Short movie - Static Blue

[ZanucK]

This was like a surprise project from my film teacher to do over the weekend, and I took it as a chance to test the HVX200.

It was shot on tape, except the destruction... that was shot on 720/24p. 60fps.

The quicktime conversion was set as medium for downloadable reasons (for friends living in another country) therefor the quality is not the best.

http://studentpages.scad.edu/~maslan20/only/Site/Static%20Blue.html

I hpe you like it.


http://photos-346.facebook.com/n15/142/55/39606905/n39606905_30319346_8774.jpg

http://photos-347.facebook.com/n15/142/55/39606905/n39606905_30319347_9178.jpg

http://photos-351.facebook.com/n15/142/55/39606905/n39606905_30319351_679.jpg

Notice the blue?

zan

[RichardVClark]

Nice work...I liked the Requiem for a dream background music ;-)

[bluetuned]

i thought that was kinda cheesy actually, but otherwise well shot. looked like you only had about one light though. nice editing room.

[the_Andyape]

Whose idea was it to have the blue element of the televisions be a throughline of the piece? That was excellent, very well thought-out. Even his shirt's blue!

I want to smash a TV now.

[ZanucK]

Whose idea was it to have the blue element of the televisions be a throughline of the piece? That was excellent, very well thought-out. Even his shirt's blue!

I want to smash a TV now.

You want to smash a television? I think my film is too violent now :P

[iSTy]

I liked it, I've often wanted to smash a 'TV' up like that, a great way to relieve one's emotions. :)

[majormorgan]

I liked the look, the execution of the whole thing, and I liked the blue of the screens especially in the shot where it picks out the edge of the character.

I didn't get the story, does he dream of doing these things? This isn't a criticism, more what did I miss?

Anyway, looks nice and the choice of music was great !

Thanks
Majormorgan

[ZanucK]

I liked the look, the execution of the whole thing, and I liked the blue of the screens especially in the shot where it picks out the edge of the character.

I didn't get the story, does he dream of doing these things? This isn't a criticism, more what did I miss?

Anyway, looks nice and the choice of music was great !

Thanks
Majormorgan

Thanks for the compliments.

It's an abstract movie, in other words, experimental.
But basically the movie tells the nightmare that this character had.

This nightmare involved televisions, and the color blue (t-shirt, televisions, the static, and monitors)

He wakes up in a classroom, he overslept during class, and then the blue monitors are revealed.

Basically... you dream with what surrounds you...

For example, have you ever heard your alarm clock in your dream?

zan

[majormorgan]

Ah I see. Indeed the alarm clock and even when I am sleeping on the train coming home, has elements of my environment which creep in at the moment of waking.

I like it.

Thanks for taking the time to take me through it.

Do you have any other films?

Majormorgan

[ZanucK]

Nothing to share at the moment =P
But you can see me acting in the_Andyape's movie "Levity" (DVX Screen grabs / clips forum)... I'm the main role.

which I took the liberty to revive "Levity" because that movie is just way too cool to remain forgotten.

zan

[the_Andyape]

*bows* Thank you sir.

Have you shown Static Blue in class yet?

[ngraha3]

Why is it every student film has to be a goddamn dream? Why couldn't he of smashed the TV for the hell of it? The whole dream thing is probably the cheapest shot ever, as if that adds some new dimension to anything. It actually makes me want to eat a fetus. Also, why does every student film have to use the requiem for a dream score... Seriously?

The dream thing reminds me of The Usual Suspects in that, at the end I was kinda like... "Oh, Kevin Spacey is Keyser Soze... so where the hell does that leave me?"

THose are two good rules for short filmmaking I think. Another would be, when choosing a title, refrain from the common 'Adj. - Noun' combo.


i.e. "lethal Weapon" "fatal Attraction" "Blue Steel" "Partial ABortion"

Nevermind. I have no idea what I'm talking about... whatever, don't listen to me... I'm retarded.

[taubkin]

"Partial ABortion"

LOL !!!

[ZanucK]

LOL !!!


Brasileiro? :P

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Barry, or whoever was it, was right - we Are seeing at least one slow-mo in pretty much every film shot on HVX =).

[taubkin]

Brasileiro? :P

Oh yeah, baby! :grin:

[ZanucK]

I just finished the final version of the movie.
There are now correct fonts.
Reduced light from 5 to 3 in the last shot b4 the destruction of the television.
And there are many other small changes.

Plus I played around with the new iLife - iWeb...

so here is the new link

http://studentpages.scad.edu/~maslan20/only/Site/Static%20Blue.html

[DavidBeier]

Seemed kind of inconsequential to me. Not much of a point.

On the other hand, I kind of don't have much room to talk since the film I'm doing now is about dreaming...

[im.thatoneguy]

My last project we established some ground rules:
No suicide
No psychosis
No dreams
No Obfuscated messages.

It is a fun challenge... anyway....

I was actually just going to comment on something a little more practical:
You realize that televisions have capacitors poweful enough power to kill you, even if it's unplugged.

I would strongly recommend against holding metal objects while "opening" a TV. For that matter, I would strongly recommend not opening a TV or monitor.

[taubkin]

My last project we established some ground rules:
No suicide
No psychosis
No dreams
No Obfuscated messages.

It is a fun challenge... anyway....

I was actually just going to comment on something a little more practical:
You realize that televisions have capacitors poweful enough power to kill you, even if it's unplugged.

I would strongly recommend against holding metal objects while "opening" a TV. For that matter, I would strongly recommend not opening a TV or monitor.

Thank you for finally pointing it out...
Opening/Trashing TVs is dangerous!

Anyway, although kind of deja vu, it's pretty well shot. For a student film, I'd say the credits overcome the issues...

[booth]

I liked it, and for those that have nothing but negativity towards it. This is a student production and this is a very professionally made piece of work! Give them some credit at least.

[im.thatoneguy]

Oh well if it's a student film...

It doesn't matter if you're five or 100. Everyone is competing for the same jobs. Unless there is some market for student films I'm unaware of. I judge all films without prejudice of its origins. Too often I've found people aren't given the honest feedback they want and need because the critic has excused elements based on some sort of view on the legitimacy of art.

One of my favorite film quotes is by IAL Diamond:
"Critics have a tendency to assume that the more obscure something is, the more profound it must be."

That being said. I like the motivated screen lighting. I'm a sucker for cool colors.

[ZanucK]

My last project we established some ground rules:
No suicide
No psychosis
No dreams
No Obfuscated messages.

It is a fun challenge... anyway....

I was actually just going to comment on something a little more practical:
You realize that televisions have capacitors poweful enough power to kill you, even if it's unplugged.

I would strongly recommend against holding metal objects while "opening" a TV. For that matter, I would strongly recommend not opening a TV or monitor.

I agree with the ground rules

Same with Static Blue, I agree that the short-movie might be a bit too cliche. But it was an easy way out for a project that was due the following days.


Oh well if it's a student film...

It doesn't matter if you're five or 100. Everyone is competing for the same jobs. Unless there is some market for student films I'm unaware of. I judge all films without prejudice of its origins.

Thank you for the feedback =)

Zan

[DavidBeier]

My last project we established some ground rules:
No suicide
No psychosis
No dreams
No Obfuscated messages.

That's the ground rules most professors give you. Sadly, I'm far too interested in dreams and how they work to follow them :)

[im.thatoneguy]

I agree with the ground rules

Same with Static Blue, I agree that the short-movie might be a bit too cliche. But it was an easy way out for a project that was due the following days.

Thank you for the feedback =)

Zan

Hahaha, I know where you're coming from. If I posted some of my "night before it's due" assignments, it would put your little dream sequence to shame. Tight schedules spawn the most dramatically incomprehensible films ever produced.

Another good ground rule. Be aware of the mantra: "Everything sounds like a great idea at 1 in the morning, then you wake up."

[slinks]

cool, good work. whoa whoa im.thatoneguy thats some fighting words there. lolercakes

[ZanucK]

If I posted some of my "night before it's due" assignments, it would put your little dream sequence to shame.

Ok, that's possible. But, I would like to know in what stage are you? In other words, if you are a graduate? a senior? a junior?

This was my very first film project, what I mean by that... this was done for my very first project of "Intro to Film".

I wouldn't be surprise if your "night before it's due" assignement tops mine.

Zan

[taubkin]

Oh well if it's a student film...

It doesn't matter if you're five or 100. Everyone is competing for the same jobs. Unless there is some market for student films I'm unaware of. I judge all films without prejudice of its origins. Too often I've found people aren't given the honest feedback they want and need because the critic has excused elements based on some sort of view on the legitimacy of art.

This is film discussion. It has anything to do with competition. As you said, there is no market for a student film. They are made so a student can learn, and not so he can get rich. Of course we can cut some slack. For instance, a student film, a person's first film, that shows promise in several areas, but is built over a cliché idea is a good student film, shows promise. I think it's much more sensible to say that than "give up, the film is mediocre, you are not a born genious filmaker" (Who is? 3-4 people in the world? Ever?).

This is all part of a learning experience, and as such it is a great piece of work. It shows how much he learned over one year of Savannah, and some more years of watching movies on his own. Since everybody pointed out the flaws, I thought it was fair to point out it is a film that stands out aggainst other films of the same category (read first year student films).

It is not about legitimacy of the art. This is not about art. This is about education. This is an school exercise.

For competing for the same jobs, I'd be more worried about him 3 years from now, when he is graduating. If he keeps this learning curve, I'd be worried. ;)

Don't take me the wrong way, I respect your point of view and agree the film has it's flaws, very well put by the other members of the forum but I'm also giving my .02

Cheers!

[DavidBeier]

Hahaha, I know where you're coming from. If I posted some of my "night before it's due" assignments, it would put your little dream sequence to shame. Tight schedules spawn the most dramatically incomprehensible films ever produced.


My someone certainly has a high opinion about one's self.

[im.thatoneguy]

By "Put to shame" I meant "are spectacularly bad". Sorry about the confusion, no positive connotations were intended for my late night films.

The comment was an agreement with the author that the tighter the time frames, the more obtuse films tend to get, usually to their detriment. I'm not trying to be negative. Quite the contrary, I'm just encouraging him to break the student mold and put his notable talents to avoiding the common pitfalls of ArtSchool Drama(tm).

It's very easy to fall into the incestuous thought patterns of film school, matter of fact, I think they should require a class in it, I know I would have benefited "How to not get caught up in nothingness 101". I would personally argue the reason student films aren't marketable, isn't because of a lack of film making experience, but because they're usually just not films anybody cares about, especially the film maker. They as a whole tend to completely lack heart, being nothing more than clever parlor tricks. The more clearly we are able to identify the obstacles that stand in our way, the easier it is to avoid them in the future. I've had professors lecture for days on lines of action and screen direction, but the question that has stuck with me was from my screenwriting teacher: "Who cares?" Usually after trying to summon some inner motivation to find meaning in my project all I could answer was.... "Nobody."

I don't intend this as any sort of critique to Static Blue... the location of this discussion is quite incidental to any specific film and for that I apologize to the thread and the moderators. It might have happend next to a hamster cage at the pet store should they have a forum in said location. :)

[Kholi]

That's the ground rules most professors give you. Sadly, I'm far too interested in dreams and how they work to follow them :)

Here here. Dreams are VERY interesting when you really dig into psychological references and such (three years on it). So, the dream theme can be done. (Please don't use Gondry as an example... I don't think that'll be good at all.)

On the subject of the thread topic--

I think it was worth watching. Lighting's good, dolly's were done to director's taste I'm guessing, and the slow-mo is kind-of-a no no (but that's the director's vision yes?)

Let's see some more! I love GA.

[ZanucK]

Here here. Dreams are VERY interesting when you really dig into psychological references and such (three years on it). So, the dream theme can be done. (Please don't use Gondry as an example... I don't think that'll be good at all.)
.

Michel Gondry? Why not?

[DavidBeier]

By "Put to shame" I meant "are spectacularly bad". Sorry about the confusion, no positive connotations were intended for my late night films.

The comment was an agreement with the author that the tighter the time frames, the more obtuse films tend to get, usually to their detriment. I'm not trying to be negative. Quite the contrary, I'm just encouraging him to break the student mold and put his notable talents to avoiding the common pitfalls of ArtSchool Drama(tm).

It's very easy to fall into the incestuous thought patterns of film school, matter of fact, I think they should require a class in it, I know I would have benefited "How to not get caught up in nothingness 101". I would personally argue the reason student films aren't marketable, isn't because of a lack of film making experience, but because they're usually just not films anybody cares about, especially the film maker. They as a whole tend to completely lack heart, being nothing more than clever parlor tricks. The more clearly we are able to identify the obstacles that stand in our way, the easier it is to avoid them in the future. I've had professors lecture for days on lines of action and screen direction, but the question that has stuck with me was from my screenwriting teacher: "Who cares?" Usually after trying to summon some inner motivation to find meaning in my project all I could answer was.... "Nobody."

I don't intend this as any sort of critique to Static Blue... the location of this discussion is quite incidental to any specific film and for that I apologize to the thread and the moderators. It might have happend next to a hamster cage at the pet store should they have a forum in said location. :)

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

As for caring, I think you're very right but there are a few of us who take our student films VERY seriously. The amount of time I've invested into my latest (and yes it is about dreaming) has bordered on ludicrious proportions.

Yes I'd say that the vast majority of students don't really put much effort into their stuff but do we think any of these people are going to ever amount to much anyway?

I think that those that have it in them to do great things will make things they and other people will care about. Short or no.

[Kholi]

Michel Gondry? Why not?

I like his work. Actually, I love his work. I'm a bit skeptical about his newest venture, though. It seems like it'll just be one long music video.

But, I shouldn't judge before I watch.

=P

[im.thatoneguy]

Technically the piece is very well executed. On the next project my feedback would just be to tackle a more conventional subject. The simpler the story, the more clearly you can see what does and does not work in the delivery, which is why I recommend not tackling dream films, which I don't believe are inherently bad, they just often can mask fundamental problems with films.

The best time to fail miserably at telling a really simple story is in school, don't be afraid of failing spectacularly. Spectacular failures are alwaysbeen my best learning experiences. And who knows... you just might succeed. ;)

- side bar
On the topic of dream films: One very sage piece of advice I received once was why dream films often fail, and how to avoid it in films in which they are used.
The danger is that the audience feels cheated, like you've told them this elaborate story that they bought into and emotionaly invested in and then at the last second the director comes on screen and says "Hahahaha just kidding, fooled ya!"

People don't like to be fooled and laughed at.

The trick is to throw so much, rediculously obvious hints that it's all a dream, that instead of it coming across as "Hahah Fooled ya!" the audience all kicks themselves and says... "Ohhhhhh Stupid me, of course."

Good research films on these topics would obviously be The Sixth Sense and Fight Club.

[taubkin]

That's absolutely true, Gavin.

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

As for caring, I think you're very right but there are a few of us who take our student films VERY seriously. The amount of time I've invested into my latest (and yes it is about dreaming) has bordered on ludicrious proportions.

Yes I'd say that the vast majority of students don't really put much effort into their stuff but do we think any of these people are going to ever amount to much anyway?

I think that those that have it in them to do great things will make things they and other people will care about. Short or no.

Good looking film!

[DavidBeier]

On the topic of dream films: One very sage piece of advice I received once was why dream films often fail, and how to avoid it in films in which they are used.
The danger is that the audience feels cheated, like you've told them this elaborate story that they bought into and emotionaly invested in and then at the last second the director comes on screen and says "Hahahaha just kidding, fooled ya!"

People don't like to be fooled and laughed at.

The trick is to throw so much, rediculously obvious hints that it's all a dream, that instead of it coming across as "Hahah Fooled ya!" the audience all kicks themselves and says... "Ohhhhhh Stupid me, of course."



Well, with my latest I think it's quite obvious that the main character is dreaming fairly early on. Rather, I try to use the dream to make the audience question other things. I guess you all can see how succsesful I was in a week or two when I get it uploaded online (just need some final ADR).

[ngraha3]

I don't see why people are so afraid to give real criticism? That's the problem with film school, too much placating and patting on the back. If you want someone to grow as a filmmaker you have to have the courage to be an asshole. Noone will ever get anywhere from vaccuous compliments...

So yes no dreams, definetley no suicide and all that....

Another problem I see is the most common short film structure. It begins with someone waking up in bed (probably some ridiculously pretentious shot of an eye opening) CUT TO two feet hitting the carpet, CUT TO a faucet gushing on... then they either kill themselves or do drugs or stare at a television or something.... Then we find out it was all a dream....

Actually what the hell is up with this dream anyway? I've never had a dream as pretentious as this. Usually my dreams are about living in giant milkshakes while my dog wanders around in a snakeskin suit and chainsmokes... I don't know if anyone really dreams like this, about smashing a TV that is. One time I had a dream that I was a living sculpture in a giant clamshell shaped fountain and the maitre'd came over and said we weren't moving enough and that our pauses weren't 'pausy' enough. Then I looked over and my brother had genitals made out of rotting meat. Then I woke up... Now there's a film for ya.

[DavidBeier]

^
Dad? Is that you?

[taubkin]

Another problem I see is the most common short film structure. It begins with someone waking up in bed (probably some ridiculously pretentious shot of an eye opening) CUT TO two feet hitting the carpet, CUT TO a faucet gushing on... then they either kill themselves or do drugs or stare at a television or something.... Then we find out it was all a dream....


Agreed.


Actually what the hell is up with this dream anyway? I've never had a dream as pretentious as this. Usually my dreams are about living in giant milkshakes while my dog wanders around in a snakeskin suit and chainsmokes... I don't know if anyone really dreams like this, about smashing a TV that is. One time I had a dream that I was a living sculpture in a giant clamshell shaped fountain and the maitre'd came over and said we weren't moving enough and that our pauses weren't 'pausy' enough. Then I looked over and my brother had genitals made out of rotting meat. Then I woke up... Now there's a film for ya.

That was just awesome!


^
Dad? Is that you?

LOL!

[im.thatoneguy]

my dreams are about living in giant milkshakes while my dog wanders around in a snakeskin suit and chainsmokes... I don't know if anyone really dreams like this, about smashing a TV that is. One time I had a dream that I was a living sculpture in a giant clamshell shaped fountain and the maitre'd came over and said we weren't moving enough and that our pauses weren't 'pausy' enough.

Now there's a film I could identify with.

Too often I find "dreams" as an excuse to tell a poor story. "It's not supposed to make sense! It's a dream!" or "It's not supposed to make sense it's an absurdist film".

Right...

[DavidBeier]

Now there's a film I could identify with.

Too often I find "dreams" as an excuse to tell a poor story. "It's not supposed to make sense! It's a dream!" or "It's not supposed to make sense it's an absurdist film".

Right...

Yeah, but that's an excuse that is used for more than just dream movies. How many times have you seen some idiot defend bad writing, directing, lighting, whatever by saying, "But that's REAL!" Reality can be just as good or bad as surrealism or absurdity. It all depends on how you do things.

[ZanucK]

I don't see why people are so afraid to give real criticism? That's the problem with film school, too much placating and patting on the back. If you want someone to grow as a filmmaker you have to have the courage to be an asshole. Noone will ever get anywhere from vaccuous compliments...

So yes no dreams, definetley no suicide and all that....

Another problem I see is the most common short film structure. It begins with someone waking up in bed (probably some ridiculously pretentious shot of an eye opening) CUT TO two feet hitting the carpet, CUT TO a faucet gushing on... then they either kill themselves or do drugs or stare at a television or something.... Then we find out it was all a dream....

Actually what the hell is up with this dream anyway? I've never had a dream as pretentious as this. Usually my dreams are about living in giant milkshakes while my dog wanders around in a snakeskin suit and chainsmokes... I don't know if anyone really dreams like this, about smashing a TV that is. One time I had a dream that I was a living sculpture in a giant clamshell shaped fountain and the maitre'd came over and said we weren't moving enough and that our pauses weren't 'pausy' enough. Then I looked over and my brother had genitals made out of rotting meat. Then I woke up... Now there's a film for ya.

I don't think people are afraid of giving a real criticism. Every feedback is welcomed =)

I once had a dream of smashing things... not quite a television, but close...

Milkshakes... that would be interesting, who knows...

=D

Zan

[ZanucK]

Now there's a film I could identify with.

Too often I find "dreams" as an excuse to tell a poor story. "It's not supposed to make sense! It's a dream!" or "It's not supposed to make sense it's an absurdist film".

Right...

BINGO! Once again... an easy way out...

[im.thatoneguy]

I have lots of daydreams of smashing things. :)

[ngraha3]

All's I'm saying is that I want a goddamn milkshake.

[tradur]

nice timing work, but you were really testing the patience of the viewers imo. in the real world you would have lost em pretty quick imo.