"Forgotten" - A film by Gabriel Florit

[darkrequiem1134]

ummm.....isn't this already a movie?

 

[Darkline]

if this is your first film then it really does not show.

To get it out of the way, I too had a few issues with the story. That said I was totally drawn in at the start. I love shorts that dont spoon feed you and the exposition tightly held to the chest. Your film had me leaning in all the time. The problem was at the end I felt just as in the dark as at the start. There didnt seem to be any consequences to the decision she had made.

Still, mood spot on. Shot selection great and the pace of the editing on the button.

For your first film you've got one near the top of the pile here. well done.

 

[heccky]

nice

 

[alex whitmer]

Some great stuff here.

SPOILERS

Establishing shot is very nice. The following shots of the woman are great and tie back in later. Nice non-linear story-telling, not an easy thing to do and keep the continuity clear.

The 'pharmacist' was the strongest actor IMO. Really added a nice layer to the whole. Felt a little like John Voigt's character in U-Turn, but good just the same.

Bar scene is nice. Like the use of the 'sparkle' from the glasses to contrast the dull woods. Not to get all Feng Shui here, but one of the ideas is to make the characteristics of different elements stand out by placing them with their opposites. Worked for me!

The payoff is nice, but little reference that we are seeing the same shmuck that throttled ten years of her life. I think the STD dialogue did little to help the story, and maybe instead some other referance could have done more, with out spelling it out of course. Just a thought.

Love the sound and lighting. Little too much black screen for me, but in all I really enjoyed this one. Solid story.

Looks bleak as hell up there.


AW

 

[galbach]

B-eau-ti-ful!!!!! The lighting was superb!! Good Job all!!

 

[Mike Manning]

Some great stuff here.
The payoff is nice, but little reference that we are seeing the same shmuck that throttled ten years of her life.

I just read this and watched it again. Knowing that definitely provides a little punch at the end, but unfortunately i think there really wasn't anything there to suggest that he was her husband/boyfriend of ten years. I think more could have been done at the beginning to explain that he cheated on her... and then that would have made more use of the STD line. I dunno, but I do know that it isn't clear enough and probably the source of a lot of people's confusion.

 

[hoz]

wow, what a terrific looking movie!


spoiler...

the outside shots with the shack are some of the best i've seen in any movie! where is that shack!? damn! it defines brutal! the road looked like it fell out of that Sean Penn movie, and the bar was great too. Awesome use of shot glasses and different things.

the acting was good i thought the woman did a fine job. the bartender was good. the drug dealer was fine. that said, no one really knocked it out of the park, but im not sure that hurt the film since it involved such mood from your locations.

the story was good, i figured the guy at the end was the same one who ruined her. only problem is he ought to have given her some sort of cue that he knew her. something wry or dark. i think that would've been more fun than having the bartender's reaction tell me.

also a small thing but the woman should've been wet and cold when she entered the shack, she wasn't even wearing a coat. not a big deal but it would really help sell the place you showed from the outside.

music was great!

i wish you had more time than 6 minutes, i would've loved to see where you would've taken the story.

really great job!!

 

[bosindy]

really liked many of the shots in this. The externals were great. Wonderful composition. The bartender was lit a bit too hot for my tastes. not sure I understood the ending until I read a few comments here. Good job, see you in Boston.

 

[gabrielflorit]

Well, you know this is gonna be the most biased review you’ll get, but here it goes anyway.

I think you did a very good job and I’m proud to be part of this project.

I haven’t got much experience in filmmaking, but something tells me that the first film from a director isn’t supposed to look this good.

The opening scene is amazing. Excellent location.

Loved Ismael’s creepy score, especially in the last scene inside the shelter.

One little nit about the transition from the scene with the pharmacist to the opening of the trunk: Maybe it’s just me, but I think that the screen remains black for a second too long. Maybe the film should be picking up pace towards the opening of the trunk?

Acting was good, but my favourite actor was definitely The Pharmacist.

The Stranger at the end really looked creepy; poor Vanya.

I wish you good luck, and hope you receive more useful feedback than mine from other experienced filmmakers. :thumbup:

Thanks Matias! I remember reading dozens of scripts. When I finished reading yours I knew this would look good. I think that's why I chose it. You're right about the screen being black for too long, several people have commented on that already. And I don't know about The Stranger - someone needs to give him acting lessons!

Matias is correct. That opening is phenomenal. Seriously, the lighting in the shack is awesome.

I love this story and I thought you did a great job with it. The actress is wonderful and so is the pharmacist. I really dug their scene together. I wish the bar was a bit more shadowy, but that is a small complaint.

I think you did a fantastic job with this and I wish you the best of luck with it.

Thanks Chris! The shack itself was awesome - it took my cast & crew 45 minutes to hike up there, one way. And it was cold, very cold. But definitely worth it. That's one thing Alaska has. Locations. I'll pass on your complements to the actors. Ron (the pharmacist) is actually in SAG. I think he's one of two SAG members in AK I hear you about the bar. I think at times I went overboard with the fog machine.

Hey man.

Good job on getting this short done and uploaded. I thought it was a creative story, and the imagery was outstanding.

The lighting on the highway/road scene was very well done, and you had everything perfect there.

Thanks for sharing!

Robbie

Thanks for watching Robbie! I was lucky with the road scene - foggy and overcast, which meant the sky was one big softbox. I did use a Joker for backlight, I'm glad I did that, it really brings her out.

 

[Richard J. Johnson]

That sony is sharp! looked great. There was a little too much black screen for me as well. Everything was well lit but when it cut to the CU of her at the bar it was little too dark compared to the bartender and not as sharp. Audio was amazingly crisp and the actors were on point. The Bill Clinton line was a little old to me but overall a great film. fantastic cinematography.

 

[gabrielflorit]

Hey man, it looks great!
Everyone's already said it, but I'll say it again anyway, that opening scene is phenomenal!
Really, technically speaking, I don't have anything to say but great job! It really looks awesome.
My critique really just concerns the story/script.
I feel like there's no real pay off at the end - no lesson learned - no climax.
It's like, and please correct me if I'm not getting it, this woman wants to forget her husband... so she goes to this box that makes you forget things, she opens it, and she forgets.
I guess i was expecting some kind of twist, or some kind of repercussion for wanting something as dangerous as the ability to forget. Maybe i was expecting the pharmacist to come back and tie it together.. I don't know. It didn't feel like there was the push-pull conflict that results in a climax of the protagonist either succeeding or failing.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound harsh. As I said, technically it was fantastic... you set the mood so well I was engaged the entire time. I guess it just left me wanting even more! haha... great job man, congrats!

Thank you man! Coming from you that means a lot - I've seen your short and it's outstanding! Will comment in a bit. I hear you about the story. I have my own theories as to why it didn't pay off. Could be the lead's acting (I should have given different direction), could be the creepy guy's acting (I don't know how to act, no really). Thanks for the comments!

Wow. The opening scene and everything in that location is incredible. Then, the fog on the road.

Very VERY sick images. I'm with blind above as far as everything else goes. I was a little confused by the story. The images? WHOA.

The stock EX-1 lens is incredible, man. Just really freakin' stellar opening shots. WHOO

Yes, I'm in love with my EX-1. My gf says she's a film widow. I tell her I have another woman - her name is Sonny . What fog? That's my monster fog machine. Kidding - yes we got lucky with that, 30 min. later that place looked like summer! Glad you liked the way it looks - it's what I'm most proud of. I think on the next one I'll find someone else to direct. I like DP'ing better, I think.

I loved the beginning but it faded after a bit. The actress lady bugged me for some reason, facial expression seemed over done. But the "Pharmasist" did a great job!

Nice looking film but the content of the script just bored me a bit.

Yes, Ron was great to work with, he knew what he was doing. I'm glad you commented - thanks for watching!

 

[gabrielflorit]

Interesting film. I LOVED the opening shot (and many others), this film just looks fantastic. The lighting in the shack/hut..awesome & moody. Good camera work in those shot too. Bar sceens seem too bright for a bar. The acting was good...the Pharmacist was spot on, great casting there. The woman...not so much, but nice job....and the guy at the bar? Just terrible! LOL...I kid ;-)
Really good film.

The problem I had was with the story...I just didn't 'get it'. You lost me at the end. I watched it a few more times...and either I'm dumb as a stump or I'm missing something earlier in the film? I know she was trying to forget...her husband I assume...but damn, it only took me a few shots to forget my Ex!

Keep up the good work and congrats to the cast & crew!

I hear you about the guy at the bar. What a no-talent clown he was! I'll never cast him again.

I liked this one. The lighting was very well done. Some of the framing seemed a little off to me, especially on the bartender....but that's just minor stuff. I didn't really care for the lead actress, she made me think about the fact that she was acting throughout the film. The other actors were seamless.

Your entry was one of my favorites.

Thank you! I'm a fan of your work on vimeo, your Canon XHA1 + Ultimate work is fantabulous, so your comments mean a lot to me. Interesting thing about the bartender, I see what you're saying, he should be a little bit more to his right. Thanks for the comments! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

beautifully shot

Thanks!

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Loved the opening shots! Crazy good!
Nitpick:
I felt that it almost looked like her and the bartender were in two different environments though, the lighting just seemed so different between them. I know she had her back to the majority of the light but I figured it would at least show on the edges of here hair? The lighting at the end (of her in the bar) seemed to match perfectly. Was the first bar shot of her done elsewhere? Different lighting?

Then you followed it with another wicked shot! Love that location, but wondered why she wouldn't have a coat?

Loved the payoff at the end even though I didn't quite get it at first.

Beautiful film. Nice work.

Mike

 

[gabrielflorit]

ummm.....isn't this already a movie?

I don't think so. Which one do you have in mind? It probably references other movies, there's nothing new under the sun.

if this is your first film then it really does not show.

To get it out of the way, I too had a few issues with the story. That said I was totally drawn in at the start. I love shorts that dont spoon feed you and the exposition tightly held to the chest. Your film had me leaning in all the time. The problem was at the end I felt just as in the dark as at the start. There didnt seem to be any consequences to the decision she had made.

Still, mood spot on. Shot selection great and the pace of the editing on the button.

For your first film you've got one near the top of the pile here. well done.

I beg to differ - I can definitely tell it's my first film, but who isn't their own worst critic right? Glad you liked the editing, I spent over a week on the editing. It's hard work! Thanks for watching - next time I'll be on top of the pile (as long as JDS doesn't enter)

Some great stuff here.

SPOILERS

Establishing shot is very nice. The following shots of the woman are great and tie back in later. Nice non-linear story-telling, not an easy thing to do and keep the continuity clear.

The 'pharmacist' was the strongest actor IMO. Really added a nice layer to the whole. Felt a little like John Voigt's character in U-Turn, but good just the same.

Bar scene is nice. Like the use of the 'sparkle' from the glasses to contrast the dull woods. Not to get all Feng Shui here, but one of the ideas is to make the characteristics of different elements stand out by placing them with their opposites. Worked for me!

The payoff is nice, but little reference that we are seeing the same shmuck that throttled ten years of her life. I think the STD dialogue did little to help the story, and maybe instead some other referance could have done more, with out spelling it out of course. Just a thought.

Love the sound and lighting. Little too much black screen for me, but in all I really enjoyed this one. Solid story.

Looks bleak as hell up there.


AW

The 'sparkle' on the glasses was Gene Boyda's idea, he runs AK Grip & Lighting, the only place in town for light rentals. I'm glad you picked up on that, it was a 1K with CTO, it does make those glasses stand out. Bars have so much eye candy it's nuts.

I find it interesting that people think the guy in the end is the same guy she forgot. I just had him being a jerk that she falls for, so we see her making a big mistake. But now I see how this wasn't clear. My bad.

 

[gabrielflorit]

B-eau-ti-ful!!!!! The lighting was superb!! Good Job all!!

Thanks! I really enjoyed your entry, it's my favorite so far! :thumbup:

wow, what a terrific looking movie!


spoiler...

the outside shots with the shack are some of the best i've seen in any movie! where is that shack!? damn! it defines brutal! the road looked like it fell out of that Sean Penn movie, and the bar was great too. Awesome use of shot glasses and different things.

the acting was good i thought the woman did a fine job. the bartender was good. the drug dealer was fine. that said, no one really knocked it out of the park, but im not sure that hurt the film since it involved such mood from your locations.

the story was good, i figured the guy at the end was the same one who ruined her. only problem is he ought to have given her some sort of cue that he knew her. something wry or dark. i think that would've been more fun than having the bartender's reaction tell me.

also a small thing but the woman should've been wet and cold when she entered the shack, she wasn't even wearing a coat. not a big deal but it would really help sell the place you showed from the outside.

music was great!

i wish you had more time than 6 minutes, i would've loved to see where you would've taken the story.

really great job!!

Glad you liked it! The shack is in Hatcher Pass, about an hour north of Anchorage. It's a well known backcountry skiing area, they get tons of snow well before it gets to freezing in Anchorage. I think the purpose of that shack is to provide shelter during wintertimes - but it's so worn out I think a snow cave would be warmer! Glad you noticed the lack of coat, we thought of that long after wrapping up principal photography. But I can definitely tell you she was very cold during the outdoor shots - it gets cold quick up here. Glad you liked the music, that was my brother's work, I'm a huge fan, I think it adds a whole lot. Thanks for the comments! :dankk2:

really liked many of the shots in this. The externals were great. Wonderful composition. The bartender was lit a bit too hot for my tastes. not sure I understood the ending until I read a few comments here. Good job, see you in Boston.

Thanks for watching - I can't wait to be in Cambridge, I'll make sure to call you up once I'm settled. I need to start working on the next dvx fest!

 

[alex whitmer]

I find it interesting that people think the guy in the end is the same guy she forgot. I just had him being a jerk that she falls for, so we see her making a big mistake. But now I see how this wasn't clear. My bad.

Well damn, that explains the STD dialogue. Here I thought it was a ref to cheating.


I'm going to watch it again with that in mind.

aw

 

[gabrielflorit]

That sony is sharp! looked great. There was a little too much black screen for me as well. Everything was well lit but when it cut to the CU of her at the bar it was little too dark compared to the bartender and not as sharp. Audio was amazingly crisp and the actors were on point. The Bill Clinton line was a little old to me but overall a great film. fantastic cinematography.

Yes, the abundance of black screen is something that has been noticed by quite a few people - I wish I would have gotten rid of a second here and there. The lighting mismatch you see is due to two things: 1) too much fog on her CU, and 2) I didn't open the barndoors of her key on the CU, which meant it looks like she's lit from the wrong side. There was just too much to do, we only had 7am to 3pm to do the bar scenes. Still, no excuses. I should have done better. I'm glad you thought the audio was ok, it's hard to do right. I'd rather DP than handle sound. Thanks for watching!

Loved the opening shots! Crazy good!
Nitpick:
I felt that it almost looked like her and the bartender were in two different environments though, the lighting just seemed so different between them. I know she had her back to the majority of the light but I figured it would at least show on the edges of here hair? The lighting at the end (of her in the bar) seemed to match perfectly. Was the first bar shot of her done elsewhere? Different lighting?

Then you followed it with another wicked shot! Love that location, but wondered why she wouldn't have a coat?

Loved the payoff at the end even though I didn't quite get it at first.

Beautiful film. Nice work.

Mike

Your comments are spot on, other people have noticed this as well. I had a 650W to the bartender right as bartender backlight and woman key. When shooting the bartender CU I closed the barndoors to limit spill on the counter, and I forgot to open them up when shooting her CU. This mean that her face was wrongly lit.

There's no reason for her not having a coat, except that I thought she would be so desperate she wouldn't even think of it. Obviously I was wrong, since tons of people picked up on that omission.

Thanks for watching!

 

[MrKilloran]

Oh Man! Do you have an enthralling entry here or what?!

This was bleak, in a good way of course, that shack's exterior shots look incredible as well as the road. Excellent job on the lighting!

I think the one downside of your film is the ending, which after reading some comments I get, but there was definitely some confusion over their relationship.

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Your comments are spot on, other people have noticed this as well. I had a 650W to the bartender right as bartender backlight and woman key. When shooting the bartender CU I closed the barndoors to limit spill on the counter, and I forgot to open them up when shooting her CU. This mean that her face was wrongly lit.

There's no reason for her not having a coat, except that I thought she would be so desperate she wouldn't even think of it. Obviously I was wrong, since tons of people picked up on that omission.

Thanks for watching!

Cool. Not a huge issue with me either way. Nice work!

PS- Can't remember, did you shoot this?

 

[gabrielflorit]

Oh Man! Do you have an enthralling entry here or what?!

This was bleak, in a good way of course, that shack's exterior shots look incredible as well as the road. Excellent job on the lighting!

I think the one downside of your film is the ending, which after reading some comments I get, but there was definitely some confusion over their relationship.

Thanks for watching! Alaska is a great place for exterior locations. :thumbup:

Cool. Not a huge issue with me either way. Nice work!

PS- Can't remember, did you shoot this?

Not sure of your question - I DP'd. Shot with a clean EX1.