FEATURE: DEUCE OF SPADES - How I made a period full feature film all by myself on ZERO budget

By the way, I am not dyslestic, just typing way too fast for our own good :)

Or should I say:

Yb teh wya, I am not dylcteics, jtsu tpying too fats for our onw gdoo..

HAHA!
 
DCP said:
Hey Faith,

Yeah, it was hard to tell in that smaller shot. I thought he was looking directly into the 'camera'. I see your point. Have you thought about having him hold his leather jacket in his left hand (same pose, just add the jacket). Like to the two examples both are holding their 'weapons'. Granted, the deuce is his weapon, but his jacket is his sheld. Just a thought. I do like the poster though!
Click to expand...

How about I have him hold the steering wheel (as in DETACHED from the car and in his hands)

HAHAHAHAHA!!

I had thought about the leather jacket in hand but that immediately says: I am relaxed, hanging out with my jacket in hand. In the above, he looks planted firm, perhaps bracing himself for what is to come (and a lot is to come)... So, no, no jacket in hand for Johnny, this is not a fashion show LOL.
 
Keep the input coming, it is very helpful. I know some of it is going to benefit the poster progress. Also it would help me, if you did like it or like some of the part, that you point out why you liked it (what is it that made it work for you), thank you for your help.
 
In fact the two examples you posted are facing the camera not looking into it. Their gaze is just left or right of the lens. Second both are lit from the left. The light source from the right takes my attention off of the deuce. The upper part of the poster feels like it is lit from the left. I love the feel of that part of the poster. For me the poster works all the rest is just nit picking. I feel like I get a good feel for your movie by it

Hope this helps
 
I'm questioning the fact that since Faiths actors aren't well known A listers, how much of an impact it's going to have by making them larger, probably not much. I still think there needs to be a girl along with the guy on the poster, maybe another hot rod or several in front of a 50's gas station or drive in burger joint at night might be more visually entertaining.
 
I think that Faith is going to get as many suggestions about her poster as viewers to this thread. Nobody agrees on anything anymore in this country, its the dowside of living in a melting pot, everyone is an island.

Dan
 
ChipG said:
I'm questioning the fact that since Faiths actors aren't well known A listers, how much of an impact it's going to have by making them larger, probably not much. I still think there needs to be a girl along with the guy on the poster, maybe another hot rod or several in front of a 50's gas station or drive in burger joint at night might be more visually entertaining.
Click to expand...


Hmmm... Somehow,, a Burger joint doesn't spell DRAMA to me ;)
 
I really like the poster, but I think the male lead stands out a little too much. He almost seems pasted on top of the rest of it (obviously, this is partially true). I think the problem for me might be the lighting. If he had a red glow backlighting him, he would seem more integrated perhaps. I was also looking at the Braveheart and Gladiator posters, and in both of them the background lighting corresponds to the hero's lighting.

Just a thought.
 
jasonthewho said:
I really like the poster, but I think the male lead stands out a little too much. He almost seems pasted on top of the rest of it (obviously, this is partially true). I think the problem for me might be the lighting. If he had a red glow backlighting him, he would seem more integrated perhaps. I was also looking at the Braveheart and Gladiator posters, and in both of them the background lighting corresponds to the hero's lighting.

Just a thought.
Click to expand...

that is an interesting comment... I agree with it in parts only due to the fact that I added the tree... the rest of the background (black background behind him) is actually all part of the REAL photo, as I took on the dry lake bed that night, so it is real. He was really standing there, next to the deuce on the dry lake bed. The car and him were lit in the same shot. This is exactely what the lake bed, the car, johnny and the night behind him looked like. Nothing fake there.

Now when I added the tree, which is not really part of the background, but rather a layer, another image from the film, then maybe it makes you feel like he needs red glow... From the fire / red sky behind the tree.

The poster will be redone in high res and film grain added to the entire thing so everything will blend better. This is just a mock, to work out ideas but I tried to make it look as final as I could.

keep feedback coming....
 
I've been following your thread for some time and am very impressed with what you've accomplished so far. Look forward to seeing the final result!

Some feedback re. your poster:

I think it's too cluttered. I notice you've included many of the major elements of your film, the letter, the tree, the car, Johnny, the leather jacket with spades logo, the sunset... Wow! That's a lot of stuff. lol. Unfortunately, it doesn't all go together very well, imho.

I would suggest choosing a single iconic image that sums up your film, and focus on that. That image is probably one of the elements mentioned above. I know that a single image cannot tell the whole story, but it can hint at what the film is about.

A classic example is the poster for Alien. It's a cracked egg with light coming out of it.

I don't think focusing on your handsome lead is the way to go. The posters for Braveheart and Gladiator focus on Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe, not because of their looks, but because they are marquee actors.

Personally, I would focus on the car itself as your "iconic image."

My two cents.

Follow your instincts, and that'll be the right decision!

Good luck!
 
Faith, the shot with you under the car and your legs sticking out surrounded by the tools with wrench in hand nails "The Draw" to this movie like nothing else.
 
I also think the shot of your legs sticking out from under the car is the shot to go for , it is evocative and creates interest and certainly holds your gaze longer than the other image. The shot lets your imagination fill in the blanks which are always the best ads, it creates a desire to know more. That shot with some slick writing will nail it.
 
I am listening to everyone's feedback and will play with some of these ideas and try them out. The more options I have to pick from the better.

That said, it is hard for you guys to gauge what photo is most "iconic" for the film, since you don't really know the film - you have not seen it.

I feel the photo of me under the car, although, very appealing visually for a dude, is not a very good representation of the film. When I see it I think: Chicks, pin ups and it certainly does not evoque for me: Man from the past gets his life completely destroyed, loses everything and girl from modern day finds out and attempts to do something about it. The film is Johnny Callaway's story, not the girl's legs story. I know you guys like to look at pretty legs LOL, but they don't tell the story at all.

Also some of you suggested; "You definitely need to put the girl in teh poster" but when I asked "which girl?" [there are two main girls - My character (the legs under the car) and Bettie, Johnny's love] no one replied. So I need to ask once again, if a girl has to be added to the poster, and there are two important girls in this story, which of the two should be there? INI fact there are three vital characters in this film: Johnny, Bettie and Faith. Maybe I should have all 3 in there, but in such a way that Johnny and Bettie are seen together (maybe kissing in a faded image in the background) amd Faith is seem opposite side, alone (she is just the messenger / instrument of Providence). Maybe have the deuce (iconic image) in the center. I hate to lose the tree though cause to me the tree and blood red sky cast a foreboding shadow / tention to the poster.

Keep feedback and ideas coming.
 
QUICK NEWSFLASH:

It's OFFICIAL: I have filmed my LAST scene friday. Only three small shoots to gather a few missing pick up shots and I am 100% done filming....

I am not sure whether I should leap, screem and laugh in joy or mourn...

I so enjoy filming...

But my body is beat, and I need a break BADLY, so yeah, I guess I am HAPPY to be DONE (and that means I can release this puppy SOON)

Weeeheeee !!
 
Congrats Faith.

You had better sell off your HVX and your Letus soon, they are losing value by the minute. Do you anticipate pickup shoots?

I did a shoot with two HVXs yesterday and we had my 170 and a borrowed HPX300 on set too. The 200, while it was great in its day, when seen side by side with the 170 and the 300, looked pretty bad. Too much grain and the overall image is just coarse. And of course, the 300 makes the 170 looks pretty bad for only a little more money.

Good luck with the poster.

Dan
 
Really new to the forums, and I'll admit I haven't read through this entire thread yet, but this film looks awesome and I'm excited to see it progress through post-production. Looks like you're really accomplished a lot! (Sorry if that isn't exactly constructive criticism, but I'll check back with some of that when time allows, I promise!)
 
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