INTERFACE by Dark Overlord Pictures

In the past few days, DVXusers Ben Sliker and Justin Kuhn sat down and chatted over AIM while simultaneously watching the same TIMEFEST films. We call them, "The AIM sessions". Here's their thoughts on "Interface"

This is a 'special edition' of the AIM sessions, Assistant Director Brad Mate and 'Woman on Bench' Marie Hartsell have joined the chat from the cast and crew of JAM. This is their second "4-person" review.

spesliker (8:52:33 PM): interface ready?
happygobo (8:52:46 PM): just a few seconds.
TheBrad84 (8:53:06 PM): what happened to marie?
spesliker (8:53:13 PM): she's here.
happygobo (8:53:25 PM): she's the strong silent type
mariaperky333 (8:53:25 PM): im still like this :o
mariaperky333 (8:53:33 PM): =-O
happygobo (8:53:35 PM): READY
TheBrad84 (8:53:40 PM): marie is hoping for more movies with boobs
spesliker (8:53:44 PM): a;right
mariaperky333 (8:53:48 PM): maayyybeee....
spesliker (8:53:48 PM): brad ready?
TheBrad84 (8:53:51 PM): yep
spesliker (8:53:55 PM): 3
spesliker (8:53:55 PM): 2
spesliker (8:53:57 PM): 1
spesliker (8:53:58 PM): go
TheBrad84 (8:54:06 PM): ack!
spesliker (8:54:13 PM): interesting choice with the quote.
TheBrad84 (8:54:13 PM): not teh abyss!
mariaperky333 (8:54:19 PM): my eyes hurt...
happygobo (8:54:27 PM): abandon hope all ye who enter here
spesliker (8:54:31 PM): zombie survival guide
spesliker (8:54:32 PM): nice
happygobo (8:54:39 PM): right on
spesliker (8:54:46 PM): what happened to the can?
happygobo (8:54:51 PM): is this dude the director?
TheBrad84 (8:55:03 PM): can keeps changing position
happygobo (8:55:12 PM): it's magical
happygobo (8:55:22 PM): oh look marie might get boobies after all
spesliker (8:55:27 PM): DUDE SHE WANTS YOU.
spesliker (8:55:33 PM): DOUCHE.
spesliker (8:55:39 PM): NERD.
spesliker (8:55:47 PM): but ... you didn't edit it out ... good call.
happygobo (8:55:49 PM): if the choice is getting laid and something else, pick getting laid
happygobo (8:55:54 PM): DUHskies... time travel later bro.
spesliker (8:56:14 PM): i figured he'd have a more sexy voice for his computer. ITS A MAC!
mariaperky333 (8:56:15 PM): im lost again
TheBrad84 (8:56:29 PM): hes talking to himself in the past from the future marie
TheBrad84 (8:56:31 PM): jeez
mariaperky333 (8:56:32 PM): 2005?
spesliker (8:56:34 PM): BUT YOU ARE YOU.
spesliker (8:56:46 PM): myspace is soo 2005
TheBrad84 (8:56:46 PM): what number am i thinking of?
spesliker (8:56:53 PM): 7 ... no 9
mariaperky333 (8:56:53 PM): woah
TheBrad84 (8:56:59 PM): 69 dude!!
spesliker (8:57:11 PM): WYLD STALLIONS!!!! Don't forget to set your watch Ted!
mariaperky333 (8:57:17 PM): spaz
happygobo (8:57:20 PM): ...
spesliker (8:57:42 PM): i want more bill and ted references.
mariaperky333 (8:57:43 PM): is he her?
happygobo (8:57:59 PM): maybe, im having a little trouble following this.
spesliker (8:58:07 PM): f*ck ... we only have 4 years to live.
happygobo (8:58:10 PM): nice bedroom as cell set-up
TheBrad84 (8:58:12 PM): bummer
spesliker (8:58:23 PM): was that a baby gate in the window?
TheBrad84 (8:58:41 PM): they really need to not do the handheld. it's a little distracting
happygobo (8:58:43 PM): they got MAD security up in this piece
mariaperky333 (8:58:48 PM): apparently the pysch ward cant afford getting their own folders
mariaperky333 (8:58:54 PM): they need a label maker
spesliker (8:59:04 PM): MARIE WITH A DYNAMITE DROP IN
happygobo (8:59:09 PM): ...why????
mariaperky333 (8:59:17 PM): was that the same guy?
mariaperky333 (8:59:27 PM): what's going on again?
happygobo (8:59:35 PM): why the nuclear war...?
spesliker (8:59:35 PM): WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY GLOBO-THERMAL NUCLEAR WARFARE?
TheBrad84 (8:59:46 PM): HOW ABOUT A NICE GAME OF CHESS
happygobo (8:59:54 PM): PLAY, (Y/N)?
spesliker (9:00:00 PM): Y
spesliker (9:00:08 PM): ah ... that was much better people.

mobie540, after thinking about it, the concept of this short was simple, man screws up universe by disrupting space/time, and it's a good concept at that. I think the methods that you chose to display it were a little flawed, but it looks like you've heard some of that already from other reviewers, so I'll try to offer some advice on what you can do to move forward.

I always try to keep this in mind when I'm trying to develop concepts for movies: KISS: Keep it simple, stupid (yes, i call myself stupid). If I know I can't do something without it looking silly, I don't even try. Cause it will detract from the movie instead of add, making the time and effort put into that section, virtually wasted.

Find/hire people who are good at what they do, and LET THEM DO THEIR JOB. If you REALLY want to be awesome, find one or two jobs that you really want to do and go after it. For me, it's direction and editing. It's hard to do it all and have a kick-ass product at the end. Hope to see you next fest. :thumbsup:
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
And how did you do the screenshot images? Not the webcam video itself, but the shots of the computer desktop with the popup windows.
Click to expand...

Good screen capture software is expensive. But since my budget was the cost of Arby's for the actors.

I used a handicam for close up for the typing opening sequence.

With the footage I took of the main character chat windows it was footage I recorded via the webcam in the early days of shooting. I just used final cut and superimposed and resized it on a background of my desktop jpg. The chat requests popping up where just jpg's resized and superimposed on my desktop jpg. Having the smaller windows on the desktop background gave the impression it was screen capture software. If you want the menu bar there is screen capture freeware that will give you a jpg of your entire desktop.

Hope that makes sense.
 
Mobie540 said:
Good screen capture software is expensive. But since my budget was the cost of Arby's for the actors.

I used a handicam for close up for the typing opening sequence.

With the footage I took of the main character chat windows it was footage I recorded via the webcam in the early days of shooting. I just used final cut and superimposed and resized it on a background of my desktop jpg. The chat requests popping up where just jpg's resized and superimposed on my desktop jpg. Having the smaller windows on the desktop background gave the impression it was screen capture software. If you want the menu bar there is screen capture freeware that will give you a jpg of your entire desktop.

Hope that makes sense.
Click to expand...

I've tried all kinds of screen capture software. But when I pull the resulting images/video into Premiere, it looks like crap on the TV screen -- fuzzy, jittery, etc.

Great looking footage from your webcam, though! Can you give me a model number for that cam? I've never seen one that does such smooth full-screen, full-motion video. Nice job!
 
Wish I was on a Mac. :(

So when I get ready to do my other webcam feature -- 'The Circle' -- then all I need is 9 MacBooks. Hmmm.......that could get pricey.
 
chapelgrovefilms said:
I've tried all kinds of screen capture software. But when I pull the resulting images/video into Premiere, it looks like crap on the TV screen -- fuzzy, jittery, etc.

Great looking footage from your webcam, though! Can you give me a model number for that cam? I've never seen one that does such smooth full-screen, full-motion video. Nice job!
Click to expand...

Apple Isight webcam. Mine's built-in to the laptop, they have a firewire version. It's really nice.
 
Ben Sliker said:
mobie,

just saw that you go to purdue, i'm a wisconsin grad myself. GO BIG TEN.
Click to expand...

I actually graduated from Univ of Oklahoma, just taught at Purdue for a couple years. Now going back to school out in Colorado in the fall. But yeah, Go BIG TWELVE, I mean TEN!
 
I like the twist and the ending. The end of the world prediction is cool. I like the reporter scene. However some of the footages are a little dark and noisy for me. Adding some lighting would improve the quality of the movie a lot. You did a nice job. Congrats!
 
You came SO close to losing me on this one. I was just about to give up on it when we got to the psycho ward. Personally, I think you would have been better served to end it on the doctor's report. The television broadcast didn't do it for me and felt like it went a bridge too far. And that had to be the youngest captain I've ever seen.

Biggest gripe was the appearing/disappearing camera behind him.

Overall, I think you did a good job.
 
One of things beginning filmmakers tend to is justify their choices with some sort of logic, or reason why they made a choice or kept something in that should have been cut. Unless your piece is a neo-realistic expression piece your allegiance shouldnt be to realism, or logic.

For example, in this piece theres an almost universal hatred of the newscaster. He does a poor performance and it takes the audience out of the moment. In hollywood, even if they were going to go for the- average army guy gets stuck in front of a camera... they would still hire a good actor, and pay him to make a watchable performance.

I think DJ also suffers from this a little, but she's also a legacy character from a previous draft as well. Cutting the shot of the camera through the door will do wonders to maintain the illusion of the sanitarium.

I wonder if you could add more text of do you wish to continue y/n and have him say yes... then see the graduation... then yes... see a reshot version of Obamathon.... and then the no if that would play better.
 
Interesting idea using the webcam. Definitely takes the ‘any camera can be used’ part of the festival to the max. Time travel is always a sticky idea to people and it’s great to see your take on it.

Production wise… I don’t know what else I could say you could have done with a webcam. I think the editing could have been a bit cleaned up here and there and sound fx/dialog really seemed like they fit to the rawness of the video recording. So in that respect, I think it worked.

Who puts a mirror in a room with a crazy patient anyway? The ending doctor could have been cut completely from the film and you could just show the paper work. We don’t really need to be explained that the guy is crazy. And the end news reporter… did he smile? I would have cut that take immediately if my actors did such a thing. Friends dressing up in military gear doesn’t always work and definitely did not work here. You probably could have gotten away with a radio broadcast of the same thing.

Congrats on entering the fest.
 
The acting was good, especially from Tara, and I did think Chris was really easy on the eye.
Liked the idea of talking to oneself ;) I do that often......... although I'm not 100% certain I understood the full story.
thank you.
 
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