The Stoyanova Incident - Cryogenic Filmworks

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

For those not sure which one we are...

http://www.dvxuser2.com/herofest/cryogenic-tsi.mov.mov
or
http://www.nrestudios.com/hero_mirror/cryogenic-tsi.mov.mov

For your voting pleasure we are listed as TSI Cryogenic (5th one on the list)

Thanks for viewing The Stoyanova Incident.

The video is only about 3minute 9seconds so I decided to do a normal title and credit sequence which brings it to about 4minutes 55seconds.

As with most there were problems leading up to the shoot, including a few awol actors with resulted in last minute changes, hence the shortness. That does not explain away the bad shots and lighting (I need to get a DP other than myself). At any rate, it's all for fun right.....

Will get credits up here at some point in the next 24.

Thanks
Raymond Clark and eveyone else involved in my production.

Credits (for those that can't get enough):)
Chronoman - John Phelan
Electrolight - Maura Murphy
Nikola Stoyanova - James Garrison
Doctor Maximilian - Rey Cantu
Julius - Sheldon L. Sykes
Ralph - Jon L Yowell
Scarlet - Erin Jeffers
Maintenance Man #1 - Ron Bath
Maintenance Man #2 - Josh Revercomb

Assistant Director / Writer / Associate Producer - Steve Russell
Special Effects - Evil John Mays
Boom perator / Field Mixer - Cary Evans
Digital Effects - Roger Kaine
Musical Score / Sound Design | Producer, Director, Writer, Etc. - Raymond Clark

Hero Character Concept
Raymond Clark
Sheldon L Sykes
David "Kurgan' Scholinski
Ivan Black

Casting Assistant - Jeffrey Lajara

Special Thanks
Exclusiva
Arlington Public library
DVXuser.com

[Beat Takeshi]

Hey man, just watched your flick. You had a lot of actors in there for someone who was missing some. I got lost when the girl ran by screaming and he made a powerball to chase her. I thought she was on the good side. Some of the shots were a little off and I think if there were better acting the shots would have felt nicer. They way you shot though, it felt like a stage play and I was watching from different seats. The shots with the muscle dude and the girl were feeling very static because they had their arms down to their sides the whole time. Try to have your actors keep their arms above the waist doing something. If they cant seem to remember to do it give them something to do or deal with.
Hell yeah this is all for fun.

[conrad_johnson]

With the music, this felt like something I'd watch in a german disco. Woo hoo!

Credits were way too long in the beginning. Even if you've got the space, you should skip the extended credits, especially at the beginning. Tack them on at the end, if you want to use the space. Otherwise by the one minute mark as credits are just wrapping up, I'm tapping my watch.

I agree with Aram Bauman's comments about it feeling like a stage play. With the lighting, set, props, angles, etc., it felt like you were filming the whole thing on a dark stage. Plus, sometimes the actors step almost entirely out of your lights.

I was a little lost on the story. Maybe it was because I was distracted by your superhero's neck. Holy crap - he is a BIG GUY!!! I thought that was some sort of effect or costume - man, I'd hate to cross him in a dark alley! He looks like he has a kind face, though. I'm sure he wouldn't hurt a fly :).

See if he'll arm wrestle me, though, if you get a chance.

Good work.

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

First off, thanks for taking the time.

Hey man, just watched your flick. You had a lot of actors in there for someone who was missing some.
It was perhaps a bit too grandios to begin with, but had it worked would have been very kool. One actress called sick about a day ahead and could not replace so had to only have one "bad" girl, resulting in combining actions and lines and cutting stuff to fit one girl. The AWOL that really hurt the whole deal though was the actor who was bringing his police car (everything but the decals, I had some magnetic decals made for it) and his Delorean. I talked to him twice the day of the shoot, then he ended up as a complete no show.

I got lost when the girl ran by screaming and he made a powerball to chase her. I thought she was on the good side.
Yea it turned out a bit confusing and splotchy. Chronoman is a mutant hero who's power is controlling time, so what he was actually doing was slowing down time. It appeared to be chasing her because the area of control was expanding. What was she doing? The idea was that Electrolight had powers of control over light and data. She was chasing down the data that Stoyanova had released to recapture (which is what happened at the top of the tower). Chronomans slowing of the time is what enabled her to catch up with the data bits.


Some of the shots were a little off and I think if there were better acting the shots would have felt nicer. They way you shot though, it felt like a stage play and I was watching from different seats. The shots with the muscle dude and the girl were feeling very static because they had their arms down to their sides the whole time. Try to have your actors keep their arms above the waist doing something. If they cant seem to remember to do it give them something to do or deal with.
Hell yeah this is all for fun.

Two of the actors were not "actors", Stoyanova and Julius the guy that got shot. The girl playing Scarlet (the shooter) is taking classes and I belive this was her first production. Electrolight has done a few things. Rey (the scientist) is another friend of mine who does Mexican movies here in Texas, so he has acted a bunch and looks fine in Mexican movies but when he works in english it really hurts. Ralph ( Stoyanova's sidekick) has done some acting work, as has the maintenance man in tan (the older guy). this was the younger maintenance guys first gig, though he has acted in another since (a 24 hour vid posted here by another user). Chronoman himself has been in a few movies including Pot Zombies and Prison-A-Go-Go!. I think if I had been able to get someone to run the camera the acting would have come off better. Also had I been able to get the less experienced to a rehearsal point that would have helped also.

(For the look) experienced I could not get the type of locations I wanted and settled for this one. Once we got in and started setting up lights, it was apparent we had to change look (go darker and more shadows) because of all the shiny promo materials on the walls. The angle of the camera was a bad choice and on the second day we screwed up some of the 180* line so I had to reverse some shots. Which then meant I had to paint out a logo that was on Chronomans shirt so it was less noticeable. In the end, it was getting a finished product. It's better to have a bad finished product than to quit midway IMO. They say everyone has a few bad ones, I guess this is one of mine.

Credits were way too long in the beginning. Even if you've got the space, you should skip the extended credits, especially at the beginning. Tack them on at the end, if you want to use the space. Otherwise by the one minute mark as credits are just wrapping up, I'm tapping my watch.
I understand that, but since it was not turning out the way I wanted, and only ended up with about 3minutes 9seconds of video I decided WTH, go ahead and put in full credits.

I was a little lost on the story. Maybe it was because I was distracted by your superhero's neck. Holy crap - he is a BIG GUY!!! I thought that was some sort of effect or costume - man, I'd hate to cross him in a dark alley! He looks like he has a kind face, though. I'm sure he wouldn't hurt a fly :).
Yea he is a body builder with some titles. His "day job" is at a hospital, not sure what he does there though.

[Edgen]

I understand that, but since it was not turning out the way I wanted, and only ended up with about 3minutes 9seconds of video I decided WTH, go ahead and put in full credits.

I would rather of watched a 3 minute 9 second short film than rather see the credits twice.

My Thoughts:
Well.. No problem finding locations.
Your main actor looks like jerry seinfield. Just a little bigger.
The girl in the short black dress looks good.
Acting: :undecided

umm.

Well, It looked like a theatre stage production from the shots. I was waiting for them to come out one at a time along with their name. Then, everyone do a bow.

If you'd like me to go more in depth like I have with the other films, I'll be happy to do so.

Congrats on the submission.
/j

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

I would rather of watched a 3 minute 9 second short film than rather see the credits twice. Gotcha


My Thoughts:
Well.. No problem finding locations.
Your main actor looks like jerry seinfield. Just a little bigger.
The girl in the short black dress looks good.
Acting: :undecided

umm.

Well, It looked like a theatre stage production from the shots.


Location - We ended up shooting that style when it became apparent it was not going to work the way we wanted.
Lead - Had not thought of the Seinfeld
Black Skirt - That was the consencus of most everyone on set.
Acting - Director not focused. :(


If you'd like me to go more in depth like I have with the other films, I'll be happy to do so.

Congrats on the submission.
/j

That fine, I know it ended not near the vision I started out with, but I'm willing to take any hints you might have.

[MiataFilmSomething]

I watched this one twice.

Pros - Great villian, and some really cool SFX shots.

Cons - The credits were 2 minutes out of a 5 minute film. That's a lot to me. The story and some of the editing seemed kinda choppy. I didn't know if it was trying to be funny in some places, serious, or just sarcastic.

Overall - A neat concept. I'd like to see it developed further.

[Mike McNeese]

I watched it a couple times...mainly because I couldn't really figure out what was going on. I see a good story in here, and some very creative characters...I think the actors even have a lot of potential, but the style of production held that back.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

hey I liked the way you kept this thingh moving and I liked the music.
I think the Boos and hiis flunky should have been flip flopped in the casting. Sometimes in a comicbook or hero genre you see the supervillain as physically overpowering but then they are played a certain way -- your guy was playing ut a s a mustache twirler rather than a buldozer .. so again I would switch him and the flunky.

A lot of the coverage helped tell teh story well and made a lot of sense.

thanks

Jack

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

I watched this one twice.

Pros - Great villian, and some really cool SFX shots.

Cons - The credits were 2 minutes out of a 5 minute film. That's a lot to me. The story and some of the editing seemed kinda choppy. I didn't know if it was trying to be funny in some places, serious, or just sarcastic.

Overall - A neat concept. I'd like to see it developed further.
Thanks for taking your time. Yea the credits decision had turned out bad. As for the choppy editing, I neglected to get enough master shots so I had to work with what I got. It was supposed to be somewhat serious with some tounge in cheek but... oh well. I might work on expanding it in the future, but have several other projects in line first.

I watched it a couple times...mainly because I couldn't really figure out what was going on. I see a good story in here, and some very creative characters...I think the actors even have a lot of potential, but the style of production held that back.
Thanks. At least those that are watching are watching it more than once. I think I have some good ideas and eventually may work it out fully. As for the style, yea it was a last minute change that has backfired a bit.

hey I liked the way you kept this thingh moving and I liked the music.
I think the Boos and hiis flunky should have been flip flopped in the casting. Sometimes in a comicbook or hero genre you see the supervillain as physically overpowering but then they are played a certain way -- your guy was playing ut a s a mustache twirler rather than a buldozer .. so again I would switch him and the flunky.

A lot of the coverage helped tell teh story well and made a lot of sense.

thanks

Jack
Thanks for responding Jack. The Boss was the original cast member and whom the story was written around. He was a co-worker who had never acted before. Did not help that when I wanted to rehearse with him he called in sick... Had I been able to rehearse him properly I think it might have come off better. Oh well the show must go on right.

PS. Glad you liked the music. I enjoy making that techno style stuff.

[Isaac_Brody]

I'm not gonna rehash comments, people covered most of my observations already. I think your direction is weak, because of poor framing and compositions, but it's obvious that you have decent producing skills for getting the cast and production details together.

I think your script needs work because your film lacks a beginning, middle, and end. It feels like the audience came right in the middle of the action and then the story ends before there's a resolution. It's difficult to write a coherent five minute film that has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. By starting in the middle it creates confusions for the audience, especially when you introduce Chronoman. Since your film doesn't begin with Chronoman the audience has no context for his superpower. I had no idea that the little warp bubble he creates was him manipulating time. A number of Herofest films have begun by showing the hero in action demonstrating their superpower at the start of the film. This helps the audience understand what and who the hero is.

It's not easy to pull together actors, secure locations, and have it all succeed without a hitch. It's even harder to post your work to have it watched and picked apart by your peers. Good work. Ready for Horrorfest? :)

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

I'm not gonna rehash comments, people covered most of my observations already. I think your direction is weak, because of poor framing and compositions, but it's obvious that you have decent producing skills for getting the cast and production details together.

I think your script needs work because your film lacks a beginning, middle, and end. It feels like the audience came right in the middle of the action and then the story ends before there's a resolution. It's difficult to write a coherent five minute film that has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. By starting in the middle it creates confusions for the audience, especially when you introduce Chronoman. Since your film doesn't begin with Chronoman the audience has no context for his superpower. I had no idea that the little warp bubble he creates was him manipulating time. A number of Herofest films have begun by showing the hero in action demonstrating their superpower at the start of the film. This helps the audience understand what and who the hero is.

It's not easy to pull together actors, secure locations, and have it all succeed without a hitch. It's even harder to post your work to have it watched and picked apart by your peers. Good work. Ready for Horrorfest? :)

Isaac, thanks for the complement. I have sometimes flirted with the thought of just producing but I enjoy the control of directing too much I guess. No excuses but I sortof burned it out running up to it and was not as focused as I needed to be on the set. I tend to stay up waaaay too late the night before something important. I do have an intro to Chronoman I may go ahead and shoot if I can find someone to lend me their 2-3 year old... As for picking apart. If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen right? When you put yourself out on a site with as much talent as this one has, you had better be able to take the heat or be labeled a crybaby. Such as life. :) As for horrorfest, not really my cup but "Nikola" has an idea he wants to do so is putting together a story so I imagine I will enter that too. With a much better focused and hopefully scary project.

BTW, loved the photo's you took in Costa Rica. :thumbsup:

[jpbankesmercer]

Ohhh...ummm...Sorry but I have to say it 40% credits:crybaby: ? Don't worry we've all done it or something similar. It was like a muscle museum in there! Best bit for me was the girl in the white boots, thanx for that. :love4: :dankk2: :love4:
You tried something ambitious here and I applaud you for it, as a fellow Director/ Producer I would only offer this small crumb of advice. When things get too much Producing/ Directing/ running around after everyone spread the load a little get some help on the day so you can concentrate on the directing.
Well done.
All the best.
40% Titles!

[Norm Sanders]

I wasn't sold on the acting or the script, but the VFX looked pretty good, and your lead actor was stinkin' HUGE (as in muscular).

When I refer to the script, I meant that the dialogue was way too expository, so it didn't feel/sound like a normal or real conversation would.

[Ben Sliker]

The big problem that I had with this film was the "theater" style staging. Everyone was standing on the same plane. There was no depth to the staging at all. Secondly, the location didn't really do anything for me, it just felt like a big empty space.

To improve, I would read some basic cinematography books or just watch some of the great films. Or here's a simple formula. Establishing Long Shot, Bring it in for a Medium Shot for some exposition, and then for dramatic effect, do a shot/reverse shot with close ups. And further, move the camera around. I feel like you come back to the same long shot setup over and over again.

That being said, nice VFX and techno.

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

Ohhh...ummm...Sorry but I have to say it 40% credits Yep, going to re-work the begining.

You tried something ambitious here and I applaud you for it, as a fellow Director/ Producer I would only offer this small crumb of advice. When things get too much Producing/ Directing/ running around after everyone spread the load a little get some help on the day so you can concentrate on the directing.
Well done.
All the best.
40% Titles! Thanks. And I do understand I need to loosen the reigns a bit and spread the duties around more.

but the VFX looked pretty good, and your lead actor was stinkin' HUGE (as in muscular). Thanks. My initial foray into Particle Illusion II SE combined with a small bit of After FX.

When I refer to the script, I meant that the dialogue was way too expository, so it didn't feel/sound like a normal or real conversation would. Not totaly sure what you mean by expository but I will study that hopefully learn. I will admit I am not the greatest screenwriter in the world, but I do come up with some good stories. I write because I have to at this point but hope to hook up with someone to co-write my scripts. I tend to speak out my dialouge and try to get them to sound as natural as I can. At some point I may post my original script and the whittled down version which was then butchered even more during shooting when some of the cast called sick or just did not show. Such as life.

The big problem that I had with this film was the "theater" style staging. Everyone was standing on the same plane. There was no depth to the staging at all. Secondly, the location didn't really do anything for me, it just felt like a big empty space. Bad location decision on my part.
To improve, I would read some basic cinematography books or just watch some of the great films. I understand the basic idea and have taken the Dov Simens 2 day film school but sometimes it just slips out the window. I watch a ton of films (about 400-500 in my DVD collection) but what I really need is more exercise in the art.

That being said, nice VFX and techno.Thanks again. I do like creating music (though I intend to use real composers for future projects) and since I did not have any VFX contacts I went at that on my own.

[Aaron Marshall]

I agree it felt like a stage play at first. I kind of liked that though, in the context of this movie. It added to the "saturday night films" hosted by hooters that used to play on the local channel around here. The acting reminded me of a mexican soap opera. I think this film had some nice quirks. I also liked the VFX. You worked with so many people on this movie. Good job rounding everyone up.

[prezorg]

I was impressed by some of the visual effects, and the music was pretty good. I liked the brisk pacing. Yes, the credits where too long, but a more common mistake is to take too much time to tell a story. You are on the right track with your pacing, and I look forward to seeing what you make next.

Well done.
~Ian

[Cryogenic Filmworks]

I agree it felt like a stage play at first. I kind of liked that though, in the context of this movie. It added to the "saturday night films" hosted by hooters that used to play on the local channel around here. The acting reminded me of a mexican soap opera. I think this film had some nice quirks. I also liked the VFX. You worked with so many people on this movie. Good job rounding everyone up.Mexican soap opera huh? (LOL) The doctor/scientist is a Mexican friend who makes Mexican movies here in Texas. I help out when I am not working but since I don't speak spanish I don't think that rubbed off. Thanks for having fun with it.

I was impressed by some of the visual effects, and the music was pretty good. I liked the brisk pacing. Yes, the credits where too long, but a more common mistake is to take too much time to tell a story. You are on the right track with your pacing, and I look forward to seeing what you make next.

Well done.
~Ian Thanks for viewing and commenting. My stuff tends to have that brisk pace which may not be good in the long run. Sometimes I think things need to be taken a bit slower.

[penfever]

Cryo -

You have a ton of reasons to keep making films like this one. I just want to say that off the bat. People often get closed off to the possibilities of a film because the filmmaker isn't there yet in a purely technical sense. It's my opinion that's where you are right now. But you have ideas, and you like working with people and actors (it seems). You can make great movies with just these two things.

I would suggest next time that you let your location help you instead of hurt you. The spot lighting and the dark surroundings gave the film an empty feel which detracted from the performances. If you can make your space active and lively, you'll help performers rather than hurt them. The end of "There Goes the Neighborhood" is a good example of doing the evil genius space well.

Thanks for the film, and see you next fest.
-Ben