GHOST FISHER - A Film by Jace Brownlow

You sure were thinking out of the box on this one! It's an interesting film and as stated above there's lots to work on....or not...depending on your vision.
I guess it's easy for everyone to poke holes in a film when it doesn't fit the 'norm' (I know it well). Hats off to you doing something different. This to me isn't a film that needs
some deep plotline or motivated characters...it's fun...crazy fun. Reminds me of John Waters work...out-there stuff. Stay with it & refine it a bit... I'm sure you'll do well.
 
ZazaCast said:
You sure were thinking out of the box on this one! It's an interesting film and as stated above there's lots to work on....or not...depending on your vision.
I guess it's easy for everyone to poke holes in a film when it doesn't fit the 'norm' (I know it well). Hats off to you doing something different. This to me isn't a film that needs
some deep plotline or motivated characters...it's fun...crazy fun. Reminds me of John Waters work...out-there stuff. Stay with it & refine it a bit... I'm sure you'll do well.
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Thank you very much! Yeah different was my mission all along. Its just some people are in a comfort zone of "standard filmmaking", and when they see something different its hard for them to like it because they are so used to the other stuff. Evil Dead was my inspiration for this one, camera work/angles, effects, cartoonish humor, sped up footage ect. But I think people on this website were looking for more mainstream horror then quirky horror. Ah well, I'll try something more appealing next time :)
 
JaceBrownlow said:
But I think people on this website were looking for more mainstream horror then quirky horror. Ah well, I'll try something more appealing next time :)
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Hey, at least YOU made a horror short. Me? Not so much.

Also, don't make something to appease others. Make what makes YOU happy!
 
Hawk Teflon said:
Hey, at least YOU made a horror short. Me? Not so much.

Also, don't make something to appease others. Make what makes YOU happy!
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Well also there is buttload of technical problems with the film that I could have done better. It was different kind of genre from what I am used to (quirky horror), I reside in the more indiana jones type action adventure stories. But I guess as long as Ghost Fisher at least entertained everyone, even just the slightest bit, my mission is complete. :D
 
For the most part until the weird 70s guy showed up I could see this on a Saturday morning kids show. I think it works on that level and I was genuinely entertained throughout.
 
I liked the concept, no wait I LOVED the of catching ghosts and selling them, the idea of being greedy enough to mess with the dead is a sin that deserves to bring on some evil retribution, but since he was selling these ghosts to kids for $4 bucks seemed to diffuse that angle of the story.

I like that there was this comedic element. Comedy and Horror is a great mix eg ( Shawn of the Dead ) and its another recent movie just released "BONG OF THE DEAD" www.bongofthedead.com were both hilarious movies. This one didnt quite do it for me although the monsters sideburns just might be this funniest element of the festival.

Don't go mainstream just because you get some people didn't like this... I say stay on the edge but team up with a writer next festival, maybe one of Chris Messino's guys from moviepoet.com. I look forward to seeing your next production.
 
Imaginate said:
I liked the concept, no wait I LOVED the of catching ghosts and selling them, the idea of being greedy enough to mess with the dead is a sin that deserves to bring on some evil retribution, but since he was selling these ghosts to kids for $4 bucks seemed to diffuse that angle of the story.

I like that there was this comedic element. Comedy and Horror is a great mix eg ( Shawn of the Dead ) and its another recent movie just released "BONG OF THE DEAD" www.bongofthedead.com were both hilarious movies. This one didnt quite do it for me although the monsters sideburns just might be this funniest element of the festival.

Don't go mainstream just because you get some people didn't like this... I say stay on the edge but team up with a writer next festival, maybe one of Chris Messino's guys from moviepoet.com. I look forward to seeing your next production.
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Thanks for the feedback! Yes, not only would a writer help… but pretty much a crew in general :p. And decent equipment would be nice too. As of right now we have a 7D, a tripod a few cheep lights, and a "dolly" made from a skateboard and an incredibly inconvenient 8 foot long wooden board of which we roll the skateboard on. Pretty ramshackle film production if you watch us shoot :p but we do the best we can with what we have. :) Maybe the more films I make, the more folks will want to be involved who have the skill/resources to make even better films…. course thats more like wishful thinking. :p
 
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I won't even address the tech issues since they've pretty much been stated.

I do like the original idea of "Fishing for Ghost" but I don't think you followed through on the story well enough. Good concept, less than stellar execution. Pet peeve is that it took over a minute to get started.

What did he use for bait to attract a ghost?
How would a spirit hang onto a fish line?

Selling it to "kids" didn't work. Had you gone old fashion charlatan way (back during the Wild West) and stated it was some sort of "miracle drug" I may have bought it.

I'll give you props for original concept. Go forward from here.
 
Charli said:
I won't even address the tech issues since they've pretty much been stated.

I do like the original idea of "Fishing for Ghost" but I don't think you followed through on the story well enough. Good concept, less than stellar execution. Pet peeve is that it took over a minute to get started.

What did he use for bait to attract a ghost?
How would a spirit hang onto a fish line?

Selling it to "kids" didn't work. Had you gone old fashion charlatan way (back during the Wild West) and stated it was some sort of "miracle drug" I may have bought it.

I'll give you props for original concept. Go forward from here.
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Just remember, wrapping up an entire story in 6 mins can be a challenge… specially for a first timer like myself. But it seemed to please the bulk of the watchers so I think thats the main purpose of this film. Therefore I have succeeded! :D
 
If it's 100% Foley ? It's good. Maybe some moments not 100 sync.

The "splashing" sound someone did vocaly ?

The dialogues: ADR ? If not, they're recorded very well... If it's ADR, well it's good also. But I think I see some small "out of sync on some letters.

Scene 2, the selling... Keep the continuity in sound, if there are cars in one shot (or a few), put cars in all the scene.

02:04, kid is looking into the camera, in this case it's a bit strange because she looks from "next to the camera" to "into the camera", like she wants to talk to us.

02:22, out of focus, and here a lower angle was better...So he has more "power" (kikkerperspectief in dutch, plan plongé in french,...don't know the word in english...)

2:30, he looks into the camera because he's wonders if he's acting good and doing it good or not.

The shots where the fishpole is falling is very good storywise. Now I know that the "sceary stuff" wil begin and the raison the ghost escaped etc...

The Foley of him standing up, there's to much clothes noise... I think you used the wrong clothes to do it... And even if it are the same clothes...it might sound different from what it "looks".
There's a big difference how someting looks like and how something sounds.
I think the levels are a bit to high also. There are some "holes" in the sound now. When doing Foley for the presence part (the clothes sound), even if you don't move...it will make sound. Just small sounds but enough to have some "details" to fill the "holes" now.

03:48, here we see the ghost already... Just let him say "Duhn" (or whatever) just the very first second.

There are lot's of good things in it and good potential. Like doing Foley, some good shots.
 
dre83 said:
If it's 100% Foley ? It's good. Maybe some moments not 100 sync.

The "splashing" sound someone did vocaly ?

The dialogues: ADR ? If not, they're recorded very well... If it's ADR, well it's good also. But I think I see some small "out of sync on some letters.

Scene 2, the selling... Keep the continuity in sound, if there are cars in one shot (or a few), put cars in all the scene.

02:04, kid is looking into the camera, in this case it's a bit strange because she looks from "next to the camera" to "into the camera", like she wants to talk to us.

02:22, out of focus, and here a lower angle was better...So he has more "power" (kikkerperspectief in dutch, plan plongé in french,...don't know the word in english...)

2:30, he looks into the camera because he's wonders if he's acting good and doing it good or not.

The shots where the fishpole is falling is very good storywise. Now I know that the "sceary stuff" wil begin and the raison the ghost escaped etc...

The Foley of him standing up, there's to much clothes noise... I think you used the wrong clothes to do it... And even if it are the same clothes...it might sound different from what it "looks".
There's a big difference how someting looks like and how something sounds.
I think the levels are a bit to high also. There are some "holes" in the sound now. When doing Foley for the presence part (the clothes sound), even if you don't move...it will make sound. Just small sounds but enough to have some "details" to fill the "holes" now.

03:48, here we see the ghost already... Just let him say "Duhn" (or whatever) just the very first second.

There are lot's of good things in it and good potential. Like doing Foley, some good shots.
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Yeah the bulk of the dialog was ADR, and most of the sound effects were either found later on the internet or recorded later via microphone. Sound is not my forte, but I had to do what I could seeing that we had no sound guy :p next time maybe we will get someone to do it
 
Jace! I enjoyed this man, you have a really cool concept and some very charming moments. I think you needed to refine your idea to even out the tone of it, to really dial in some consistent charm. Does that make any sense?

Good acting by both your leads.

I really dig the concept and think you're on the right path
 
If your main goal was to wrap up a 6 minute film, being a first timer and all, then you have succeeded. If you sought to have a cohesive story woven throughout that's believable, was well executed, etc., then I say grow from here.
 
My take was its hobby or addiction that got away from him, too many ghosts, but a need for more. You did have a balance of age. Think you out did your poster, you also did something very interesting, besides the title you never really said what he was doing at the start of the show and for something so different I got it right away without a single spoken word.
 
My issues weren't with the story really. It was odd, quirky, and fun. Very different. I actually enjoyed it.

It was the sound issues that took me out of it the most.
I haven't read through the thread. Who's glasses were sitting on the tombstone as he walked by near the beginning? Crew?
And the guy lying down as the kids ran off, more crew?

Loved the ghost. Reminded me of Dennis Hopper. :)
Keep at it!
 
Shawn Philip Nelson said:
Jace! I enjoyed this man, you have a really cool concept and some very charming moments. I think you needed to refine your idea to even out the tone of it, to really dial in some consistent charm. Does that make any sense?

Good acting by both your leads.

I really dig the concept and think you're on the right path
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Thanks man! I will defiantly try to polish my next one more refined. I have loads of other ideas much better/more original then the Ghost Fisher concept. Problem being, most of them I don't think I am ready to tackle just yet, crew equipment and skill wise. I haven't really been to a film school or taken any film courses at my college, so making these is a really good way to help me learn more skills and warm up for the ones that will really get my name out there. :D
 
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