235 Studios Presents: SEMELE

[Wes-C]

That M2 adapter worked like a charm.

 

[PDX_DVX]

I was really excited to see the film for the first time. The final edit came together really well, the pacing was great. The opening sequence was really cool, I'm glad to hear it turned out well. The steadycam rig we were using was a beast! The arm was totally bottomed out. Also, the lack of a remote FF rig made it pretty much impossible to change focus on the running scenes. It was a fun shoot to work on though, and I appreciated getting another chance to work with everyone, I think we've got a great group of people.

Jerry- I didn't know you mixed the film at skywalker sound! Just kidding, but really, bravo on the studio setup. Working off those little monitors is a drag. I wish they would get a different control surface in there, and also get Nuendo instead of slow-tools. BUT- we are really lucky to have access to the facility that we do, sorry I couldn't be there for the mix!

Ryan- it was great working with you again! Welcome back from Japan!

 

[tung n' groove photo]

Ryan, I was very proud to be part of this project.
I loved the gun effects. It would have been nice to
have two different sounds for the two different guns.
The camera angles for the scene at the end of the room
were limited and flat looking when norm was coming in
to look in the closet. Something just didn't look
right in my eyes. Perhaps different camera angles to play with.
But then, because of the room dimension, it would have been
difficult.
From a lighting point of view. I agree that the scenes
at the desk end of things look flat. However, again,
there was not much that could be done due to the
dimensions of the garage and the camera angle. The
stage was narrow and low...lighting was a challenge!!!
Yeah, the gobos could have looked a bit more natural
but we were experimenting with gobos for the first time
and had a limited selection.
I know... you can't please everyone.

 

[stephenvv]

Quick ADR/SFX mixing tip

Quick ADR/SFX mixing tip

I agree with the general slant of the comments - nice camera, script could have been better, ADR totally broke suspension of belief.

Even though I have a nice audio setup and plenty of good filters for audio, I thought a quick tip for ADR and sound effects is in order. Record your ADR just as you did, crisp, clean full range. Get high quailty effects, either recorded or record your own.

THEN...

Haul portable audio setup (decent speakers but does not have to be top notch). Take boom and camera to locations, play back audio, placing it same location as actors or sound source in frame, boom as if you would normally. You will be amazed how well this works and you can grab extra room time while you are at it.

For sound effects, just play them back in similar enviroment roughly placed in the right spot on frame. Again, results work like a champ in the fraction of the time of endless mixing and filtering.

So even if you have to ADR, you will get it to sound pretty much 100% real, assuming you can take a couple of hours to go back to original or sonically similar location. In a time crunch, just do it outside your front door for exterior or inside your studio for interior.

 

[Mark Johnson]

I LOVED those muzzle flashes, Mark! Did you use one of those special particle generator programs or just After Effects? I thought they looked great! Especially the closer-up, three-frame one.

Those were AfterEffects flashes and quite fun to do. The one that took a little finesse was the shot to Rebecca's stomach in the very dark room. If you pause on the first frame you can see that I put some subtle illumination on the rim of her arm and the back wall. When I see typical muzzle flash FX in dark rooms that always bothers me because the flash should be illuminating the actors/objects accordingly. If you can't use a practical flash you can get by with photoshopping the frame and since it's only one or two frames you don't have to be Michelangelo to sell the effect.

 

[235 Studios]

Thanks for the input and suggestions everyone- great tips!

I really enjoyed the cast and crew on this and hopefully we'll be able to work together more in the future!

Also, incase anyone is interested, I am selling the Canon Lenses- you can get four lenses for $150. check out the thread here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=86708

(I'm switching over to Nikon Lenses for my M2.)

 

[235 Studios]

If you can't use a practical flash you can get by with photoshopping the frame and since it's only one or two frames you don't have to be Michelangelo to sell the effect.

And I would argue that some of you VFX work is pretty damn close! (Especially in the last fest.)

 

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Ryan, I am stocking up on manual Nikkor lenses for my upcoming Red camera. Right now I have the 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4 and 135mm f3.5 in my possession and a 105mm f2.8 and 200mm f4 on the way. If you want to try any of them out to get a feel for them (to help guide your purchasing) you are more than welcome. I'll be coming up to Gresham this weekend.

 

[D_and_G]

Drama thriller/spy mixed drink. Shaken not stirred.

This was an enjoyable flick because you guys really tried to hit a home run.

Love the colours/grading choices. They differentiate you from the rest of the flicks, and I admire pushing the envelope with the film noir flourishes. The only caveat is the B&W. Is it an overused device? Yeah, it’s a personal choice, but I may consider grading in a different palette all the flashback sections to showcase the story. The cameras movement in this flick is superb - liked the dolly, framing at the desk, good use of steadi-cam (canted angles, floating pov, matched movements and pace all good)
Nice use of inserts. The mix and pace are smooth.

Sound design/track- again (a common prob it seems) ADR sounds like it was recorded in a booth. Makes the dialogue sound very un-naturalistic if not mixed with ambient and multiple audio tracks. Your score on the other hand is very appropriate for the flick, fills the space with the right mix of mood matched to the visuals.

Most of the shot selection and editing choices worked except for one shot where he’s jogging. ECU of him taking the memory card from the computer, cut - back to him running still dark morning, LS he’s running down the path, cut - alternate LS he’s rounding a path, canted angle and it’s much lighter out. The combination of these elements almost makes it almost a smash cut. Cutting from one LS to another one LS with a very similar frame but glaring different lighting in a sequence was disconcerting. … usually not a great idea unless it’s motivated thematically, or is used to suggest an extremely long passage of time (in your context). This segment could use revised editing, IMHO.

The acting was passable. Although some of Norms ADR was a little soap opera-ish.

Story problems – Ok. A counter terrorist expert (Semele) falls in love with a terrorist/spy. The chick knows he’s CIA whilst he’s oblivious to her machinations…all those dangerous curves right ? She’s so in love that she accidentally points him to her super secret terrorist shoebox ? huh ? - he’s on the riverbank and the guy is firing on him from the one end of the bridge. Where does Semele run ? Why right up the bank to the other end of the bridge. Huh ? again. Stupid Semele, stupid.
If you watch the Bourne Supremacy (just to illustrate my point, I don’t think your short has to be Bourne) Jason moves to distance himself geographically through the quickest route A->B, placing as many hindrances to getting a good shot as possible using the terrain. This is common field craft. Running closer to the shooter in a linear fashion, giving him a better line of fire is not. Staging these plot points is pretty important in a serious action pic. Hope you don’t think I’m being pedantic, but it made me go wtf ?
BTW, as a counter terrorism operative why doesn’t he carry a gun ? Suffice it to say, if I found out my babe was a terrorist and I was going on a little joggy to toss away the incriminating evidence, I’d carry a berretta at the very least, Yeah, it’s a girly gun…but still. At the denouement, he knows she’s a spy/terrorist so why does he ask her why he’s being shot at after he discovered it ? “did you have me followed ? Can’t he add one plus one ? What kind of CIA doofus is this ? Add it up Semele - >The hitman + her bags packed + the shoebox of terrorism = answer. “Who are you ?” Didn’t the disc tell you dude ? The real question is, why aren’t you irate ? Why don’t you have a gun when you confront your betrayer for whom who’ve you’ve sacrificed your principles and possible career ? Story-wise the premise wasn’t really served by the structure or plot points. And the six minute limit may have been to short for this script, because it demanded a veracity that wasn’t there, and a breadth to explore the relationship.

I adore this genre, but I don’t know if the cat and mouse paradigms, betrayals and dramatic trade craft can be easily done in the timeframe given here. Even with 24, the closest short film comparable between commercial breaks, you’re dependant on some knowledge of the team and terrain before the drama. Although, sometimes they throw so much production value at the opening, you can wait for the explanations.

Thanks for tackling it. Some of your cinematic choices -> cinematography, steadi-cam, the score, were a pleasure...

There were some positives here. And to reiterate my opening point – I admire it when you swing for the fences.

:beer:

 

[235 Studios]

Thanks for the detailed reply / review- much appreciated!

The only caveat is the B&W. Is it an overused device? Yeah, it’s a personal choice, but I may consider grading in a different palette all the flashback sections to showcase the story.

It looks like I may have desaturated these scenes too much, as I have received this comment a couple of times now. I meant to retain some color, and not have them be completely B&W. I was wanting to keept them more toward the desaturated side, and push them a little more towards the blue-ish color palete- as opposed to the present day shots which I wanted to keep in full colr and push toward the orange color palete. Looks like I need to find someone who is better skilled at CC then I am ... So that was my intention, as I did not want to do the traditional B&W for the flashback scenes.

Your score on the other hand is very appropriate for the flick, fills the space with the right mix of mood matched to the visuals.

Thanks- I was very happy with what Sid was able to produce- I enjoy his work a lot.

Most of the shot selection and editing choices worked except for one shot where he’s jogging. ECU of him taking the memory card from the computer, cut - back to him running still dark morning, LS he’s running down the path, cut - alternate LS he’s rounding a path, canted angle and it’s much lighter out. The combination of these elements almost makes it almost a smash cut. Cutting from one LS to another one LS with a very similar frame but glaring different lighting in a sequence was disconcerting. … usually not a great idea unless it’s motivated thematically, or is used to suggest an extremely long passage of time (in your context). This segment could use revised editing, IMHO.

Looks like I need to do some more color correction- while there is some passage of time, it is not that huge that there should be that noticable of a difference between those two shots, you are correct. They are supposed to be after each other, but obviously one was filmed in the earily morning, and the other was filmed later in the morning, which created the difference in the amount of sun light.

Story problems – Ok. A counter terrorist expert (Semele) falls in love with a terrorist/spy. The chick knows he’s CIA whilst he’s oblivious to her machinations…all those dangerous curves right ? She’s so in love that she accidentally points him to her super secret terrorist shoebox ? huh ? - he’s on the riverbank and the guy is firing on him from the one end of the bridge. Where does Semele run ? Why right up the bank to the other end of the bridge. Huh ? again. Stupid Semele, stupid.
If you watch the Bourne Supremacy (just to illustrate my point, I don’t think your short has to be Bourne) Jason moves to distance himself geographically through the quickest route A->B, placing as many hindrances to getting a good shot as possible using the terrain. This is common field craft. Running closer to the shooter in a linear fashion, giving him a better line of fire is not. Staging these plot points is pretty important in a serious action pic. Hope you don’t think I’m being pedantic, but it made me go wtf ?
BTW, as a counter terrorism operative why doesn’t he carry a gun ? Suffice it to say, if I found out my babe was a terrorist and I was going on a little joggy to toss away the incriminating evidence, I’d carry a berretta at the very least, Yeah, it’s a girly gun…but still. At the denouement, he knows she’s a spy/terrorist so why does he ask her why he’s being shot at after he discovered it ? “did you have me followed ? Can’t he add one plus one ? What kind of CIA doofus is this ? Add it up Semele - >The hitman + her bags packed + the shoebox of terrorism = answer. “Who are you ?” Didn’t the disc tell you dude ? The real question is, why aren’t you irate ? Why don’t you have a gun when you confront your betrayer for whom who’ve you’ve sacrificed your principles and possible career ? Story-wise the premise wasn’t really served by the structure or plot points.

LOL!!! Good points- yeah those are some definate weaknesses.

And the six minute limit may have been to short for this script, because it demanded a veracity that wasn’t there, and a breadth to explore the relationship.

Yeah, I think in the end I was trying to accomplish too much, and keeping it more simple or developing one of the characters more, exploring their feelins would have made it stronger. This was my first writting experience, and I wanted to make sure that the script fell within the 6 minute mark. The begining drafts had 8 pages, so I began cutting scenes down to get within the 6 minute mark. Something I now realize is how quick action really takes on screne. I could have probably left the script at 8 pages and come in at the 6 minute mark just fine. although, not being a very strong writter, I think I'll try and find someone who is better and have them help me develop my ideas.

Thanks for tackling it. Some of your cinematic choices -> cinematography, steadi-cam, the score, were a pleasure...

There were some positives here. And to reiterate my opening point – I admire it when you swing for the fences.

:beer:

Much appreciated input, thanks again! :beer:

 

[235 Studios]

Thansk for the detailed reply / review- much appreciated!

The only caveat is the B&W. Is it an overused device? Yeah, it’s a personal choice, but I may consider grading in a different palette all the flashback sections to showcase the story.

It looks like I may have desaturated these scenes too much, as I have received this comment a couple of times now. I meant to retain some color, and not have them be completely B&W. I was wanting to keept them more toward the desaturated side, and push them a little more towards the blue-ish color palete- as opposed to the present day shots which I wanted to keep in full colr and push toward the orange color palete. Looks like I need to find someone who is better skilled at CC then I am ... So that was my intention, as I did not want to do the traditional B&W for the flashback scenes.

Your score on the other hand is very appropriate for the flick, fills the space with the right mix of mood matched to the visuals.

Thanks- I was very happy with what Sid was able to produce- I enjoy his work a lot.

Most of the shot selection and editing choices worked except for one shot where he’s jogging. ECU of him taking the memory card from the computer, cut - back to him running still dark morning, LS he’s running down the path, cut - alternate LS he’s rounding a path, canted angle and it’s much lighter out. The combination of these elements almost makes it almost a smash cut. Cutting from one LS to another one LS with a very similar frame but glaring different lighting in a sequence was disconcerting. … usually not a great idea unless it’s motivated thematically, or is used to suggest an extremely long passage of time (in your context). This segment could use revised editing, IMHO.

Looks like I need to do some more color correction- while there is some passage of time, it is not that huge that there should be that noticable of a difference between those two shots, you are correct. They are supposed to be after each other, but obviously one was filmed in the earily morning, and the other was filmed later in the morning, which created the difference in the amount of sun light.

Story problems – Ok. A counter terrorist expert (Semele) falls in love with a terrorist/spy. The chick knows he’s CIA whilst he’s oblivious to her machinations…all those dangerous curves right ? She’s so in love that she accidentally points him to her super secret terrorist shoebox ? huh ? - he’s on the riverbank and the guy is firing on him from the one end of the bridge. Where does Semele run ? Why right up the bank to the other end of the bridge. Huh ? again. Stupid Semele, stupid.
If you watch the Bourne Supremacy (just to illustrate my point, I don’t think your short has to be Bourne) Jason moves to distance himself geographically through the quickest route A->B, placing as many hindrances to getting a good shot as possible using the terrain. This is common field craft. Running closer to the shooter in a linear fashion, giving him a better line of fire is not. Staging these plot points is pretty important in a serious action pic. Hope you don’t think I’m being pedantic, but it made me go wtf ?
BTW, as a counter terrorism operative why doesn’t he carry a gun ? Suffice it to say, if I found out my babe was a terrorist and I was going on a little joggy to toss away the incriminating evidence, I’d carry a berretta at the very least, Yeah, it’s a girly gun…but still. At the denouement, he knows she’s a spy/terrorist so why does he ask her why he’s being shot at after he discovered it ? “did you have me followed ? Can’t he add one plus one ? What kind of CIA doofus is this ? Add it up Semele - >The hitman + her bags packed + the shoebox of terrorism = answer. “Who are you ?” Didn’t the disc tell you dude ? The real question is, why aren’t you irate ? Why don’t you have a gun when you confront your betrayer for whom who’ve you’ve sacrificed your principles and possible career ? Story-wise the premise wasn’t really served by the structure or plot points.

LOL!!! Good points- yeah those are some definate weaknesses.

And the six minute limit may have been to short for this script, because it demanded a veracity that wasn’t there, and a breadth to explore the relationship.

Yeah, I think in the end I was trying to accomplish too much, and keeping it more simple or developing one of the characters more, exploring their feelins would have made it stronger. This was my first writting experience, and I wanted to make sure that the script fell within the 6 minute mark. The begining drafts had 8 pages, so I began cutting scenes down to get within the 6 minute mark. Something I now realize is how quick action really takes on screne. I could have probably left the script at 8 pages and come in at the 6 minute mark just fine. although, not being a very strong writter, I think I'll try and find someone who is better and have them help me develop my ideas.

Thanks for tackling it. Some of your cinematic choices -> cinematography, steadi-cam, the score, were a pleasure...

There were some positives here. And to reiterate my opening point – I admire it when you swing for the fences.

:beer:

Much appreciated input, thanks again! :beer:

 

[D_and_G]

I could have probably left the script at 8 pages and come in at the 6 minute mark just fine. although, not being a very strong writter, I think I'll try and find someone who is better and have them help me develop my ideas.



Much appreciated input, thanks again! :beer:

Doing a complete short film in the action spy drama genre in the time frame give for this fest is a big challenge. I'd say you did a great job crafting a script that worked in that time frame, but as a writer, i think if you got some script analysis it would have helped with the details. Indeed, i think everyone (myself included) could benefit from that kind of thing.

If you did an 8 minute version or even an 18 minute version i think the story would have been better served. It's a testament to the premise and setup (that you wrote) that i'd like to see that short film.

I think you got the writing chops, but the rewrite stage is where the details are smoothed out. I'd love to see whatever you do next. Although, you might have to fight Norm to get Rebecca as a spy in the next fest, hehe.





thanks for checking out my review.


Ps- you've made me really curious about how to do this drama/spy short thing in the time limit but all my ideas are 18 minutes or more. i don't know how you guys do it.


:beer:

 

[tung n' groove photo]

Ryan,
thanks for moving onto Nikon. I have a 50 1.4, a 70-200 2.8 available if you need it. I had some manual prime lenses like a 80 2.0 but took it back to Toronto

For the flash backs, you can consider edge burning to produce that tunnel vision look. Perhaps a cross process or bleach bypass look might look "dreamy".

 

[Mark Harris]

No Ryan, that's the NEXT fest!

I dunno how this movie slipped under my radar but I just kind of found it now. It was a lot of fun.

I felt like the acting was a tad cheesy and moved it into B-picture territory. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but it kind of added to the fun. We've seen both Norm and Rebecca in Norm's movie so we know they can act, so it felt like a style choice, and maybe meant to be a hair over the top and maybe not. At any rate, I kind of kept hoping it would just take the plunge and go balls-out melodrama. As it stands now, it feels kind of half-way in between.

I thought all of the elements worked well together, shooting, editing, music, sets, all really nice. And in general I thought and you did a very impressive job with a VERY ambitious idea in 6 min.

I guess one thing about the story is, it was INCREDIBLY cheesy that he found that box of stuff down by her shoes. Was that intentional? I mean, I'm no spy, but even my porn collection is hidden from my girlfriend better than that. It lost credibility there, when some much more believable device for him finding out, could have easily been found.

However, just when I thought Rebecca couldn't get any hotter, she goes and speaks Russian. HUBBA-HUBBA. You would have made a fine Katrina, yourself, baby.

 

[235 Studios]

Ryan,
thanks for moving onto Nikon. I have a 50 1.4, a 70-200 2.8 available if you need it. I had some manual prime lenses like a 80 2.0 but took it back to Toronto

For the flash backs, you can consider edge burning to produce that tunnel vision look. Perhaps a cross process or bleach bypass look might look "dreamy".

Yeah, the nikon's will give me more control over the image since I can adjust the exposure on the lens- where as the Canon lenses stayed completely open.

ooo, a 70 - 200 2.8 huh? Nice! That would be fun to play with / test out. Right now I have a 28 2.8, 50 1.8, and a 135 2.8, so the 70 - 200 would fit in nicely.

 

[235 Studios]

No Ryan, that's the NEXT fest!

LOL, I guess I got a head of myself....

I felt like the acting was a tad cheesy and moved it into B-picture territory. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but it kind of added to the fun. We've seen both Norm and Rebecca in Norm's movie so we know they can act, so it felt like a style choice, and maybe meant to be a hair over the top and maybe not. At any rate, I kind of kept hoping it would just take the plunge and go balls-out melodrama. As it stands now, it feels kind of half-way in between.

I think that part of that is do to the ADR, as the voice inflection is not quite the same as it was on set. I wish I could say that it was an intentional choice, but it wasn't.

I thought all of the elements worked well together, shooting, editing, music, sets, all really nice. And in general I thought and you did a very impressive job with a VERY ambitious idea in 6 min.

Thanks- yeah it did end up being a bigger goal then I had previously thought.

I guess one thing about the story is, it was INCREDIBLY cheesy that he found that box of stuff down by her shoes. Was that intentional? I mean, I'm no spy, but even my porn collection is hidden from my girlfriend better than that. It lost credibility there, when some much more believable device for him finding out, could have easily been found.

LOL! Good thing you've got your collection well hidden. Was it intentional - yes and no. It was written into the script that way- so yes it was intentional. In my head I saw it being covered and more obscure then it appears in the film. Unfortunately that piece was the last part that I worked on- and it shows. I ended up not having the space I needed, and not enough set dressing to cover it up how I wanted. So itn popped out more then it should have. Yep not to smart of a spy ....


Thanks for the input. :beer:

 

[RebeccaD]

However, just when I thought Rebecca couldn't get any hotter, she goes and speaks Russian. HUBBA-HUBBA. You would have made a fine Katrina, yourself, baby.

Lol. Thanks, Mark. That's it though... Now if he had had a Spanish spy, I could've held my own a little bit more. :beer:

 

[jpbankesmercer]

Guys great flick!

Ryan glad to see you move into directing/ producing and writing as well as your excellent DP skill set, your all going places.

Norm IS Steve Austin , did I miss something? When did Norm get so great a being a lead man? Good tash Norm, I can't stop smiling to myself. Keep at it Norm and Rebecca.

Looks like you guys are getting really tight, love how your all working together wish I could come over there and direct something with you, I'm available!

Really impressed, well apart from the gun Foley - hated it, but I can honestly say, I didn't care and got fully involved.

Keep up the great work; it’s only a matter of time for you all.

J.P.

 

[235 Studios]

Thanks JP, much appreciated.

I'd enjoy DP'ing something for you- we'll definately have to connect sometime soon- if you are ever over this way, or if I come out your way we'll have to work together on something.

 

[jpbankesmercer]

Agreed.

Was this your first directing job? If so you nailed it and I bet you like the Bourne movies.

Jp