A Little Mouth to Feed: MACGREGOR, BARRY GREEN, JIMERSON, HUDSON & JDS
- Thread starter Jack Daniel Stanley
- Start date
yeah but you're both right, it''s confusing
Barry_Green
Moderator
Jack was concerned about this from day one. We even talked about making it a full-on "period piece", but -- the imagery of the cross going to the cross on the pregnancy test told the story in a flash. How would it have been if we'd cut from, say, the cross to a dead rabbit? Or to her vomiting in the morning with morning sickness?
From the beginning, Jack's idea was to make a film that made people a bit uncomfortable. He wanted us to be horrified and heartwarmed at the same time, which is no small task (in fact, it's quite incongruous); thematically then we decided that it was okay that there was some incongruity in the overall pic (modern light bulb, modern pregnancy test, but people who dressed and acted old-school, etc). The world moved on past these people.
But yes, Jack was concerned whether that would "work", or if it would bother people. His rough cut didn't have the lightbulb cutaway; I suggested he put it back in just to convey the deliberateness of her actions in setting Clovis up. In the actual scene, in the fixtures, I think at one point we were using CFL bulbs -- now that would have been really modern! But we used conventional incandescents for the shot; they've been with us a long, long time and didn't really "scream" modern (like the pregnancy test did).
In the end it was an experimental piece, experimenting with a few ideas. The incongruity was one.
From the beginning, Jack's idea was to make a film that made people a bit uncomfortable. He wanted us to be horrified and heartwarmed at the same time, which is no small task (in fact, it's quite incongruous); thematically then we decided that it was okay that there was some incongruity in the overall pic (modern light bulb, modern pregnancy test, but people who dressed and acted old-school, etc). The world moved on past these people.
But yes, Jack was concerned whether that would "work", or if it would bother people. His rough cut didn't have the lightbulb cutaway; I suggested he put it back in just to convey the deliberateness of her actions in setting Clovis up. In the actual scene, in the fixtures, I think at one point we were using CFL bulbs -- now that would have been really modern! But we used conventional incandescents for the shot; they've been with us a long, long time and didn't really "scream" modern (like the pregnancy test did).
In the end it was an experimental piece, experimenting with a few ideas. The incongruity was one.
Also, something that's not clear in the exterior establishing shots of the house is that there's a broken down, but not terribly old, Ford Ranger right outside. If it were more visible in the shot, things may have been less confusing from the start.
The ambiguity is in part style. I have mixed feelings myself on how well it worked in the final edit, but I was never troubled by the idea during development or shooting. It made sense to me, and heightened the eeriness of the setting, to think that people would still live like that in the present day.
The ambiguity is in part style. I have mixed feelings myself on how well it worked in the final edit, but I was never troubled by the idea during development or shooting. It made sense to me, and heightened the eeriness of the setting, to think that people would still live like that in the present day.
Blaine
Mr. Hollywood
And you can find people in isolated parts of the country that do in fact live like that. It was absolutely no stretch for me what so ever. Unfortunately, if it's outside a person's experience it can be harder for them to accept what can be rare but nonetheless an actual situation.
Jason Ramsey
Admin
That sounds an interesting idea. The midwife screams period to me as well, though. I can see the husband and wife being in their own little world, stuck in time, but the midwife comes across the same both in dialect and in costume choice. That is the part that seems a stretch to me. But, then there are explanations one could come up with for that as well, I suppose. The midwife is a generational descendant of past "slaves" turned employees of the family through the years.... then it could make sense. But there was obviously no time to establish that, so perhaps going a different direction with the midwife could have helped make your choice more clear.
Now that I have read what you guys have said about it, it seems clear and is quite an interesting choice and adds to the dynamic.
I think perhaps though, it could have added to the dynamic if the midwife were a slice out of modern times in her speech and/or costume. And, I think given the time constraints that could have been an interesting choice to help convey what you guys have been describing here. As it stands, (for me) she pushes it towards attempt at period more than stylistic choice. I know you would know the house is modern and the test is modern, so now that I have read what you said it makes perfect sense what you were going for. The midwife can cloudy that, or make it clear depending on the direction that you go with her. In this case she was 'period' as well. She is an outside character to an extent.
Ma' feeble opinion.
Later,
Jason
Now that I have read what you guys have said about it, it seems clear and is quite an interesting choice and adds to the dynamic.
I think perhaps though, it could have added to the dynamic if the midwife were a slice out of modern times in her speech and/or costume. And, I think given the time constraints that could have been an interesting choice to help convey what you guys have been describing here. As it stands, (for me) she pushes it towards attempt at period more than stylistic choice. I know you would know the house is modern and the test is modern, so now that I have read what you said it makes perfect sense what you were going for. The midwife can cloudy that, or make it clear depending on the direction that you go with her. In this case she was 'period' as well. She is an outside character to an extent.
Ma' feeble opinion.
Later,
Jason
We did talk about that -- we talked about putting her in modern scrubs, or at least more modern clothes, and at one point were set to do it. It's a fine line.
Cool Lights
DVXuser Sponsor
You had us at the pullback!
Blaine
Mr. Hollywood
The other thing that everyone needs to see is the production value JDS is able to achieve with what others might think is just an ordinary apartment. Jack actually painted his apartment in order to shoot it for Rekindled, arguably the best art design I've seen in a DVXUser production of ANY kind. (Of course this movie is awfully damned good, too.) It's not an accident JDS get the results he does.
So many times, we aren't willing to go the extra mile to get that incredible look. Jack does a lot of things well. I think this is his best project yet. He has finally put everything together in one movie.
(Now, where's the companion piece?)
Last edited:
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
I think I've told Jack everything i think about this film, but I wanted to say good job to all who worked on this.
I also heard from Jack about how quick the shoot was and all, and it seems like everyone put in 110% to get this made.
Nice work, all.
I also heard from Jack about how quick the shoot was and all, and it seems like everyone put in 110% to get this made.
Nice work, all.
Last edited:
Careful. You will have people thinking there is actually some thought behind the pretty images
The funny thing about the midwife ... the real person, meaning the actor, brought all that dialect to it based on her experience. One of her relatives was even a midwife. I even to toned it down a bit on set and in editing. There was lots of "Oh Lawdy" in the takes I didn't use.
Her headware is a spandex dew rag from the local African American beauty shop purchased in October 2007.
So ... again, I can't argue with people's experience, just what's actually plausible or period.
What would have been a mistake is scrubs though. I think it would have looked like we wanted a hospital set or scene and couldn't pull it off. Even if it didn't seem anachronistic in our stylized world, which I think it would have, it would have been even more confusing ... are we in a hospital? no I think those are the same walls, is that a nurse? nurses don't make house calls to deliver babies ... etc.
That truck is not actually in the shot I chose at all.
I would have used one of the other shots (which were done the day after I left town for a freind's wedding), but the shots which featured the truck showed the whole house, which seemed way to small for the interior we had ... maybe not ... but that was my concern. So I picked a shot that obscured the back half of the house so you couldn't see it though I did like some of the shots that showed the truck, especially the dolly shots.
Maybe I will post some of those shots and see if people think that our interior could fit in that exterior, just in terms of size.
yea it created a nice "world"... i liek the mix of old and modern. Bladerunner anyone?
Michele Seidman
Well-known member
THIS coming from Jezebels knees...ha!
I hate it when a man gets the shivers, let me make yo some soup....you still need to see the baby...
heheh
Nice knowin' ya buddy
Shush up now Jack.....don't you be given all my secrets away...I did let you walk out!
That is so nice of you to say.
Pennypacker...thank you kindly for that comment.
Thank you....sincerely!
Agreed on Jack.
Everyone really did try to give their all on this and I am so proud to have been part myself.
True, but I don't think we gave them enough of a clue that is is another world, or enough hints that it has modern elements. Bladerunner is like PAPOW! We're not in Kansans anymore
Hold on. I'm gonna re cut the opening and see if you guys think it would help.
Last edited:
Michael_Petro
Veteran
Damnit if i was half as good as you id move to hollywood.... im very impressed
Blaine
Mr. Hollywood
We've spoken to him about it in the past. One day he'll make the move...:evil:
New Opening: Give Your Opinion
New Opening: Give Your Opinion
OK pretend the opening shot is properly graded day for night. With some power masks I can do that and make sure the truck stays visible. The rest of the junk will disappear.
http://frenchquarterfeatures.com/lmtf/LMTFnewopenning.mov
(again, unfinished day for night CC on first clip)
The reason I didn't use this clip was because I was afraid the house looked to small for all we fit in it.
But now I don't care about that. I prefer this clip to the one I used anyway and I think it might go some distance towards solving the time period problem.
If I show the audience a pickup truck, a pregnancy test and 20th century house ... don't much know how they could miss this is not 1890 - 1910.
What do you think does the different opening shot ...
A clearly set the piece in time
B help set the piece in time
C make no difference, people will be confused anyway due to the costumes etc
New Opening: Give Your Opinion
OK pretend the opening shot is properly graded day for night. With some power masks I can do that and make sure the truck stays visible. The rest of the junk will disappear.
http://frenchquarterfeatures.com/lmtf/LMTFnewopenning.mov
(again, unfinished day for night CC on first clip)
The reason I didn't use this clip was because I was afraid the house looked to small for all we fit in it.
But now I don't care about that. I prefer this clip to the one I used anyway and I think it might go some distance towards solving the time period problem.
If I show the audience a pickup truck, a pregnancy test and 20th century house ... don't much know how they could miss this is not 1890 - 1910.
What do you think does the different opening shot ...
A clearly set the piece in time
B help set the piece in time
C make no difference, people will be confused anyway due to the costumes etc
Last edited:
right but I can use it to clarify ... does the new shot do that?
heheh ... whip cracks, FCP up and running ... back on task
Jason Ramsey
Admin
Hey, Jack. I don't want to dwell on this, of course...
I'm not really saying that I incorrectly interpreted that you were placing this in x time period. I just feel that perhaps your choice was a bit cloudy (for me, for whatever meaningful reason I may have, or stupidity/lack of examination on my own part).
The thing that pushes it over the bounds of the choice that I hear described in the thread here is the midwife. If there were more time to establish her family history as being tied to the family history of Flora, then it could completely work for me and make it a very compelling choice. But, as is... I feel giving her a touch of modern-ness might have helped convey your overall setting a bit better. Not suggesting scrubs or any of that. She is not the immediate family, so in a small way she is kind of a way to put the family in perspective of their surrounding world. So, for me, it's either take the moment to establish her longtime family connection/lineage, or let her (even slightly) represent the "reality" that is outside these folks walls. If that makes any sense at all
Mind not clear... newborn baby... food poisoning... movie with evil baby...
I'm not really saying that I incorrectly interpreted that you were placing this in x time period. I just feel that perhaps your choice was a bit cloudy (for me, for whatever meaningful reason I may have, or stupidity/lack of examination on my own part).
The thing that pushes it over the bounds of the choice that I hear described in the thread here is the midwife. If there were more time to establish her family history as being tied to the family history of Flora, then it could completely work for me and make it a very compelling choice. But, as is... I feel giving her a touch of modern-ness might have helped convey your overall setting a bit better. Not suggesting scrubs or any of that. She is not the immediate family, so in a small way she is kind of a way to put the family in perspective of their surrounding world. So, for me, it's either take the moment to establish her longtime family connection/lineage, or let her (even slightly) represent the "reality" that is outside these folks walls. If that makes any sense at all
Mind not clear... newborn baby... food poisoning... movie with evil baby...