Jack Daniel Stanley & Mark Johnson's REKINDLED
- Thread starter Jack Daniel Stanley
- Start date
Art direction was great in this - not a single shot in the piece made you say, "...oh, that's low budget". Edit made a lot of sense and photography was right up there.
Nice work Jack and crew.
e
Nice work Jack and crew.
e
JoshuaNitschke
Well-known member
Is, "wow that was amazing" enough feedback for you?
You deserve time to recover. Great film.
I had to watched it twice to take everything in completely. What a masterful job directing!
I have to agree with Charli that the story did feel a little underdeveloped - even though it made sense as a whole - I just felt it deserved more time.
I had to watched it twice to take everything in completely. What a masterful job directing!
I have to agree with Charli that the story did feel a little underdeveloped - even though it made sense as a whole - I just felt it deserved more time.
VersuS
Veteran
JACK MY MAN! Excellent!!!
- I loved your cinematography!! you can create some unique images and sequences...I think that after seeing this one I notice a certain style that you have with editing and directing and I love it. lighting was superb IMHO
- actor were great, they said their lines in a very neat and unforced way...I cant even believe that you guys in here can find people willing to play nude scenes for an online fest or any fest whatsoever....jesus!!! and something I wish to add....in Betrayed I was a bit negative to the nudity, in Rekindled the sex scene works great as its very well directed and it didnt make me feel it was sexploitation stuff rather than a professional scene that you could find in a David Lynch film for example...
- saying David Lynch, this is what it reminds me off, dreams, deranged people....death.....images....pictures with people that have no eyes....weird music with a 30s feel to it....my god the atmosphere is amazing, I will be watching this one for years....
- story: ok as I said..David Lynch...not much is developped in terms of characters and intentions...you understand some basic stuff but you could give to the viewer a lot more....this is an amazing basis to make a feature....you could really make something POWERFUL with this story
- I LOVE THE LIGHTS SCENE at the end!! woo hooo!!
- Cut throat...the editing was a bit abrupt but I guess this is because of the VFX...I loved the throat and the blood (it needs blood, a lot of blood - great funny line!!!) but the guy while standing with his throat cut was not very natural....I would rather have him fall down than stand there...
I think this one is a serious contestant! And since I love this kind of things....I think its your best piece so far!!!
ps. see we did the same old film reel thing there....scratches and slow frame....;-) of course you did it so much better
- I loved your cinematography!! you can create some unique images and sequences...I think that after seeing this one I notice a certain style that you have with editing and directing and I love it. lighting was superb IMHO
- actor were great, they said their lines in a very neat and unforced way...I cant even believe that you guys in here can find people willing to play nude scenes for an online fest or any fest whatsoever....jesus!!! and something I wish to add....in Betrayed I was a bit negative to the nudity, in Rekindled the sex scene works great as its very well directed and it didnt make me feel it was sexploitation stuff rather than a professional scene that you could find in a David Lynch film for example...
- saying David Lynch, this is what it reminds me off, dreams, deranged people....death.....images....pictures with people that have no eyes....weird music with a 30s feel to it....my god the atmosphere is amazing, I will be watching this one for years....
- story: ok as I said..David Lynch...not much is developped in terms of characters and intentions...you understand some basic stuff but you could give to the viewer a lot more....this is an amazing basis to make a feature....you could really make something POWERFUL with this story
- I LOVE THE LIGHTS SCENE at the end!! woo hooo!!
- Cut throat...the editing was a bit abrupt but I guess this is because of the VFX...I loved the throat and the blood (it needs blood, a lot of blood - great funny line!!!) but the guy while standing with his throat cut was not very natural....I would rather have him fall down than stand there...
I think this one is a serious contestant! And since I love this kind of things....I think its your best piece so far!!!
ps. see we did the same old film reel thing there....scratches and slow frame....;-) of course you did it so much better
rewatched it. i liked it more. but........ EVERYTIME!!!! JAsons smile when his thoat is cut just breaks the suspension of disbelief.
But i LOVE LOVE LOVE the opening sequence with the record player. AWESOME.
But i LOVE LOVE LOVE the opening sequence with the record player. AWESOME.
Darkline
Veteran
Hi Jack,
I guess there is not much more I could add. Production values are very slick. In addition, you have created your own world. Which above any technical aspect is the mark of good directing. You pull us in from frame 1.
If I had any issues at all with the piece it would be simply that it felt rushed and (I dont know how important this is) it didnt scare me. I think the start was stronger than the ending, it hit with a bang, but didn't end with one.... But even with these minor issues you're film outstrips most of what I've seen. Even though I am only through about half of them, so far you're in the top 3 without question.
very good work in every department. You are clearly in love with what you do, and it shows.
I guess there is not much more I could add. Production values are very slick. In addition, you have created your own world. Which above any technical aspect is the mark of good directing. You pull us in from frame 1.
If I had any issues at all with the piece it would be simply that it felt rushed and (I dont know how important this is) it didnt scare me. I think the start was stronger than the ending, it hit with a bang, but didn't end with one.... But even with these minor issues you're film outstrips most of what I've seen. Even though I am only through about half of them, so far you're in the top 3 without question.
very good work in every department. You are clearly in love with what you do, and it shows.
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Edgen
Veteran
jack! damn bro. Very very clever/artsy film. you've got an imagination and I hope you'll continue to inspire us all with your work.
I think i'm going to have to watch this one again. I'm a little confused in places, but maybe I was just trying to get over all the whacked visuals. ie.. the lonely room with the red curtains.
Keep up the great work buddy!
/j
I think i'm going to have to watch this one again. I'm a little confused in places, but maybe I was just trying to get over all the whacked visuals. ie.. the lonely room with the red curtains.
Keep up the great work buddy!
/j
Sid Barnhoorn
Well-known member
This is, imo, the best I've seen so far. You should really be working in the big budget feature film business, Jack.
Cheers,
Cheers,
TheatreGuy
Veteran
Jack, you are an incredible craftsman.
Truly, your work, the quality of work, the attention to detail, the passion in your work... all stand out. Your film is amazing and beautiful. Every element is properly fitted and works in your movie.
The score is amazing! Herman Witkam complimented your movie like a fine wine. It didn't over-power, distract or under perform. It was a perfect companion to such a fine piece of work.
Your direction is spotless and unobtrusive. I know that sounds weird, but watching your film is like entering a lush new world. (I am having trouble articulating this!) I want to say that when I watch you films, I enter your vision and understand everything. Every action looks at ease and makes sense. (To me that is incredible. To me, that shows a product where I am seeing the inside of the director's mind.) I see a product that is not forced or pushed or shoved. It unfolds gently and welcomes you to the journey.
The product you bring to the table is fit for Kings. (Why and the world some big shot with a lot of money and an idea for a movie hasn't picked you up is beyond me.)
The comments on your story... "underdeveloped" or not, "ending with a bang" or not, "scary" or not... to me are moot. Your story is so original and filled with so much morbid passion it is haunting. Sure, it could stand to benefit from a few extra minutes... try 90 minutes! I can see this idea developed into a feature. Absolutely.
I applaud you for attempting to get so much story and passion in, in a 6 minute short! Some may say it is a mistake, but it is a brilliant mistake and I am glad that I got to witness it.
Love your work!
There are a couple of other NYC boys down your way who impressed me as well. (surprise, surprise!) If there is ever an opportunity for me to assist on a filmmaking project by you or Mark Harris and the like, I would like to donate my time. Just as long as I can learn something from you all (and not just run coffee all day!) I am just a drive up the road!
I hope I didn't leave any slobber on the screen! I realize that I sound like a nutso-freak.
Great Job. Such a pleasure to have a film in the same festival as yours!
Gotta love dvxuser.com and the members!
Truly, your work, the quality of work, the attention to detail, the passion in your work... all stand out. Your film is amazing and beautiful. Every element is properly fitted and works in your movie.
The score is amazing! Herman Witkam complimented your movie like a fine wine. It didn't over-power, distract or under perform. It was a perfect companion to such a fine piece of work.
Your direction is spotless and unobtrusive. I know that sounds weird, but watching your film is like entering a lush new world. (I am having trouble articulating this!) I want to say that when I watch you films, I enter your vision and understand everything. Every action looks at ease and makes sense. (To me that is incredible. To me, that shows a product where I am seeing the inside of the director's mind.) I see a product that is not forced or pushed or shoved. It unfolds gently and welcomes you to the journey.
The product you bring to the table is fit for Kings. (Why and the world some big shot with a lot of money and an idea for a movie hasn't picked you up is beyond me.)
The comments on your story... "underdeveloped" or not, "ending with a bang" or not, "scary" or not... to me are moot. Your story is so original and filled with so much morbid passion it is haunting. Sure, it could stand to benefit from a few extra minutes... try 90 minutes! I can see this idea developed into a feature. Absolutely.
I applaud you for attempting to get so much story and passion in, in a 6 minute short! Some may say it is a mistake, but it is a brilliant mistake and I am glad that I got to witness it.
Love your work!
There are a couple of other NYC boys down your way who impressed me as well. (surprise, surprise!) If there is ever an opportunity for me to assist on a filmmaking project by you or Mark Harris and the like, I would like to donate my time. Just as long as I can learn something from you all (and not just run coffee all day!) I am just a drive up the road!
I hope I didn't leave any slobber on the screen! I realize that I sound like a nutso-freak.
Great Job. Such a pleasure to have a film in the same festival as yours!
Gotta love dvxuser.com and the members!
haha wow, thanks man ...
I really appreciate the reponses.
Not a lot for me to add though, you guys are picking up the same weaknesses and strengths for the most part that I indentify as well.
If you guys have any questions let me know.
Alsol, will tell you a little about this cut.
Basically we ran out of time for color correction, sound design, and one of the VFX shots, some of the others are roughed in right now, and must be doing fine since no one can notice them, but we will have to tweak them for hi res cut of this.
CC is pretty done, but like I said we ran out of time, not happy with all of it.
Sound design - in my mad dash I confused some versions of herman's song and don't represent it with the best mix, also some small bits of foley missing, and the death / bed / strangle flashbacks are nothing near what I could do with them and will do here in a couple of days for the final cut.
Due to our effects work flow I'm also locked into some weird cuts around the neck slash right now, need to re-cut then have Mark rerender the effects around there (its not the neck, the shots on her have FX as well but I won't say what )
So those are some things we didn't get to do for you for this cut but are working on.
Again, thanks for all the comments,
you guys are an inspiration to me
and if you have questions please let me know.
best,
Jack
I really appreciate the reponses.
Not a lot for me to add though, you guys are picking up the same weaknesses and strengths for the most part that I indentify as well.
If you guys have any questions let me know.
Alsol, will tell you a little about this cut.
Basically we ran out of time for color correction, sound design, and one of the VFX shots, some of the others are roughed in right now, and must be doing fine since no one can notice them, but we will have to tweak them for hi res cut of this.
CC is pretty done, but like I said we ran out of time, not happy with all of it.
Sound design - in my mad dash I confused some versions of herman's song and don't represent it with the best mix, also some small bits of foley missing, and the death / bed / strangle flashbacks are nothing near what I could do with them and will do here in a couple of days for the final cut.
Due to our effects work flow I'm also locked into some weird cuts around the neck slash right now, need to re-cut then have Mark rerender the effects around there (its not the neck, the shots on her have FX as well but I won't say what
)So those are some things we didn't get to do for you for this cut but are working on.
Again, thanks for all the comments,
you guys are an inspiration to me
and if you have questions please let me know.
best,
Jack
Darkline
Veteran
I think your body of work speaks for itself Jack.
As a personal preference I think shed is your best piece. Only for the fact that it felt right for a 6 minute short. A simple story, well told, with an emotional backbone too. That's hard to do in a short.
This one had great moments as well. I wasnt trying to bring this piece down at all.... I mean I could comment on bits I I'd change in any movie but it doesnt mean anyone should listen to them, or that they are the right thing to do..
At the end of the day we create our own vision and the only person we should try to please is ourselves.
I would like to ask, I assume the neck slit is an effect tracked onto his neck with markers? (I was going to do the same for a short with pig skin...) but was the effect you tracked in CG or a real element?
As a personal preference I think shed is your best piece. Only for the fact that it felt right for a 6 minute short. A simple story, well told, with an emotional backbone too. That's hard to do in a short.
This one had great moments as well. I wasnt trying to bring this piece down at all.... I mean I could comment on bits I I'd change in any movie but it doesnt mean anyone should listen to them, or that they are the right thing to do..
At the end of the day we create our own vision and the only person we should try to please is ourselves.
I would like to ask, I assume the neck slit is an effect tracked onto his neck with markers? (I was going to do the same for a short with pig skin...) but was the effect you tracked in CG or a real element?
its actually best to do it the other way around ... no one will be looking for you to hide the wound before the slash -- or think you are coppiing out if you cut to it right before the slash ... so the neck wound is practical its really there, what you do then is cover it in post rather than uncover it ... so before the knife passes the throat that's where the CG or compositing is. Not only is this much easier but makes for a better effect.
On the shooting day do the shot without the neck appliance and have her slash through it 7 or eight times acting out the shot with a bare neck.
Then get the guy in the neck appliance and rigged for blood and again see if you can get 7 or 8 takes through the slash. You will be more limited here probably due to mess, your makeupguys time, and the actors stamina, but get what you can.
The reason you do it this way and try for several takes is so that if for some reason you can't composite a clean neck in post, you might be able to get away with just matching up one of the clean neck neck slits as the knife passes the neck and one of the appliance neck neck slits and playing with a frame or two cross fade (or not) and then rendering the clip out and reimporting and playing with ramping etc.
But if you are planning on compositing or CG just make sure you get a clean shot of the neck for your guy to work with. We didn't have time to get the clean passes so we just shot the bloody ones and then let mark cover up the tubes for the blood coming off his neck as well as the blood on his chest from previous takes.
We were a little too in love with the slo mo and I think the shot is too long and has a bad post camera move in it right now which we will fix.
You can see a simpler version of the cover the wound rather than add it neck slit in Texas Fortune, the 1st place film in Zombie fest. Its done real quick and the weapon used was a remote control standing in for a knife for safety reasons as the blade is dragged over the neck from behind. But it goes so quick you can't tell. We had a knife in ours, but the shot is so quick even in the slomo that we could have used a remote control as well. So yeah, covering somethingfor 8 - 24 frames when no one will be looking for an effect is a lot easier than tracking through the whole wound effect. Also Mark wanted to avoid doing CG blood like the plague, says it never looks right. Again here's where we stole the cover vs. add method
Texas Fortune, one of the greats from DVXuser Fests past:
http://www.earthfirewindwater.com/txf/
On the shooting day do the shot without the neck appliance and have her slash through it 7 or eight times acting out the shot with a bare neck.
Then get the guy in the neck appliance and rigged for blood and again see if you can get 7 or 8 takes through the slash. You will be more limited here probably due to mess, your makeupguys time, and the actors stamina, but get what you can.
The reason you do it this way and try for several takes is so that if for some reason you can't composite a clean neck in post, you might be able to get away with just matching up one of the clean neck neck slits as the knife passes the neck and one of the appliance neck neck slits and playing with a frame or two cross fade (or not) and then rendering the clip out and reimporting and playing with ramping etc.
But if you are planning on compositing or CG just make sure you get a clean shot of the neck for your guy to work with. We didn't have time to get the clean passes so we just shot the bloody ones and then let mark cover up the tubes for the blood coming off his neck as well as the blood on his chest from previous takes.
We were a little too in love with the slo mo and I think the shot is too long and has a bad post camera move in it right now which we will fix.
You can see a simpler version of the cover the wound rather than add it neck slit in Texas Fortune, the 1st place film in Zombie fest. Its done real quick and the weapon used was a remote control standing in for a knife for safety reasons as the blade is dragged over the neck from behind. But it goes so quick you can't tell. We had a knife in ours, but the shot is so quick even in the slomo that we could have used a remote control as well. So yeah, covering somethingfor 8 - 24 frames when no one will be looking for an effect is a lot easier than tracking through the whole wound effect. Also Mark wanted to avoid doing CG blood like the plague, says it never looks right. Again here's where we stole the cover vs. add method
Texas Fortune, one of the greats from DVXuser Fests past:
http://www.earthfirewindwater.com/txf/
Chris Messineo
Veteran
Jack,
This was the first film I watched.
WOW! Simply wow. It's so good. Envy inspiring good. I hate you. It's that good.
Would it serve any purpose for me to walk through each of the superlatives in detail? I don't know. My mind is still spinning from how good it was.
I am humbled in your presence,
Chris
p.s. Did you use the M2 Adapter for all of your shots? What were your impressions of working with it?
This was the first film I watched.
WOW! Simply wow. It's so good. Envy inspiring good. I hate you. It's that good.
Would it serve any purpose for me to walk through each of the superlatives in detail? I don't know. My mind is still spinning from how good it was.
I am humbled in your presence,
Chris
p.s. Did you use the M2 Adapter for all of your shots? What were your impressions of working with it?
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haha chris. :grin:
Actually Mark's M2 was on the fritz, the achromat was off and it gave a weird wavey heat effect. So we used my letus35a
Most of, if not all the basement shots were stock lens.
We taped a century wide angle for the DVX onto the HVX for some Red Room shots and the bathroom scene.
Most of the red room shots were long or wide angle letus35a shots.
The love scenes and strangle scenes were stock lens I think do to the movement in the shot.
One thing I really looked foreward to and enjoyed playing with on this shot was angle of view. I think a lot of us were just so excited to get shallow depth of field and use that as a compositional tool. But the fun really starts when you choose between a 100mm (or longer) 50mm or 30mm (or wider) lens for story telling reasons or for a certain effect. So within the letus shots there are those subvarients as well.
Actually Mark's M2 was on the fritz, the achromat was off and it gave a weird wavey heat effect. So we used my letus35a
Most of, if not all the basement shots were stock lens.
We taped a century wide angle for the DVX onto the HVX for some Red Room shots and the bathroom scene.
Most of the red room shots were long or wide angle letus35a shots.
The love scenes and strangle scenes were stock lens I think do to the movement in the shot.
One thing I really looked foreward to and enjoyed playing with on this shot was angle of view. I think a lot of us were just so excited to get shallow depth of field and use that as a compositional tool. But the fun really starts when you choose between a 100mm (or longer) 50mm or 30mm (or wider) lens for story telling reasons or for a certain effect. So within the letus shots there are those subvarients as well.
Darkline
Veteran
Very interesting.
Thanks for the response. You're method would work a lot better.... So far everything I have done has been in post; simply because we havent had the budget or the crew members with the skill of prosthetics. I hope that will change, but right now we'd probably have to go with a tracked in still from some casualty website or something and hope for the best
You are right that the effect would obviously draw attention to itself and any slight tracking error would be glaring.
Thanks for the explaination. Well done again on your short. By the way I loved the paintings with no eyes, I think that was my favourite bit. The red room was very Lynch I thought.
Thanks for the response. You're method would work a lot better.... So far everything I have done has been in post; simply because we havent had the budget or the crew members with the skill of prosthetics. I hope that will change, but right now we'd probably have to go with a tracked in still from some casualty website or something and hope for the best
You are right that the effect would obviously draw attention to itself and any slight tracking error would be glaring.
Thanks for the explaination. Well done again on your short. By the way I loved the paintings with no eyes, I think that was my favourite bit. The red room was very Lynch I thought.
Noah
Well-known member
Loved the opening and beginning- great directorial choices. The film looked great as well. BUT, up until the end I didn't have much of an idea of what was going on - and quite frankly, I didn't really care to find out. You never gave me anything to feel intrigued or attached to these characters. By the end, when I understood at least what was going on, I didn't care anymore. Could've been an interesting film, but I don't think you told the story to its potential. I also think the editing in general were disjointed. I've only watched a handful of the shorts before and I have to say I haven't been very impressed- doesn't seem like any of the ones I've seen have been able to have an engaging story that sustains itself even for 5 minutes. I know its hard - easier said than done right? but I was expecting someone to pull through (maybe one of the ones I haven't watched did, we'll see). Anyway, congrats on being the comparitive best so far... again.
jpbankesmercer
Director Mod
Think your going to do it again Jack. Well you and the Bloody Mary guys. You deserve it for all the effort that's gone into this beauty.:thumbup: :thumbup: