"Facade" - Off Stage Films

[MML]

Very powerful Chris. This hit home for me because my beautiful daughter is a cutter. The performance from this actress was so authentic.

You reallly nailed this emotional subject. Excellent work.

 

[LinB]

A very powerful film. I have two teenage kids and I am very aware of the issues of self-harming. You give a very important voice to a controversial issue which all teenagers should be aware of. Very well done.

 

[pborghee]

Very powerful! There is alot of girls/guys out there that suffer from this and I think you caught the whole image perfectly. There is a website that is for cutters that are stopping and trying to make their lives better. www.twloha.com would be awesome if you got with them and they showed this on their website. Anyways back to the film, loved all of it. If i did have to have a complaint it would be hard to find but i wish their was actual talking. Maybe if we the girl said stuff we might have connected more I dont know. Overall amazing job.

 

[Tim Joy]

Really liked this one Chris. Alexandra was engaging and the opening shots are great.

While I didn't see the cutting coming, and I was thinking, 'Oh no, is she going to kill herself?' I did see the ending coming, just because of the title, but it's more about the journey anyway, so it's a minor thing.

I agree with Mike that I wanted to hear the sound at some points. Just some breath or movement might have made it more intimate in parts, then kick in the music for the montage sections. I'm a little unsure about the music though. I can't really explain it, but it seems to play against the piece for me. I like it on its own, but not so much for the film.

Congrats on a solid entry!

 

[Chris Messineo]

Excellent film. I love how your stories are always so simple but emotionally charged. This is no exception. Powerful stuff. Your lead actress is fantastic.

At first I wasn't sure about the music. It's good but it didn't seem fitting. I guess that was your intention to some extent but it did feel a little light given the situation.

Great job all round, though. Best of luck!

I love character pieces and I'm so happy that you liked this too.

I've posted a review of "Façade" over at F.E.D.…

http://www.filmeveryday.com/2010/03/07/facade-a-dvxuser-betrayal-fest-film/

Congrats, Chris on a really powerful piece of work.

Your review is amazing. I feel truly honored. Thank you so very much.

Beautiful work. Short and subtle, the film captured definitively captured what I've seen from student "cutters". Alexandra Landau was absolutely wonderful in expressing both her vulnerability as well as her beauty. She conveyed the transformation from cutting herself to euphoria very well - as if she just had a "pick me up" from a cup of coffee like the average person. The setting was perfect, a clean and bright, white bathroom in direct opposition to the darkness of the emotional situation. Excellent contrast. The music was perfect and only enhanced what was on screen. Extremely well done.

Thank you. I'm glad you liked it so much and I will pass along your compliments to Alex.

The story:
AMAZING! So much was told in that one scene... very dark and mysterious, yet calm and felt very "real." We all hurt ourselves. She's such a beautiful girl and I love how you introduce us to her imperfections in such a subtle manner.

The acting:
She did GREAT! The emotions she portrayed were brilliant... the scene with her crying was touching and real.

The camerawork:
Beautiful... loved how you worked with tight shots a lot to tell the story. One issue with color I noticed was that the contrast was very different in a lot of the same shots.. but nevertheless, I liked how it all came together.

The editing:
Very smooth.. very "cutty" at times but that only enhanced the story... it jarred me a little but I could understand the intent you were going for. Good job!

The sound and music:
Liked the silence... music was perfectly composed and synced in!

Overall impression:
One word: beautiful

Thank you very much for the detailed review. I appreciate all the criticism and I'm so happy that you liked it.

Very powerful Chris. This hit home for me because my beautiful daughter is a cutter. The performance from this actress was so authentic.

You reallly nailed this emotional subject. Excellent work.

Wow. Thank you for sharing that. It means a lot to me.

A very powerful film. I have two teenage kids and I am very aware of the issues of self-harming. You give a very important voice to a controversial issue which all teenagers should be aware of. Very well done.

Thank you very much.

Very powerful! There is alot of girls/guys out there that suffer from this and I think you caught the whole image perfectly. There is a website that is for cutters that are stopping and trying to make their lives better. www.twloha.com would be awesome if you got with them and they showed this on their website. Anyways back to the film, loved all of it. If i did have to have a complaint it would be hard to find but i wish their was actual talking. Maybe if we the girl said stuff we might have connected more I dont know. Overall amazing job.

Thanks. We tried to tell a personal story, but if it resonates then that is very cool.

Really liked this one Chris. Alexandra was engaging and the opening shots are great.

While I didn't see the cutting coming, and I was thinking, 'Oh no, is she going to kill herself?' I did see the ending coming, just because of the title, but it's more about the journey anyway, so it's a minor thing.

I agree with Mike that I wanted to hear the sound at some points. Just some breath or movement might have made it more intimate in parts, then kick in the music for the montage sections. I'm a little unsure about the music though. I can't really explain it, but it seems to play against the piece for me. I like it on its own, but not so much for the film.

Congrats on a solid entry!

Thanks for the review and the suggestions. I'm glad you liked it.

 

[Mike@AF]

Great work! You kept it short and simple, which helped make it an even more powerful film. Loved how you did it all visually with no words. I think that makes it even more effective and powerful as well.

 

[Aaron Marshall]

Great going Chris. I loved the writing. It was simple. I'm already sick and tired of 2-3 twists being put into these 5-6 minute movies in Betrayal fest. "Give me a break", I've been exclaiming, and this film gave me that break. I appreciate your simple and elegant motif, one fitting for a 5 minute short.

The young woman did a wonderful job acting it all out. Part of it was hard to watch because it felt so real. She was a great choice for the role.

 

[crlncxn]

It's a subject that is very close to me as you will know from 'Just a Moment' and 'Going Unnoticed' and I think you have captured the emotions very, very well.

Many congratulations to the actress. Many many.

I loved the visuals - especially the mirror scene.

I'm afraid I didn't like the soundtrack though - took me out of it. Didn't, for me, capture the mood. Sounded like night time in a jazz bar or something. Sorry.

Loved the thought of the girl betraying herself. A profound use of the subject.

 

[Matt Harris]

Chris, great job. This is such a serious subject matter and you handled it with respect and subtlety.
I think Herman did the score? Herman if you're listening i LOVE this track. I would totally listen to it
if i had an mp3 of it (hint hint). Back to the short, it's so simple yet effective. I think you should add some sort of a title card at the end and use use this as a PSA. it's great man, nicely done.

 

[Luis_]

Awesome job Chris!
great job by the actress too!

I saw the whole thing about these kids doing stuff like that on a news special last year.
once again, awesome work, keep-em' coming!

 

[Chris Messineo]

Great work! You kept it short and simple, which helped make it an even more powerful film. Loved how you did it all visually with no words. I think that makes it even more effective and powerful as well.

Thank you. I love silent films and I'm so happy you liked ours.

Great going Chris. I loved the writing. It was simple. I'm already sick and tired of 2-3 twists being put into these 5-6 minute movies in Betrayal fest. "Give me a break", I've been exclaiming, and this film gave me that break. I appreciate your simple and elegant motif, one fitting for a 5 minute short.

The young woman did a wonderful job acting it all out. Part of it was hard to watch because it felt so real. She was a great choice for the role.

Thanks. I thought it might be interesting to look at self betrayal.

I'm thrilled that you liked Alex's performance. She actually auditioned for us over a year ago for "One Saved Message". She wasn't right for that part, but I remembered her and I wrote this specifically for her. I'm really proud of her performance.

It's a subject that is very close to me as you will know from 'Just a Moment' and 'Going Unnoticed' and I think you have captured the emotions very, very well.

Many congratulations to the actress. Many many.

I loved the visuals - especially the mirror scene.

I'm afraid I didn't like the soundtrack though - took me out of it. Didn't, for me, capture the mood. Sounded like night time in a jazz bar or something. Sorry.

Loved the thought of the girl betraying herself. A profound use of the subject.

Thanks for watching it. I like that the music goes against type, but I understand it doesn't work for everybody.

Still, I'm so glad you liked the actress and the emotions resonated for you.

Chris, great job. This is such a serious subject matter and you handled it with respect and subtlety.
I think Herman did the score? Herman if you're listening i LOVE this track. I would totally listen to it
if i had an mp3 of it (hint hint). Back to the short, it's so simple yet effective. I think you should add some sort of a title card at the end and use use this as a PSA. it's great man, nicely done.

I'm sure Herman would be happy to oblige. Thanks for the compliments.

Awesome job Chris! great job by the actress too!

I saw the whole thing about these kids doing stuff like that on a news special last year.
once again, awesome work, keep-em' coming!

Thanks a lot. These fests are addictive and I hope to be in many more to come.

 

[ZazaCast]

This was great Chris! Having two daughters, I can really relate. Not only did you address 'cutting' but (to me at least) body image
issues that run rampant in today's society and torture girls, young ladies and even women these days.

Camera work & lighting worked nicely...your actress did a great job.

Solid film.:thumbsup:

 

[Ben Sliker]

Chris,

I find that the most effective short films are the ones that take a very simple concept, be it a thought, a moment in time, and dig deep into what that very small thing means to the world.

This was done marvelously in Facade. This was hard for me to watch, at times I had my fist over my mouth and was peeking at my computer screen with one eye. (if only to keep continuity for myself.) I was never a cutter, but I had friends who were and you certainly did the topic justice.

On the technical side, I felt as though the color correction and lighting were a bit inconsistent, but by the middle of the film, all of that took a back seat to the content. Very powerful emotional effect for me, one that was quite unexpected. I hope you don't mind when I say I won't be watching it again.

Thanks for sharing!
-ben

 

[hoz]

this was a powerful film. your actress did one tremendous job!

simple, strong, hard to watch. so hurtful.

well done!

congrats!

 

[4100xpb]

I applaud you for taking on a potentially very controversial subject.

The music was very unique, and very fitting. It definitely made the mood. Technically, the film was excellent. I thought the lighting in particular was nice, gentle but revealing. The slow-motion on the final walk down the stairs was fantastic.

Storywise, I know I'm going against the grain, but I don’t see the betrayal? Or perhaps I should say the point I see being made doesn’t strike me as betrayal. I see this film less as a story, and more as a portrait of your (very well acted) young character. After a time, I found myself thinking “this intro is going on rather long” and then the title flashed, and the movie was over.

[FONT=&quot]Overall, I think your technical skills are excellent, and I appreciate your willingness to tackle tough subjects. I just struggle with this story as the best venue to exhibit your talents. I look forward to seeing more of your work. [/FONT]

 

[KhamIsk]

I could understand your movie so many different ways which is great!

The actress is great and I guess her wonderful acting has to do with the strong direction.

Very powerful movie, I think.

 

[seanmcleod]

I liked the film, technically sound, acted well. My only concern is that I don't know if I felt the issue of cutting was really dealt with, so much as it was shown. I would have liked to see more of the repercussions of her actions, because as is, I think it seems as though she cuts herself, feels better and moves on. I don't think it gets at why this makes her feel better, or reveals the psyche behind why this is her personal answer to her body image issues. Regardless I applaud the ingenuity and creativity in telling a very original betrayal story. Nicely done.

 

[Chris Messineo]

This was great Chris! Having two daughters, I can really relate. Not only did you address 'cutting' but (to me at least) body image
issues that run rampant in today's society and torture girls, young ladies and even women these days.

Camera work & lighting worked nicely...your actress did a great job.

Thanks a lot. Like I said earlier, we wanted to tell one person's story, but if it resonates beyond, that is very cool.

Chris,

I find that the most effective short films are the ones that take a very simple concept, be it a thought, a moment in time, and dig deep into what that very small thing means to the world.

This was done marvelously in Facade. This was hard for me to watch, at times I had my fist over my mouth and was peeking at my computer screen with one eye. (if only to keep continuity for myself.) I was never a cutter, but I had friends who were and you certainly did the topic justice.

On the technical side, I felt as though the color correction and lighting were a bit inconsistent, but by the middle of the film, all of that took a back seat to the content. Very powerful emotional effect for me, one that was quite unexpected. I hope you don't mind when I say I won't be watching it again.

We knew going into this that the film would work or not work based on the performance. I'm thrilled that you liked Alex and that her performance helped cover up for any of my filmmaking shortcomings.

this was a powerful film. your actress did one tremendous job!

simple, strong, hard to watch. so hurtful.

well done!

congrats!

Thanks. As tough as it was to watch, we actually had a great time filming it. We only had a 3 person crew, but you could feel a real bond on set. It was kind of special.

I applaud you for taking on a potentially very controversial subject.

The music was very unique, and very fitting. It definitely made the mood. Technically, the film was excellent. I thought the lighting in particular was nice, gentle but revealing. The slow-motion on the final walk down the stairs was fantastic.

Storywise, I know I'm going against the grain, but I don’t see the betrayal? Or perhaps I should say the point I see being made doesn’t strike me as betrayal. I see this film less as a story, and more as a portrait of your (very well acted) young character. After a time, I found myself thinking “this intro is going on rather long” and then the title flashed, and the movie was over.

Overall, I think your technical skills are excellent, and I appreciate your willingness to tackle tough subjects. I just struggle with this story as the best venue to exhibit your talents. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Thanks for your honest critique. That's cool that you liked those last shots. We shot them at regular speed and slow motion, but the slow motion just felt right in the edit.

I agree this is an unusual story, especially for betrayal, but honestly this is the kind of film I am drawn towards and the kind of story I like to tell. I realize it may not be for everyone, but I'm not sure I could change my voice (even if I wanted too). I hope that makes sense.

I could understand your movie so many different ways which is great!

The actress is great and I guess her wonderful acting has to do with the strong direction.

Very powerful movie, I think.

Thank you so much. Alex deserves all the credit. I just tried to create and environment where she would be comfortable to take risks.

I liked the film, technically sound, acted well. My only concern is that I don't know if I felt the issue of cutting was really dealt with, so much as it was shown. I would have liked to see more of the repercussions of her actions, because as is, I think it seems as though she cuts herself, feels better and moves on. I don't think it gets at why this makes her feel better, or reveals the psyche behind why this is her personal answer to her body image issues. Regardless I applaud the ingenuity and creativity in telling a very original betrayal story. Nicely done.

Thanks for the review. I'm not sure anyone could deal with "cutting" in three and half minutes. I just wanted to show one young woman's moment of self betrayal - although I realize that makes for a bit of an unusual story.

 

[Maximus]

Well done, Chris. This is an issue I know very little about.

Have you considered using it as a PSA? I'm sure that some national organization could make great use of it.

 

[killacam]

I thought this was very moving- kind of simple but really effective. Probably one of the most emotionally involving films of the fest. Well shot and edited. I liked the jump cuts and the music was very good as well.