'AT LAST' - a Michael Anthony Horrigan Short

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

http://morecowbellpictures.com/Pics/At_Last_Poster.jpeg
Poster by Matt Harris (http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/member.php?12452-Matt-Harris)

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I'm in.

I know I said I wasn't going to do another DVXFest and move on, eventually
breaking into feature territory... but here I am. :)

To sum things up; I was invited to a local short film festival, along with
7 other filmmakers. The task was set and we were each asked to make a
short film within 30 days. I started to work on the script and when I was finished I realized
that I could easily use it for ThrillFest as well.

Once I finished production I was more than convinced.

Technically, I didn't start out making this for ThrillFest... but it just
sort of went in that direction all along. Right from story concept actually.

The Local Festival doesn't go live until late November and they gave me
the green light to enter 'AT LAST' in other festivals.

It's really a bit of a departure for me.

The camera use is mostly hand-held and it is purely an 'acting' piece.
I figured that I would let the story and the actors take over and I did my best to just not get in their way.

In the end I think it really paid off and I'm usually really tough on
myself. I tend to dislike a lot of my work.

This is one film that I've watched quite a few times and have actually
been proud of.

Hopefully you won't be disappointed.

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Story by MAH
Written by Doug Sinclair & Michael Anthony Horrigan
Produced/Directed/Shot/Cut/Sound Design by MAH
Boom by Jith Paul
SFX by Doug Sinclair

Johni Keyworth as 'Aldo Wolgast'
John Collins as 'Gunman'

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

A little background information on my entry.
I took in two challenges with this one. One from each Fest I'm entering it in.

1. Thriller. That one is pretty obvious and you all know the details.
2. The short must be inspired by a Child (14 and under), their writing, short story, etc....

That was tough. The child must now be at least 18 years old and you must be granted permission. I looked all over the place and couldn't find anything. Then I asked if the child still needs to be alive. They said no. Then I remembered them saying that journals/diaries could be used. Bingo!

I contacted the Anne Frank Foundation and they were game with letting me use a quote for my movie.


"There is nothing we can do but wait as calmly as we can till the misery comes to an end."

- Anne Frank - Wednesday, 13 January, 1943.

Took a bit of work but when I started thinking about ideas based around the quote I thought to myself that this could be perfect for ThrillFest as well.

Once the actors and location were found we had one chance at it. We shot in a mostly empty house that an actor had possession of but had yet to move in. Unfortunately I could only get the actors together for one morning. Both had plenty of other commitments so we had to shoot on the Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday weekend as that was the only time we could do it.

We shot that Monday. Set up blocking and such for an hour and then shot for three.
It was a quick wrap.

Just thought I would fill you guys in on the process behind this one since it's not the way I usually do things.

Cheers,

MAH

[Elton]

Welcome back!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVS3WNt7yRU

[Mike Manning]

Yesssssssss

[AmyO]

Awww, nice! Great to see you in this one!

[Derkoi]

Son of a building block!!

Welcome to the fest you sly old dog! lol :)

[kurtmo]

Really glad to see you in on this one!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, guys & gals. Nice welcome.

MAH

[ZazaCast]

Cheers! :beer:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, Joe. I appreciate that.

Hope you like it.

MAH

[Marlon Ladd]

Do the dang thing, Mike! Can't wait!

[Charli]

I have no idea who MAH is. None. Must be some newbie... bawhwhaha. So glad you are in the mix!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks! Glad to be in this one. :Drogar-Smoke(DBG):

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

YESSSSSSSS!!!!!! LMAO! After the conversations we had...look at us, Right back in it. It's like Crack Rock.:laugh: I know it's going to be good.

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Looking forward to this one greatly, Mike.

[lawriejaffa]

Yep i think Michaels entries define many of the most positive aspects of the filmmakers that enter, and of the entries in these competitions. I know when im happily downloading the films that i often save a michael one to the near end of my epic playlist hehehe as a kind of treat!

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Heh, I sort of do the same, Lawrie.

[4100xpb]

Great to see you in MAH, looking forward to this one.

[Matt Harris]

Mike, I'm so happy to have you enter this, good luck my man!

[Darkline]

I like the title of this thread 'at last, a MAH short'.

It is about time, no DVXfest is complete without an entry from you. Welcome.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

What a great bunch of people on this forum. Thanks!
It's really nice to be part of this fest. I can't wait to check out everyone's work.

Cheers,

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Running a pass with the leader attached. If I like the way it looks I'll be uploading tomorrow at some point. Made a few minor changes.
Best to watch it with fresh eyes in the morning. :)

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Uploaded!:2vrolijk_08:

[Derkoi]

Uploaded!:2vrolijk_08:

Wooo! Congrats! :thumbsup:

[Matt Harris]

Congrats on the upload Mike, you are gonna knock 'em dead with this short!

[Noel Evans]

Look forward to seeing another entry from the maestro.

[Richard J. Johnson]

Congrats on uploading. I'm sure you will blow a few minds this fest like you have in all of the others. Love your work.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, guys. Too kind.
Don't expect much and don't set your expectations too high! :laugh:

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

You said that about the last film and placed 3rd!:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

[ZazaCast]

Thanks, guys. Too kind.
Don't expect much and don't set your expectations too high! :laugh:

MAH

He lies... expect greatness!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Always go in with low expectations.
No cool masks or SFX in this one. :)

It's all about the story and the actors.

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

He lies... expect greatness!
Damn you, Joe! You're not helping! :grin:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Always go in with low expectations.
No cool masks or SFX in this one. :)

It's all about the story and the actors.

MAHNo lies here. :)

MAH

[ZazaCast]

I only speak the truth! :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

[Darkline]

But you're happy with it Mike and thats the most important thing. Sounds like you took a new direction and it's one Ive yet to branch into. Im looking forward to it.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Absolutely. I'm very happy with it.
Hopefully everyone else will be as well.

It's just a very simple piece is all.

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

8002 posts! That is amazing in itself. I'm going to do a rap video for my 5000th. You know I will be hitting you up.

[Tom Marshall]

Hey Mike. Looking forward to checking this out. If I don't like it, I'm going to make a trip up there and kick your ass. :)

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Tom, I have a feeling you're going to like this one. :)

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

8002 posts! That is amazing in itself. I'm going to do a rap video for my 5000th. You know I will be hitting you up.
Here's #8000.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?226537-Thrill-Fest-UPLOADS-NOW-OPEN&p=2136941&viewfull=1#post2136941

Shows you the quality of my posts. :grin:

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

Yes it does my friend!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Yes it does my friend!Thanks.

I guess. :huh:


:)

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

A little background information on my entry.
I took in two challenges with this one. One from each Fest I'm entering it in.

1. Thriller. That one is pretty obvious and you all know the details.
2. The short must be inspired by a Child (14 and under), their writing, short story, etc....

That was tough. The child must now be at least 18 years old and you must be granted permission. I looked all over the place and couldn't find anything. Then I asked if the child still needs to be alive. They said no. Then I remembered them saying that journals/diaries could be used. Bingo!

I contacted the Anne Frank Foundation and they were game with letting me use a quote for my movie.


"There is nothing we can do but wait as calmly as we can till the misery comes to an end."

- Anne Frank - Wednesday, 13 January, 1943.

Took a bit of work but when I started thinking about ideas based around the quote I thought to myself that this could be perfect for ThrillFest as well.

Once the actors and location were found we had one chance at it. We shot in a mostly empty house that an actor had possession of but had yet to move in. Unfortunately I could only get the actors together for one morning. Both had plenty of other commitments so we had to shoot on the Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday weekend as that was the only time we could do it.

We shot that Monday. Set up blocking and such for an hour and then shot for three.
It was a quick wrap.

Just thought I would fill you guys in on the process behind this one since it's not the way I usually do things.

Cheers,

MAH

[Jaime V]

Your stills look great (old people are scary! ;) ) and people keep talking you up :) Looking forward to watching this.

[AJ Brooks]

It's interesting to hear your process. Should be an excellent entry!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Your stills look great (old people are scary! ;) ) and people keep talking you up :) Looking forward to watching this.
Don't believe the hype. :Drogar-Smoke(DBG):

[Noel Evans]

Approved.

[fieberland]

A little background information on my entry.Holy cow. (Yep, I DO believe the hype.)
Really looking forward to see this one.

My own concept was something like this:
"Ooh, nice little cam. Thriller? Cool. Then it's got to feature a lot of blue. And red." :cool:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Approved.

:2vrolijk_08:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Holy cow. (Yep, I DO believe the hype.)
Really looking forward to see this one.

There is no hype! Stop hyping! :Drogar-BlackEye(DBG

MAH

[Charli]

H Y P E

Okay, pal, listen here, if you have the chutzpa to call the Anne Frank Foundation and get a quote to use for your short, yeah, I'm putting yours ahead of the list to watch. That MAH is amazing!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

A good quote does not = a good movie. :)

[Darkline]

depends if that quote is 'this was a great movie'.

:-)

but then I guess it depends who says that too.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

depends if that quote is 'this was a great movie'.

:-)

but then I guess it depends who says that too.LOL! Now he has the right idea. :thumbsup:

[Charli]

MAH - defeatist! Okay, how about we say, it's "cool" you got to use the quote. That's good. No expectation. No hype. Just keep it "cool."

BUT ONLY REALLY AMAZING PERSON COULD BE THAT COOL.

And you can quote me on that.

[Richard J. Johnson]

I have watched them all and this is easily one of the best. The acting was perfect. You continue to deliver fine films MAH and this is no exception. Great job.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

I have watched them all and this is easily one of the best. The acting was perfect. You continue to deliver fine films MAH and this is no exception. Great job.
Thanks, Rich. To be one of the best is quite the compliment. Some great films near the top of my list for sure. Yours included.

NOTE: The sound is a little flat for some reason? I've watched the one I have on my system and compared it to the streaming version and there is definitley a difference. Not sure if it happened when they converted it or if it's when I uploaded it?

Yes, it's an empty apartment but my version here is definitely beefier. :)

Noel and a few others seem to be having issues as well.

Thanks for watching.

MAH

[Noel Evans]

Michael the old guy was on song. Totally believable as was the story itself. A really simple set up, thats where the goals are kicked. Easy to follow, but a very complex history well set out.

[Charli]

*Spoilers*

You had me "at last" once that music started I knew something good was going to happen and it did. The older actor SUPERB!!! Absolutely superb. The Gunman a little too much and not organic as the older man. There was this suspense on whether the old guy was SS or not, but I'm sorry to say, this is a drama, not a thriller. The drama was very good. The echo too much because there wasn't anything for the mic to absorb the sound. Again, very good story, but MAH this isn't a thriller. Good drama and props for finding such an incredible actor. The ending with the scratching of the vinyl record was a nice touch. If I could sum this up on word - smooth.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Michael the old guy was on song. Totally believable as was the story itself. A really simple set up, thats where the goals are kicked. Easy to follow, but a very complex history well set out.Thanks! I think he's awesome. Glad you liked it.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, Charli. Glad you liked it.
As for thriller... this is a direct quote from the rules.

Thrillers are mostly characterized by an atmosphere of menace, violence, crime and murder by showing society as dark, corrupt and dangerous, though they often feature a happy ending in which the villains are killed or arrested.I think the story of this (and history) is filled with violence and menace. We're taking about the Holocaust here. As for the last bit of that quote above... that's up to you. :)

PS - I get that its more heavy on the drama and less on the thriller. :)

Cheers,

Mike

[Chris_Keaton]

Nice story. It's getting tough doing WWII stories, since the survivors are getting rather old. I'm kinda getting sick of one room films though. There's only so much you can do and only so much emotion you can pull. Besides films are a visual medium and there is nothing usually visually appealing in one room. This was a real good film that's bound to do well. Good Job.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Nice story. It's getting tough doing WWII stories, since the survivors are getting rather old. I'm kinda getting sick of one room films though. There's only so much you can do and only so much emotion you can pull. Besides films are a visual medium and there is nothing usually visually appealing in one room. This was a real good film that's bound to do well. Good Job.I've shot in real world war bunkers. I don't mind shooting a piece in a room and just letting the story and actors take over. This was one of those times.

Glad you liked it.

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

so was he right man? you secretive bastard.:cheesy:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

so was he right man? you secretive bastard.:cheesy:

Was he the right guy? That's really up to you. Was he lying or telling the truth?
Did he recognize those words... "How long can you hold your breath?" Or was he simply confused?

It's really up to you but I'll tell you this... The writers and actors all have varying opinions on this. :)

MAH

[Richard J. Johnson]

Damn you horrigan!:Drogar-Shock(DBG):

He was a nazi, so he got what he deserved regardless

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Damn you horrigan!:Drogar-Shock(DBG):

He was a nazi, so he got what he deserved regardless
He was not "SS". He was engineer.

Poor innocent bastard. :D

MAH

[lawriejaffa]

I would just like to add that i enjoyed the simplicity of this films production, it allowed for an appropriate focus on story, characterisation (superbly played by your elderly gentleman in particular.) I like the question of doubt that remains over the old man's guilt - it places us with the other character in the role of would be executioner - who like him in the most part - leap to conclusions of guilt lol.

Subtly reminding your audience that there prejudices are stupid takes the skill of a true artist (and a particularly good writer.)

I just hope for a third film with your old actor, to complete the great ww2 linked trilogy!

[Darkline]

Hey Mike,

I liked the simplicity of this also. I've seen you play with form and be very stylish and so it's a welcome departure, and as you say, learning curve to venture into this.
I'm really glad he got shot at the end. Not because I'm sick, but because I think would have fallen into a very generic patch of films if he had backed down. We've seen that so many times before.

The old guy was really convincing, but alas I didn't quite believe the younger man's performance. However I think the old man carried this through and made the short work. I have been wondering whether it was a good thing that the room was so bare, and I think it probably was because not only were you limited to one room, but because it was so blank it meant more than ever the film had to get by on the acting as there was literally nothing else to look at. Brave move.

Very well done and I'll be surely taking a leaf from your book in the future.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

I would just like to add that i enjoyed the simplicity of this films production, it allowed for an appropriate focus on story, characterisation (superbly played by your elderly gentleman in particular.) I like the question of doubt that remains over the old man's guilt - it places us with the other character in the role of would be executioner - who like him in the most part - leap to conclusions of guilt lol.

Subtly reminding your audience that there prejudices are stupid takes the skill of a true artist (and a particularly good writer.)

I just hope for a third film with your old actor, to complete the great ww2 linked trilogy!
Lawrie! Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it. Johni surely is superb and I would be more than happy to work with him again. As with John as well. Thanks again.

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Hey Mike,

I liked the simplicity of this also. I've seen you play with form and be very stylish and so it's a welcome departure, and as you say, learning curve to venture into this.
I'm really glad he got shot at the end. Not because I'm sick, but because I think would have fallen into a very generic patch of films if he had backed down. We've seen that so many times before.

The old guy was really convincing, but alas I didn't quite believe the younger man's performance. However I think the old man carried this through and made the short work. I have been wondering whether it was a good thing that the room was so bare, and I think it probably was because not only were you limited to one room, but because it was so blank it meant more than ever the film had to get by on the acting as there was literally nothing else to look at. Brave move.

Very well done and I'll be surely taking a leaf from your book in the future.I'm really glad you liked it. Yes, it was tough using an empty place but we really didn't want any distractions. Brave is a nice compliment. Stupid might be more accurate. :)

I think they both had great chemistry on screen together. One really needed the other to play off of and they did that well. Thanks for the compliments. Movies like the last one I did (Hostile Destination) are all about style over substance. I really wanted to see if I could shove two guys in an empty room and make it interesting. Hopefully I succeeded in that.

Just wanted to add that Doug Sinclair really worked over the story I had and helped to create an amazing script. Just wanted to give him some extra credit here. :)

Cheers,

MAH

[Charli]

MAH - you funny. You state me the rules then agree with me, ha ha. It's really quite the drama. I think it's harder to pull off a true thriller or suspense film without falling into the drama category. Probably one of the reasons there were less entries on this fest than in past October fest. I really, really loved hearing "At Last" as the title credit popped up. Now that I look at it, not sure the quote did anything for the movie. Still, nice that it's in there.

[Mike Manning]

Hey Mike,

I'm sorry man, but this one just really missed the mark for me. I think ultimately, it's not the fault of the actors or even the directing, but rather it's the script that causes this film to suffer.

The ultimate struggle in writing for the visual medium is figuring out what to show versus what to tell. In this movie, the actors are forced to tell us everything and on top of that, they have to act too. Their actions are stiffened by the burden of being explanatory and as the viewer, I'm left completely removed from the situation without ever having been pulled in.

Comparatively, if we look at your film "Fuhrerbunker," I'm pulled in by your lead's actions. His journey as he uncovers the mystery of his workplace entices the viewer. The most explanatory sequence in the film is when he finds the SS soldier's name in a history book. And even then, you SHOW us the book with his picture, instead of having your character tell us.

But yeah, thanks for sharing with us. I know you hadn't initially planned on being apart of this Fest, so I'm happy to see anything you have to submit. But ultimately, I think it's a step backwards from your earlier work.

Cheers!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Charli, just wanted you to know that I was within bounds. :). Lol!
The quote is the inspiration, for sure. It also helps set the mood and let's you know what era we are talking about here.
A very terrible time in history.

Cheers,

MAH

[kurtmo]

I'll have to agree that this film has a captivating simplicity about it. The acting was top notch, which helped to engage and make me believe.

I often think simpler is better for a short. For me complex short stories just distract and (too often) confuse. When I spend most of the time trying to figure out who, why, and what the heck is going on, the film has lost me. You didn't do that. Thank you.

While I'm pontificating, it's interesting to think about how a film like this would be seen if it hadn't been in ThrillFest where you (mostly) know that something bad is about to happen. If it hadn't, would I have been expecting the old guy to be in trouble the moment he turned his back? I dunno.

Anyways, great short! Thank you for sharing.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, Mike. Sorry it didn't work for you.
I have to disagree of course, this was a huge step forward for me. I did this naked if you will, not an easy task.
Not saying I nailed it or anything, just saying that it was challenging and that I learned a lot from this one.

I wouldn't change this experience for anything.

Cheers,

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

I'll have to agree that this film has a captivating simplicity about it. The acting was top notch, which helped to engage and make me believe.

I often think simpler is better for a short. For me complex short stories just distract and (too often) confuse. When I spend most of the time trying to figure out who, why, and what the heck is going on, the film has lost me. You didn't do that. Thank you.

While I'm pontificating, it's interesting to think about how a film like this would be seen if it hadn't been in ThrillFest where you (mostly) know that something bad is about to happen. If it hadn't, would I have been expecting the old guy to be in trouble the moment he turned his back? I dunno.

Anyways, great short! Thank you for sharing.

It was definitely something I wanted to try. Happy it worked for you.
Thanks so much for the generous comments.

Cheers,

MAH

[kurtmo]

A little controversy is nice. It's kinda cool when people care enough to, well, care.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

A little controversy is nice. It's kinda cool when people care enough to, well, care.
Thanks, Kurt. :thumbsup:

[Susanne G.]

This is all around a really good film. It is beautiful to see how more and more professional you get. It is exceptional that you have created, with only one location and the dialog between two actors, a film which hold my attention the whole length. It is much more difficult to make a good work with less as with lots of amazing locations (for example). I am impressed by the simplicity of it. Both actors were very professional and convincing - in particular the 'gunman' actor had a lot of charisma. I absolutely love the score and the editing of the score is perfect. When the music started again at the end, I thought that the gunman gave up on that point and the film will end there, but then very unexpectedly the thrill turned back. It was very clever of you to start with the music before and let the audience already feel relaxed. This film works perfectly like a short, but I also could imagine that it is the end of a feature film or every where in the middle of a feature film. I thought about the question, if it is important that Aldo is the killer of the gunman's brother or not? I think it doesn't matter. The fact that he was there and didn't do anything against the death of the brother is sufficient. I also feel that the important part of the film is a psycologal view on the gunman. He waited his whole live of this possibility, all his thoughts for years, the energy he put in to find Aldo - he needed to conclude it even if he maybe won't feel better afterward and maybe did a mistake. His weak human moment at the end, before he shot couldn't win - he must kill him! The key sentence 'How long can you hold your breath?' reminded me of Charles Bronson with the harmonica in Sergio Leone's film 'Once upon the time in the West'. The melody of the harmonica was the reminder of the past like your key sentence. I actually have still the melody from the beginning of your short in my mind. I think that is one of this films which I still would remember later on after more time. For me it is one of the higher qualitv films in this fest and one of the first two places. Many compliments and much luck!

Susanne

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Susanne! Thanks so much. Your description of the characters and what they may have been thinking/feeling is really what this piece is all about. John will love your comments as well. These guys really poured it out that day.

Your comments on the music and story are dead on perfect. I really wanted to go out on a limb, so happy it worked. Great praise to be mentioned in the top 2.

I really hope you and Jason come back soon!

Cheers,

MAH

[Horncastle]

It is good to see you doing a simple scene after your recent "high-tech" entries, Mike. There is nothing wrong with either but I think it takes some courage to go back and forth and must be the best route to improving and continually challenging yourself. Both actors gave really accomplished performances - and they needed to with just the single scene where your camera was merciless in following every expression. There is a great attention to detail - things like the dogs barking just after the gunshot. This is really nitpicking but I do feel that the house is a little too empty and clean for the end of a day moving out - the position of the boxes is maybe a little too perfect. I feel that the subject of the film is on a well-trodden path but it holds the viewer's attention so nothing wrong with that. It might be interesting for you to know that one thing Susanne and I discussed was whether there was something that Aldo said as he was offering a glass of wine that made the gunman realize who he was. We watched it again and came to the conclusion that no, he knew all along, but I needed the second viewing to understand that. There remains the question of whether Aldo actually was the killer of the gunman's brother. I think the film, and the way Johni Keyworth plays Aldo, gives the idea that it actually was him, but I think you leave it sufficiently open-ended which is good.
This was a really good entry - you set yourself a limited task but got it just about perfect I would say.

Jason

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

There remains the question of whether Aldo actually was the killer of the gunman's brother. I think the film, and the way Johni Keyworth plays Aldo, gives the idea that it actually was him, but I think you leave it sufficiently open-ended which is good.
This was a really good entry - you set yourself a limited task but got it just about perfect I would say.

Jason
Jason! Great to hear from you as well. Just wanted to touch on this as it was what we wanted. Was it him? Who knows. We really wanted the audience to question and struggle with this.
The dog barking was a simple but effective addition. Glad you picked up on the little details.
It's really great to hear the discussion you two had over this. Makes it all worthwhile.

Thanks so much for dropping by.

Mike

[elsmama]

That was an incredible story. The turn-about was beautifully done - I was convinced that the gunman was going to walk away. The effect during the credits of letting the record needle scratch was a lovely detail - kind of a reward for watching till the bitter end.

Thanks for sharing that!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

That was an incredible story. The turn-about was beautifully done - I was convinced that the gunman was going to walk away. The effect during the credits of letting the record needle scratch was a lovely detail - kind of a reward for watching till the bitter end.

Thanks for sharing that!Thanks so much! Im glad I got you with the turn-about. :)
Thanks for taking in the little details at the end as well.

Cheers,

MAH

[Susanne G.]

I really hope you and Jason come back soon!

MAH

We would love, too. Actually it would give me more motivation with an more open fest theme. My absolutely favourite would be "FoodFest". It is easier not to kill anybody if you want :).

Susanne

[Jason Sanders]

Im always a fan of one location shoots. Its harder to keep people interested and you need a good story and acting, which you had. Great job.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

We would love, too. Actually it would give me more motivation with an more open fest theme. My absolutely favourite would be "FoodFest". It is easier not to kill anybody if you want :).

SusanneI can kill people with food. :evil:
BTW, thanks to Larry for fixing my sound issues. :thumbup:

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Im always a fan of one location shoots. Its harder to keep people interested and you need a good story and acting, which you had. Great job.
Thanks, Jason! It really was a tough task, glad you enjoyed it.

[4100xpb]

Well done MAH, definitely a different direction than your WestFest entry. I think my favourite component of this was actually the music – great choice of song, and your singer really pulled it off.



I think this film delivered what it aimed to. You said this was more of an actor/character piece, and it definitely is. The actors did well in this, which is necessary as that’s all there is to go on. I particularly liked Johni. Everything else was invisible, and just allowed the viewer to focus in on the actors, so there’s nothing to say about it. You executed well as usual, Michael, well done.

[Elton]

Don't know what I can say that hasn't already been mentioned. I think it was a great, tense character/actor piece. More drama than suspenseful thriller--and let's face it, I believe most of us are expecting or merely hoping for lots of tension-filled suspense in what we think of as "thrillers" in this fest. I think really believable, edge-of-your-seat suspense is much tougher to pull off than most other genres. It takes a great setup, great acting, and great execution. I know I am still just learning and I am still unsure if I will have pulled it off with our piece. Who knows, but it's fun giving it a go and learning from mistakes.

I felt like the gunman was going to do it right from the get-go. The older actor was truly great, and I thought the gunman was pretty good, but a little overshadowed by the other actor.

I appreciate the different approach you took and I think it was great. Cool stuff.

[Matt Harris]

MAH!
What more praise can i give you that others have not yet said? Well here goes:

1. dialogue - A

just the words coming out of these guys mouths were so well written and believable.
a tough feat considering the weight of the subject matter, but you handled it tastefully.
the 'How long can you hold your breath?' was a great choice because it makes you envision the horrors
of the gas chambers, just with that sentence alone.

2. acting - A

honestly, some of the best acting i have seen here in these fests.
they had a great script to work with, and they went all out for their roles.
actors love getting scripts like this where they can really chew on the dialogue and build character,
and these guys really gave it 110%. The intensity of the acting makes your entire film so strong!
it all came across so natural and didn't feel forced at all.

3. cinematography - A-
the one man army continues to rock the T2i! nice change of pace for you with the hand held look.
a perfect choice to add to the intensity of the acting, you could have done it no other way.
although i do like the one or dolly pushes you did to mix it up. nice natural light (you know i hate big shadows on the wall)
and good simple location. the empty apartment, with it's white walls, probably gave you a lot of light "bounce"?
it looks great, you kept the color correction clean and realistic looking, it really suits the story.

4. editing - A
this is actually the strength of the film for me. ok you got a great script and great acting, but you chose the right takes and perfect
cut points to play these guys off each other. that's the secret weapon here.

5. music - A
the song is the clincher. using an old school (30's?) song from that era adds so much weight and dimension for the rest of the material. an inspired choice for sure.
many movies (Jeepers Creepers) and videogames (Fallout 3) use music like this nowadays and it just works so well.
i also want to point out your lack of score, smart move, it makes this short feel much more real than if you had some whiny piano or something.

6. overall concept - A
was i thrilled? yes! it was intense for 5 minutes straight! you wrapped up WW2, revenge, loss, murder, gas chambers and Ann Frank all up into one concept, and i loved it.

great work, per usual Mike.

ps i did not plan on giving you such high grades, i figured i'd throw you a few "B+'s" but as i analyzed your technique, it was pretty much straight A's
from me. you are at the head of the class.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Well done MAH, definitely a different direction than your WestFest entry. I think my favourite component of this was actually the music – great choice of song, and your singer really pulled it off.


I think this film delivered what it aimed to. You said this was more of an actor/character piece, and it definitely is. The actors did well in this, which is necessary as that;s all there is to go on. I particularly liked Johni. Everything else was invisible, and just allowed the viewer to focus in on the actors, so there’s nothing to say about it. You executed well as usual, Michael, well done.
Thanks! I'm very happy with the responses I've been getting. Not too many people have mentioned the song. As Matt mentioned it's quite an oldie. :)
Glad you thought it fit well.


Don't know what I can say that hasn't already been mentioned. I think it was a great, tense character/actor piece. More drama than suspenseful thriller--and let's face it, I believe most of us are expecting or merely hoping for lots of tension-filled suspense in what we think of as "thrillers" in this fest. I think really believable, edge-of-your-seat suspense is much tougher to pull off than most other genres. It takes a great setup, great acting, and great execution. I know I am still just learning and I am still unsure if I will have pulled it off with our piece. Who knows, but it's fun giving it a go and learning from mistakes.

I felt like the gunman was going to do it right from the get-go. The older actor was truly great, and I thought the gunman was pretty good, but a little overshadowed by the other actor.

I appreciate the different approach you took and I think it was great. Cool stuff.

It's more drama thriller but I find that many people have said they were surprised by the outcome so I hope that had them hanging on a bit. Thanks, Elton. Glad you liked it.


MAH!
What more praise can i give you that others have not yet said? Well here goes:

1. dialogue - A

just the words coming out of these guys mouths were so well written and believable.
a tough feat considering the weight of the subject matter, but you handled it tastefully.
the 'How long can you hold your breath?' was a great choice because it makes you envision the horrors
of the gas chambers, just with that sentence alone.

2. acting - A

honestly, some of the best acting i have seen here in these fests.
they had a great script to work with, and they went all out for their roles.
actors love getting scripts like this where they can really chew on the dialogue and build character,
and these guys really gave it 110%. The intensity of the acting makes your entire film so strong!
it all came across so natural and didn't feel forced at all.

3. cinematography - A-
the one man army continues to rock the T2i! nice change of pace for you with the hand held look.
a perfect choice to add to the intensity of the acting, you could have done it no other way.
although i do like the one or dolly pushes you did to mix it up. nice natural light (you know i hate big shadows on the wall)
and good simple location. the empty apartment, with it's white walls, probably gave you a lot of light "bounce"?
it looks great, you kept the color correction clean and realistic looking, it really suits the story.

4. editing - A
this is actually the strength of the film for me. ok you got a great script and great acting, but you chose the right takes and perfect
cut points to play these guys off each other. that's the secret weapon here.

5. music - A
the song is the clincher. using an old school (30's?) song from that era adds so much weight and dimension for the rest of the material. an inspired choice for sure.
many movies (Jeepers Creepers) and videogames (Fallout 3) use music like this nowadays and it just works so well.
i also want to point out your lack of score, smart move, it makes this short feel much more real than if you had some whiny piano or something.

6. overall concept - A
was i thrilled? yes! it was intense for 5 minutes straight! you wrapped up WW2, revenge, loss, murder, gas chambers and Ann Frank all up into one concept, and i loved it.

great work, per usual Mike.

ps i did not plan on giving you such high grades, i figured i'd throw you a few "B+'s" but as i analyzed your technique, it was pretty much straight A's
from me. you are at the head of the class.

Wow, Matt. Thanks so much. Like you and so many of us here, it's tough doing it all by ourselves. You really nailed all the little details in the dialogue, acting and even the different approach while shooting. It's VERY different from my usual style and it was nice to walk out on a limb with this one.

Now I want to combine this with what I normally do.

Cheers,

MAH

[Matt Harris]

"Now I want to combine this with what I normally do."

I was literally going to say the same thing. i was gonna say: take this great style of writing and acting, and go make Hostile Destination 2! lol.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

"Now I want to combine this with what I normally do."

I was literally going to say the same thing. i was gonna say: take this great style of writing and acting, and go make Hostile Destination 2! lol.
LOL! Thanks. Something like that for sure. :)

[Marlon Ladd]

Excellent, excellent film! There's alot of substance here, but what else is new with a MAH film. The story was a good one with a back story that HAS to be represented by the actors words and actions and I thought they pulled it off on a top-notch level. I see you did something different here by sitting back and letting the actors do their thing. There's probably a hundred different ways you could have shot this, but I think you chose the right one. I can see that you stepped outside the box a little bit by doing that and from what I've read, you've learned alot and that's the purpose of doing these short films, IMO. We have to keep challenging ourselves and doing things in film that represent ourselves and some of the things we've always wanted to do and tell some of the stories we've always wanted to tell. I really liked how the film started and how it ended. Yes, for a minute there I didn't think the guy was going to make that decision, but he did. The gunshot effect was on-point as well.

Congratulations on another finalist film I'm sure. I haven't watched all the films, but as of now this is one of my top pics. This was a nice change of pace and a nice step forward!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Excellent, excellent film! There's alot of substance here, but what else is new with a MAH film. The story was a good one with a back story that HAS to be represented by the actors words and actions and I thought they pulled it off on a top-notch level. I see you did something different here by sitting back and letting the actors do their thing. There's probably a hundred different ways you could have shot this, but I think you chose the right one. I can see that you stepped outside the box a little bit by doing that and from what I've read, you've learned alot and that's the purpose of doing these short films, IMO. We have to keep challenging ourselves and doing things in film that represent ourselves and some of the things we've always wanted to do and tell some of the stories we've always wanted to tell. I really liked how the film started and how it ended. Yes, for a minute there I didn't think the guy was going to make that decision, but he did. The gunshot effect was on-point as well.

Congratulations on another finalist film I'm sure. I haven't watched all the films, but as of now this is one of my top pics. This was a nice change of pace and a nice step forward!

Thanks, Marlon. High praise.

It was nice to try something different with the actors. I really felt like I accomplished something with this one.
Two actors, one (mostly) empty room and less than 4 minutes of actual screen-time.
They are actually only on screen together for about 3:30 seconds all told when you remove the opening with the quote and the closing credits.

Tough sell I know. Glad it worked for you.

Missed you this Fest. Get that Feature done and jump in the next one!

Cheers,

MAH

[Zim]

That was really good Mike. You just keep out doing yourself.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

That was really good Mike. You just keep out doing yourself.
Thanks, Zim! Much appreciated.

MAH

[stinkpot]

Hey Mike. I really enjoyed your film. The story, production and performances were all very good. I totally felt the tension.

Great work man!

[filmcritic]

Great choice of music for the opening and ending. The performances were really good. While the shots were lit well, it seemed like they could have been composed more artistically, or some time could have gone into placing meaning behind your shots. I only say this because in a scene that takes place in one room the story and shot choices need to make up for the lack in change in the environment. There are many angles and options in framing to choose from here. The shot selection felt rushed like you thought of the shots on the fly. There was a little much expostition, but given as I assume constraints of budget and time it's a little unrealistic to shoot a holocaust back story I suppose though that would have blown all the other films away hands down. The main character killing the Nazi was a bit of a shock. I really sympathized with the Nazi, who was much older now, which I attribute to his acting. People change so much in that amount of time. All in all it was an enjoyable submittion and I look foward to seeing more of your work.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Hey Mike. I really enjoyed your film. The story, production and performances were all very good. I totally felt the tension.

Great work man!Thanks! Tension is good! :)

Cheers,

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Great choice of music for the opening and ending. The performances were really good. While the shots were lit well, it seemed like they could have been composed more artistically, or some time could have gone into placing meaning behind your shots. I only say this because in a scene that takes place in one room the story and shot choices need to make up for the lack in change in the environment. There are many angles and options in framing to choose from here. The shot selection felt rushed like you thought of the shots on the fly. There was a little much expostition, but given as I assume constraints of budget and time it's a little unrealistic to shoot a holocaust back story I suppose though that would have blown all the other films away hands down. Te main character killing the Natzi was a bit of a shock. I really sympathized with the Natzi, who was much older now, which I attribute to his acting. People change so much in that amount of time. All in all it was an enjoyable submittion and I look foward to seeing more of your work.I had some flashbacks in the first draft but omitted them by choice. I really wanted it to be about this one moment between these two men. Nothing fancy, just raw emotion. Shot it that way as well.

If you look at what I did last fest I think you'll find that one completely different in just about every way.
Hostile Destination (http://www.morecowbellpictures.com/Movies/Hostile_Destination_Cast.mov)

I'm glad you liked it. Happy the ending shocked you a bit as well.

Cheers,

Mike

[2062ad]

my fave so far in this fest. great look, great actors, really GREAT acting! or maybe the directors ability to bring it out in them. either way, excellent. nice twist at the ending too!

[filmcritic]

I had some flashbacks in the first draft but omitted them by choice. I really wanted it to be about this one moment between these two men. Nothing fancy, just raw emotion. Shot it that way as well.

If you look at what I did last fest I think you'll find that one completely different in just about every way.
Hostile Destination (http://www.morecowbellpictures.com/Movies/Hostile_Destination_Cast.mov)

I'm glad you liked it. Happy the ending shocked you a bit as well.

Cheers,

Mike

Good job for omitting them, flashbacks rarely work. I would have actually showed it then had a gap in time, but no one has a Schindler's List budget lol.

This is far more stylized than the one for this thrill fest. I felt like it could have been an actual TV series pilot. The few critiques I have for this one would be the location of the safe room could have been better, the door and TV stand felt fake, a control room or something would have been awesome, and it would have been cool to throw in an establishing shot showing it was at a different location that what he was blowing up. Loved the lighting and composition of most shots, The only shots I would have changed would have been making the characters close ups on the opposite thirds thus leaving room so their heads do not fill frame. Liked the dolly shot, that worked well. Good use of angles and good cg as well. Definitely shows your diversity. Good film.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

my fave so far in this fest. great look, great actors, really GREAT acting! or maybe the directors ability to bring it out in them. either way, excellent. nice twist at the ending too!
Thanks, man. I really appreciate that.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

This is far more stylized than the one for this thrill fest. I felt like it could have been an actual TV series pilot. The few critiques I have for this one would be the location of the safe room could have been better, the door and TV stand felt fake, a control room or something would have been awesome, and it would have been cool to throw in an establishing shot showing it was at a different location that what he was blowing up. Loved the lighting and composition of most shots, The only shots I would have changed would have been making the characters close ups on the opposite thirds thus leaving room so their heads do not fill frame. Liked the dolly shot, that worked well. Good use of angles and good cg as well. Definitely shows your diversity. Good film.Thanks for the review.

Just wanted to give you a comparison to show you the differences between styles.

Cheers,

MAH

[tomten3000]

Good work, truly. The performances were wonderful; top notch actors. And I liked that it was a little shorter ... 4 bucks and out. That's good - no more story than you need to tell. I'm torn on the end - on the shooting, but I don't know why yet. That's a good thing, I think. Means you leave the viewer with something to think about. It works, too, because you place enough question as to whether or not the older man is guilty of atrocities or is telling the truth. So some ambiguity. Did the gunman just commit a terrible crime, or did karma come knocking at the old Nazi's door? Good job!

[Brian P. McQuilkin]

Awesome. Whoever said a gun is just a crust for weak filmmaking is a...well, they need to watch this. Beautiful execution (no pun intended). The tension was perfect – this seemed like a much shorter movie than it was.


The old man playing the German acted well – his performance was very believable, and I think it would have been easy to let it slip into either something over-the-top or caricature, but he kept his performance grounded and even.


You can tell this was well directed. The camera work was almost invisible – on the second watching I paid more attention to angles and lighting, but on the first viewing I was really wrapped up in the story.


I imagine I'm not the only one who heard an old man with a German accent and immediately wonder if this was going to be a confrontation with a Nazi, but honestly it doesn't detract from the story and I'm that there's really a way to get around telling it without that kind of set-up. I'm reaching with that critique – overall I thought this was one of the best movies I've watched from this fest.


I also enjoyed the fact that he didn't let the old man walk away...it seemed more believable that someone searching for revenge his entire life wouldn't allow a couple of minutes of confused pleading to turn him around (of course, I've never been in that situation, but I imagine it would go pretty much like this). While you present all the moral ambiguity that should be present in a revenge yarn, I found the ending satisfying and it felt right.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Good work, truly. The performances were wonderful; top notch actors. And I liked that it was a little shorter ... 4 bucks and out. That's good - no more story than you need to tell. I'm torn on the end - on the shooting, but I don't know why yet. That's a good thing, I think. Means you leave the viewer with something to think about. It works, too, because you place enough question as to whether or not the older man is guilty of atrocities or is telling the truth. So some ambiguity. Did the gunman just commit a terrible crime, or did karma come knocking at the old Nazi's door? Good job!Excellent! You walked away with exactly what I was hoping to deliver. I didn't want it clear cut and did my best to balance it. Thanks so much for the great review.

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Awesome. Whoever said a gun is just a crust for weak filmmaking is a...well, they need to watch this. Beautiful execution (no pun intended). The tension was perfect – this seemed like a much shorter movie than it was.


The old man playing the German acted well – his performance was very believable, and I think it would have been easy to let it slip into either something over-the-top or caricature, but he kept his performance grounded and even.


You can tell this was well directed. The camera work was almost invisible – on the second watching I paid more attention to angles and lighting, but on the first viewing I was really wrapped up in the story.


I imagine I'm not the only one who heard an old man with a German accent and immediately wonder if this was going to be a confrontation with a Nazi, but honestly it doesn't detract from the story and I'm that there's really a way to get around telling it without that kind of set-up. I'm reaching with that critique – overall I thought this was one of the best movies I've watched from this fest.


I also enjoyed the fact that he didn't let the old man walk away...it seemed more believable that someone searching for revenge his entire life wouldn't allow a couple of minutes of confused pleading to turn him around (of course, I've never been in that situation, but I imagine it would go pretty much like this). While you present all the moral ambiguity that should be present in a revenge yarn, I found the ending satisfying and it felt right.Yah, we really toiled over how to end this and it flipped around from draft to draft. Thanks for the Direction kudos! I always take responsibility when my actors falter so it's nice to bask in their glory a little. I think sitting back with the camera and not messing around too much was the best thing I did for their performances.

BTW, no lighting at all. 100% natural. Not even a deflector or bounce card. Nada.

Thanks for the well thought out review!

Cheers,

MAH

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Things are winding down so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who took the time to make a film and comment!
The comments are very helpful down the road. :thumbup:

Cheers,

MAH

[MrKilloran]

You walk a very morally gray area in this film and I like the ambiguity of who is right/who is wrong. It's crafted quite well and even though he could very well be an evil nazi bastard I felt bad for the old man. It's acted superbly and you leave us wondering. Well done.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

You walk a very morally gray area in this film and I like the ambiguity of who is right/who is wrong. It's crafted quite well and even though he could very well be an evil nazi bastard I felt bad for the old man. It's acted superbly and you leave us wondering. Well done.

Exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks so much.

MAH

[AmyO]

Bravo, Michael! Great performances, nice camera work. I'm a fan of the natural lighting style myself, so good job on that front. Like I said in my comments for "Serial", I really like watching a character make a choice and follow through with it. So many moments for doubt, for a change of course here. And just when you think our poor German is out of the woods, BAM! Choice made, action taken. No turning back. Nice.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Bravo, Michael! Great performances, nice camera work. I'm a fan of the natural lighting style myself, so good job on that front. Like I said in my comments for "Serial", I really like watching a character make a choice and follow through with it. So many moments for doubt, for a change of course here. And just when you think our poor German is out of the woods, BAM! Choice made, action taken. No turning back. Nice.

Thanks, Amy! I'm so happy you enjoyed this one. :beer:

MAH

[Mobie540]

Doubt is a powerful thing. I like the performances from when the gun was pulled forward. I didn't like how the gunman's attitude changed instantly, like a switch was suddenly flipped. What set him off? Did he recognize the back of the guy's ear or something? I was hoping you'd show something that hit his memory so deeply. The way it plays out he's been stalking him for some time, who carries a gun on them like that. If that's the case I think the beginning would be less cordial and more sinister. Anyway that's my only griped. Great job.

So for an empty square room how did you minimize echo?

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Doubt is a powerful thing. I like the performances from when the gun was pulled forward. I didn't like how the gunman's attitude changed instantly, like a switch was suddenly flipped. What set him off? Did he recognize the back of the guy's ear or something? I was hoping you'd show something that hit his memory so deeply. The way it plays out he's been stalking him for some time, who carries a gun on them like that. If that's the case I think the beginning would be less cordial and more sinister. Anyway that's my only griped. Great job.

So for an empty square room how did you minimize echo?That's awesome. I'm glad you brought that up. It's obvious from the start (he's armed) what his intentions are. You'll notice that the gunman's demeanor changes at the first closeup. It's like a switch goes off, you can clearer see it on his face. No, he hasn't pulled the gun out yet but he's all business. Why was he nice to begin with? Maybe he wasn't 100% sure he had the right guy and wanted to gain his trust and feel him out.

What made the switch happen? Was it something Aldo said? The way he said it? A certain mannerism he picked up on? That's up to you. But you could look again and see if you can spot what it was.

Now at this point you can see he's clearly made up his mind. After asking him his name, he gets angry, asks him another question and pulls the gun. He's convinced.

Getting rid of the echo took some work in Adobe Soundbooth.
Wasn't easy. It was also disappointing that for the first day or two after the upload it had sound issues. Quite a few people had sound issues but Larry was very helpful in getting that fixed for us.

Cheers,


MAH

[Mobie540]

That's awesome. I'm glad you brought that up. It's obvious from the start (he's armed) what his intentions are. You'll notice that the gunman's demeanor changes at the first closeup. It's like a switch goes off, you can clearer see it on his face. No, he hasn't pulled the gun out yet but he's all business. Why was he nice to begin with? Maybe he wasn't 100% sure he had the right guy and wanted to gain his trust and feel him out.

What made the switch happen? Was it something Aldo said? The way he said it? A certain mannerism he picked up on? That's up to you. But you could look again and see if you can spot what it was.

Now at this point you can see he's clearly made up his mind. After asking him his name, he gets angry, asks him another question and pulls the gun. He's convinced.

Getting rid of the echo took some work in Adobe Soundbooth.
Wasn't easy. It was also disappointing that for the first day or two after the upload it had sound issues. Quite a few people had sound issues but Larry was very helpful in getting that fixed for us.

Cheers,


MAH

My argument stems from the old man saying it was nice catching up with you. Like he was helping him move or like they knew each other.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

My argument stems from the old man saying it was nice catching up with you. Like he was helping him move or like they knew each other.
Quite the opposite, I would listen again. Although he does help him with his move but that's explained.

The German says....
"I don't know how I would have managed had you not been passing."

He also says...
"Strange that we have not met before, living on the same street together."

Pretty clear that this is their first time meeting. Since the war anyway. :)

MAH

[AmyO]

Nicely done. Congrats on making it to round 2. :)

[lawriejaffa]

Yeah totally well done bro!

[Matt Harris]

awesome mIke, you are a true dvx OG.

[filmcritic]

Congrats!!! Good job on making the top 6!

[Richard J. Johnson]

I told ya Mike, I told ya!!! congrats man!!!

[Noel Evans]

Congrats Michael.

[Darkline]

How many in a row is that for you? ;-) Congrats mike.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Wow. Thanks, guys.

Darkilne, I believe that's seven consecutive finals now. If you count the high placements (like in DarknessFest (5th place)) before they had second round finalists.

Happy to be up there this fest.

MAH

[Marlon Ladd]

Way to go, Mike. You're gonna' set some kind of excellence record or something. Excellent job.

[Chris_Keaton]

I knew you were in! Congrats.

[Charli]

MAH - you came in late and now you are at the head of the class. Nice!

[Sebastian Stenhøj]

Big Congrats!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Way to go, Mike. You're gonna' set some kind of excellence record or something. Excellent job.


I knew you were in! Congrats.


MAH - you came in late and now you are at the head of the class. Nice!


Big Congrats!

Thanks everyone!

MAH

[reem12]

Hey Michael, I feel like you when you say you are hard on yourself, but I've been watching some of the shorts over, and must say that you put your actors in a great situation to tell this story which allowed the viewers to be sucked completely in until the very last moment the gun went off and I jumped. Honestly I wasn't ready for that and whatever sound effect used brought it home. Intense!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Hey Michael, I feel like you when you say you are hard on yourself, but I've been watching some of the shorts over, and must say that you put your actors in a great situation to tell this story which allowed the viewers to be sucked completely in until the very last moment the gun went off and I jumped. Honestly I wasn't ready for that and whatever sound effect used brought it home. Intense!That makes it all worthwhile. Thanks so much!

MAH

[Matt Harris]

congrats MAH, well deserved my friend!

[lawriejaffa]

Yey well done bro!!!

[Susanne G.]

Congratulations to the 3rd place!

Susanne

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks! :)

[Darkline]

MAH, you must be the most consistent performer in these fests. I'm really pleased that your detour paid off here. You just keep getting better because you step into new ground all the time and that's all a director can ask of himself. I will be taking a page from your book in my next project.

[4100xpb]

Congrats MAH! Darkline is right, you consistently hit these fests with excellence. I look forward to seeing your next entry, and I don't even know what the theme is yet:)

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

MAH, you must be the most consistent performer in these fests. I'm really pleased that your detour paid off here. You just keep getting better because you step into new ground all the time and that's all a director can ask of himself. I will be taking a page from your book in my next project.


Congrats MAH! Darkline is right, you consistently hit these fests with excellence. I look forward to seeing your next entry, and I don't even know what the theme is yet:)Thanks so much, guys. That means a great deal.

Cheers!

MAH

[Jason Sanders]

Hey congrats on 3rd place, great job.

[Marlon Ladd]

I told you you'd be top 3!! Congrats!

[kurtmo]

Well put together film. Congratulations on your place, you deserved it!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Hey congrats on 3rd place, great job.Thanks!


I told you you'd be top 3!! Congrats!Lies! :)


Well put together film. Congratulations on your place, you deserved it!Thanks, Kurt. Big improvement from you this fest. Hope to see you in the next one.

[John LaBonney]

Mike:

Hey, congratulations on placing in the top 3! I haven't been around for a while and just got a chance to catch this.

It certainly is a departure from some of your other works, and the single and simplistic location really put more emphasis on the dialog. There as much to indicate that he wouldn't shoot, but for some inexplicable reason, I was certain he would.

Hope to see you in FictionFest.

John

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Thanks, John. Nice to see you back.

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

We took home the 'Best Acting' award last night at the local fest here in Ottawa. The film was extremely well received.
The award was in my (Directors) name but I handed it over to Johni Keyworth and let him and John fight over it. :)

[ZazaCast]

Congrats....again!!!

[Matt Harris]

Congrats Mike that is AWESOME!

[Marlon Ladd]

What Director's name?? Congrats!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Congrats....again!!!Thanks!


Congrats Mike that is AWESOME!Thanks, Matt. We were pretty happy about it.


What Director's name?? Congrats!LOL! The acting award that we received had my name on it. I figured that it should belong to the actors and have their names on it. So I gave it to them.
Now they just have to figure out a way to get my name off. :)