Dirt
- Thread starter KOHR
- Start date
Update: Just sat down and edited for about 4 hours straight...no breaks for food, water, or bathroom. Got about 4 and a half minutes of the rough cut edited. I have more screen grabs, but I'm afraid that they'll give too much away about the film, so I think yall just have to wait! 
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
I love those little editing marathons where you don't move an inch away from the keyboard and hours just fly by.
Good times.
Glad to hear it's coming along.
MAH
Good times.
Glad to hear it's coming along.
MAH
I love those little editing marathons where you don't move an inch away from the keyboard and hours just fly by.
Good times.
Glad to hear it's coming along.
MAH
Haha, so true. I took a break for a bike ride and dinner. Now its back to the grindstone. Its coming along well, but I'm already at 7 minutes and I'm not even done with a rough cut. So, I will have to shave off some meat in a bit. But hey, thats what rough cuts are for. Right now my biggest problem is just figuring out what takes are the absolute best for each individual shot.
JUST finished the first cut of the film... clocking in at a grand total of 10 minutes 58 seconds and 2 frames. The original script is only 7 pages long, and when I read through it originally it seemed to only take about 6 and a half minutes, so this is a little unsettling. However, I am somewhat happy because in its complete state (complete, as in, it has all of the lines and actions I originally wanted) it clocks in as one of my longer, more full shorts. So I will likely keep at 10-11 minute version for later festivals/screenings...a "director's cut" of sorts. And while some may be disappointed at having to cut 5 minutes out of their film, I find the challenge fun... I spent 2 days turning "Paired" (the laundromat Twilight fest film) from a 13 minute film into a much more tight, refined 6-7 minute film. That was an even bigger task and yet somehow I managed.
Being forced to "kill your babies" does really seem to help the film in the end, I've found. The only issue with this particular film and cutting out 5 minutes is that I will likely have to take the knife to some very cool parts/performances. Of course, I could always delete the introduction segment and save 45 seconds of the film, but something just doesn't seem right without the intro.
Anyway, I've just watched through it for the first time, and I'm loving it. Wish me luck!
Being forced to "kill your babies" does really seem to help the film in the end, I've found. The only issue with this particular film and cutting out 5 minutes is that I will likely have to take the knife to some very cool parts/performances. Of course, I could always delete the introduction segment and save 45 seconds of the film, but something just doesn't seem right without the intro.
Anyway, I've just watched through it for the first time, and I'm loving it. Wish me luck!
Matt Harris
Veteran
wow, very cool look, you got my attention.
Defcon- thanks man, I'm really happy with how its coming.
So, I haven't posted in a few days... been a bit busy with some small commercial shoots, etc. But I've been putting about 4 hours a day at least into DIRT. We're nearly at a visual lock, and the score is in the works for this whole week (should have it on Friday). ADR Session happening tomorrow...but besides that, sound design is proving relatively easy for this film... half because of the setting and half because of the script. I will probably be able to finish sound design in about a day. I want to be done and uploaded by Friday evening so I can take part in a local 48 hour film fest thats happening around here... but if I have to skip it to make this film as good as possible, I will. Back to editing for me!
So, I haven't posted in a few days... been a bit busy with some small commercial shoots, etc. But I've been putting about 4 hours a day at least into DIRT. We're nearly at a visual lock, and the score is in the works for this whole week (should have it on Friday). ADR Session happening tomorrow...but besides that, sound design is proving relatively easy for this film... half because of the setting and half because of the script. I will probably be able to finish sound design in about a day. I want to be done and uploaded by Friday evening so I can take part in a local 48 hour film fest thats happening around here... but if I have to skip it to make this film as good as possible, I will. Back to editing for me!
Update:
Been working pretty much nonstop on this movie (which has been difficult because I'm also in the middle of doing 2 or 3 commercial shoots/edits as well as in the middle of the most dedicated diet/exercise routine I've ever had). One of the actors who was originally cast as our "young outlaw" character that didn't work out because of scheduling conflicts turned out to be a post-production sound guru in the area as well....so after I couldn't have him as part of the project as an actor, we managed to get together and have him and his partner do post-production sound on the film....and let me just say-- Wow... These two guys are fantastic. Over the last two days we've done all of the recording (took a total of 10 hours or so) for the 12 minute version of the film...now they're working on the original score...which they are performing to the 12 minute version of the film. Essentially, I came up with the original chord progression and theme, and then they are going to run with it and make it their own. These guys are really amazing-- I'm super psyched to hear the final product.
In other news, it appears that I'm going to be interviewed by a Florida arts/film/media magazine called "Creative Loafing" about my work on "DIRT." So I will throw dvxuser's name out there as many times as possible to try to get some views for ALL of our films.
My plan for cutting the 6 minutes out of the film is to basically have the FINAL 12 minute product as a complete Mov file with one layer of sound and one layer of video in FCP, and then go in like a cable channel playing a movie, and cut out sections that aren't necessary. I've managed to list out about 4.5 minutes that I'm already able to cut out with this method. Hopefully the film will be short enough! That will probably be done on Sunday afternoon, so I can play with compression for the last 24 hours.
Its a race to the finish!
KOHR
Been working pretty much nonstop on this movie (which has been difficult because I'm also in the middle of doing 2 or 3 commercial shoots/edits as well as in the middle of the most dedicated diet/exercise routine I've ever had). One of the actors who was originally cast as our "young outlaw" character that didn't work out because of scheduling conflicts turned out to be a post-production sound guru in the area as well....so after I couldn't have him as part of the project as an actor, we managed to get together and have him and his partner do post-production sound on the film....and let me just say-- Wow... These two guys are fantastic. Over the last two days we've done all of the recording (took a total of 10 hours or so) for the 12 minute version of the film...now they're working on the original score...which they are performing to the 12 minute version of the film. Essentially, I came up with the original chord progression and theme, and then they are going to run with it and make it their own. These guys are really amazing-- I'm super psyched to hear the final product.
In other news, it appears that I'm going to be interviewed by a Florida arts/film/media magazine called "Creative Loafing" about my work on "DIRT." So I will throw dvxuser's name out there as many times as possible to try to get some views for ALL of our films.
My plan for cutting the 6 minutes out of the film is to basically have the FINAL 12 minute product as a complete Mov file with one layer of sound and one layer of video in FCP, and then go in like a cable channel playing a movie, and cut out sections that aren't necessary. I've managed to list out about 4.5 minutes that I'm already able to cut out with this method. Hopefully the film will be short enough! That will probably be done on Sunday afternoon, so I can play with compression for the last 24 hours.
Its a race to the finish!
KOHR
Matt Harris
Veteran
congrats, good update, don't cut it too close!
Thanks man! I will try not to... but hey, what cowboy doesn't enjoy a close shave haha
Mega update:
Saturday, July 17th... 3:00 PM EST.... VISUAL LOCK. Can I get a "yeehah!"
The about 80% of the sound is done as well. All that needs to be done is some foley and light ambient tweaks later this evening. That and a final mixdown tomorrow. Now its off to cut out 5 minutes (I've already figured out where 4.5 minutes are coming out from... so its not as big of a task anymore as if I were just going to try to figure it out now).
Saturday, July 17th... 3:00 PM EST.... VISUAL LOCK. Can I get a "yeehah!"
The about 80% of the sound is done as well. All that needs to be done is some foley and light ambient tweaks later this evening. That and a final mixdown tomorrow. Now its off to cut out 5 minutes (I've already figured out where 4.5 minutes are coming out from... so its not as big of a task anymore as if I were just going to try to figure it out now).
More updates:
So I've been working around the clock to get this watchable in time. I did manage to cut the film down to 6 minutes (the longer version is 11 minutes and 45 seconds)...but I had to take out a lot of good dialogue that I like, but I suppose isn't CRUCIAL to the plot. Sound design is pretty much complete, as is the score.
This has probably been one of the more difficult editing challenges for me because I've been simultaneously doing final edits on the 6 minute cut as well as the 12 minute cut. Of course, as time winds down, I've been focusing more time on the 6 minute cut to make sure that its done by the due date, while I have no "deadline" so to speak on the longer director's cut.
Currently the only thing that stands in my way of exporting is this gosh darn intro sequence which simply will not export from after effects. It's killin' me... I have a lo-res version already on the final cut, but I want the full res version to put on there, but if it comes down to the wire, I'll have to upload the lo-res intro. Oi vey... I just don't understand why After Effects is exporting so slowly on my mac (brand new quad-core i7 with 16 gb of RAM). I'm trying to fix it but everytime I have to stop the export and change preferences around.
So I've been working around the clock to get this watchable in time. I did manage to cut the film down to 6 minutes (the longer version is 11 minutes and 45 seconds)...but I had to take out a lot of good dialogue that I like, but I suppose isn't CRUCIAL to the plot. Sound design is pretty much complete, as is the score.
This has probably been one of the more difficult editing challenges for me because I've been simultaneously doing final edits on the 6 minute cut as well as the 12 minute cut. Of course, as time winds down, I've been focusing more time on the 6 minute cut to make sure that its done by the due date, while I have no "deadline" so to speak on the longer director's cut.
Currently the only thing that stands in my way of exporting is this gosh darn intro sequence which simply will not export from after effects. It's killin' me... I have a lo-res version already on the final cut, but I want the full res version to put on there, but if it comes down to the wire, I'll have to upload the lo-res intro. Oi vey... I just don't understand why After Effects is exporting so slowly on my mac (brand new quad-core i7 with 16 gb of RAM). I'm trying to fix it but everytime I have to stop the export and change preferences around.
xxrotinivol2
Active member
Good luck figuring out the technical hurdles, definitely wanna see both 6 and 11+ min versions of your piece. It looks awesome.
Thanks man! The color has undergone a HUGE change since those original grabs...but I think its for the better.
So, at this point, everything is complete on the 6 minute submission version of my film, except for one particular shot that has been exporting for...oh...13 hours. So after that gets laid on the timeline, in its final state, then I will run through it a couple times, export, and upload.
Btw, quick question, does anyone know if we are allowed to fade in and out from the official dvxuser leader's? As in, the leader I want to use doesn't have a fade to black at the end, but I need it to do so--is that allowed? Thanks!
So, at this point, everything is complete on the 6 minute submission version of my film, except for one particular shot that has been exporting for...oh...13 hours. So after that gets laid on the timeline, in its final state, then I will run through it a couple times, export, and upload.
Btw, quick question, does anyone know if we are allowed to fade in and out from the official dvxuser leader's? As in, the leader I want to use doesn't have a fade to black at the end, but I need it to do so--is that allowed? Thanks!
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
I don't think they will have a problem with that at all. I'm not a Mod though.
You better get a copy uploaded soon. Don't wait until the last minute in case something goes wrong.
MAH
You better get a copy uploaded soon. Don't wait until the last minute in case something goes wrong.
MAH
Good idea my friend! I'm exporting a safety copy right now. I'll upload it and watch it, any final little tweaks or issues I'll fix and reupload. Thats allowed right? As long as its before 4pm PDT? (Its currently 1:14pm for me here in Florida, so I have until 7pm at night
)Exported and uploaded the safety cut. Watched through it for the first time (first complete viewing... scary to say the least) and I love it...even the 6 minute cut. However, there was a little weird compression issue about half a minute in that basically overlayed the dvxuser leader on top of the movie ... I checked the timeline and its not there, so something strange must've happened. So I'm reexporting a (hopefully) corrected version with less compression (i came in a 50mb..didn't see the change to 60mb until just before i uploaded the file) . I'm not sure how to go about sending a "corrected" file to them for them to replace the original with...but I've messaged the mods, so hopefully I'll know soon.
I'm just so glad to see that the final product works so well, even the 6 minute cut which loses about half of the dialogue haha.
I'm just so glad to see that the final product works so well, even the 6 minute cut which loses about half of the dialogue haha.
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
I believe that every time you upload that the new cut will simply replace the old one in the system.
You should PM them to give them a heads up though, as you've done.
Good luck. I'm sorting out a minor issue myself.
Mike
You should PM them to give them a heads up though, as you've done.
Good luck. I'm sorting out a minor issue myself.
Mike
Thats simple enough! Thanks and good luck on your own "minor issue"... your film is among the top of my list for "first watchers"
Okie dokie yall.... Just uploaded for the second time with the final final 6 minute cut of Dirt... clocking in at 6 minutes 7 seconds and 57.1 mb. Very proud of it at this point... I hate the 6 minute cut much less than I originally did. It still has some slightly awkward pacing (but, hey, I cut out 50% of the film haha) but I think it really works just fine. Hopefully I'll get the "approval" here in a couple hours and I can let this baby fly on its own.