"We Are Not Alone" - Reyo-San Pictures
- Thread starter Kaz
- Start date
mikkowilson
Steadi-Guru
Kaz,
WOW. Top notch, I mean REALLY top notch.
The first pull out and reveal of the distruction just really made me sit up and pay attention. It was one of those "holy sh-, this is amazing work" moments. And then the building explodes just to crown of the scene.
The window scene.
slightly cliché, but not one bit to the detrment of the scene. PERFECTLY excecuted. There's that big empty window, whcih you allready knwo there's somethign outside of, you watch him, his eyes go HUGE and then the flash and silouhete. And here's the best part: you linger, just long enoguh to cut to the girl's scream as a reaction, not part of the scare. - And you made me jump. Then that wide afterwards to bring the viewer right back down. So soothing and so necesary. Normally this part is left out.
I love the 3 legged "pods" off in the water. The whoel beach scene looks great. But I've got to say it: the focus thing. It broke the shot. It wasn't even that focus beeing there, but the degree to which it was. I was expecting a small blure, but so big loss and the hunting (thoguh well done) killed the shot. But you brought it righ back with teh guy close up - who admitedly looked right after the zoom in on teh spacecraft (nice).
Yeah, the "laser blasts" didn't look that great. But there was nothign wrogn with them. Had they have been in any other film they woudl have looked great, but they did pale in comparison to the rest of your peice.
Really good job man.
One last thing, that dones't relate directly to your film, but rather this thread. I got to about page 2 or 3 when it was explained what you used for location. I'd been wondering where you got the destruction from. It gave a very real, very sad, view of what has happened down there. I guess I didn't know how bad it really is. Thankyou for showing that as part of yoru film. Belice it or not, that was one hell of a reality check.
- Mikko
WOW. Top notch, I mean REALLY top notch.
The first pull out and reveal of the distruction just really made me sit up and pay attention. It was one of those "holy sh-, this is amazing work" moments. And then the building explodes just to crown of the scene.
The window scene.
slightly cliché, but not one bit to the detrment of the scene. PERFECTLY excecuted. There's that big empty window, whcih you allready knwo there's somethign outside of, you watch him, his eyes go HUGE and then the flash and silouhete. And here's the best part: you linger, just long enoguh to cut to the girl's scream as a reaction, not part of the scare. - And you made me jump. Then that wide afterwards to bring the viewer right back down. So soothing and so necesary. Normally this part is left out.
I love the 3 legged "pods" off in the water. The whoel beach scene looks great. But I've got to say it: the focus thing. It broke the shot. It wasn't even that focus beeing there, but the degree to which it was. I was expecting a small blure, but so big loss and the hunting (thoguh well done) killed the shot. But you brought it righ back with teh guy close up - who admitedly looked right after the zoom in on teh spacecraft (nice).
Yeah, the "laser blasts" didn't look that great. But there was nothign wrogn with them. Had they have been in any other film they woudl have looked great, but they did pale in comparison to the rest of your peice.
Really good job man.
One last thing, that dones't relate directly to your film, but rather this thread. I got to about page 2 or 3 when it was explained what you used for location. I'd been wondering where you got the destruction from. It gave a very real, very sad, view of what has happened down there. I guess I didn't know how bad it really is. Thankyou for showing that as part of yoru film. Belice it or not, that was one hell of a reality check.
- Mikko
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
The Alien behind the window blind is awesome ! My wife and son jumped 2 ft ! Great scare !
Dahopafilms
Well-known member
Kaz,
This is my favourite short thus far in. Loved the beginning and ending with the dime. The Christmas tree in the living room scene added some depth and poignancy. The transition from the hole in the back of the dead victim to the moon in the night sky was awesome. And I loved the punch of the ending.
And I can only imagine a DVXUser short being compared to War of the Worlds - favourably at that. Your head's got to be growing, man.
The only "huh" I had (yeah, right) was about the multiple missed shots on the "good-bye scene" - I found them curious (aliens don't miss, do they?).
Anyway, thanks very much for your efforts and your display of obvious talent.
This is my favourite short thus far in. Loved the beginning and ending with the dime. The Christmas tree in the living room scene added some depth and poignancy. The transition from the hole in the back of the dead victim to the moon in the night sky was awesome. And I loved the punch of the ending.
And I can only imagine a DVXUser short being compared to War of the Worlds - favourably at that. Your head's got to be growing, man.
The only "huh" I had (yeah, right) was about the multiple missed shots on the "good-bye scene" - I found them curious (aliens don't miss, do they?).
Anyway, thanks very much for your efforts and your display of obvious talent.
Kaz
Well-known member
Wow! Passing out from a stomach bug and waking up to this is exactly what I needed. Thanks, fellas.
To macgregor you listen.
I have to say, it was one of those experiences where most everything I did just worked out when putting it together and I've never had that happen before. I'm sitting there watching it, finding tiny mistakes but a voice goes off in the back of my head saying, "I think... you may have something here, my friend!" It's a cool feeling especially on my first sci-fi film (a genre I LOVE)
But major credit goes to my good friend Blake Balu who played Daniel. He's one of those people who's not only very dedicated, but quickly understands what you're trying to do and makes it better.
You guys will no doubt make me go back and put better lasers in and you have already made me second guess the DOF thing and I thank you. I do love fixing things. -One last hurrah before I offer it up to the DVD gods.
I only wish you guys could hear my 5.1 surround track for this film...
To macgregor you listen.
I have to say, it was one of those experiences where most everything I did just worked out when putting it together and I've never had that happen before. I'm sitting there watching it, finding tiny mistakes but a voice goes off in the back of my head saying, "I think... you may have something here, my friend!" It's a cool feeling especially on my first sci-fi film (a genre I LOVE)
But major credit goes to my good friend Blake Balu who played Daniel. He's one of those people who's not only very dedicated, but quickly understands what you're trying to do and makes it better.
You guys will no doubt make me go back and put better lasers in and you have already made me second guess the DOF thing and I thank you. I do love fixing things. -One last hurrah before I offer it up to the DVD gods.
I only wish you guys could hear my 5.1 surround track for this film...
J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Getting Mac to DP for KAZ would hvae been epic.
HagerNYC
Active member
Dude. The compositing with motion tracking was great! Kudos to your compositor! All your effects were great because they were subtle. They looked like what they should. The sound effects with the laser blasts that kill the woman were perfect. I could go on, but I agree with everyone here. Great work. 
penfever
Well-known member
This is a very strong entry, as people have said. Not because I think the film is bad, but because I think everyone needs constructive criticism, I'm going to focus a bit on the negative. But as I said, great entry.
First off, I didn't buy your ending. The frame of your story was too grand for the ~6 minute limit. For one thing, you went over. For another, you still didn't offer a solid, BANG, that's the end feeling. This is purely a scripting issue in my eyes, and it's vitally important to write a story that can be told in the amount of time you have to tell it.
Second, I thought the choices for editing were - interesting. Not bad, just interesting. I wouldn't have weighted the shots of him walking around quite so heavily - it made the story seem very episodic. Why is he in the house at night, then walking around, then running in the woods? What's the temporal relationship between these events? These were questions I found myself asking.
I hope you and yours are healthy and safe. Congratulations on your film, and keep those cameras rolling.
First off, I didn't buy your ending. The frame of your story was too grand for the ~6 minute limit. For one thing, you went over. For another, you still didn't offer a solid, BANG, that's the end feeling. This is purely a scripting issue in my eyes, and it's vitally important to write a story that can be told in the amount of time you have to tell it.
Second, I thought the choices for editing were - interesting. Not bad, just interesting. I wouldn't have weighted the shots of him walking around quite so heavily - it made the story seem very episodic. Why is he in the house at night, then walking around, then running in the woods? What's the temporal relationship between these events? These were questions I found myself asking.
I hope you and yours are healthy and safe. Congratulations on your film, and keep those cameras rolling.
Kaz
Well-known member
penfever said:
Thanks for the words.
To answer, those were flashbacks. The first thing he says during the house scene is "It was 3 weeks ago when news of the invasion hit...
Running in the woods - Flashback, same night. I had thought having them wearing the same clothes and him clean shaven was pretty clear.
And the 6 minute thing has been addressed. I submitted a 6 minute version without credits, however:
Ralph Oshiro
Veteran
WOW! GREAT TV graphics+FX shot in TV. Always love it when TV is done right in a movie. LOVE the tripods in the overcast horizon at the beach. Love the whole "dime" thing. Love the dead woman, and him getting only the dime from the purse! Good night-for-night lighting on the house interior. Good smoke in the exterior! Great job!
angrynerdrock07
Well-known member
I really enjoyed the TV Effects too. I thought all of your visual effects were top-notch. I thought the film was a beautiful allegory for the devastation in New Orleans. Like it was said earlier this puts it into perspective much better than any CNN footage ever could have. And it was kind of like War of the Worlds, only without crazy Tom Cruise. Gotta Love that!
angrynerdrock07
Well-known member
Also wanted to say that my favorite shot was the one of the doll's head with the aliens out of focus in the background sky. Loved it!
smelni
Veteran
Visually it was really amazing. I agree with the comments that there wasnt a bang closed ending - but I never lost interest.
You really nailed the scale of the alien invasion.
I REALLY liked the out of focus alien on the beach - very very cool.
Great work. I think it really needs to be a feature or at least a longer short to do the storyline justice.
You really nailed the scale of the alien invasion.
I REALLY liked the out of focus alien on the beach - very very cool.
Great work. I think it really needs to be a feature or at least a longer short to do the storyline justice.
Kaz
Well-known member
Unfortunately, the ending turned out completely different then I had originally envisioned. The final shot was supposed to be a bright doorway with a silhouette of all the rebels filing out thrusting their guns, running into battle. I wasn't able to secure a large indoor space with the look I wanted for this so I chose to do it in a friend's back yard. Then, there was an issue with guns. I would have only been able to get an assortment of guns for everyone which wouldn't work because that would mean, story-wise, the metallurgist would be making bullets and shells for each one. That wasn't feasible. So I was left with doing what I did.
Also, the music was never supposed to stop at the end, but I figured the only way to help the final scene was build it to a climax and bam! Fists in the air, he says the final line.
Also, the music was never supposed to stop at the end, but I figured the only way to help the final scene was build it to a climax and bam! Fists in the air, he says the final line.
Jared Meyer
Veteran
Great before and after shots! How long do you think it took you to develop each "plate" (if that's the right word)?