This was solid entertainment!
Cool thanks for watching it.
Once again, this goes for anyone who is interested, we are doing a screening at USC next Friday. Just let me know if you would like to come by and I'll get you the info.
Without Providence - Short Military Film - XL-H1
- Thread starter pdsage10
- Start date
Cool thanks for watching it.
Once again, this goes for anyone who is interested, we are doing a screening at USC next Friday. Just let me know if you would like to come by and I'll get you the info.
Great job! The acting, writing, music, production values were all top notch.
My only critique, and it is a very small one, is that there were so few guests (one table) at the wedding reception, it kinda took me out of the moment. That was the only instance where the low budget showed. Again, this is a minor quibble and I only mention it as constructive criticism. We all face that obstacle and challenge, how to create the illusion of spectacle with few resources.
Overall, very impressive. I really enjoyed it. :beer:
My only critique, and it is a very small one, is that there were so few guests (one table) at the wedding reception, it kinda took me out of the moment. That was the only instance where the low budget showed. Again, this is a minor quibble and I only mention it as constructive criticism. We all face that obstacle and challenge, how to create the illusion of spectacle with few resources.
Overall, very impressive. I really enjoyed it. :beer:
Maximus,
Cool thank man.
Yeah the wedding was an interesting endeavor. We actually had a lot more people there than what is seen in the cut. The issue was that the shot with two other tables in it had an extra who felt the need to over-act and play to the camera. It wasn't noticed till we got into the editing room and realized that the wider shot with him in it was no good. AHHHHH!
So we just made the gut retching decision to only show one table.
Cool thank man.
Yeah the wedding was an interesting endeavor. We actually had a lot more people there than what is seen in the cut. The issue was that the shot with two other tables in it had an extra who felt the need to over-act and play to the camera. It wasn't noticed till we got into the editing room and realized that the wider shot with him in it was no good. AHHHHH!
So we just made the gut retching decision to only show one table.
Tony Warren
New member
That was good and I really don't like army movies, who did the score and sound design?
dougspice
Veteran
Good stuff. You did a nice job building the characters, which is something usually missing from military movies. I really felt like these guys were there. And aside from the lack of rifles, the authenticity was definitely there! 
I thought the sound design was really good, but I have to say I completely disagree with the comments applauding the music. During the first half of the film, the score was fairly subtle and effective, but then in the second half it just became this overwrought in-your-face pomp-and-circumstance nonstop megascore, and it got really distracting to the point that I basically stopped caring about the characters - they stopped being individuals and started feeling like cookie-cutter Medal of Honor standups. If I were you I'd consider rescoring the film if you intend to keep showing it - or even just mix some the existing score down a bit. Sorry if I'm a bit harsh on this point but I was really liking your movie and genuinely think it was damaged by the music.
But overall, good stuff, congrats on the film!
I thought the sound design was really good, but I have to say I completely disagree with the comments applauding the music. During the first half of the film, the score was fairly subtle and effective, but then in the second half it just became this overwrought in-your-face pomp-and-circumstance nonstop megascore, and it got really distracting to the point that I basically stopped caring about the characters - they stopped being individuals and started feeling like cookie-cutter Medal of Honor standups. If I were you I'd consider rescoring the film if you intend to keep showing it - or even just mix some the existing score down a bit. Sorry if I'm a bit harsh on this point but I was really liking your movie and genuinely think it was damaged by the music.
But overall, good stuff, congrats on the film!
Tony Warren,
Funny story about the sound design. I did it on my own and started out with using a library of stock sounds like bullet bys, bullet hits, explosions, etc.. But I quickly found that there was only so much you could do with these. So I decided to do my own sound design by recording individual elements and then mixing them to create an effect.
So one day I went out in my back yard for a few hours and brought with me some cat litter, cereal, a hammer, a spade, fishing line and tons of other junk.
So most of the sounds you here in the film are multiple elements from my backyard mixed together or they are a highbred of stock sounds and my sounds. I had tons of fun doing it and wont even consider doing it or a living.
As for the composer, his name is Eugene Mishustin. http://www.eugenemishustin.com/
The score was done using samples and as far as I am concerned it sounds amazing for not have one live instrument.
Funny story about the sound design. I did it on my own and started out with using a library of stock sounds like bullet bys, bullet hits, explosions, etc.. But I quickly found that there was only so much you could do with these. So I decided to do my own sound design by recording individual elements and then mixing them to create an effect.
So one day I went out in my back yard for a few hours and brought with me some cat litter, cereal, a hammer, a spade, fishing line and tons of other junk.
So most of the sounds you here in the film are multiple elements from my backyard mixed together or they are a highbred of stock sounds and my sounds. I had tons of fun doing it and wont even consider doing it or a living.
As for the composer, his name is Eugene Mishustin. http://www.eugenemishustin.com/
The score was done using samples and as far as I am concerned it sounds amazing for not have one live instrument.
Good stuff. You did a nice job building the characters, which is something usually missing from military movies. I really felt like these guys were there. And aside from the lack of rifles, the authenticity was definitely there!
I thought the sound design was really good, but I have to say I completely disagree with the comments applauding the music. During the first half of the film, the score was fairly subtle and effective, but then in the second half it just became this overwrought in-your-face pomp-and-circumstance nonstop megascore, and it got really distracting to the point that I basically stopped caring about the characters - they stopped being individuals and started feeling like cookie-cutter Medal of Honor standups. If I were you I'd consider rescoring the film if you intend to keep showing it - or even just mix some the existing score down a bit. Sorry if I'm a bit harsh on this point but I was really liking your movie and genuinely think it was damaged by the music.
But overall, good stuff, congrats on the film!
Hey Doug, thanks for the honest feedback. your not the first to comment on the scale of the score in the end of the film. We are currently looking at maybe mixing back a bit in some parts.
But if thats all that bugged you, then I guess we did alright.
imthinking
Active member
Did you shoot this with just 1 camera? Man how many setups did that take
Yep, just one camera. I cant remember how many setups, but there were a ton. We shot all of the "Afghanistan" scenes in one day, the wedding in under 4 hours and the cemetery scene in under 2 hours. It was an insane schedule for the Afghanistan stuff.Did you shoot this with just 1 camera? Man how many setups did that take
imthinking
Active member
This gives me inspiration as i have a short film I want to shoot but the thought of just one camera gives me pause sooooo many setups and its just me with the knowledge, the others are just there for the ride.
sooooo many setups and its just me with the knowledge, the others are just there for the ride.imthinking
Active member
I would love to get a copy if you burn it to Blue - Ray!
I've been researching the Canon XL H1S to see if it is really worth purchasing the camera, or renting it. I have a problem with renting equipment, as I'm finding that for the price of renting, by the end of the shoot I could have purchased the damn thing.
So I wanted to ask how you liked using the Canon XL H1S, and would you recommend it? I am getting ready to shoot a film short (I am a screenwriter and director), and am curious if it's worth getting this camera.
I'm also considering using the Letus35 Extreme with Cine 35mm Lens. I'd love to hear your comments. Thanks so much.
Also, regarding your film. As I was saying, I was looking for footage taken by the XL H1S, when I came across your film. At first I was thinking, what is this cheesy film. As most shorts I find, or independent films I find, are pretty lame, sad to say. But I must admit, yours was pretty on the mark, I was pleasantly surprised. I read a submission in this post of someone commenting that you felt for these guys, and were actually scared at points. I must admit, I was taken off guard. I didn't care much for the night scene before hand. I know you were establishing the story, but I wanted to just get into the action. I would watch out that you're setting up too much, it can get a little boring. But as soon as the first guy got shot, I was glued! Not for the action itself, but the way you shot it was very nice! Definitely quality!
I would also get more used to getting the camera into the action. Don't be afraid of close-up shots. Get in there! Especially with action. Remember, show the emotion on the faces of the actors. That's why you have them. Get that emotion on film!!! That's your job as the director.
Other than that, very impressed! Nice job!!!
-45thronin
So I wanted to ask how you liked using the Canon XL H1S, and would you recommend it? I am getting ready to shoot a film short (I am a screenwriter and director), and am curious if it's worth getting this camera.
I'm also considering using the Letus35 Extreme with Cine 35mm Lens. I'd love to hear your comments. Thanks so much.
Also, regarding your film. As I was saying, I was looking for footage taken by the XL H1S, when I came across your film. At first I was thinking, what is this cheesy film. As most shorts I find, or independent films I find, are pretty lame, sad to say. But I must admit, yours was pretty on the mark, I was pleasantly surprised. I read a submission in this post of someone commenting that you felt for these guys, and were actually scared at points. I must admit, I was taken off guard. I didn't care much for the night scene before hand. I know you were establishing the story, but I wanted to just get into the action. I would watch out that you're setting up too much, it can get a little boring. But as soon as the first guy got shot, I was glued! Not for the action itself, but the way you shot it was very nice! Definitely quality!
I would also get more used to getting the camera into the action. Don't be afraid of close-up shots. Get in there! Especially with action. Remember, show the emotion on the faces of the actors. That's why you have them. Get that emotion on film!!! That's your job as the director.
Other than that, very impressed! Nice job!!!
-45thronin
Woohoo! Been in Washington DC for the past week at the GI Film Festival. Its a festival that features films honoring our troops and has some great guests speakers, from the former speaker of the house Newt Gingrich, to Gilbert Adler the producer of Valkyrie and Superman Returns.
Tonight was the awards ceremony and my short film titled Kapisa won for Best Student Film. Nice!
Our total budget was under $1000 and we beat out another USC film with a $30,000 budget shot on film. Kept getting questions about what it was shot on and I kept laughing when I told them it was shot on a Canon XL-H1 with the stock lens. The online version that we have put up looks horrible (milky black levels and detail issues), but I do have to say that the DVD looks stellar.
Tonight was the awards ceremony and my short film titled Kapisa won for Best Student Film. Nice!
Our total budget was under $1000 and we beat out another USC film with a $30,000 budget shot on film. Kept getting questions about what it was shot on and I kept laughing when I told them it was shot on a Canon XL-H1 with the stock lens. The online version that we have put up looks horrible (milky black levels and detail issues), but I do have to say that the DVD looks stellar.
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UPDATE**** Tomorrow (Friday) night on "The Military Channel" (part of the Discovery channel network).
FRIDAY, December 3 from 6 PM PST (9pm EST)
KAPISA (Premiere)
Caught in the crossfire of the intensifying war in Afghanistan, members of a small team of U.S. Army soldiers are forced to choose between promises made to one another and those assured to their loved ones back home. KAPISA is a narrative short and was directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and Paul Sage. It won the Best Student Film Award at the 2009 G.I. Film Festival. ****
FRIDAY, December 3 from 6 PM PST (9pm EST)
KAPISA (Premiere)
Caught in the crossfire of the intensifying war in Afghanistan, members of a small team of U.S. Army soldiers are forced to choose between promises made to one another and those assured to their loved ones back home. KAPISA is a narrative short and was directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and Paul Sage. It won the Best Student Film Award at the 2009 G.I. Film Festival. ****