"Late" --- A film by Drew Ott

I really liked how the movie started and wanted to sympathize for the lead character. Then when he went to meet his grandmother, I was expecting the lady to say that was her daughter and they lived happily ever after. But, it wasn’t. So, then I was expecting another twist at the end. But… there wasn’t. I think the actor did a pretty nice job and if the edit was a little tighter, it would have made his performance that much better. At times, it just seemed awkward. Specially the convo with the lady who lived next to the grandmother.

The parents had their moments.

I enjoyed the look of the film. The music worked for the most part, but there was really no dynamics to the score as the movie played out. Was this an original piece scored to picture or an original piece performed for the film, but layered in afterwards?

Congrats on entering the fest
 
Thanks for the comments Justin.

I wrote the score as an original piece, but it was one of the first times I've ever written a song for film. I still have a long way to go on composing.

About the awkwardness -- that's sort of what I was going for.

Thanks again.
 
Your poster is incredibly impressive.

I think one of the things that will improve your movie the most is studying photography and adhereing to the rule of thirds.
http://photoinf.com/Golden_Mean/John_Longenecker/Rule_of_Thirds.htm

Your best framing came when he got home from grandma's and he entered the house. You had him in the right thirds. The initial shot from behind the couch formed a nice triangle and gave him a powerful position in the frame.

If you had shot more coverage, meaning gotten a close up on him. You could have really punched up the climax when he turns off the tv and says you should have told me. Cutting into to a close up of him would have accomplished that.

I also think you could do another pass and cut out every second that doesnt forward the plot. For example do a 3 minute cut of the film and see if you can tell the exact same story with the footage you have. I think this exercise will help alot in tightening up your future projects.

Good job, and thanks for making this film.
 
Drew.. watched your film...

Some of the shots looked really great, the stuff at the pool looked awesome.

I actually was pleasently surprised by your story... it was good. I think some of the structure and writing could have used work, but you had a good story... something a lot of people can identify with.

Good work.
 
was.. this supposed to be dead pan? or serious?

Are parents supposed to be some kind of social commentary or something? There is nothing for me to invest in... stuff happens.. then it's over.

needless to say I thought it was poorly executed and had some very poor writing. The look was ok... but the lighting wasn't anything spectacular.

Allow me to explain my position here.. as I clearly disliked the film.

This is a short that really over stepped it's scope.. it dipped into the honey pot of a longer running time and took some of that story, and tried to cram it into a very short film.

A story like this needs more time for us to care, it demands it. Then the conflicting nature of the performances, are we supposed to find the parents strangely funny?? (I kind of do..) or do we hate them? or... ? The boy is all serious... like we're watching a serious film.. yet... the parents seem like they are in a completely different film..

which do we go with?

To me it feels like you're trying far too hard to elicit an emotion from an audience by simply using an emotional 'context'. The movie says "Feel sad for this guy.. cause this situation is sad!" *THWACK goes the emotion hammer to the head.

We are expected to feel something cause we know the idea of finding out your long lost grandmother has died before you had a chance to meet her is in fact a sad situation </end run on sentence>... but we don't feel much at all.. there is nothing connecting us to the film.

The ending is completely ridiculous... less of a "I am committing suicide" feel.. and more of a "I feel like going swimming" feel.

I am rambling now I think.. a lot of what I said relates to some very poor writing.

I've run out of things to say. I thought the acting was fine for what it was.. the girl felt rather superfluous though.

sorry dude.. I just really didn't like this.

peas.
 
Thanks for the honest review Loki.

I wasn't trying to elicit just one emotion. Some of the lines are intentionally awkward and there is supposed to be very subtle humor throughout.

I appreciate all of your opinions, but I don't think the ending is completely ridiculous, because he isn't committing suicide. He's jumping into the pool because of self pity.

I really appreciate that you took the time to write why you disliked the film instead of not commenting or just saying "nice short". Hearing the negative reviews are quite helpful.
 
First......
Drew Ott said:
I wrote the score as an original piece, but it was one of the first times I've ever written a song for film. I still have a long way to go on composing.
Click to expand...
I didn't hear any singing. ;o)

I thought the acting by the girl was good, her reaction was kinda what would be expected. The 'parents' 'couldn't care less attitude' was a bit odd considering they had adopted him, aren't adoptive parents sposed to be more 'caring'?

Basically I did, in a weird kinda way like this film, i guess cos of the different scenes.
thank you.
 
Hey Drew, the only thing to remember here is :

Dude, you're 15 and you shot a film!

Congratulations!
 
Good feeling to it, and good lighting, as others have said.

The underwater shot was a nice touch.

His performance was very good, same with his girlfriend. The parents and grandmother's neighbor seemed off. I think it's partly the writing and partly performances.

The grandma's neighbor's lines were the most problematic for me. "Who are you looking for, son?" Wouldn't she KNOW who he is looking for? I was looking for a bit more empathy out of her, and a bigger reaction when she finds out he's the grandson. Imagine telling someone that thier long-lost grandmother died just last week. I'd have a hard time breaking the news, and I think she would too. It seemed like just another thing that happens... not a big deal.

Very pro stuff here. All, the technicals were good, and didn't get in the way. The story was good, but needed a a tad bit more emotion in the writing and acting.

You got talent. Can't wait to see more.
 
Thanks. I appreciate the review.

With the "who are you looking for son?" line, I guess the neighbor was confused that he was looking for a dead woman.
 
Drew Ott said:
With the "who are you looking for son?" line, I guess the neighbor was confused that he was looking for a dead woman.
Click to expand...

Exactly. After a death, a number of people come and go from the estate. The woman next door may have thought Peter was there to see lawyer, a realtor, a furniture mover, etc.

a
 
Hey,

I watched this one WAY earlier but had to watch it again for my critique/comments. I really liked this one a lot and thought a lot of it was very top notch. The acting was great (believable and didn't sound rehearsed, etc.) shots well composed and the lighting was quite fantastic for me. Loved it. Can't believe this is a first for you. I hate you with an envious passion. The story telling here is quite good. I really really think this is very good.

Now, I can't go through all of your thread but I did hear you were up for constructive criticism so here goes. Suicide? Are you kidding me? Not even on a cold day in hell would I believe that the ending was a suicide. Not even a little. No. Tell me it's not even an option cause I think it BEING an option absolutely kills this film (this is not to denigrate anyone who thinks it's suicide or if it is. I just don't think it is nor should it be).

REASONING: This film, for me (and frankly, as it seems to set out throughout the piece) is about not wasting time or, excuse the pun, "diving" right into life. I think this comes out clearly is so many of the bits/scenes/dialogue that it boggles my mind that it would be anything else. The lead watches his "family" waste their life away in front of the TV. Then the girl tells him to get in the pool, and he doesn't want to (hesitation). She tells him if it were her (someone who obviously appreciates life (i.e. being in the pool)) that she would go, now, to see her and not waste any time with it. He does, realizes that it's too late, comes home to tell his folks of his change (how he should have been told sooner) and then goes out and, without really hesitating, jumps in the pool (analogy from before). And to be honest, I really think this is a wonderful message, well shown (rather than told) and totally delivered through context rather than being on the nose or anything like that.

Another reason that I really hope that it's NOT suicide is because I don't think suicide is motivated for this character. So his grandmother died. He's never known her. His world hasn't really fallen apart. We can see his change and we understand, hopefully, that he isn't going to waste his life like his (and this makes it so much better) non-biological parents.

I love this piece. I really really think you did a wonderful job here and would hate to see you cheapen it with thoughts that he might have committed suicide.

But seriously, this is just my opinion on the piece. And, as we all know, response is subjective.
 
You nailed it Danielleus. The whole pool scene in the beginning was to contrast his acceptance with it in the end.

In a longer cut, there's more once he's in the pool, and a few optional endings that didn't make the cut.

But yes, you are very correct with your take on the final scene, and I really appreciate the kind words.

A bunch of people who gave me opinions on the script read it as suicide, but I don't think I even intended it to be. So many people took it to be suicide that I just started calling it ambiguous, but it was never my intent to have there be a suicide at the end.
 
Had the fest been six minutes and a half, the complete ending would have shown the pool scene as a cleansing of sorts. Like a baptism, and preparing to embark on life with a new start.

a
 
Late was accepted into the Austin Film Festival for Young Filmmaker's (high school and below). It'll screen there and is some sort of finalist. Not sure how many others from that category will screen there.
 
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