Jack Daniel Stanley & Mark Johnson's REKINDLED

Hey you guys-- Let Jack fight his own battle. I am itching to repy here, and I'm really mad that I came to this thread on a tip-off to the trouble brewing... I was avoiding this thread at all costs so that I could form my own UNBIASED opinion on Jack's work and this is turning out to be sad.

 I caught Blaines Quote of Cynic... and as much as I want to respond about Cynic's complete and utter lack for any kind-of-freaking decency in this fest, just let Jack do it. The more we all jump in to defend him when we all know he's capable of doing it, the more this good thread goes to waste.

I'm guilty of helping it at this point... but Cynic? Man oh man. Whatever.

Please, just let this thread be so that I can check out the reviews after I've written my own.
 
Cynic821 said:
I honestly didnt expect this reaction. maybe im dumb. for different reasons
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I'm really not trying to sound like the Fest Police (Though I have a dope cop car as a my Avatar)... But Cynic:

Please, share some of this attention with the other hard-working fest participants that you haven't even said a word about in their threads. You can't sway everyone to pass on that HVX to someone you see as more deserving, but you sure can give something back by spending time on critiquing what the people you are defending have done...

RIght now, I don't see you doing that.
 
Im serisouly working it Kholi, all day ive been doin rewriting in my txt file because of reactions like this. Im just speakin my typed out mind. really. Imagine my review of awakening
 
Cynic821 said:
Im serisouly working it Kholi, all day ive been doin rewriting in my txt file because of reactions like this. Im just speakin my typed out mind. really. Imagine my review of awakening
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Awesome. I'm sure everyone will appreciate your honest feedback. Thanks.

Sorry for contributing to the thread-jack. Please, continue to speak about REKINDLED.

I'll be back to this thread in DUE time!
 
awesome. I agree Kholi. Here is my review...back to the movie!

Matt Sconce's Review of Rekindled
SPOLIERS POSSIBLE!

Script
I loved the script. I think the story flowed smoothly. It built effortlessly revealing little bits of story as it went. And had a great ending. The line "Until Hell Comes for us, and the closing of the door just rocked!
Acting
The acting was really good. The only thing I would change is the male lead's smile. It pulled me out of the moment, not because he should not smile...but I think if he was making eyes contact with her still, it might seem less cheesy. But in my opinion everyone had a very solid performance!
Cinematography
What can I say that so many others have not? This is absolutely phenomenal DPing and directing. The little details do create a world to fall into. The wall treatments worked well with the lighting and the location prep was excellent!
Editing
Perfectly worked with this short and was soooooo good!
Score
The song was great and really contributed to the mood of the peice. I enjoyed it a lot.
Overall Impressions
Jack, not only have you done it again, but you keep getting better. i am so impressed, but not surprised. I know it has a lot to do with talent, but I also know it has a TON and a half to do with how hard you work and how much you prepare. Great job and thankyou. I very much enjoyed this film. It is in My top 2!
 
Kholi said:
... the more we all jump in to defend him when we all know he's capable of doing it, the more this good thread goes to waste.
....
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Cynic821 said:
I honestly didnt expect this reaction. maybe im dumb. for different reasons
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I think you guys are doing a great job hashing things out here so that's why I have stayed out of it, though I have gotten about a dozen emails with the subject heading "Man of Leisure" and have asked for that to be my custom member status name LOL.

Cynic, we are all good my friend, though you need to understand that people's ire has been raised not about your comments on my film which I thought were very reasoned and well thought out, but based on your assumptions about my financial situation in a community that has seen me loose my job, and home, and savings and have to relocate to a new city due to hurricane Katrina - and all the while, even during the Hurricane evacuation (Shed ) I made these flicks

You have made several erroneous assumptions in your post
A) I didn't fly anyone anywhere for this film. My parents had to buy plane tickets for me to go home for my sister's wedding this summer.
B) The average age here is about 34, which I am.
C) I guarantee you I'm more broke than you are ... neither September nor October's rent is paid due to money spent and time off from work to make Rekindled.
D) (along the lines of "C") I can't afford any of those prizes. Not one.
E) I have only been making films for one year. So I'm not some established dude that's getting all these calls to do commercials and videos all the time. If anyone has been making films for even a few months then that person and I are peers.

Aram put his finger on it. A lot of this is about time. My life is arranged so that I can work my ass off on these things or be writing screen plays. The trade off is that we are pretty broke. No insurance since 2001, No Car, Broke. (we just got insurance from my GF's new job actually) Aside from my DVX most of the gear I have I have won. I do not own an HVX and one could help bring in some more money. But my finances are such that I will have to sell some other gear to get a P2 card.

I know people who are doing well in this competition who could by an HVX tomorrow, but I wouldn't begrudge them the right to win one. Especially since this person has spent years of study in film, screenwriting and theatre. In other words, they like I have paid some dues.

One could argue that after scrimping and getting by for a year and making films under any circumstances has more than earned me the right to compete for this one.

The only advantage I have that I don't have to create and manifest on a daily basis or exchange some quality of life for is the fact that I know actors from my theatre career. But I have posted several times on how others could achieve this same advantage without the benefit of a 10 year theatre career.

And if I didn't live in New York this film would have cost $600 to make, not $1400 because about $700 of that was car transportation for the actors since we were finishing at such an ungodly hour each morning.

I do think it is time for me to move on though it is so hard to stay away from these things. I think after a while this six minute form can start to warp your filmmaker sensibilities a bit, like binding shoes or something :laugh:
 
Jack Daniel Stanley said:
I think after a while this six minute form can start to warp your filmmaker sensibilities a bit, like binding shoes or something :laugh:
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Whoah...I have never thought of it like that but you are right. i have felt quite free knowing people are watching the version of Stricken I wanted seen....That being said. You are a staple of these competitions. Not only an example but someone to try to raise to the level of. :) I guess one might call that an inspiration.
 
Jack's been my number 1 inspiration ever since I started visiting the HorrorFest region of this forum. I ve been a dvxuser 1 year but I've spent all my time in the past reading about stuff in the technical regions of the forum, cinematography,lights,editing, acting.....

When I decided to check out HorrorFest, JDS was the man that caught my attention, I then downloaded and watched his 3 movies....and then I was....I need to be a part of this!!!

From my previous time in DVXuser I have seen a lot of work from DVXUsers that made me 'jealous' in the good sense...and all that work was a constant motivation....but nothing like HorrorFest and Jack.....

There were some films in here, Rekindled, Halfway, Stricken....films that I love as a viewer and I d love to rise up to the challenge and match them artistically.....I am too much of a self-centered bastard to try and copy someone else's work even if its the best work and I might be able to pull that off....I want to be as original as possible....So when I say that the above films are a like a guide...I mean that I want to be able one day to look at the production values of my work and their work and feel that I can sleep well at night....

Thank God I'm just 26....and have all the inner drive to go harder and harder with this in the years to follow....The One thing I want from myself is to Do Better and Better like Jack! I dont want to do a one-off big hit and then fade away not matching that or topping it....Jack showed also how you can top you top work....amazing....

Jack Sorry if this post seems off but you inspire me...
 
Cynic821 said:
well said
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well I hope we haven't defanged you all together.

I appreciated your review and was sorry to see that you deleted it

My GF and I were watching season two of House on DVD while all of this was going down or I would have jumped in sooner.

Also, final note on my finances. This is a choice I make and has little or nothing to do with Katrina at this point. That wasn't a sympathy speech as we are 100% fine and there are many that are much worse off than we ever were. My point was only that I am far from a Man of Leisure :Drogar-Smoke(DBG): and that HVX would definitely have impact on my life (or so I can only imagine). And that fact should also have nothing to do with who takes it home.
 
Review | POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT! I watch the movies first time around strictly for enjoyment, second and third for review.

. . . .

. . . .

Jack Daniel Stanley. Mark "The Man" Johnson. To you and your crew I congratulate you. I am astonished and totally, utterly, im-freaking-pressed.

Let my Review Begin.

 Script - Let's get this out of the way. This Genre is Horror. There are plenty of ways to excuse a plot structure because of it. I'm not going to excuse you, or anyone else. I'm going to say that you got a six minute allowance and you rocked every single second. From the beginning, to the end. You found a concept, you found a story, and you brought it together and I need to see your script. Please, do me the honor and forward in PDF format for my review. Short, sweet, simple. I can't see how there was any kind of bells and whistles thrown in here. This was straight to the point. And when applied to screen, it worked. VERY well.

Direction - Keep stepping, dude. I saw SHED, I liked the direction but honestly I wasn't one that praised it. I saw ODD Squad, it was better, but you know something just didn't do it for me. I saw Bone Hand and it kicked all kinds of ass. You seemed to get into post camera moves more there. I saw Rekindled and it had JDS written all over it. Your style is distinct around these here boards, and you're steadily honing it. This is your best direction, yet. I could sit here and write too many words to be posted from this box, so I'll sum it up: your framing has exceeded that of your last short. From the freaking match lighting to the final door slam on the dancing apparitions. I'd ask what kind of good stuff you were drinking, but I already know; I'll buy some JD tomorrow. I know there was another man behind the camera. Mark Johnson. You and Jack are THE team of this fest. And let me go on to say something about the sex scene: I hate them. I never like them. But I tolerate them when they're tolerable. I am going to make a comparison here that I hope no one rips me about: Similo... the sex scene seemed very voyeuristic. I was almost ashamed to watch it. In Rekindled, it was fact. These two people have a past, this is how it went. You got into it and got out of there in just the right amount of time. DANG!

Acting - Leading lady was just as clueless and forlorn as she needed to be. Delivering her lines like a lost soul, stodgy and almost lifeless. Your leading male was a psycho, blank expressions, lean, and grungy. He reminded me of Adrian Brody all the way. Your actors were great, dude. just freaking fantastic. It takes some guts to do such a bold sex scene, which is one of the stand out moments. Kudos to them both. And to your girl on the table. That alos takes some guts to get out and do. I felt the danger in her fright, right up until she got it from that wicked drill-like-piece.

Cine/Lighting - Best lit film of the fest, so far for me. There are very close seconds, but I'm sorry... the lighting in Rekindle takes it away for Kholi. There's one thing about this that stands out to me and that is location. The crimson room. That scene is magnificent. It's lit well, it's colors are start and contrasty to the under and overtones of the story. Sin, blood, and the hollow unfulfilled mind of the murderer. Down to the moist, stuffy looking basement. Even the freaking door at the end looked cracked and rutty as it slammed closed. Honestly.... just ... whatever.

Editing - I'll state it again: I am a fan of smooth post camera moves. I saw one in GORSEHILL and I see it here. In your Hero-fest short they needed to be honed, here? I barely noticed it. Editing stands out like WHOA. That mirror scene, post camera shift in, slicing. Team, that was so freaking good. You had me from the beginning and I didn't get distracted by anything throughout. You and those POST FREAKING CAMERA MOVES!!

Sound - One of THE best features about this. Man, I've got on my Sony Headphones. So when the movie opens up and I hear the match being kicked to life? I'm in there like swimwear. Your sound scheme was killer all the way through. I heard EVERYTHING!!!! It must've taken FOREVER to pull this facet together because it seemed an entirely seperate beast all it's own. Score- fantastic. Your choice piece of Music "Rekindled" was as haunting as the final moment. Dude. It kicked ASS.

Special Effects/Art Direction/Wardrobe - Magnificent. The leading lady's gown, the grungy look of your male. The chosen set pieces. That canopy BED! That was SUCH a great looking bed man. The freaking photographs on the wall man. This entire production screamed high production values. And the blood was straight grody. To the max, even. Opened faces, twisted flesh. You've got issues, all of you.

Scariest Moments - The entire thing was creepy. I wouldn't call it scary. It was gorey but not scary but be damned if it wasn't horror. THe drill part got me the worst, and the throat slitting behind it.

Overall consensus - I waited so long to get to this. I was patient and I am giving everyone what they deserve, a fair and honest review. I did NOT read reviews before my own, I refused to. This is coming straight from me and two viewings of Jack's short.

Jack, Mark... accept your praise for this: you've earned it.

For anyone who wants to rip me one for my review? Go ahead: I'm not budging. This is solid professional work. Period.

Thank you.
 
I have to say I think everyone knows that Herman Did the original song and Music and that Mark did VFX, (and both exceedingly well) but have to make sure people know that MARK and I CO-DPed this since there have been a lot of comments about the cine.

thanks for the detailed review. Kholi I really appreciate it and I will get you a script.

I haven't commented or defended my work much or agreed with praise, because there is no need too, especially since what seems to happen is that one person says they love "X" and one person says they hate it.

having said that I appreciate all the views and I see them all as valid and helpful to me.

Basically they keep me looking at each side of the coin and help me get back to that pure place when I made Shed and the possibilities were infinate, even as my craft hopefully continues to develop to some degree.

Thanks for making this a great fest. I've loved reading this thread whether the comments have been positive, harsh, or inbetween. :thumbsup:
 
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I d say shooting script is what you have when you start shooting. What you come up with in the end is what I would call 'A Good Reason To Start Again Your Medication' ;-)

ps. dont take it personally :)
 
Jack Daniel Stanley said:
anyone know which would more apropriately be called "the shooting script"?
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Thanks for providing those copies of the script- I enjoyed looking them over. In regards to a shooting script- neither of them qualify as a shooting script. A shooting script is the script that is created for production- it details out what shots are to be filmed in what order & location, has various notes from the director, and the like. A better definition can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_script
 
I started to type this in a PM- but I ifgured others would be interested in the response should you care to divuige some of you process:

I am currious how you went about securing each location- it sounds like you painted a room and dressed the set well. (which comes out in the film - I lreally enjoyed each location). Anyway- was it a friends house? Did you have to redress the location after you left? (Paint it back to the original colors). What kind of prepwork went into the sets?
 
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