Welcome

[SeaNanners]

A film by Adam Montoya

If you're having trouble viewing the screen grabs, click these links.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k70/SeaNanners/Welcome.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k70/SeaNanners/Classroom.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k70/SeaNanners/Face.jpg

[cinealma]

I like the shots. What are you shooting this with?


John G.

[Matt Sconce]

These are perty! I like em!

[Kholi]

I second the first question-- What camera are you shooting with?

When did you start on your project?

I'm assuming the first picture is the movie title? Second still is nice and sharp as well. Throw us some more information. A plot summary, a tag-line. We'd all like t'know more.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

Yeah looks great.

Ditto on the above questions.

and "Welcome" to you BTW.

[dvpixl]

hmm.. I dont see why this can't be either the dvx or the hvx. doesn't it look like the dvx or hvx? am I not seeing what you guys are seeing?

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

no won said it wasn't, we just like the look and wanna know if it's column A (DVX), column B (HVX), or column C (Something else)
...
there's a lot of CC and a 35mm adaptor, so it could be a lot of cameras.

[SeaNanners]

First off, thanks for the interest in this film. This short was completed about 2 weeks ago and was shot on DVX. I did a lot of tweaking in post and that's about it. Welcome is the title of the film and I'm glad you guys like the screen grabs. If you have any specific questions about how I tweaked my footage feel free to ask.

[Kholi]

That title shot is nice, man. Very professional looking. It'll be cool to see it move when it's all done and shown.

When we all get to see the finished product, I'm sure you'll be getting a LOT of questions. By the way, I did notice that you were shooting in a classroom. What school? Where at?

[SeaNanners]

All the text for the film utilizes this block lettering. I found these letters in a screen printing classroom on campus. I filmed this short at SDSU where I go to school. The campus is pretty much left open during summer. I walked around at night looking for cool locations. Spooky, but lots of fun.

[MOVIE STUNTS]

I like your visual style, keep it up, there's gonna be some strong competition.... Oh yeah, and walking around in the dark in spooky places is my idea of fun.

[SeaNanners]

Thanks, imagine if you could film in a place like this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wvs/sets/208244/

[Lingothree]

Looks moody. I'm excited to see it.

[SeaNanners]

Thank you, I hope everyone likes it.

[TheatreGuy]

Well, I like what I see here! I love the style of your imagery.

Anymore grabs, stills, BTS pics?

[Edgen]

The light behind that dude's beard is pretty hairy/snazzy! looking forward to seeing your film.

/j

[SeaNanners]

Thank you. I'd add some more info and pics, but I'm kind of swamped with other projects right now. Is everyone pretty much finished with their films?

[Tom Marshall]

Grab #2 almost looks like split focus...

[SeaNanners]

Do you mean rack focus? Either way you are correct. I will be sending you a prize in the mail. Please allow 3-5 business days. Thank you for your entry. Haha, j/k. Thanks for the comments.

[Tom Marshall]

Sweet!!! :)

I mean it looks like the right half of the picture looks more out of focus than the left side... might be an optical illusion though, since the faucets are in focus...

[Brandon Rice]

So, what tweaks did you do in post to achieve the shallow DOF?

[SeaNanners]

I layered some 8mm footage, FCP color correction, and magic bullet. If you want more detailed instructions, just let me know.

[Brandon Rice]

Hm. cool stuff... so, did you layer over 8mm footage that HAD stuff on it? Or just had a blank film on it?

[SeaNanners]

I used the last few seconds at the end of the roll. It gives the DVX footage a really cool look.

[Brandon Rice]

Yeah, it sure looks like it... nice work! Looking forward to the film.

[SeaNanners]

Thanks, when do we upload our films?

[Tom Marshall]

Beginning Sept 25...

[Brandon Rice]

I think Jarred is opening an upload page on Sep. 25. I'd hang tight and wait for updates until then.

[SeaNanners]

Ok, thanks.

[Matt Sconce]

Matt Sconce's Review of Welcome
SPOLIERS POSSIBLE!

Script
I thought the story was pretty good, I was a bit confused, but I think it was the ghost of a janitor lurking about a school that had been abandoned for a while.
Acting
The janitor is a good actor. I believed his facial emotions and thoughtful looks.
Cinematography
This was the star of the film! Your camera angles and everything else about the DPing was phenomenal!! One of the Best in the entire Festival in this department!
Editing
Your editing was great. The flashes worked well and freaked me out.
Overall Impressions
I enjoyed this and thought it was beautifully shot.

[SeaNanners]

Thanks for the review. Being last on the list is hard. I was wondering if anyone would ever see my film. The janitor was my dad, he thanks you for your comments.

[VersuS]

Man this was a very nice little film!!!!
First of all, great job with the credits! I'd really like to know how you did them.
Your dad is the janitor? He was great!! Totally convincing.
I dont know if there was a story behind this, I didnt understand a thing, but visually it was very nice!!! Loved the editing and the score that you did, and sound was neat!
If there was a story and you had developped it more, this one would score high for me!!!! Great job though!!!

[SeaNanners]

Thanks for the comments. I'm sorry the story was confusing to you. Try to watch it again, you'll probably be able to pick it up.

Logline: An old man’s actions welcome a deathly consequence.

[wesley]

Thanks for the review. Being last on the list is hard. I was wondering if anyone would ever see my film. The janitor was my dad, he thanks you for your comments.


maybe you should have named your film "a welcome"

and would be one of the first :D

the story didn't do much for me but you some great visuals in the movie. also the opening titles kicked ass.

good work!

[Edgen]

well, this was the very last film to watch! (sorry, was just going down the list :) )

I really enjoyed this. More so than most of the films in this fest. I thought the sink scene in the bathroom really caught me off guard. I thought something would happened, but you cut it in with the SFX nicely. It would have loved to see other flashbacks of maybe a few students thrown about the classroom for those flashbacks. That would have really developed the janitor's character into another level beside just the drug OD?

anyway, what a way to end the viewing and just wanted to say the look, sound, and music all worked perfectly. And.. of course the titles were ace! Definitely the most unique title sequence.

all the best and looking forward to your future films.

/j

[Darkline]

Nicely done but like others I didnt know what the hell was going on.

You did one thing exceptionally well, and that was execution. I hate flashbacks - far too many in this fest but for some reason yours did not bother me as they just seemed to be handled in a more surreal way, not as backstory.

You created a mood and a mini world and thats really imprtant in film-making. I'd like to see more of a narrative in the future but take that comment as lightly as you like.

Nice style. one of the more atmospheric and originally shot pieces here

[Kholi]

Review | POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT! I watch the movies first time around strictly for enjoyment, second and third for review.

Hey dude. Last one on the list, that doesn't mean I'm too tuckered for a good review, though!

Script - A solid ghost story. I got it from the get-go. I think that the length was just about right-on. It's nothing out of the ordinary, which means this needs to rely on presentation which I'll be getting to soon. I think that you could've gotten the point across in a different way. In the short we see little glimpses of chairs being stacked. Assuming that he doesn't know that he's dead, maybe he could've started stacking a chair, turned around, and seen that they all were stacked all of a sudden. This would've really brought home your ending. That's just how I would've done it, though, which doesn't mean it's the right way by any means. What I'm getting at is that your story is another "did the audience get it?" and that kinda doesn't sit well with the majority. I feel that something like this needs to be spelled out. But I don't think that it's bad at all. What I don't like is the very end, where he goes in for the cheap face in the camera scare. I have a feeling that wasn't written into the script. Was it?

Direction - Refreshingly well done. There were parts where you seemed to experiment with something that didn't work. Like the push-in on the feet as your father walks out of the door. And parts that I liked, the focal point on the classroom sink and the over-the-shoulder "dolly" to the side. Which probably wasn't a dolly but I got where you were going. I liked this, for the most part.

Acting - Your janitor played sorrowful well. A solemn act that was ghastly, which helped me to realize from the beginning what had gone wrong. Not a bad pick for janitor, visually, either.

Cine/Lighting - A good go at 'em as well. It all was lit proper, felt like flourescent lights beating down everything which drives me crazy at work as well; I can see why he offed himself. Good choice as far as the color pallet goes, really dry, almost cold and dreadful. Reminds me of how I see my office!

Editing - Neat little intercuts of things going on. What I felt, though, was that these were meant to make people jump in a cheap way. Like scare them out of their seat because of the unprepared. THough they weren't scary images. Just reflections of things. I also really disliked the cheap shot at the end. It degardes the quality of the rest of it, heavily. Otherwise I think that you sliced a linear and acceptable piece.

Sound - One of the stronger scores in the fest. I am a fan of the drawn out, foreboding and rumbling ambience that you've chosen. I think it works well. It reminds me of playing through the Silent Hill series and a soundtrack like this is what makes Silent Hill so freaking to play through. Nice to hear the mop, I think you could've embelished on it a little more, maybe as much as the doors creaking and such, but otherwise I'm all ears on your sound.

Special Effects/Art Direction/Wardrobe - I think that your chosen set was original for this fest. I expected to see a lot of classrooms but I didn't see any, that I can recall, which makes yours unique to the fest. Your special effects were all post, and weren't bad. I just think they were cheap shots at scares.

Scariest Moments - If I had to point out a scariest moment it would be the lights flickering. I hate when lights flicker, nothing good ever comes of flickering lights. But a moment that made me jump was just about each time you cut in with an image and ramped the ear-piercing sounds. They made me jump, but weren't scary.

Overall consensus - Solid ghost story. Went for length and I'm VERY happy it wasn't dragged out over six minutes or it would've been a huge let down. Your ending is a cheap shot at one last seat-leaper, I think you could pull that out of there. Strong sense of direction, would've liked to seen more truly "scary" moments, like your flickering lights. Overall a good piece. Thanks for exhibiting! And good go sticking it out for reviews when being last on the list.

[cinealma]

Looked great. Sounded great. Acting looked good. Atmosphere you created was excellent. But the story was buried a little too much. This is a tough one for me because I REALLY wanted more story with this one because everything else was quite fantastic.


John G.

[Ralph Oshiro]

WOW!

You're quite a talented filmmaker! I give it . . .

BEST in cinematography.
BEST in shot composition.
BEST in opening title/end credits art direction.
BEST in making nothing seem scary as hell.
BEST in sink photography.

I'll have to re-watch it to really "get it." But I don't care--it was extremely well done! I think my favorite shot was the down-the-line sink shot--beautiful composition. TERRIFIC job!

[JoshuaNitschke]

Cinematography was awesome, but I didn't get it was a ghost story until I came here.

The end was a bit of a cheap shot like Kholi said...

But really, I LOVED the credit parts. So cool. Your camera work is top notch, color was awesome. Think the editing could have been a tad tighter but it wasn't bad.

Good work!

[JoshuaNitschke]

Also, how old are you?

[TheatreGuy]

Welcome, Welcome!

Wow! What cinematography! Some of the best I've seen in the festival!!!

The imagery was just stunning. The sound was stunning. The color was stunning. I loved that the only real color came with the O.D.! Very nice touch!!!

The titles were outstanding!

The story wasn't strong (like a slap in the face) but I liked that. I felt sad for this man. I wanted to know more about him. What drove him to his suicide. (if in fact he did commit suicide)

Great Job! I am looking to more work from you!!!

Congratulations!!!

Ted

[TheatreGuy]

I wanted make another comment that I forgot to throw in and that was the chairs in the classroom. I absolutely LOVED the glimpse of them all stacked up like that. Something about that was just wonderful. I keep thinking that there is a hidden meaning there. Like, the chaos of his mind that led to his death.

Also, I just read some of the other comments, I want to agree with the comment about the last sudden glimpse of the man. I really don't think that you need this. There is a sympathy for this man and that quickly took it away.

Just my opinion.

Again, GREAT JOB!!!

Ted

[Michael_Petro]

credits where cool .. the visuals you created where awsome.. I loved the way you made it feel like something was always going to happen... When he disappeared I was like that was pretty good.. CLANG!!! dammit got me nice one :)

[TimurCivan]

Your credits were AMAZING. an that pill popping cut away was very nice.

Let me ask you actually, cause your movie has an effect that i find interesting, and both your film and Mscone's Stricken had it. that glowy skin tone look. How do you do that? is that a lighting trick that i just dont get? is it a CC trick? what do you do to get that effect.

[Gord.T]

Well, it's morning, I come down with a coffee and light a smoke.
Fired up the PC and start watching your clip. Coffee in right hand, cigarette in left, I sit admiring the intro with the letters. On comes the janitor.I'm admiring the look and professionalism and thinking "Gee, I wish I could do something like that."
The sound tells me something is going to happen somewhere in this movie.
I'm watching him mop the floor, quite relaxed. I glance to my left to put an ash
in the ashtray and boom. Coffee on my keyboard and damn near knocked the
ashtray over. "Dammit, he got me." From that point on you had my utmost attention for sure.
Never knew when they were going to happen. I had to watch a second time to
pay more attention to what was in those images as I found out the answer is in there. Thinking I may have it, I watched again and think I got the message down on the third go.
Okay, now that I'm wide awake, I think I'll make another coffee and hope I will actually get to drink it this time.

Good morning to you sir.
Well done. -gordo.

[CallaghanFilms]

What a tight little ghost story...job well done :thumbsup:
...and you had the look and feel to boot.
I think that the running time coulda been cut down drastically -
which IMO woulda caused more of an impact with the audience...
(who knows...a mini-Sixth-Sense reveal may have materialized)
In any case...
One of my top ten

[Mark Johnson]

Totally wonderful. Wow. This one blew me away.

[jpbankesmercer]

Acting: Loved JDS in this, :) joke! Like the look of your character.
Script: O.K. lite, but I don’t care it was ace!:)
Direction: Some lovely inter-cutting ideas to me, felt like Kubrick had done it.
Music: Excellent, incredibly strong.
Editing: Superb!
Lighting: Flawless! :thumbup:
Loved: The title sequence, (great idea), first tracking shot cutting to that low one, ALL THE FRAMINGS.
Hated: The lack of script but I get your creating a feeling.
Overall: Your one of the last for me to view and review, you know what they say about saving the best. Top notch across the board. I think if you had a solid script to work with you might have wiped the competition out. Technically superb.:dankk2:

J.P.

PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS ON 'BROKEN CIRCLE' (THANKS)

[TheatreGuy]

Welcome!!! What a great film. Thank you for sharing!!!

Congratulations and Best to you!

This has been so much fun!

Ted

[jpbankesmercer]

Best of luck you deserve some props guys!

[Chris Messineo]

This was one of the last films I saw, but I just wanted to say that I really loved it. It was one of my favorites. I thought the atmosphere was fantastic and the title sequence was brilliant.

Good luck with it,

Chris

[Lingothree]

This was really great. I'm sorry I found it so late. Damn alphabet.

Perhaps you should have changed the name to AAAWelcome?

Great acting. Great feel. Good work.

I'm confused about the printpress letters you used at the beginning and end though. They looked cool, but why?

[Gord.T]

In the mad rush to view films I think I overlooked the artistic statement you were making and focused too much on the got-me factor. Having spent my time working in factories I can say that I have seen how the sheer boredom/repetiveness brings (30%?) of the people into drug use just to get-through-it(My op).
I see it constanty in thier eyes. Prescription or street, it's a fact of life.
I lost a child-hood friend thru simalar circumstances, although not the same
as in your film, bennies..booze...ect. So, my previous comments stand and I'll
throw in artistic achievement as well. Maybe someday they (mods?) will allow a score for 'overall impact' or 'other' category other than just technical. Altough I think you aced it there as well.

[jeremytuttle]

I just wanted to say I loved the atmosphere you created with you sound design. It was spooky then straight shocking... Before I saw this, I never would have thought I could jump in fright over a water faucet. Great titles too, very creative.

[Mark Johnson]

I've previously gone on record with how much I appreciated your cinematography. However, I echo LingoThree in the question of why you chose the title sequence. Other than being 'nifty' I didn't see a connection to the theme or story so I was curious. It certainly was cool but I think I'd have rather seen something done against some of that wonderful imagery (faucets/floors etc.)

[SeaNanners]

Thank you for all the reviews and comments. I look forward to showcasing my other projects in the future. You guys have been great.

[SeaNanners]

Also, how old are you?
22


Let me ask you actually, cause your movie has an effect that i find interesting, and both your film and Mscone's Stricken had it. that glowy skin tone look. How do you do that? is that a lighting trick that i just dont get? is it a CC trick? what do you do to get that effect.
The glowing skin tone is mostly a result of lighting and post work with magic bullet. Depending on what filters you use you can get a variety of effects.

[Matt Sconce]

Your credits were AMAZING. an that pill popping cut away was very nice.

Let me ask you actually, cause your movie has an effect that i find interesting, and both your film and Mscone's Stricken had it. that glowy skin tone look. How do you do that? is that a lighting trick that i just dont get? is it a CC trick? what do you do to get that effect.

Magic bullet it a great Color grading resource. I used magic bullet 2 editors. I loved the look of this film!

[SeaNanners]

Magic bullet it a great Color grading resource. I used magic bullet 2 editors. I loved the look of this film!
True true. I need to start working in HD. I look forward to manipulating HVX footage with CC and magic bullet.

[Slimothy]

I really liked the overall look/flow/style of this one. Great job man. Question: How did you get the sound fx for the scare parts?

Tim.

[SeaNanners]

I got a lot of my sfx from a sfx library at school. If you like something in particular just let me know. I’ll make sure and send it your way.