jai~]

YAYYY!!! Welcome aboard guys! I can't wait to see what you come up with this time! Like the poster!

[Norm Sanders]

Love the poster. I'm in for anything, if you think there's a fit, Devon.

[lyonfilms]

Norm - sent you an email.

[ZazaCast]

Welcome back...looking forward to another fine film!

[Brandon Rice]

Looking forward to this!

[lyonfilms]

The script has been sent to two actors...we should have some initial announcements soon.

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Hey Devon! Glad to see you back! I'll give you a friendly wager...I bet that i'll place higher :-D, loser owes the winner a lunch with beer. Eh? :-)

[lyonfilms]

Hey Devon! Glad to see you back! I'll give you a friendly wager...I bet that i'll place higher :-D, loser owes the winner a lunch with beer. Eh? :-)


Sounds like a bet :happy:

Taco Bell it is...

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Sounds like a bet :happy:

Taco Bell it is...

I know that loop hole (college buddy tries it every time). Hence the alcohol requirement. McMenamins, Horse Brass, Green Dragon, etc. are all valid places. :beer:

We could amp it up even more. Haha!

[lyonfilms]

I know that loop hole (college buddy tries it every time). Hence the alcohol requirement. McMenamins, Horse Brass, Green Dragon, etc. are all valid places. :beer:

We could amp it up even more. Haha!

LOL - you got me :)

I like your options "McMenamins, Horse Brass, Green Dragon".

Maybe I'll shoot this VHS...could work...

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

LOL - you got me :)

I like your options "McMenamins, Horse Brass, Green Dragon".

Maybe I'll shoot this VHS...could work...

Are you pulling the same crew from TFG back?

Do it Borat style, they dubbed from VHS to VHS for generations until they got the degraded look they were after

[lyonfilms]

As seen in Tarts, Fools & The G-Men:

Jillian Rabe a beautiful actress and model has re-joined the team and will be featured in The Tell.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/moon.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dog-199x300.jpg

[lyonfilms]

And announcing Norm Sanders (yes, not only is a Norm a talented director he is a great actor as well).
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/norm_sanders_1-226x300.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/norm_sanders_2-300x201.jpg

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Congrats on Norm!

Make sure you stock extra Soy Milk, Fair Trade Shade coffee only (not just for him but the whole crew) and organic guano at crafty. Do those things and it'll be smooth sailing! He really needs to know the set is fully cruelty-free in order to summon his mojo.

[Noel Evans]

Excellent Devon. Looking good.

[lyonfilms]

Congrats on Norm!

Make sure you stock extra Soy Milk, Fair Trade Shade coffee only (not just for him but the whole crew) and organic guano at crafty. Do those things and it'll be smooth sailing! He really needs to know the set is fully cruelty-free in order to summon his mojo.


Um, Norm, you never told me you were such a Diva... :)

[Norm Sanders]

Yeah, I didn't know I was either ... or a tree hugger, or a .....

[Mark Harris]

And announcing Norm Sanders (yes, not only is a Norm a talented director he is a great actor as well).
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/norm_sanders_1-226x300.jpg

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/norm_sanders_2-300x201.jpg

Do I need to ask the one question on everyone's mind?

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Are they real or implants?

His hair! :-)

[Mark Harris]

I was hoping this film would contain a reveal of Norm's seriously ripped chest and abs. Actually, that joke might be too old for the youngin's now. I mean, we have people around here who don't know who MOVIE MASTER is...

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

I was hoping this film would contain a reveal of Norm's seriously ripped chest and abs. Actually, that joke might be too old for the youngin's now. I mean, we have people around here who don't know who MOVIE MASTER is...

k, I get the abs, because there was that precious time in DVXUser history where Norm would grace us with manly topless nudity at every opportunity, but I still dont know who MOVIE MASTER is.

So yea, back to your original, we're ALL hoping Norm gets naked again

[Norm Sanders]

I'm sure Devon loves this addition to his thread. Sorry, Devon. So, even though The Tell takes place in the Arctic, you think there'll be reason in the story to have me do a slow-mo strip out of the full body snow suit?

And regarding Movie Master, Mark, he actually contacted me back in April about teaming up for QuestFest. Apparently the gates of Hell are only about a 5+ hour drive from where I live ... but, as we all know, I didn't enter anything afterall for QuestFest. :(

[Ryan E. Walters]

Congrats! I'm looking forward to seeing this one. Should be fun to see both Norm & Jillian in action. Best of luck!

[Mike Manning]

Woohoo! Jillian FTW!

[lyonfilms]

Whew. Crazy two weeks. 1 commercial shoot with NBA star, the Portland, OR 48 Hour Film Festival (which we made final 13 out of 56 with final showing and awards this coming Monday) a Music video shoot...now back to The Tell.

The writer, Kevin Curry, and I have been discussing a major shift in the type of Monster film we might make with this short. We have not made the final call yet, but if we do it, it will be a new and fun challenge for us, something we've been looking to do for two years. This festival might be the perfect time to give it a whirl....If we do it, the setting, actors and concept will remain the same, just some of the execution will be different.

[Mark Johnson]

With Norm in this you've secured a top three finish for sure ... at least that's what Norm assures me. That fool can really open a move, ya know.

[teresadecher]

Glad to see you guys are doing another entry! Good picks on cast, too.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Quick update:

Script nearly done. Draft #4 completed and it's coming together.

Portland singer/songwriter Jake Oken-Berg (http://www.myspace.com/jakeokenberg) is going to help out with music on this one, which we're excited about.

Locations nearly secured, and shoot date set.

[Chris_Keaton]

Quick update:

Script nearly done. Draft #4 completed and it's coming together.

Portland singer/songwriter Jake Oken-Berg (http://www.myspace.com/jakeokenberg) is going to help out with music on this one, which we're excited about.

Locations nearly secured, and shoot date set.

If you only used one of my scripts the writing would be done by now. :grin:

[Kevin E. Curry]

Actor Geno Romo, who played an ass-kicking clown in Tarts, Fools and the G-Men, has signed on to play one of the main roles. We're excited to have Geno back on board!

[lyonfilms]

Woohoo! Jillian FTW!


We are excited as well...but what does "FTW" mean?

[lyonfilms]

If you only used one of my scripts the writing would be done by now. :grin:


Laying the smack down! LOL

Just wait, this one is going to be fun :)

[Rodney V. Smith]

We are excited as well...but what does "FTW" mean?

FTW = For The Win.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Which is more strange:

1. Going into Home Depot to buy chain and padlocks while openly discussing whether the chain is long enough/sturdy enough to tie a woman up...

or

2. The Home Depot employee not even batting an eyelash at the conversation.

[Christian Vincent Jung]

Which is more strange:

1. Going into Home Depot to buy chain and padlocks while openly discussing whether the chain is long enough/sturdy enough to tie a woman up...

or

2. The Home Depot employee not even batting an eyelash at the conversation.

1: Viva the openmindedness! :D
2: He likes you!

[Kevin E. Curry]

If you only used one of my scripts the writing would be done by now. :grin:

You can write a script in Mandarin?

Translation is such a bi**h!

[Sprocketboy]

I'm glad you are in the race for face. You did a spectacular job on your last pic. I'll be first in line.

[Christian Vincent Jung]

You can write a script in Mandarin?

Translation is such a bi**h!

May I suggest Danish? :D

[lyonfilms]

May I suggest Danish? :D

I bet Kevin could do it :)

LOVE YOUR POSTER.

[Christian Vincent Jung]

I bet Kevin could do it :)
Hell, I'd help ;D


LOVE YOUR POSTER.

Ditto! :D And thx!

[Ryan E. Walters]

Which is more strange:

1. Going into Home Depot to buy chain and padlocks while openly discussing whether the chain is long enough/sturdy enough to tie a woman up...

or

2. The Home Depot employee not even batting an eyelash at the conversation.

LOL! I love the things we go through for production- what other industry / job presents so many different "opportunities"?

[lyonfilms]

We are shooting in three days. It will be nice to get this in the can. Everyone is locked, the location is locked, the team is in place and the props/effects are purchased. Now, just need to shoot the darn thing.

[Norm Sanders]

I'm none too pleased about the 40lbs of weight you guys have had me put on this past month in preparation .... I'm going to go through ice cream withdrawals, I just know it.

[Marlon Ladd]

Diggin' the poster! Can't wait to see some grabs. Good luck.

[lyonfilms]

Hope to post some basic grabs early next week. We are shooting Friday/Saturday. T-minus two days.

[Rodney V. Smith]

looking forward to those grabs dude. anticipation builds. How many days of shooting are you planning?

[lyonfilms]

This shoot is the "anti-Tarts Fools" meaning very intimate, and small. Should be fun!
One long shoot. That's it. I'm stoked for this approach will hopefully produce a very different flick from our first...

Liked your grabs Rodney!

[Rodney V. Smith]

"One long shoot"? As in one long master take? Man that would be groovy to see and it's something I've been wanting to experiment with. If that is what you're doing that should be uber cool to see...

[lyonfilms]

Damn. Not sure if I will ever achieve "groovy" status no matter how hard I might try. Born to be square. :)

Although I've always thought about doing a single take short, this is not going to be the one. Just one long day/night of shooting.

You know, there is a really cool 48 Hour Film Festival film on the 48 Hour website that is a single take and it is super cool...looking for link....found it: Here is the section (http://ww2.48.tv/bin/index.cfm) and the film is called YARD SALE.

[ramsaur]

Good luck on your shooting man!

[lyonfilms]

"One long shoot"? As in one long master take? Man that would be groovy to see and it's something I've been wanting to experiment with. If that is what you're doing that should be uber cool to see...

Rodney - did you check the link I embedded above? You'll love the short.

[Rodney V. Smith]

Dude that film was fucking brilliant. One of the best uses if a single take I've ever seen for a short film. Every movement was there for a reason, no energy wasted and great performances. Damn that was good!

Now I feel so deficient....

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

You know, there is a really cool 48 Hour Film Festival film on the 48 Hour website that is a single take and it is super cool...looking for link....found it: Here is the section (http://ww2.48.tv/bin/index.cfm) and the film is called YARD SALE.
Loved it! Everything from the acting to the way it was shot, great use of natural lighting. Great story as well.

Wow!

[Marlon Ladd]

I'll have to watch it when I get home.

[lyonfilms]

Dude that film was poo pooing brilliant. One of the best uses if a single take I've ever seen for a short film. Every movement was there for a reason, no energy wasted and great performances. Damn that was good!

Now I feel so deficient....

I totally agree. Glad you liked it as much as we did.

We are now in the "oh crap, what am I forgetting" stage of pre-production. You know, when you start to get excited to do what you love, but also have all the logistics of the shoot to still worry about. Do I have enough food? Are all the props lined up? Are the actors prepared? Is makeup going to take too long and put us behind? Is it going to SUCK? Etc., etc.

[TMerry]

As seen in Tarts, Fools & The G-Men:

Jillian Rabe a beautiful actress and model has re-joined the team and will be featured in The Tell.


http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dog-199x300.jpg

Hey Devon, this second picture is stunning. Is that from one of your previous films?
-Tommy

[lyonfilms]

Hey Devon, this second picture is stunning. Is that from one of your previous films?
-Tommy

Unfortunately no. That is from a modeling shoot. I need to check with Jillian, but I am fairly certain that is the old Pittock (sp?) mansion in the West Hills of Portland. Jillian is an accomplished model and fashion show organizer (very, very bright girl).

If any of you ever need to cast her for paying gigs, you will not be disappointed in her professionalism and attention to detail.

[Norm Sanders]

JUST got home ... thanks for a wonderful experience, Devon, Kevin, and team!

[lyonfilms]

Some BTS Photos (not screen grabs, not yet...)

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-1-200x300.jpg
Hmmm....wonder what this is for?

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-2-300x200.jpg
Lft to Rt (Jamie Jordan, Dan Walker, Todd Robinson, Kevin Curry)

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-pic-3-200x300.jpg
Devon Lyon and Norm Sanders
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-todd-1-300x200.jpg
Actor Todd Robinson on monitor while Devon and Kevin look at shot.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-devon-1-200x300.jpg
Devon and Todd chat.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-jason-1-200x300.jpg
Jason Ptaszek studies shot list.
"How the heck am I going to slate this deviation..."

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-jillian-1-300x200.jpg
Jillian Rabe.

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-dan-devon-200x300.jpg
Devon and DP Dan Walker
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-wounds-300x200.jpg
Did someone fall out of the truck?
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-kevin-and-dan-300x200.jpg
Kevin Curry and Dan Walker
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-devon-2-200x300.jpg
Director Devon Lyon is not pleased...but why?
http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-norm-2-200x300.jpg
Norm...you have such long eyelashes...

[AmyO]

Um, I think I'm going to need to line up some mindless comedies to watch after this! Looks intense! Nice BTS, can't wait to see the grabs. :)

[Rodney V. Smith]

i think i need to reshoot and add a couple gallons of blood....

[TMerry]

Great lighting on Todd's face in the monitor!! I like!

[lyonfilms]

Great lighting on Todd's face in the monitor!! I like!

Thanks! Todd is easy to make look cool. As I logged the footage yesterday, I had a chance to take a look at it. There are some cool shots. Hope to get a chance to post some screen grabs this week.

We shot this on the Panasonic HPX300 and it did a pretty good job, even in the low light.

[Kevin E. Curry]

I can't say enough about the great performances our actors gave us. We threw them curve balls and they hit them. We threw a changeup and knuckleball, no problem. They were solid.

Looking forward to seeing the footage and watching Devon cut it together.

[Sprocketboy]

Editing is my favorite part of the process. I'm sure it will come out looking really nice. Cut away!

[lyonfilms]

We had a little time today to start roughing in shots from the first few minutes. You know, this might just work...

The goal is for some screen grabs on Wednesday. They will just be raw, no grade, but we will try and post a few.

Now, back to practicing the DAMN Steadicam Flyer for a shoot tomorrow. Did I mention I hate it when I have to wear any type of camera rig like that? As primarily a director I don't usually have to, but on some small jobs guess who gets to rock the gear? ME! Joy. Oh, back-aching, sweat inducing joy - oh, wait, I meant to say hatred.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Rough cut is coming along nicely. We'll have some screen grabs up later this evening so stay tuned!

[Kevin E. Curry]

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-waitress1-300x126.jpg

Jillian Rabe as The Waitress.

(Frame grab is RAW and UNCORRECTED)

[Kevin E. Curry]

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-joe-300x126.jpg

Todd Robinson as Joe.

(Frame grab is RAW and UNCORRECTED)

[EditPhish]

Nice grabs... especially the first one!

[Kevin E. Curry]

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-rich-300x126.jpg

Norm Sanders as Rich
(Frame grab is RAW and UNCORRECTED)

[Kevin E. Curry]

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-rich-2-300x126.jpg

Jillian, Norm and Todd
(Frame grab is RAW and UNCORRECTED)

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Nice grabs! Norm looks like he's having too much fun. :)

[lyonfilms]

Yep. A little too much fun perhaps...

[Marlon Ladd]

The grabs and bts are great!! This fest is really shaping up - there's gonna' be some very stiff competition. You guys got me thinking I need to go back and reshoot. LOL.

[Kevin E. Curry]

I agree, there appear to be a lot of really strong ideas/visions on the board!

What was it about our frame grabs that makes you think you need reshoot?

[lyonfilms]

I agree, there appear to be a lot of really strong ideas/visions on the board!

What was it about our frame grabs that makes you think you need reshoot?

I agree! This is only our second DVX entry, and I thought the competition looked strong last time - but honestly, the descriptions, talent and screen grabs I'm seeing really impress me. We're screwed! LOL

[Sprocketboy]

Quest Fest had fewer entries and not as many strong submissions as in the recent past. But, I must also concur that I'm feeling the heat in this Fest as I did in Lost Fest. Lots of interesting ideas that can pan out to be winners.

The best part of this Fest for me is that I get lots of great feedback to hone my craft, and that makes me a winner already. I'm sure you heard that one before. But, its true.

[lyonfilms]

Quest Fest had fewer entries and not as many strong submissions as in the recent past. But, I must also concur that I'm feeling the heat in this Fest as I did in Lost Fest. Lots of interesting ideas that can pan out to be winners.

The best part of this Fest for me is that I get lots of great feedback to hone my craft, and that makes me a winner already. I'm sure you heard that one before. But, its true.


Yep, although that last quote might sound "cheesy" to an outsider, i.e., non-filmmaker, it is the truth. It is also the reason we are submitting again. We honestly value these people, their work, art and opinion.

Cheers.

[EditPhish]

The best part of this Fest for me is that I get lots of great feedback to hone my craft, and that makes me a winner already. I'm sure you heard that one before. But, its true.

I have to totally agree with this. JTyner and I learned so much by participating in one (Sci-Fest, quite a while ago)... and we hope we've raised our game this time around with some of the advice we got. It's so enjoyable just to participate!

[Kevin E. Curry]

Quick update on where we are on The Tell:

1. Edit lock.
2. Color grade pass 1 done
3. Special effects version 1 done
4. End credits done.
5. Sound designer working on his magic

[Kevin E. Curry]

Quest Fest had fewer entries and not as many strong submissions as in the recent past. But, I must also concur that I'm feeling the heat in this Fest as I did in Lost Fest. Lots of interesting ideas that can pan out to be winners.

The best part of this Fest for me is that I get lots of great feedback to hone my craft, and that makes me a winner already. I'm sure you heard that one before. But, its true.

Totally agree. The feedback on the thread after people watch the film is awesome. Tons to learn.

Plus, it's really enlightening to review the other films, see what people put together, how they told their stories etc. I think THAT helps hone my craft as well.

[Sprocketboy]

You are making me jealous.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Word back from our sound designer, Matt Tibbs, that we should have something to review by end of the week. Excited as it all comes together. Tibbs did awesome work on Tarts, Fools and the G-Men.

[Troy Ruff]

Man I really like the grabs! looking forward to the end result.

[lyonfilms]

We think, at a minimum, people will be surprised ...
;)

[Kevin E. Curry]

http://lyonfilms.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/the-tell-group-shot-2-300x200.jpg

We don't look too bad for 6AM after 12 hours of shooting...

Team "The Tell" (Left to Right): Katie Curry, Kevin Curry, Dan Walker, Allie Corey, Scott Hawley, Jillian Rabe, Carrie Hamm, Todd Robinson, Devon Lyon, Nadia Kingston, David Rodriguez, Jamie Jordan, Norm Sanders, Jason Ptaszek

[AmyO]

Nice looking bunch. I can't believe I haven't run into ANY of you around town. We should fix that.

[lyonfilms]

Nice looking bunch. I can't believe I haven't run into ANY of you around town. We should fix that.

We agree! Kevin has a cool idea and will email you or send you a response. Might be fun.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Amy-

I was telling Devon with several MonsterFest films being done in Portland (I've heard anywhere from 3-6) that we should all get together, rent out the Hollywood and have a showing. Each team could throw in another short or two to round out the bill (e.g. we could show Tarts, Fools & The G-Men and you could show your QuestFest one, too).

Get all our friend and family to buy tix to offset the cost.

What do ya think?

[AmyO]

Sounds fun. I'm in!

[Kevin E. Curry]

Any other Portland/Oregon or SW Washington filmmakers in for a PDX showing of the MonsterFest films and other shorts?

[Kevin E. Curry]

Our DP/Co-Producer is coming up tomorrow to go over some final edits/EFX stuff. Very excited to be really close to done! We should have the sound design done shortly as well.

We were commenting today how nice it is to have a little more time for finding tweaks and fixing little things. Time for a little more spit and polish!

[lyonfilms]

Looking forward to final pass today and incorporate a couple visualFX shots Dan Walker created.

[ZazaCast]

Can't wait!

[lyonfilms]

We are also excited for feedback on this one because we made a very different style flick from our past few.

[Kevin E. Curry]

"Different style flick" might be an understatement!

[Kevin E. Curry]

Just watched the flick with rough sound design dropped in. Coming along! Few more tweaks to make on both visuals and sound.

[lyonfilms]

A few more tweaks made last night. Sooooo close to being done. This is interesting because since we actually shot fairly early and had edit lock done two weeks ago, we've been just playing around. This is fun, but also tempting to monkey around where little monkeys don't belong :)

Waiting on final sound mix and I am putting this baby to bed.

[Kevin E. Curry]

New sound mix arrived! Dropping it in this afternoon.

[Norm Sanders]

A few more tweaks made last night. Sooooo close to being done. This is interesting because since we actually shot fairly early and had edit lock done two weeks ago, we've been just playing around. This is fun, but also tempting to monkey around where little monkeys don't belong :)


Ha, love it, yet soooo true!

[Kevin E. Curry]

Last sound tweaks sent over to the sound designer, Matt Tibbs, who once again did a smokin' job on this. This baby's almost done and ready for upload!

[Noel Evans]

We are also excited for feedback on this one because we made a very different style flick from our past few.

Awesome Devon, can't wait to see it.

[lyonfilms]

Just got final sound file. Rendering out my "master" file and then I will create the down rez to upload. My goal is to upload late today or tomorrow some time.

Thanks Noel!

[lyonfilms]

Submitted.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Woo hoo!

And excited to see the other entries.

[Matt Harris]

You guys'll bring some high production values for sure, and by high production values i mean NORM SANDERS! i can't wait to see this!

[lyonfilms]

you guys'll bring some high production values for sure, and by high production values i mean norm sanders! I can't wait to see this!


norm!

[lyonfilms]

Approved!

[EditPhish]

Okay, DUDE... we were just talking about the next fest and saying it would be so cool if it was "MusicalFest"... Seeing as I dressed up as Dr. Horrible for Halloween, I can dig a bizarre musical for sure.

Great job... unique... looked awesome (LOVED the grading and lighting) and it sounded outstanding. I dug your interesting take on a monster movie. Okay, it wasn't scary, but it was entertaining for sure.

Only minor criticism is that you didn't need the demon-face effect at all... you could have stuck with practical effects all the way and it would have been fine... better even. The fight scene wasn't the most convincing, so you could have worked on that a little more.

Overall though, fantastic job. I enjoyed it! BIG thumbs up!

[jasonthewho]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Most surprising movie musical ever! That just came out of nowhere, but I'm glad it was a musical, because I think the movie could have seemed cheesy otherwise. Very nice cinematography - sometimes the blowouts were a bit much for my taste. Good actors, the girl was endearing.

I initially thought the guy in the background was another potential prize. I couldn't tell he was dead. Perhaps a close-up of the blood dripping out of him into the bucket early on would have cleared that up for me.

Overall a fun, enjoyable flick. Good job!

[lyonfilms]

Okay, DUDE... we were just talking about the next fest and saying it would be so cool if it was "MusicalFest"... Seeing as I dressed up as Dr. Horrible for Halloween, I can dig a bizarre musical for sure.

Great job... unique... looked awesome (LOVED the grading and lighting) and it sounded outstanding. I dug your interesting take on a monster movie. Okay, it wasn't scary, but it was entertaining for sure.

Only minor criticism is that you didn't need the demon-face effect at all... you could have stuck with practical effects all the way and it would have been fine... better even. The fight scene wasn't the most convincing, so you could have worked on that a little more.

Overall though, fantastic job. I enjoyed it! BIG thumbs up!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Thanks for watching! We had fun and decided a musical was the way to go and really the only way this very simple story & location worked. The fight scene we really tried to get the West Side Story or the cheesy fight scene in Michael Jackson's old Beat It video. Was only meant to be funny :)

[EditPhish]

It was a GREAT film Devon... seriously... It's at the top of my list. I look forward to more from you in the future!

[lyonfilms]

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Most surprising movie musical ever! That just came out of nowhere, but I'm glad it was a musical, because I think the movie could have seemed cheesy otherwise. Very nice cinematography - sometimes the blowouts were a bit much for my taste. Good actors, the girl was endearing.

I initially thought the guy in the background was another potential prize. I couldn't tell he was dead. Perhaps a close-up of the blood dripping out of him into the bucket early on would have cleared that up for me.

Overall a fun, enjoyable flick. Good job!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Thanks Jason. We had an early edit with an insert shot close up of the guy in the bucket as he had a cool slash on his neck and it was clear he was dead. In the end it just felt out of place and too "HEY LOOK AT THE COOL DEAD GUY" type edit :)

The highlights were controlled on set so I don't want anyone to think our DP, Dan Walker, let them blow out. I did that in post because I felt it worked for the look I was going for.

Great notes! Thanks.

[lyonfilms]

It was a GREAT film Devon... seriously... It's at the top of my list. I look forward to more from you in the future!

I look forward to watching all the other films now. I had a really late night - first the USC v. Oregon game (go Ducks) and then Shawn Nelson's Halloween party. So, needless to say I am just getting back in the pocket and am downloading all the batch folders right now...

[Denis Haineault]

Man I really didn't see a musical coming. It took me a minute to adjust.

Excellent camera work. The editing flowed very well. Unexpected take on the theme.

Top notch work guys !

[Ryan E. Walters]

Congrats to all- well done. I enjoyed the film and think it is a solid entry all the way around. Jillian definitely brought her A Game, as she nailed the lip syncing- not an easy thing to do. :)

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Hell yes!! Lol, this was awesome. PERFECT mix of camp and fun and gore, many lol moments here. Great intensity on the actors with a special shout out to Jillian, you are now an actress in my book!

Definitely not expecting this and that's part of what made it so great.

10/10

[Kevin E. Curry]

Jillian definitely brought her A Game, as she nailed the lip syncing- not an easy thing to do. :)

POTENTIAL SPOILERS

I agree on Jillian's work here, she was great. She delivers so much in her facial expressions. And what was amazing to us is how much our female singer (Ellie Simnett) matched Jillian's own speaking voice. That was huge for us. When we cast Jillian we hadn't decided to go the direction we did, and once we did we wanted to keep her in the role despite her self described lack of talent in that one key department!

I appreciate the props from both you and Shawn, glad you guys liked it!

[Charli]

Great job of doing something out of the box. I thought it was great.

The only thing I would have liked is for the fight scene to have continued with the musical them, more of a 'broadwayish' fight than what we saw, I think that would have made it fantastico!

Still, one of the best so far that I've viewed.

[Nitsuj]

Nice job on this! I got a "Cannibal the Musical" vibe from it. Yeah a fight scene while singing would have been great but it was still good. There is no way I could have convinced my friends to do a musical but this sure does make me want to try. Good job and is in my top list.

[AJ Brooks]

Really loved this one. Good to see familiar faces.

Great work norm. I dug the beard itching.

SPOILER*****************I laughed out loud when it broke into song. That was a truly unexpected and rewarding surprised. Very well polished film. A definite contender.

Go portland!

[namelok]

Great movie, loved the "Twirl-Stab-LookAwayHappy" ending :)

[dcarstens]

Jillian has such wonderful eyes- reminds my of Zooey Deschanel.

[EditPhish]

Jillian has such wonderful eyes- reminds my of Zooey Deschanel.

Actually, one of our lead actors said that as well!

[Chris_Keaton]

Holy shit a Monster musical! Liked the story. Liked the setup. And the performances were good. Now to be critical I didn't really care for any of the songs. I guess that would be a problem in a musical. This is real high in my list of liked films. Good job.

[TMerry]

I just about dropped my popcorn when they started singing. I've been talking for years about doing a musical horror, you beat me too it! The shots were great, the actors were ROCK SOLID. I throughly enjoyed it. My only change I would have made was to the score, since it was a musical, I would have loved to hear the song change keys or use a progressing range of melodies as the story progressed. Yes, I'm nit picking cuase I'm a musician ;-) Just my 2c on that part.

GREAT WORK! SOLID!

[AmyO]

Jaw dropping, eye bugging, belly aching fun, and that's just from when they started singing. Really nicely done, guys. Cinematography, acting, editing, all just worked well with this absurd story. And nice little twist at the end. Thanks for that.

[Norm Sanders]

Difficult for me to critique this film, since I was in it, am therefore biased :) and saw what went on for the production to make it work....

So what I CAN say is that it's cool to see it all finished, and tied together! Knowing what was shot, I think it could be given an extra 30+ seconds and still not drag a bit, since it was cut down to the last frame to make it fit the 6 minute mark ... but that said, the script was well written to fit anyway, and Devon did a great job directing to ensure how much from each shot would go into the finished product.

Jillian and Todd were awesome to work with, professional all the way, and love seeing their finished performances as well.

LOVE the ending, with the Warner Brothers close (spot transition), and the sparkle on her teeth. Nice touch, and a great job on the entire piece team.

[Edgen]

Norm! awesome.

Wonderful little film guys. Quarreling monsters at a poker table with revenge on the horizon.

Kudos for entering and sharing this film with all of us.
/j

[lyonfilms]

I just about dropped my popcorn when they started singing. I've been talking for years about doing a musical horror, you beat me too it! The shots were great, the actors were ROCK SOLID. I throughly enjoyed it. My only change I would have made was to the score, since it was a musical, I would have loved to hear the song change keys or use a progressing range of melodies as the story progressed. Yes, I'm nit picking cuase I'm a musician ;-) Just my 2c on that part.

GREAT WORK! SOLID!


Thanks for the feedback :) I totally laughed when you relayed that you nearly dropped your popcorn. That was our goal - total surprise :)

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

The sound design was a bit hissy as the voices came in and out, especially when there was very little or no music. Seemed to cross the line as well.
Early on Norm was on the right the whole time and then when you went wide he was on the left. That was really jarring.

Seemed to go on a bit with some of the close shots early on as well. He didn't seem to be looking where he should be.

Technical BS aside, the cinematography was really great! The performances were also top notch. Nice work, Norm. The music was awesome, loved the lyrics and the ending. VFX were also great.

Nice job.

MAH

[cinealma]

Very, very cool. Everything fit well as a musical. You kept the theatrical side of it and stayed in that mode, which was great. Some great shots in there two. I liked the shot where they are playing poker and over the shoulder in the background you've got the gal's torn dress/skirt in the frame. Good stuff.

One thing I would have liked to seen, or heard I guess, is a couple of different tunes in there. That would have been the icing on the cake.

One of my fav's. Thanks for sharing!

[lyonfilms]

Thanks everyone who has commented so far. We are glad that overall people have enjoyed our little short.
I'm going to hole-up tonight and try and get through as many films and make as many comments as possible. Excited.

[Troy Ruff]

SPOILER*****************I laughed out loud when it broke into song. That was a truly unexpected and rewarding surprised. Very well polished film. A definite contender.

I agree, I really liked this film, I did not expect a musical. It was fantastic to have a good musical that was funny and with some good singing. The woman was great. The guys did a good job. Some of the acting at some points where a little weak but over all I thought is was great! Top 10 for me. Thanks for sharing. :)

[lyonfilms]

SPOILER*****************I laughed out loud when it broke into song. That was a truly unexpected and rewarding surprised. Very well polished film. A definite contender.

I agree, I really liked this film, I did not expect a musical. It was fantastic to have a good musical that was funny and with some good singing. The woman was great. The guys did a good job. Some of the acting at some points where a little weak but over all I thought is was great! Top 10 for me. Thanks for sharing. :)

Troy - we agree that Jillian is an amazing talent. I believe when she was in our last short, Tarts Fools & The G-Men, it was her first acting gig. Now, that being said, she is a regularly working model and VERY bright and motivated local producer for fashion shows, etc. So, her showing up ready to rumble and being very well prepared was no surprise to us.

We originally wrote the story as a fairly straight story. But about a month before we were planning on shooting it we decided it would be mediocre at best if we shot it straight. Kevin Curry has really wanted to do a musical, and we both LOVE Dr. Horrible Sing-a-long blog, so we decided it would be the perfect chance to work through how a musical should/could be shot. We also decided early on to keep the musical nature of the short under wraps. Our theory was it would be much more fun for a viewer to be surprised and caught off guard as opposed ot expecting it.

[NOBELO]

When it broke into song I almost spit out my beer. In a good way. What a nice surprise this was. Everyone enjoyed it. Actors did great and I agree that this fit the musical theme perfectly. Monster effects were pretty cool as well. Nice job.

[lyonfilms]

When it broke into song I almost spit out my beer. In a good way. What a nice surprise this was. Everyone enjoyed it. Actors did great and I agree that this fit the musical theme perfectly. Monster effects were pretty cool as well. Nice job.

LOL - that's what we love to hear :) Thanks! The goal is to entertain no matter how simply at times.

[Troy Ruff]

Troy - we agree that Jillian is an amazing talent. I believe when she was in our last short, Tarts Fools & The G-Men, it was her first acting gig. Now, that being said, she is a regularly working model and VERY bright and motivated local producer for fashion shows, etc. So, her showing up ready to rumble and being very well prepared was no surprise to us.

We originally wrote the story as a fairly straight story. But about a month before we were planning on shooting it we decided it would be mediocre at best if we shot it straight. Kevin Curry has really wanted to do a musical, and we both LOVE Dr. Horrible Sing-a-long blog, so we decided it would be the perfect chance to work through how a musical should/could be shot. We also decided early on to keep the musical nature of the short under wraps. Our theory was it would be much more fun for a viewer to be surprised and caught off guard as opposed ot expecting it.

nice, I think that was a great decision to keep it hidden, the choice to make it a musical. Fantastic! I am now inspired to make a musical. It seems like so much fun, this had to be a blast to shoot. Again Great job

[Kevin E. Curry]

Guess we achieved the goal a startling people, just not as they expected!

[Rodney V. Smith]

Guess we achieved the goal a startling people, just not as they expected!

I believe my brother's reaction went like: "What the--? NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!"
Needless to say he enjoyed it immensely. This was on my second viewing so I was watching to see how he'd react.

Gotta watch it again and I'll be back with my review.

[Sprocketboy]

I had the misfortune of going into your thread before watching the film. My eye caught the word, "musical." That killed the surprise. Regardless, I noticed in the last fest two other films pulled this gag and they got praise. Now your doing it... in a horror movie? I applaud you. Very cool indeed.

All your actors did an outstanding job. The music is OK.

I'm not going to nitpick, but just point out (I'm sure you know) the big continuity faux pas with shot behind the waitress with her head upright (4:07). You know what I'm talking about. Things like that bother me especially if you can't mask it well. I'm not crazy about the look of the film in general. I can understand making it look a stage performance because of the musical aspect but the backlight is so strong it gives it the corporate video look.

With those two things aside... this is a keeper. Beautifully directed and executed.

[Rodney V. Smith]

Okay. That's it. I'm declaring war on you guys and that song. it' been stuck in my head for the past 2 days now. I woke up this morning singing "I just want o be free..." and shocked the hell out of myself. Where did that come from? Then the rhythm caught up to me.

here's why I'm declaring war: I didn't care too much for the music on first viewing. I wanted more changes, distinct themes for each character... after all if you;re going to do a musical they should all have the same music. The music is what differentiates them after all. SO it was a bit of a let down that it was the same music and cadence for each character. on the third and fourth viewing howeverm I was kinda singing along... and now... it's stuck in my head.

With that said: you guys did a great job creating great characters and a solid film. I liked the look of it and the overall story. it was an instant favorite. Jillian's super bright white teeth did bother me a little, but it's a musical so I can forgive the lack of blood in her mouth.

Love the ending and the delivery of the just desserts.

Now back to your regularly scheduled singing. Ack!

[ZazaCast]

This was one of the first I watched and like all the others, was surprized when it broke into song. From that point on it was Rocky Horror flashback time for me. (where did I leave that toast?)

Looked great and I think the lighting worked for what you were going for.... a scene from a musical on film (video). I would have liked to see you work with the music and orchestrate it a bit more.

All in all... great job on an enjoyable film.

[MrFluffy]

I wasn't expecting a musical. It was a nice surprise and I really enjoyed watching this film. Well done.

[Blaine]

Let me start by saying that I hate that I enjoyed this. I HATE MUSICALS! But I was transfixed like a deer in the headlights.

I was thinking, "This looks pretty damned good. Hey, is that Norm?" Then girl bursts into song..."what the poo-poo?" I had to stop it for a minute to clean things up...

You did a really good job on this. Very clever. Nice job on the lyrics, Kevin.

Extra kudos because you were able to keep Norm's shirt on through the whole thing!

Good job.

[Horncastle]

Yes, that was a surprise!! - Great job all round - catchy music, good acting, lovely cinematography. The few little (continuity) problems I noticed have already been mentioned. Good work all involved.

[lyonfilms]

Okay. That's it. I'm declaring war on you guys and that song. it' been stuck in my head for the past 2 days now. I woke up this morning singing "I just want o be free..." and shocked the hell out of myself. Where did that come from? Then the rhythm caught up to me.


That's the magic man! Your posts really cracked me up. I will likely review your movie tonight or tomorrow. Real life has been getting in the way :(

[lyonfilms]

I'm not going to nitpick, but just point out (I'm sure you know) the big continuity faux pas with shot behind the waitress with her head upright (4:07). You know what I'm talking about.

Totally agree. It really irked me, but for various coverage limitations, there was just no way I could see to fix it. Good catch and I am surprised that you are the first to point it out.

[lyonfilms]

Extra kudos because you were able to keep Norm's shirt on through the whole thing!


I had to keep telling him to put it back on. Me: "Norm, it's not that kind of movie." Norm: "Please...pretty please." Me: "Bad Norm! Bad!"

[Kevin E. Curry]

We originally wrote the story as a fairly straight story. But about a month before we were planning on shooting it we decided it would be mediocre at best if we shot it straight. Kevin Curry has really wanted to do a musical, and we both LOVE Dr. Horrible Sing-a-long blog, so we decided it would be the perfect chance to work through how a musical should/could be shot. We also decided early on to keep the musical nature of the short under wraps. Our theory was it would be much more fun for a viewer to be surprised and caught off guard as opposed ot expecting it.

As soon as MonsterFest was announced we dusted off this old idea for The Tell, one Devon came up with in a classic fashion. He walks into the office one day and says "I'm thinking about a scene with guys drinking whiskey and playing poker for a hot chick who is chained to the wall." That's how most things start, then I run with it and bounce ideas off him to flesh it out.

As he said, when we looked at it with fresh eyes we knew it wasn't quite enough. Once we settled on doing the musical, i wasn't completely sold that it would work. After I turned the script in lyrics and music (which, BTW, was much harder than I anticipated), I was a little more sold on it, but still not completely. With each subsequent step (music back from the composer, recording the actors, even after shooting and editing) I got closer and closer to actually thinking it would work.

I'm quite happy with how it ended up. And despite the challenge of doing a musical, I'm looking forward to the next opportunity to make one.

[Kevin E. Curry]

Okay. That's it. I'm declaring war on you guys and that song. it' been stuck in my head for the past 2 days now. I woke up this morning singing "I just want o be free..." and shocked the hell out of myself. Where did that come from? Then the rhythm caught up to me.

That's the TRUE evil in this monster flick! The song drills into your head and will never, ever go away! It'll drive you insane!

"...I just can't believe thanks to me!"

It's back, huh?

[Rodney V. Smith]

That's the TRUE evil in this monster flick! The song drills into your head and will never, ever go away! It'll drive you insane!

"...I just can't believe thanks to me!"

It's back, huh?

This is the part where I drive my wooden stake deep into your chest with a twirl and a big smile that glints dramatically as we fade to black.

The End.

[Horncastle]

on the third and fourth viewing howeverm I was kinda singing along... and now... it's stuck in my head.!

Got to agree there. I've just been walking my dog and found myself humming it in the park - and I've only watched the film twice!!

[hoz]

psychotic.

a musical.
congrats on a job really well done!

the female lead was great. and i really dug the details you gave the film. especially the dead dude in the corner of the room with a spotlight on his head. how long did he have to lay there? the guys did good too. i can't sing a lick so anyone who can in any fashion has my respect.

only thing this was missing was a dancing troupe of victims parading through the room. oh my.

congrats!

[Rodney V. Smith]

Get it out of my HEAD! Make it STOP!!!!

[lyonfilms]

Got to agree there. I've just been walking my dog and found myself humming it in the park - and I've only watched the film twice!!

That made me LOL. Love that. Mission accomplished :)

[lyonfilms]

psychotic.

a musical.
congrats on a job really well done!

the female lead was great. and i really dug the details you gave the film. especially the dead dude in the corner of the room with a spotlight on his head. how long did he have to lay there? the guys did good too. i can't sing a lick so anyone who can in any fashion has my respect.

only thing this was missing was a dancing troupe of victims parading through the room. oh my.

congrats!

The dead guy, David, was a great sport. He was in that corner on and off for the full evening shoot. Just a trooper! LOL.

I LOVE your idea about the troupe of victims, that would have been just wicked awesome. If only we'd thought of it and had a few more hours to pull it off. Glad you liked our little number.

[bosindy]

haha, another really creative entry. Had a recent Joss Whedon feel to it. I liked Norm's performance in this, he might have found a niche with comedy. The fight felt like a stage fight which works well for thsi type of thing. I find more and more the simple set ups really serve the 6 minute time limit well. Put us in the middle of a situation and have it play out. Music was great, really like the actress' campy performance of the song. Well done, One of my favorites so far.

[teresadecher]

Great job guys! All the actors did an excellent job. Very creative with the musical; was not expecting it at all but I liked it. :)

[teresadecher]

Oh and sweet monster effects.

[Troy Ruff]

oh my God I just got done watching this film for the fourth time! I caught on the the little ding on her teeth at the end!! :) lol so funny! bravo guys, I cant stop watching, its so good and the song gets stuck in my head. Also the actress is amazing, I want to cast her in one of my movies. tag my turn, you've had her twice now in your films, I would love to work with her. Again Great Job!

[mobiledeli]

yeah this really is one of the best short films ive ever seen!

it really takes guts to make a musical and you really pulled it off. the girls singing was perfectly cliche. i loved it. but the guys... kinda took me out of it when they sang. that guy in the corner was awesome too - really enjoyed that detail.

great job

[hoz]

The dead guy, David, was a great sport. He was in that corner on and off for the full evening shoot. Just a trooper! LOL.

I LOVE your idea about the troupe of victims, that would have been just wicked awesome. If only we'd thought of it and had a few more hours to pull it off. Glad you liked our little number.


david wins actor of the contest. hemorrhaging dead man in corner. just awesome.


i love your movie. it's sick ideas like this that make everyone go , " Wtf?" and isn't this what it's all about?

[MOVIE STUNTS]

Hahah! This was awesome! I was floored when the dying girl broke out in song! Well done guys. Definitely the most original and enjoyable film of the fest. Great Job!

[Kevin E. Curry]

We won't tell you how many takes it took Norm to nail his vocals! And we loved Todd's "white boy soul" take on it. For Jillian, we cast her before we'd turned it into a musical and when we did she told us she didn't sing! So we found a singing double, Ellie Simnitt, who really nailed it and had a voice that matched Jillian perfectly. And then Jillian was GREAT in her lip syncing and acting. We were very fortunate with who we cast.

[AmyO]

That wasn't Jillian singing? Wow, great job on finding a voice double for her then. I couldn't tell.

[lyonfilms]

That wasn't Jillian singing? Wow, great job on finding a voice double for her then. I couldn't tell.

No kidding. Ellie is someone Kevin knows. When she came in to loop her lines I about fell out of my chair. She was seriously channeling Jillian. Especially the line where the song transitions into the "...we're screwed!". It was seriously SPOT-ON.

[Marlon Ladd]

I too was surprised that this was a musical. This was an excellent film. Lighting and directing was on point and so was the acting. The music was okay, but that seems to matter less and less these days when we talk about musicals. It's all in the spirit and as long as the intent is displayed then it's fine. A courageous effort on a very top-notch and professional film!

[Susanne G.]

Fantastic - very original interpretation of the theme. I love the rhythm of the film. It was great that the actors sang and then so beautiful what it made it completely ironically and that funny. I love the detail when she described the word tell in a very rational way and the camera focused her mouth. Very well done - one of my favorites.

Susanne

[Robert Eldon]

This was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. It had real nice images and I liked the 'pools of light' in the dark room. Loved the lighting. And who would have thought that you could do a musical with nasty 'monsters'?

The acting was very good from everyone. The dialog seemed a little 'cheesy' only a few times. Loved the lyrics though, very gritty. The facial expressions sold the story.

Great reveal of the monsters! I didn't expect it and was wondering where the 'monster' was until the end. Nice ending. Thank you.

[lyonfilms]

This was surprisingly enjoyable to watch. It had real nice images and I liked the 'pools of light' in the dark room. Loved the lighting. And who would have thought that you could do a musical with nasty 'monsters'?

The acting was very good from everyone. The dialog seemed a little 'cheesy' only a few times. Loved the lyrics though, very gritty. The facial expressions sold the story.

Great reveal of the monsters! I didn't expect it and was wondering where the 'monster' was until the end. Nice ending. Thank you.

Glad you enjoyed it! We always worked to have serious contrasts. Pools of light and dark. Death and life. Innocence and evil. Conflict and hope. All these themes are in fact in this little musical. We really had fun with this from beginning to the end. To have positive feedback from a great group of people here at DVX is just sweet. Cheers.

[killacam]

haha yeah I definitely started cracking up when they started singing. so unexpected lol. had a nice look and some pretty good effects. great job on the lip synching- I would have never guessed the singing was dubbed.

[lyonfilms]

haha yeah I definitely started cracking up when they started singing. so unexpected lol. had a nice look and some pretty good effects. great job on the lip synching- I would have never guessed the singing was dubbed.

The process we used as far as the song was:

1. Kevin writes song.
2. Kevin records himself signing song into his iPhone while strumming out the chords on his my acoustic guitar.
3. Kevin emails song file to Jake Oken-berg an excellent and talented local rock musician. We also sent Jake the timing for all the non-song sections for the background music.
4. Jake takes Kevin's song and rough music and makes the actual track. Jake re-sings the lyrics.
5. We email this track to the actors so they can start practicing.
6. Actors come to our studio and record their own voices over Jake's voice.
7. On set we have the track with the actors own voices which they had time to practice lip syncing to.
8. Actors rock it and are prepared!

[xxrotinivol2]

So much great stuff going on here. The unexpected musical, the last fight bit, the little glimmer/glammer in the eye, awesome stuff. I wish there was a bridge in the music. It made the movie feel flat that it stayed with the same basic melodic line. Also, and I know this is asking for a lot, but it would've been sweet to have a larger cast of people who randomly come in at some point and start singing and dancing. Maybe some more vampires! It would've made the movie feel more like a musical. Random dancers are always a good time.

Great concept, lotsa great shots and action. Thanks for submitting!

[Chris Messineo]

I think it's so cool that you did a musical. All the performances were great and I especially liked the girl. Very well done.

[Sarah Daly]

Well this sure suprised me! And I like to be surprised...very well made - a little uneasy at times...in a good way...and you definitely had a tight little story going on. Mostly I like that you did something original and unexpected - kudos. :)

[Noel Evans]

OK first off, damn you Anthony Misiano for making people feel ok about doing musicals. :P

And secondly - really great work all round here. A dark little tale with a rose that was more deadly than the monsters. Great.

I really loved Norms performance in this as well, but mind you I think both your monsters were pretty darn good.

The glint and circular close out - perfect choices.

Tiniest nitpick, I see one mentioned a number of times so I wont repeat, but the other I had - and there's no specific reason either, but the line relating to nectar of the gods or similar said twice by Norm, really rubbed me up the wrong way. I'll think about that more and try to work out why - could be a personal issue :P

Top stuff and very entertaining. Thanks for sharing.

[John LaBonney]

Devon:

Loved it!

I was really impressed with some of the shots. This strikes me as one of the better shot films and is sure to be a fest fave!

Great job!

[lyonfilms]

Thanks to everyone for your comments. Again we learned a lot from your time and notes. Making the finals is just cream.

[EditPhish]

Thanks to everyone for your comments. Again we learned a lot from your time and notes. Making the finals is just cream.

And cream you should enjoy! Congratulations!
My lead actress is personally pulling for you to win!

[lawriejaffa]

Devon and Dan, a decent combo at work here.

This film is innovative and its twist musical element certainly caught me off guard. The setup for the conversation between our two tough looking gentleman (and the excellent story of the devils bloood) - if i recall that right! Certainly has you expecting something other than a musical!

Now this was shot professionally, performed admirably, and directed with confidence.

Everything comes together, and as an artistic work i feel this is leaps and bounds beyond the last entry (an admirable and rightly deserved winner of best newcomer last festival. G-Tarts.)

My only concern, is that is this film still lacking a genuine intellectual curiousity on the part of the director. That is - was the novel idea for this film something that came out of a sit down chat of 'cool ideas that we should try' rather than - wow thats a story!!!! A GREAT STORY!

This is where i feel you guys are doing yourselves a slight injustice. Because you are impressive in so many quarters. But impressing filmmakers on a forum is one thing. I'd like to encourage a combination of the pursuit of innovative ideas clearly on display here, with your technical and artistic competence, but this time combined with something trully ambitious - in the artistic intellectual realm. Not necessarily an art film, but a film showing off something deeper.

well done gentlemen.

[lyonfilms]

Devon and Dan, a decent combo at work here.

This film is innovative and its twist musical element certainly caught me off guard. The setup for the conversation between our two tough looking gentleman (and the excellent story of the devils bloood) - if i recall that right! Certainly has you expecting something other than a musical!

Now this was shot professionally, performed admirably, and directed with confidence.

Everything comes together, and as an artistic work i feel this is leaps and bounds beyond the last entry (an admirable and rightly deserved winner of best newcomer last festival. G-Tarts.)

My only concern, is that is this film still lacking a genuine intellectual curiousity on the part of the director. That is - was the novel idea for this film something that came out of a sit down chat of 'cool ideas that we should try' rather than - wow thats a story!!!! A GREAT STORY!

This is where i feel you guys are doing yourselves a slight injustice. Because you are impressive in so many quarters. But impressing filmmakers on a forum is one thing. I'd like to encourage a combination of the pursuit of innovative ideas clearly on display here, with your technical and artistic competence, but this time combined with something trully ambitious - in the artistic intellectual realm. Not necessarily an art film, but a film showing off something deeper.

well done gentlemen.

Well thought out review - we appreciate the time it takes to provide reviews and are still finishing ours. Thank you for both the things you liked and the points regarding our artistic versus technical approach. These shorts are always a challenge to create something we are going to have fun shooting as well as actually shoot it and post it in time. We try and promise everyone involved that if they are going to help, we will actually finish it so they have something for their efforts. That means that we keep these shorts to a scope that is doable within these constraints.

These fests are a blast and the community is what makes the work worth it.

[lawriejaffa]

Yep, in reference to the artistic versus technical approach you cite, id suggest just an adjustment, if not only because the technical competence is already proven, already exciting, and you have a saavy idea for what feels marketable and popular.

Something dangerous with the skills you chaps are showcasing would blow folks away I reckon. This was nevertheless, like G-tarts last time, in my top selection.

[lyonfilms]

Yep, in reference to the artistic versus technical approach you cite, id suggest just an adjustment, if not only because the technical competence is already proven, already exciting, and you have a saavy idea for what feels marketable and popular.

Something dangerous with the skills you chaps are showcasing would blow folks away I reckon. This was nevertheless, like G-tarts last time, in my top selection.

Are you going to put together the audio reviews again? We really got a kick out of the Quest Fest reviews.

[lawriejaffa]

Hi there - well im basically going to do a video of my own top 8 recommendations like last time (it will be bizarre in a different way!) that will feature a bit more review-esque-entertainment than feedback in style. However that will naturally be posted only after voting is completed. But i'm sure you'll be included ;)

I don't think its online now, but the scriptfest was among the most ridiculous audio feedbacks i did (i read back all the scripts entered with comments and ridiculous performances as every character in every script.) Oh gosh!

[lyonfilms]

What an amazing fest! Some truly great shorts surfaced and we are proud to have been finalists. Obviously, we play to win, but with the caliber of films 5th place is pretty cool.

[AJ Brooks]

Congrats guys! Solid entry. Kudos on the placement.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

In addition to reviewing the winners, BC at HORROR MOVIE A DAY couldn't resist giving you guys kudos for your originality as well.

Congrats. LINK IN SIG.

[lyonfilms]

In addition to reviewing the winners, BC at HORROR MOVIE A DAY couldn't resist giving you guys kudos for your originality as well.

Congrats. LINK IN SIG.

Wow - very cool of him. We look forward to Betrayal - we'll be there :)

[Blaine]

Just wanted to stop back by and say what a great short this was. It was definitely a bold step (and in the right direction, I might say) to go with a musical. It wasn't going to resonate with everyone but with those that got it, it hit big time. As I said in my earlier post, I don't like musicals...if I saw more like this one, I might change my mind. This received one of my very highest scores. It was one of my top three. Great job!