Short filmed w/ DVX100B, mini35

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kundica

Member
I'm am currently first year student in a film undergraduate program. This is the 2nd film I've ever produced, directed, and DP'd. Unfortunately, I also had to edit it, which I feel is my weakest skill.

I filmed it using the DVX100B, a Technik mini35 adapter, and 3 Zeiss SS prime lenses (20mm, 35mm, 85mm), along with some other handy tools of my cameraman like a glidecam and microdolly.

Please feel free to be brutally honest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Zisb4WL2A
 
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Great Job...
Keep plugging away!
Who would possibly criticize a second effort, you know your weaknesses and you know what you need to do, my only semi negative comment is to make sure that you are directing the actors while still worrying about the tech stuff. One of the biggest mistakes we independent everymen make is to concern ourselves with the tech stuff too much and forget that we are directors and therefore have to direct our actors!

Keep working.
 
Thanks guys.

The audio is bad, and with my lack of post skill it's going to take a while to clean it up. There is a hum that I couldn't seem to get rid of, probably an AC unit, since we turned everything else off. I've tried using some of the filters in FCP, but I'm still pretty unfamiliar with with them.

Pharpsied,
I know what you mean about remembering to direct the actors. My biggest problem right now is finding people to work with at my school that I trust enough to "get the job done." That way, I can spend more time directing. I guess it's something that I'll have to learn; making sacrifices in certain areas in order to benefit other aspects of my films. DP'ing and directing at the same time can be way too demanding.
 
kundica,
For a youtube compression that's actually pretty good. The red wall shows the jaggy lines when coinciding with the black shirt. You may want to use a chroma blur set at medium. Noticed some double shadows on the chess set. This may be ok for some but it's just something to be aware of. I haven't heard the audio. Will do later. Thanks for posting!

BTW -- It's good to see another fellow Coloradan around here.

Keep up the good work.
 
I would suggest tightening up your shots. When they stand up, their heads are cut off.

Good 2nd effort!
 
Thanks for the input guys! I worked on cleaning up the audio a bit over the last few days and boosting the lvls. I also re-uploaded the file and updated the link. Youtube makes it sound a little hallow though, certainly more than my master file does after cleaning it up.

As far as a you tube encode. Since youtube has a 100mb limit, I just set the size at 448x252 and up the bitrate until I'm happy with the quality. That usually has pretty good results after youtube reencodes it.
 
First I just want to say that I congratulate you on completing a project because that in itself is a daunting task. Now on to the critique.

Obviously you are already aware of the audio so there is no need to touch on that.

Acting : I feel as though the acting is somewhat forced especially from the character in black. It seems like he tries so hard to be evil but doesn't really fully come across.

Lighting : Double Shadows , Double Shadows , Double Shadows. You have a lot of these everywhere. I also would have like a little more contrast on their face as far as the key and fill.

Framing : When you are in the CU and the OTS shots you should tilt the camera down more. If you look at the actors faces their eyes are dead center of the frame in regards to the vertical. They look like floating heads in a way because the frame cuts off at their chins not really showing the neck.

Also in the final chess/checkmate shot I would have like to see the board to actually know what move he did. All I could tell was that the black queen took the white queen and that the king was around but that doesn't really convey anything about the move to make it a good one. Plus it seems as though you set the shot up just to get the rack focus.
 
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