EIGHTEEN SECONDS by Jack, Zac and Mac
- Thread starter macgregor
- Start date
Ming
Well-known member
18 seconds... the duration of "walk" in the crosswalk. Their window.
This is the first of the dramafest movies I've watched. Sorry.. been busy teaching myself CSS.
It was very pretty.
Their connection was hokey from the gitgo. The cut finger would have been better served with a simulataneus smile while each read the same thing in the day's newspaper. Too over the top.
Her falling over really seals the deal, they're connected in some really -big- way to the same lifeforce or something metaphysical. IMO this makes the story less endearing than the simple story of two people who would be great for each other; who share the same passions, etc. They could even walk the same general paths- albeit separated by some window of time- but they dont have to be tethered to the same lifeforce by an unseen meta-umbilical cord which only distracts the viewer as an overt plot device.
Again.. pretty. Well shot. Well acted. Nice style.
The car thing.. like others mentioned there was too much lingering on the man in road. Now had you given the impression that time was greatly slowed and that in those few seconds there was a lifetime shared -then realtime and splat. A subtle difference I know but it would have sold me more.
Everything I complain about could be changed in the editing. The photography, top notch.
This is the first of the dramafest movies I've watched. Sorry.. been busy teaching myself CSS.
It was very pretty.
Their connection was hokey from the gitgo. The cut finger would have been better served with a simulataneus smile while each read the same thing in the day's newspaper. Too over the top.
Her falling over really seals the deal, they're connected in some really -big- way to the same lifeforce or something metaphysical. IMO this makes the story less endearing than the simple story of two people who would be great for each other; who share the same passions, etc. They could even walk the same general paths- albeit separated by some window of time- but they dont have to be tethered to the same lifeforce by an unseen meta-umbilical cord which only distracts the viewer as an overt plot device.
Again.. pretty. Well shot. Well acted. Nice style.
The car thing.. like others mentioned there was too much lingering on the man in road. Now had you given the impression that time was greatly slowed and that in those few seconds there was a lifetime shared -then realtime and splat. A subtle difference I know but it would have sold me more.
Everything I complain about could be changed in the editing. The photography, top notch.
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VisionLakeProductions
Member
Without choosing a side on the "do great images make a great movie" debate that seems to go on around your work, I will just say you are a truly gifted cinematographer. Excellent composition on this.
RomanJaquez
Well-known member
great job! it was like a mini Oscar movie
Dahopafilms said:
I did not know Mac was filmming that. I thought I was alone.
And when I figured it out. Mac said that footage was "something special just for us"
Ted Arabian
Member with Ladder
Well, freak'n A! You guys know how to shoot a film!!!
That just looks so pro! Amazing cinematography. Wow. I love the framing and the camera work in this film. Just beautiful. (I'm not sure about the use of all of the reddish "lens flares" and would like to know more about the use of them. I am guessing that it has something to do with the two "entities" nearing and thus exploding when they are in the same frame. Again, I would like to be directed to any comments on this if it has been discussed.)
The actors are brilliant. I know that may seem like I am just out to stroke someone's ego since there is so little "acting" but that's the brilliancy of it. They are believable and sincere. And with no dialogue, you feel their "pathetic" exsistence. You feel for them. That's brilliant. (I realize much of this credit has to be shared with the director.) The female actor has got to be one of the bravest actors I've seen. That scene... OMG. Brave! And the other actor, (you know the one that I am talking about... TMI! TMI!
j/k)
The sound design of this film is simple and flawless. I like it.
I also liked the different "temperatures" of the two stories as well as the two different camera works involved. I got that sence that the females scenes were smooth and steady, while the males were jittery and jarring (at times).
The ending, well.... I felt like I knew it was coming. And when it did, I was sad for two reasons. One, I don't like to guess the outcome. And secondly, I loved that smile and look on her face. She looked so happy. I didn't want to see her hurt.
But WHAM! And WOW! What a wham! Amazing fx here. Blown away with the execution.
My one comment that I would make about something that I found as a flaw (and it may not be a flaw at all) was that the man calls out to the woman twice and she doesn't hear him. That's cool, it's a busy NY street.... lot's of noise. But on the third time of calling out to her in a voice no louder, she hears him and yet she is even farther away. This stood out the first time I watched it and made a mental note about it. I know that it is picky but with such professional work happening here, I'd like to let you know what I thought.
About this comment of mine, I stated that it "may not be a flaw at all" because it crossed my mind that she never "physically" heard him, which I like. But I don't see any indication that she "feels or senses" his presence.
As for the very ending, I knew that she was going to fall over after he was hit. This again bothered me. I would rather have seen her suffer in a different way. Something that would not be predicted. Even if their souls were destine for each other, I don't believe that she would die (if she in fact did die. But I am guessing that she did since there is no evidence that I saw that she didn't.) Anyway, I thought that if HE DIED, it would be neat if someone else would "pick up" where this man left off and she had similar events with the next man in line, so to speak.)
Regardless, this is a beautiful and effective film. Congratulations. Well done!
btw, interesting touch about having that text open the film. I say interesting because it is completely unnoticable. I only saw it on the third time of watching it when I had the movie open and hit the "rewind to beginning" button. Judging by the work and craftsmanship of this film, I am guessing it is intentional to have that text there but not be able to read it, though I don't know why. I would rather have read that the first time I watched this.
Again. Great job!
That just looks so pro! Amazing cinematography. Wow. I love the framing and the camera work in this film. Just beautiful. (I'm not sure about the use of all of the reddish "lens flares" and would like to know more about the use of them. I am guessing that it has something to do with the two "entities" nearing and thus exploding when they are in the same frame. Again, I would like to be directed to any comments on this if it has been discussed.)
The actors are brilliant. I know that may seem like I am just out to stroke someone's ego since there is so little "acting" but that's the brilliancy of it. They are believable and sincere. And with no dialogue, you feel their "pathetic" exsistence. You feel for them. That's brilliant. (I realize much of this credit has to be shared with the director.) The female actor has got to be one of the bravest actors I've seen. That scene... OMG. Brave! And the other actor, (you know the one that I am talking about... TMI! TMI!
j/k)The sound design of this film is simple and flawless. I like it.
I also liked the different "temperatures" of the two stories as well as the two different camera works involved. I got that sence that the females scenes were smooth and steady, while the males were jittery and jarring (at times).
The ending, well.... I felt like I knew it was coming. And when it did, I was sad for two reasons. One, I don't like to guess the outcome. And secondly, I loved that smile and look on her face. She looked so happy. I didn't want to see her hurt.
But WHAM! And WOW! What a wham! Amazing fx here. Blown away with the execution.
My one comment that I would make about something that I found as a flaw (and it may not be a flaw at all) was that the man calls out to the woman twice and she doesn't hear him. That's cool, it's a busy NY street.... lot's of noise. But on the third time of calling out to her in a voice no louder, she hears him and yet she is even farther away. This stood out the first time I watched it and made a mental note about it. I know that it is picky but with such professional work happening here, I'd like to let you know what I thought.
About this comment of mine, I stated that it "may not be a flaw at all" because it crossed my mind that she never "physically" heard him, which I like. But I don't see any indication that she "feels or senses" his presence.
As for the very ending, I knew that she was going to fall over after he was hit. This again bothered me. I would rather have seen her suffer in a different way. Something that would not be predicted. Even if their souls were destine for each other, I don't believe that she would die (if she in fact did die. But I am guessing that she did since there is no evidence that I saw that she didn't.) Anyway, I thought that if HE DIED, it would be neat if someone else would "pick up" where this man left off and she had similar events with the next man in line, so to speak.)
Regardless, this is a beautiful and effective film. Congratulations. Well done!
btw, interesting touch about having that text open the film. I say interesting because it is completely unnoticable. I only saw it on the third time of watching it when I had the movie open and hit the "rewind to beginning" button. Judging by the work and craftsmanship of this film, I am guessing it is intentional to have that text there but not be able to read it, though I don't know why. I would rather have read that the first time I watched this.
Again. Great job!
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))))))
Robert Eldon
Well-known member
Eighteen Seconds – review
Definitely noticed the ‘MacGregor’ style of flashing colors into the frames (re: Similo). The editing was great and had 'flow'. I really like these parallel/connection stories.
For location I give you a 10. The use of that many locations and knowing the difficulties of outdoor and city locations must have been an enormous challenge.
I had a problem with the shots of when they seemed to be walking towards each other, but then, they are facing the same direction at the crosswalk. It didn't feel intuitive. And saw the car hit coming by the time they were waiting at the crosswalk.
Favorite shots at TC4:57, 0:44, 2:58
Favorite moving shot at TC0:28
Not sure why her eyes are open after falling? Did she pass out or die?
I noticed a possible continuity problem at TC4:22 with putting paper in coat, then paper in hand
I have to take away a point for not following the 'Eric' rule (As far as I could tell).
This movie had a very cinematic feel for me and is firmly in my top 5.
Definitely noticed the ‘MacGregor’ style of flashing colors into the frames (re: Similo). The editing was great and had 'flow'. I really like these parallel/connection stories.
For location I give you a 10. The use of that many locations and knowing the difficulties of outdoor and city locations must have been an enormous challenge.
I had a problem with the shots of when they seemed to be walking towards each other, but then, they are facing the same direction at the crosswalk. It didn't feel intuitive. And saw the car hit coming by the time they were waiting at the crosswalk.
Favorite shots at TC4:57, 0:44, 2:58
Favorite moving shot at TC0:28
Not sure why her eyes are open after falling? Did she pass out or die?
I noticed a possible continuity problem at TC4:22 with putting paper in coat, then paper in hand
I have to take away a point for not following the 'Eric' rule (As far as I could tell).
This movie had a very cinematic feel for me and is firmly in my top 5.
Aaron Marshall
Well-known member
Jack Daniel Stanley said:
Ahh now it all makes sense. I was wondering why I received the extended version of that scene and asked to, "Make it have lots of witcha, witcha bass notes... like a 70's porn." I said, "I don't think this is going to fit with the other tracks at all." :grin:
preston
Well-known member
(posted in my thread for To Kill a Rock Star)
Mac, if you're still interested, here are a few links to why I made this film. enjoy!
Kurt's Journals
Kurt Cobain's Wikipedia entry
Love & Death by Max Wallace, Ian Halperin (book)
Cobain Case: The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation (website)
Justice for Kurt - Was He Murdered? (website)
macgregor said:
Mac, if you're still interested, here are a few links to why I made this film. enjoy!
Kurt's Journals
Kurt Cobain's Wikipedia entry
Love & Death by Max Wallace, Ian Halperin (book)
Cobain Case: The Kurt Cobain Murder Investigation (website)
Justice for Kurt - Was He Murdered? (website)
Kyle Stebbins
AD GURU
What a film!!!
I watched it without ANY sound only because I was (and still am) sitting in class on my buddy's macbook pro. i'll get to watching it with the sound in about 45 minutes. From what I've seen, this is the most beautiful footage i've seen in the fest. i love it.
dang. gotta run. great work, guys. AMAZING.
-kyle
I watched it without ANY sound only because I was (and still am) sitting in class on my buddy's macbook pro. i'll get to watching it with the sound in about 45 minutes. From what I've seen, this is the most beautiful footage i've seen in the fest. i love it.
dang. gotta run. great work, guys. AMAZING.
-kyle