Blank - Short Film

[justinslee]

Hey everybody,

Here's a short film my friends and I shot for a contest using the HMC-150. If you like Asian Mafia type movies or just want to see another example of HMC-150 footage, check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs22fOl9G1M

-Justin

[711]

Was this shot with a raw HMC-150?

[Jon Casey]

Nah, no way... Great editing, by the way...

[justinslee]

Haha yeah sorry I should have clarified. Color grading was done on Magic Bullet in post.

[Jon Casey]

I could tell. Great camera work too... you guys gearin up for any projects in the coming weeks? If you need another HMC op PM me, I'm in my last semester at LACC film school. I'd love to work with you guys. Check the contest entry I just posted for an idea of my work...

[711]

Haha yeah sorry I should have clarified. Color grading was done on Magic Bullet in post.

I was referring to the use of a 35mm adapter, not the color grading. I take it that it wasn't though?

[Jon Casey]

I was referring to the use of a 35mm adapter, not the color grading. I take it that it wasn't though?

It Was shot with a 35 adapter for a couple shots, you can tell. He was replying to my comment on the editing, I suppose...

[Thomas Lew]

I thought it was great. Great acting, story, camerawork. I thought the last shot where he shoots past the camera was unnecessary. Perhaps a long drawn out shot of him sitting there alone only left with his own thoughts as a slow fade to black creeps in would have been more poignant. That last little thing you added on with the gun added a little bit of cheese onto the already powerful feeling in the air.

[justinslee]

Thanks for the comments everybody!

Choosing the ending shot was definitely something we thought long and hard about. That last shot was intended to be something more closer to a metaphorical or symbolic killing of his younger brother. But I can definitely see why it could have come off as cheesy.

And to answer 711, we actually didn't use a 35mm. Just the raw camera itself!

[Retrospective]

Very nice! I gave up on the whole 35mm adapter for a while now too cumbersome for run and gun.

[Thomas Lew]

Thanks for the comments everybody!

Choosing the ending shot was definitely something we thought long and hard about. That last shot was intended to be something more closer to a metaphorical or symbolic killing of his younger brother. But I can definitely see why it could have come off as cheesy.

And to answer 711, we actually didn't use a 35mm. Just the raw camera itself!

Ohhhhhhhhhhh........................ I see now. Maybe if you could have established that he was pointing in the direction where his brother walked out the door or something it would have been a little clearer perhaps. Good idea though now that I know what you were trying to do.

[DPStewart]

Yeah, seriously one of the best shorts I've seen in a while.

About the English text: I found it very distracting from the visuals.
Everything has already been tried as far as positioning - and 'on the bottom' came up the evolutionary winner.
I could understand if you were going for a 'comic book' type of reading. (I like comic books and read them often) but I really just felt it was getting in the way of your KILLER film.

~DPS

[lordambrai]

Just gotta say. Awesome job. And even better knowing that it was shot with a "naked" HMC150. I'm starting to get tired of everyone using 35mm adapters and getting ridiculous DOF when it's not really needed to make a good narrative. We need more filmmakers willing to shoot without all the accessories and peripherals and just go bare bones and realize it's good composition and framing that really counts more so than getting a blurry picture behind your subject.

It's just a tool, but it feels that it's now an over abused tool. It's easy to forget that sometimes the best pieces of art come from just a good imagination.

Keep it up. Can't wait for more!

[Stevo75]

Sitting in my office waiting for my next client here in Hong Kong, and I'm blown away locals here aren't making something as gripping. Or if they are they aren't making it accessible for a western audience. I really hope you get to make this short a feature film and if you cant get it done there in LA I'm sure i can find a bunch of fellow indies here in HK to help for next to nothing!

[Everts]

I was referring to the use of a 35mm adapter, not the color grading. I take it that it wasn't though?


the term would be " naked " :)

[davidpula]

Thank you this is awesome.

[711]

the term would be " naked " :)

Excuse my ignance. Great looking footage regardless :thumbup:

[Jon Casey]

Fooled me... there's a shot in there in the first scene with the just the younger guy looking at the camera or off in the distance where I swear, there's an adapter on- but I guess the HMC's just good like that. :)

[Huy Vu]

Nicely shot Justin. I'd love to see some BTS pics.

[jambredz]

damn!! this was really good. echoing everyone hear....the protagonist brother acted really well. Good acting all around but he stole it for me. Good to see this coming out of the hmc...always wondered how comes i'm not seeing films on it and its the dvx's successor. I guess cuz the hvx came out before. Anyhoo this is my next camera ...cant wait.

and yes some behind the scenes pics would REALLY be nice.

[LuC]

awesome short. good job.

[shaun1970]

Brilliant,,,, real nice grading too. I'm yet to try bullet on my HMC footage but after watching this I'm pretty keen to give it a whirl on my next music video!

[justinslee]

Nicely shot Justin. I'd love to see some BTS pics.


and yes some behind the scenes pics would REALLY be nice.

Here are some BTS pics. SUPER late reply on my part haha. Sorry!

Garage Scene:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8266823@N03/sets/72157622297731731/
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs216.snc1/8323_1151345594033_1539420095_30567932_5757_n.jpg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs216.snc1/8323_1151345634034_1539420095_30567933_4420905_n.j pg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs236.snc1/8323_1151345674035_1539420095_30567934_7324221_n.j pg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs236.snc1/8323_1151345714036_1539420095_30567935_3233485_n.j pg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs236.snc1/8323_1151345754037_1539420095_30567936_4738846_n.j pg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs236.snc1/8323_1151345874040_1539420095_30567937_670661_n.jp g
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs216.snc1/8323_1151345914041_1539420095_30567938_1042831_n.j pg
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs216.snc1/8323_1151345954042_1539420095_30567939_7030994_n.j pg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs236.snc1/8323_1151345994043_1539420095_30567940_1308003_n.j pg

Alleyway:
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs031.snc3/11855_377471875242_811695242_10211344_6554592_n.jp g
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs011.snc3/11855_377471865242_811695242_10211343_1860361_n.jp g
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs011.snc3/11855_377471855242_811695242_10211341_6840662_n.jp g
http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs031.snc3/11855_377471890242_811695242_10211346_5726304_n.jp g


And thanks again everybody for all the comments. The film's been doing so great this year, winning awards on both a school and regional level for this festival and now it's featured on Virgin America flights. It's heading to the international contest in June and maybe even the Cannes Short Film Corner (fingers crossed) so wish us luck!

[jambredz]

are those Coollights from Richard?

nice bts by the way

[justinslee]

are those Coollights from Richard?

Yup! Used a CL-255PMD I bought and a CL-455P I borrowed from Huy Vu.

[kabokuti]

Just saw the film today. Very nice work. I was into the story all along. And the quality of the image looks beautiful.

Also, good gun effect when the father gets shot.

I did like the subtitles all over the place. And, I'd like to add to that that placing them in the bottom of the screen, might give the film an even more serious tone. But, I did like how you used them.

Congrats on an excellent short!

Any new ones planned for the future?

[UnrulyFellows]

Beautiful shots.