grabs from my first short

[Paulsta]

I posted these in the screenshot section, but I dont think people check it much. This is the first thing I have really filmed other than concerts. Just looking for some feed back...good or bad. Ill try to get more up as production continues. Thanks

http://img150.exs.cx/img150/3282/sequence11rm.jpg

http://img41.exs.cx/img41/6909/b9pa.jpg

http://img67.exs.cx/img67/4421/djklsalk8uc.jpg

[Slimothy]

Second one looks kinda grainy, but I really like 1 &3.

[lincolnlog]

yes, 2nd one is grainy, unless thats what you wanted, it needs more light. maybe if you want it dark, play with it in post. grain sucks (imho)...1& 3 look awesome, love them.

[Kirk Gillock]

The grabs look great. I ditto the grainy coment.

What's this short about? It defintely doesn't look like a comedy! ;)

[BLUESPIDER]

whats up with people smoking in these indi films? I see it almost every freakin time. Is it supposed to make the character look tough or cool. I'm not trying to bag on your film but its just too played out IMHO. I like the first grab though. Peace!

[soundman]

1st one's good. the others don't match the lighting implied by schot 1.?.

[antomic]

whats up with people smoking in these indi films? I see it almost every freakin time. Is it supposed to make the character look tough or cool.

HAHA... D.U.M.P.S. 101
http://filmmaker.com/DUMPS.html

The "Dramatic Cigarette"
**
A character is having a dramatic crisis: So what does he/she do? Whips out a smoke and puffs dramatically as if to say, "Look, this is so serious I'm smoking." YES, people do smoke when they are nervous or excited, or under pressure. But there's no excuse for using the long, boring "drag 'n puff" scene as a lazy alternative to finding a more original way to express the same thing.


i thought that too when i first looked at it, but damn, the lighting in that first shot is one of envy!

[Paulsta]

This is the first scene I shot, and Its all internal monologes. He never smokes the cigearette. Its intent is to evoke emotion. I didnt think about it, but it its played out for sure.

The two people who wrote it were philosophy students, and its very dramatic.

These are all treated in post. The second one I treated very diff. than the other two. Just trying a few looks. I was attempting a film look.

This is the first time I have ever tried to light anything, and quickly realized its damn hard.

Thanks for the comments.

[Coltrain]

whats up with people smoking in these indi films? I see it almost every freakin time. Is it supposed to make the character look tough or cool. I'm not trying to bag on your film but its just too played out IMHO. I like the first grab though. Peace!
Yep, you called it.

[Paulsta]

http://img76.exs.cx/img76/1143/chess3pr.jpg

[darkavenger]

the first shot is the best, not only because it looks "storyboarded" nicely, but the lighting is just right. the second one looks like there's no light and little out of focus. the chess scene.... what is that brownish interlaced thing? looks like a little pee-pee.
great shooting.

[Paulsta]

Ok just thought I would share this. Oh and this one he doesnt have the cig. I think it looks better with, but thats just me.

before
http://img77.exs.cx/img77/4811/shot23ha.jpg

after
http://img77.exs.cx/img77/645/shot15wg.jpg

I use homedepot lighting

[antomic]

and some nice color correction apparently.

[firstcinemapicture]

paulsta, how about posting a diagram of where the lights were set, distance from subject, what size ect.
also, was this frame grab at full rez" really looked great.

[Super Trooper]

Dude, if you like the cigarette, then keep it. Just because some people say they don't like the cig doesn't mean you have to scrap it. I would give you my opinion, but I won't because you really shouldn't give a sh!t. This is your vision. Stand by what you believe in. ;)

[firstcinemapicture]

would love to see a slow dolly shot from this angle.

[antomic]

although, a good point supertrooper...this is a place of learning. we all come here to see what "flys" with the population. sometimes something we thing is so great, is only great to us. which is fine if you're doing something for just you. but when you have to appeal to the masses, then you need to tweak and refine.

i dont look at that as "selling out", i look at it as making myself more marketable.

depends on if you are doing it for fun, or doing it to appeal to others.

[Super Trooper]

I don't consider it "selling out" either. Its called "giving in". He liked it and then he changed it because someone else didn't like it. Granted, it's merely a cigarette were discussing here, but still, it's important to stick to your guns. If you don't like it Paulsta, by all means, throw that sh!t out. But if you do, KEEP IT ;)

I agree antOmic, we should all give our opinion, because really, thats why he posted the grabs in the first place, to hear us out. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to what the filmmaker believes is more appealing. He found the cig more appealing, and instead of keeping it, he erased it.

It's a pretty safe bet that everyone making films on this board is an Independent filmmaker. As an independent filmmaker, you have COMPLETE control as well as final cut of your project. This is a luxury that next to NO mainstream and Hollwood fat cat is ever once afforded. A little thing called test audiences determine how your film is going to look like in the end. Thats what we are, a test audience. But the difference is that we have absolutely no control over you or your film. Although in this instance, it seems we do.

I don't mean be stand-offish, but for Christ's sake, stand by your art. That goes for everyone here. We are artists. Period. One day, if you get lucky and make it to the top, you may find that maybe you aren't so lucky after all.

But hey, I'm just another nobody with an opinion. Take it or leave it. Or take it. :D

Peace, Peoples

[antomic]

well, if it makes you feel better, he didnt get rid of it, he just posted a frame before the guy put it in his mouth.

:D

[Super Trooper]

all is well :D

[antomic]

well, as an artist for my day job (what i actually get paid for), compromise is always an obstacle. we should all stand by our vision and our art. but if people look at something and feel it's way overdone or instantly looks like cheese, i certainly would want to know and immediately disassociate my work from that impression.

if something comes to a point of "giving in" then there is an issue, but a small tweak or refinement to make something seamless and not contrived, is not such a big deal.

i dig your passion Troop, i just come from a world of realistic/artistic compromise where the paycheck outweighs the pride as long as my original vision remains intact.

[Erik Olson]

Smoke 'em if you got 'em! *If the character smokes then he smokes. *

John Travolta might make smoking look glamourous - I started a terrible two-year relationship with American Spirits after Broken Arrow - but many on-screen smoking scenes do just the opposite. *Is there a lot of smoking in movies? *Maybe, but onscreen characters are getting smarter and smarter [about their health] every day.

It's like murder and adultery - you'd think everyone did it if you based your assumptions off what they put in movies. * We'd all have aliens and ghosts scurrying around our homes at night and my wife would look like Tara Reid.

I need to go to the bathroom for a few minutes...

e

[lincolnlog]

is the color correction Magic Bullet? LS Bronze?

[Paulsta]

yes all I did was take a still from before he put the cigg in his mouth. I think the shot looks better with it. I was trying to show how it would look with out. People smoke, and they drink.....so is he.

I stand by what I do. This is the first time I have really done anything with an actor other than me in my own little movies. This is a first for me, and Im very open to what people have to say. Thats how I learn. I love this place for its honesty.

I used bleach bypass, and messed with the settings a lot. I also took the blacks way down, and whites up a bit. I spent way more time color correcting (or screwing) one the first one than the others.

The wonderful thing about the internet world is we can say what we want. I learn a great deal from you guys. I havnt been to any video/film school. I learn by watching and reading.

I will look at some of the other shots to see if I can give a good view of the light set up.

Thanks guys

[antomic]

dont get me wrong...to quote myself:


but damn, the lighting in that first shot is one of envy!

i was just joshing back with bluespider. i thought your shot looked great, composition, and lighting. we went off on a tangent here...not about your grab, but about artistic compromise and vision...

[Super Trooper]

yeah, kick ass grabs Palusta 8)

[KOVAROVA]

i like to smoke. ;)

[BLUESPIDER]

Dude, if you like the cigarette, then keep it. Just because *some people say they don't like the cig doesn't mean you have to scrap it. I would give you my opinion, but I won't because you really shouldn't give a sh!t. This is your vision. Stand by what you believe in. *;)

I agree with that.. *:)

I like smoke too, smoke chicken that is.. ;)