INFECTION--NBCshooter

Hey, c'mon man, don't be too modest! Your film is excellent! One of the best I've seen so far. I need to watch it a few more times before making any detailed comments but I must say I was very impressed.
 
I am with hienben, you are just being modest. I just watched yours… you did a hell of a job… What did you use to compress it? and I loved some of the shots. Good work.
 
BEAUTIFULLY shot.
Loved the fact that it was quiet for much of the film; that's something that only can work well, if the visuals are so good that they can carry the story: YOU have pulled that off! It *MAY* have needed a bit of an audio punch at the climax of the zombie-attacks-woman scene, but that's about the only thing I could possibly criticize.

Oh, and a good punchline to boot.

Awesome entries here, and yours is right up there!
 
An excellent short, with a fully self contained story, excellent execution, stunning visuals and a great ending. INFECTION was nothing short of infectiously entertaining. Congratulations!
 
Might be the best headshot in the contest... I'm still working my way through the entries.

I liked the beauty of the images... I knew from seeing your stills that you would have a high production value for composition and color.

My notes say "less time on the security guard". Also I think you could have got a little more chaotic around the elevator scene (with your camera)... I'm a big fan of Arrested Development and I think that style would have really helped the tension in there.

This one was up there for sure... near the upper end of the list. The shots were "pretty" and composed well, plus shot smoothly... I think around the elevator scene that you needed somebody with less skill then yourself! :grin:
 
NBC, what you are perceiving with your short is a bad cut. Your material is excellent, so is the story. The ending is very good as some people said. Cinematography is beautiful, and your steadicam work is top notch! You got to teach us how you do it! :)

I also thought makeup was fantastic!

I think the film starts off in the wrong foot. The first act fails to effecively introduce all the elements of the film organically, and the elevator sequence deserves some more work in the editing bay. But from seeing your shots, I really feel that with better editing your short could turn out great! (I already like it how it is...)

Don't be so hard on yourself!
 
I really, really liked the look of this one. It looked very cinematic the whole time. The props were also really great. I thought the sound really lacked. Somebody mentioned that the quiet worked well, but I'm talking about the sound f/x. The zombie didn't really have any, and when the girl is walking to the elevator I think you should punch in some footsteps there. Also, when she is in the elevator and she lets her hair down, it almost sounds as if the sound fades in. One last note is when the zombie is attacking her she is just standing there w/ her hands up and not fighting back....Really unrealistic. The look was awesome though.
 
True, sound effects are in my notes on this one... I forgot to mention it...

All and all, this could have used some effort in post production. It certainly deserves a better treatment, the images being so good...
 
NBC,

This film had a great look to it. I felt like I was watching an episode of ER because it had that professional feel and mature camera work, set up, font choice in the opening credits, etc.

I felt like the time devoted to the security guard was superfluous. It's almost like you sat this guy down and realized how cool the lighting looked and the fact that he had this Danny Glover look and it was like, hey, let's keep shooting this from a bunch of angles. Ultimately, this character played no role in the plot yet a significant amount of time was spent setting up the viewer to believe he was going to be influential in what happened.

It didn't play into any tension for me. The scene in the elevator looked overly stylized. The assault looked staged and left me removed from believing what was going on.

I am embarrassed to say that the first time I watched this, I totally missed the punchline but I figured it out the second time I saw it.

Having said all of that, I will say that I was drawn to watching it a number of times. I liked the dolly/steadicam shots of the security guard and the rain drop aural backdrop. The opening shots of the doctor were very nice.

In summation, it looked great but I had little attachment to any of the characters and the situation. I really wanted to care about the woman but I didn't. It also felt a little too slick for its own good...a little bit of grit (in the attacks scene for instance) would have been a nice contrast to the clinical perfection of every shot.

Man, this review sounds harsh...sorry about that.
 
This is easily one of my favorites!

I liked the slickness, it was a really cool breath of fresh air. Locations, cinematography, FX, gore, it was all terrific! When looking forward to this contest, I was excited to see some really low-budget exploitation (which we've got) and high-gloss professionalism - and that's right here!!

I wholeheartedly agree with the comments about the edit. It took way to long to get to the "good stuff" - I understand you were going for tension, but unfortunately tension wasn't being built because nothing was really happening. One more edit session, and an audio sweetening pass, and this would be perfection. Kudos.
 
NBCshooter said:
After seeing a few of your films already, I don't think I even deserve my own thread. Great work, all of you!
Click to expand...

You should go to Yuk Yuk's. That's damn hilarious. Hate to edify you, but your short was fantastic. Technically I don't think there was another film that eclipsed it. Within 5 minutes, you built the design for the rest of a hypothetical movie (I saw this as an opening scene). Acting was great across the board. You have a real find in that security guard...he is just so damn watchable. He reminds of the "likeability" of a Danny Glover.

Although your script was conventional, your directing and cine design built enough drama and suspension to make it suspenseful. I especially liked your pacing/editing. You didn't resort to the herky jerky, flash, speed bump, mtv style, to demand attention. You have a sure hand, and know when it's applicable.

I only have two minor quibbles. First, I would have liked the security guard to be the hero:)See...I told you I thought he was the star. Second, I didn't think the opening of the elevator worked completely. I think any guard who sees that kind of carnage, would either a) back up, b)yell a command, or c) shoot out of nervous self-preservation. Just a thought.

It was a pleasure watching your short. A couple questions, what kind of lighting package in the underground garage? I liked the blue highlights quite a bit. Also, did you make any adjustments, to lighting an African-American? Any tips?

Thanx. Job well done:)

Cheers.


PS - Edit. I liked the slow build with the guard, and if he was the hero, it would have been more pertinent. Either way, i think the editing is fine. It gives you time to sink into the world at hand, but that's just my opinion. Jumping right into action is today's flavour of the day, so maybe that accounts for it.

Double Cheers:)
 
nbc sHOOTER

First of all; congrats on a really nice short. Definatley one of the best in the bunch IMO. As mentioned, technically looking it is very solid. I know you flip flopped on actually doing a short so its good to see the final outcome and it was worth it.

I generally agree with Disjectas take on it. Super nice looking, very professional looking but some things left me out of the loop; the Security Guard as mentioned is just TOO MUCH of nothing, the Assualt does not pay off and is very staged which is too bad considering how wonderfully this piece is. I found it probaly a lil' longer than needed but enjoyed the payoff. The ECU on the eyes was nice. Well done.

I am torn on the complete silence. I think a score would have served this piece well. If this review comes off as a too critical its only because I enjoyed it so much. I knew from the opening shots that I was in for a treat with someone who knows how to make a film.

Your titles are wonderful; why do mine appear pixealted and yours so clean? I love the rainy night feel. It sets a nice mood.

The gloves scene is gorgeous. However the actual "Oops I cut myself' was not as apparent as should be.

I think some ambient audio suonds would have been nice; honks and cars in garage, perhaps paging a doctor inside as nurse enters elevator, "Paging Doctor Melbourne"..... also in the end it would have been cool to hear maybe a police or ambulance radio as they are wheeling her away in the gurney...

Also, sitting on the GUARD seemed tedious. Perhaps if he was 'DOING HIS ROUNDS' it would have worked better for me.

The screaming of the girl was heard from the guard WAY THE HELL OVER THERE? The blood splatter was EPIC. Super well done. I also loved the Bay shot (Is that one of those dollies we've seen lately?) swing around on the gun......

Overall; I rated your short very high and will not be surprised if it does win something. I think with some refining and better planning this could have been a surefire winner.

Also, considering you wrote and performed the music I wonder why there wasnt more to add to the piece? I loved the end music and titles! (Again, any tips on titles? :( )

Nevertheless; well deon and I look forward to more work from you Ralph!!
 
NBC!

You really suprised me! After reading all the troubles you were having in past threads I was worried about your project not coming to fruition. But jeeze this didn't look like something that was struggling to be completed. It's very clean and streamlined and had a really steady hand to its creation. I enjoyed the subtle camera movements, the color, and the immaculate quality of the footage itself. I agree with the security guard not amounting to much and I wasn't a fan of the elevator attack is seemed a bit awkward, almost taking away from what was being built up prior. but I did appreciate that it was a fairly self contained thought which could still be applied as an opening scene to something bigger as well. Your film made me inquire more into you and I went to your site and watched the clips you have on there and I really enjoy the colors in your work.
 
NBC... First of all my biggest critism is that after months of hearing you whine about this project and how bad it was you turn in what I consider to be the most stimulating entry. Personally I disagree with the comments about the security guard, it built a bit of suspense for me, and then to have him killed off, I like that. Your steadycam work was great, and now I really want to get one and learn how to use it. I have watched this film more than any others, just trying to figure out how you did certain things, but at the end of the day I am very impressed. I like the reverse birds eye at the end with the lights. Works really well. Your editing is also top notch. The biggest critism is the hitting the gun out of the way. That just looked cheesy, but that is more of a comment on the actor, not the film itself. By far one of my favorites and very inspirational.
 
NBC, I agree with Disjecta and John on the security guard. The shots were great but there was just too many of them and most of them coming from the same angle only closer. I really liked your short though defiantly one of the top contenders.
 
NICE! I gotta say it looked spectacular. When I saw it, I said to my friend "THAT'S what I've been trying to do!" The aforementioned part with the gun did come off as a little stiff, but the rest of it was nice and tight. It did seem a little dragged out, but it looked so good that I really didn't care, I was just enjoying how polished it was! Hats off to you. Keep up making the rest of us look bad!
 
nbc, the look of your short was extremely sweet. i do agree with some of the others about all the shots of the security guard, and the music seemed to enter abrasively at spots. the last shot of the girl's eye was really cool and the blood spatter was awesome! that security guard has really good hearing, nice work.
 
Hey
I would echo some of these comments. It looked like the elevator was at the end of the parking deck but it was really about a mile away.. I liked the swing around shot of the gun. Like others said, the titles looked really nice and clean. I also get pixelation problems with titles. I didnt get it the first time as well. The elevator scene was wierd because I thought he was trying to undress her at first.. It felt like it was part of something bigger
Brian
 
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