"ajar" - a david jerome film

lets see your film had:

A gun, a terrified beta, shower goggles, 3d animation, large prancing butterfly's that won't fit in that net, cheerleaders !:), football, Dancing with the stars err just dancing, Hobbit references, drugs, I bust that parrot upside the head, a really cool chair....etc

You packed more in 6 minutes than my wife puts in her purse :) Awesome! this is one of my favorites...
 
Michael_Petro said:
lets see your film had:

A gun, a terrified beta, shower goggles, 3d animation, large prancing butterfly's that won't fit in that net, cheerleaders !:), football, Dancing with the stars err just dancing, Hobbit references, drugs, I bust that parrot upside the head, a really cool chair....etc

You packed more in 6 minutes than my wife puts in her purse :) Awesome! this is one of my favorites...
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I wish I would have had ten more seconds. Thanks Michael, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
 
awesome stuff in this movie. cheerleaders! cant ever go wrong with that, and i dont think ill look at butterflies the same way again. you are out of your mind and i mean this in a real good way. you shared a lot in this movie and it shows.

and i also think you had the best special effects since it looked flawless. the chair dunking down and then spinning around and around was sick. the butterfly at the end was really cool too. i also really got a kick out out of everything you used in your movie, not a second was wasted or not used to its fullest. eye candy all over the place, and you tried so many different angles too and this made it even more fun to watch.

i cant even imagine what you would do with another ten minutes of film.
oh yeah, and the dance scene was great too, when you snapped your fingers to the start of the music. great scene .
 
If this film said one thing to me it was escapism. I think the guy was living in the past in his glory days perhaps. Then he was looking into a false future, but one thing he couldn't stand was the present.

I loved the shots of the sky when the character was playing football. I also like the butterfly! Great sequence. The editing was also tight.

Congrats on your film. I was entertained.
 
Fantastic film with an incredible score. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it really captivated me and I'm still pondering it long after watching it. A very unique film.

I would also be interested to hear anyone's interpretation to what is happening in the film. Mainly your take on the ending.
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My take is that the butterfly at the end is really Erik, or a metaphore for Erik. He seems trapped inside the house for whatever reason. He's always looking outside the windows, but only leaves during his Chair moments. So at the end he's transformed either physically or spiritually and finally gets to leave.

Someone else mentioned Apocalypse Now, and I admit that I wondered if you were going for a reference with the fan imagry. This has made me wonder if Erik is wanting to escape due to some past war experience / trama, etc. It could be that I'm being lead astray from the message of the film by finding a visual connection that's not there though....
 
krestofre said:
Someone else mentioned Apocalypse Now, and I admit that I wondered if you were going for a reference with the fan imagry. This has made me wonder if Erik is wanting to escape due to some past war experience / trama, etc. It could be that I'm being lead astray from the message of the film by finding a visual connection that's not there though....
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I remember when we were in the room and David was getting fan shots, I commented about it reminding me of the open to Apocolypse Now. David was so focused I don't even think he heard me (he ignores me a lot). I think it's foreshadowing the spinning chair, but what do I know - it's not my film. I was just there to move lights and hold mics . . . and wrangle fish.

I don't even think he's seen Apocolypse Now. :) I'll let you borrow it, Dave.
 
That's pretty funny.

The later shot of the chair spinning and the fan spinning at the same time does support that it's just foreshadowing and not trying to draw any war-time connections.
 
krestofre said:
Someone else mentioned Apocalypse Now, and I admit that I wondered if you were going for a reference with the fan imagry.
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preston said:
I don't even think he's seen Apocolypse Now. :) I'll let you borrow it, Dave.
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I saw the movie when I was a young teenager. I don't remember any specific scenes from it. I do remember the movie having a strange effect on me. I think it scared me in some way. I have no doubt that this may have been burned into my subconscience. I think our psyche is very much a part of our experiences and the things that have an emotional impact on us. So, it wasn't intentional, but I don't doubt that is where it came from. I think I will go watch the movie and see if it connects with something inside me.
 
My interpretation is the guy is damaged goods - big time. Hopeless, in fact. He's withdrawn to a zip code of the soul that doesn't even have the same number of digits as the rest of us. But being hopeless and a permanently lost soul does not eliminate the importance of dreams and beauty in a life, however limited its boundaries. In a sense, his self-imposed boundaries lead to his need for escape (although it is only a metaphorical one). I am reminded of the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller, who was much more literally trapped than this guy but still found her way to live in the 'real' world. The protagonist of Ajar has every means physically available to escape, but is unable to as a result of the barriers created in his mind. Nevertheless, you can see the level of living he longs for and you have to admire his spirit, however compromised his psyche is.

Enough profundity. Its a hell of a movie and has become my favorite.
 
Mark Johnson said:
My interpretation is the guy is damaged goods - big time. Hopeless, in fact. He's withdrawn to a zip code of the soul that doesn't even have the same number of digits as the rest of us. But being hopeless and a permanently lost soul does not eliminate the importance of dreams and beauty in a life, however limited its boundaries. In a sense, his self-imposed boundaries lead to his need for escape (although it is only a metaphorical one). I am reminded of the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller, who was much more literally trapped than this guy but still found her way to live in the 'real' world. The protagonist of Ajar has every means physically available to escape, but is unable to as a result of the barriers created in his mind. Nevertheless, you can see the level of living he longs for and you have to admire his spirit, however compromised his psyche is.

Enough profundity. Its a hell of a movie and has become my favorite.
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With an interpretation like that, there can be little argue that it is in fact a drama.
 
krestofre said:
My take is that the butterfly at the end is really Erik, or a metaphore for Erik. He seems trapped inside the house for whatever reason. He's always looking outside the windows, but only leaves during his Chair moments. So at the end he's transformed either physically or spiritually and finally gets to leave.
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beautiful
 
Mark Johnson said:
My interpretation is the guy is damaged goods - big time. Hopeless, in fact. He's withdrawn to a zip code of the soul that doesn't even have the same number of digits as the rest of us. But being hopeless and a permanently lost soul does not eliminate the importance of dreams and beauty in a life, however limited its boundaries. In a sense, his self-imposed boundaries lead to his need for escape (although it is only a metaphorical one). I am reminded of the deaf, dumb and blind Helen Keller, who was much more literally trapped than this guy but still found her way to live in the 'real' world. The protagonist of Ajar has every means physically available to escape, but is unable to as a result of the barriers created in his mind. Nevertheless, you can see the level of living he longs for and you have to admire his spirit, however compromised his psyche is.
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now that's inspired
 
Heya! Just wanted to chime in and say I really enjoyed the film. The's leads imagination is pretty wild and it was a fun little ride. Makes me wish I had a chair like that :)

The only thing that 'urked' me was the fact after he walked out the door he came in screen right but exited left. I would have fliped the frame around to match. (just that I was expecting him to appear from the left) Was that on purpose? (sorry if this has been mentioned already)

cheers!
/j
 
Hey David. Really enjoyed your short. I am not into fantasy type stuff at all but this felt more symbolic and intrspective than fantasy to me. Loved all the chair shots. I am amazed by people that can do different effects and such since I am not very technical. Your film left me with a good and uneasy feeling at the same time which is good in my mind. Was the butterfly at the end meant to be the guys soul or spirit going off where it is safe and where it belongs?
Amazing job! I am also happy nobody died at the end.
 
Mark Johnson said:
Enough profundity. Its a hell of a movie and has become my favorite.
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It started out that way for me.

We'll see what happens on the re-viewing of the contenders, but...
 
Dave - I think you probably already know what I think of your film, but I just wanted to stop by your thread and tell you here, too. besides, I can never tell if you are really listening to me or not. maybe it's just me. anyway . . .

AJAR is very unique, and it stands alone in this festival. I can relate to your character Erik, not because I suffer from the same phobia(s), but because you related his fears and struggles very well on-screen.

was it unconventional? yes, and it worked. the minimal dialog is another example of how you were able to convey this story and it's emotion, instead of having your characters just tell it (see: my film).

this film does not pretend to be something it is not - it's a small peek into the window (your symbolism worked) of this guy's existance, but at the same time, it takes us along on the journies through his mind into his fantasies, which seemed appropriate for someone in his condition. they weren't over-the-top like some people wished they would have been - this guy just wanted to be somewhat normal again. he wanted to be "one of the guys", and he wanted somebody (the girl), and wished for her to want him back.

you showed all of this and more within 6 minutes, with very little dialog, and managed to make it light, funny, dramatic and profound - and you left the end open for interpretation. is the butterfly his soul (as in your Dickenson quote)? did he take that gun from the cabinet and put it to his head? who knows? I can't think of a better ending for this film, even if it's just the start of another kind of life - a metamorphosis (more symbolism) - for your character.

great movie-making, David. great story-telling. this film is art, and you are the artist.
 
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preston said:
Dave - I think you probably already know what I think of your film, but I just wanted to stop by your thread and tell you here, too. besides, I can never tell if you are really listening to me or not. maybe it's just me. anyway . . .

AJAR is very unique, and it stands alone in this festival. I can relate to your character Erik, not because I suffer from the same phobia(s), but because you related his fears and struggles very well on-screen.

was it unconventional? yes, and it worked. the minimal dialog is another example of how you were able to convey this story and it's emotion, instead of having your characters just tell it (see: my film).

this film does not pretend to be something it is not - it's a small peek into the window (your symbolism worked) of this guy's existance, but at the same time, it takes us along on the journies through his mind into his fantasies, which seemed appropriate for someone in his condition. they weren't over-the-top like some people wished they would have been - this guy just wanted to be somewhat normal again. he wanted to be "one of the guys", and he wanted somebody (the girl), and wished for her to want him back.

you showed all of this and more within 6 minutes, with very little dialog, and managed to make it light, funny, dramatic and profound - and you left the end open for interpretation. is the butterfly his soul (as in your Dickenson quote)? did he take that gun from the cabinet and put it to his head? who knows? I can't think of a better ending for this film, even if it's just the start of another kind of life - a metamorphosis (more symbolism) - for your character.

great movie-making, David. great story-telling. this film is art, and you are the artist.
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Preston, I am always listening. I am just very very easily distracted. Thanks so much for sharing those words. You had a big part in it.



Barry_Green said:
Congratulations David. I don't know whether you'll win or not, but you got my vote.
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Barry, I am honored. You don't know how much that means to me. Thank you.
 
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