LAWLESS - A Marlon Ladd film

[Marlon Ladd]

Very nicely done! A western with a very unique perspective, based on a sharp short story.

While I’m sure it’s not quite perfect, nothing ever is, I can honestly say nothing occurred through the film that distracted me – I was fully engaged the entire time. The dialogue was authentic, the acting was solid, technical work was on.

Okay, thinking back one thing did distract me a little – the tingling from the chain the robbers found. The tingling constantly reminded me it was there, so I was expecting to see something more come of it in the end.

[FONT=&quot]You built the tension wonderfully. The short reminded me of the gas station scene from No Country for Old Men in the way somewhat innocuous conversation built towards a (potentially) violent conclusion. Great job, thank you for putting this up.[/FONT]

Thanks for the excellent critique. It's funny, because there's a couple of things that I wasn't able to fix before the competition that are kind of driving me crazy. LOL! Maybe I'm a perfectionist-mad-scientist. The tingling that you heard was NOT the necklace, but the spurs from the boots 2 of the characters were wearing. I wonder if I need to incorporate a close-up of that so it'll be understood better.

The gas station scene in "No Country. . .." is my favorite scene in that movie, because it really did build tension and you had no idea what was about to happen - and there was no music, which made it even crazier. So, i'll take that comparison as a huge compliment.

No surprise that this movie came in firing on all cylinder. Soild film Marlon. I mean really freaking solid. It's good to see your constant growth like this and this film shows a lot of maturity to your style of storytelling. Also your acting was pretty damn good so I'm glad you were able to focus so well. I would still like to shoot one of your movies so we'd better make this happen at some point.

I wasn't familiar with Bass Reeves and your particular tale was refreshing to see. COmign from you Ithis was a different level of badasserty that I just wasn't expecting. I really was expecting a little more over-the-top violence but that may still be residual effects of THe Jones lurking in my brain.

If anything was off at all it was that the outlaws could have been a bit dirtier and sweatier. It would have made it all the more real. But you blocking, camera angles, shot choices.. everything came together well.

Excellent damn movie. Definitely in my top 10.

Thanks, Rodney. I hope to continue to grow and improve and never stop. Hope to always be a constant student of the game. I knew this western would throw you off a bit with not as much action. LOL.

Actually I bet nobody here had ever heard of Bass Reeves. His story is one that hardly anybody knows about, but that I believe everybody should. Hollywood loves to make remake after remake about the Jesse James,' Billy The Kids' (loved "Young Guns") and Wyatt Earps' but have yet to even scratch the surface on somebody like Bass. And he wasn't the only black cowboy to do some wonderfully heroic things. There's too many to count, but they've just been kind of left out of out history.

In your top 10?? I'll take that any day! Thanks!!

marlon!!!


this so far is one of my favorites! i am a sucker for westerns and a western with an actual history behind it is even better!

love the cast, the acting, the shots, the pacing, the story!

" head splitter ..." heavy!!

you delivered big time!!

congrats on a great film!

Thanks, Hoz! I'm a big western fan too. Yeah, I like that "head-splitter" line too, because that's exactly what that gun is. :happy:

Marlon, I just want to say how proud I am of how well we did on this film. It seems like every fest we bump up a notch. You have been a great friend and producer to work for and hope I can continue to work with such a bad ass now that your the shi* of westerns. Congrats on the great film and thanks for everyones positive remarks. We worked hard so you guys will enjoy this.

^^^^------This shi* sounded like I was your father telling you congrats on a good game. Now i really feel like brokeback mountain.

You did a good job, Phillip and I appreciate the help. Couldn't have done it and got it finished in time without your help. We worked very hard on a very tight and short schedule and I'm certainly glad people are seeming to appreciate our work.

And you are "Brokeback Mountain." :violin:

Great film.

It's got to be so hard to do a Western and you totally pulled it off. Your cast was great and I loved learning the story of Bass Reeves. I could totally imagine someone turning this into a feature.

Anyway, this was really a lot of fun. One of my favorites in the fest. Very well done.

Thanks, Chris. Glad you came by and glad you enjoyed the film. I totally respect what you do. This story was actually my first feature. I did it about 8 years ago and it came out okay, but that was a different time with different equipment (beta camera), so I wanted to revisit the story with the improved technology and my maturity as a filmmaker and actor.

that was a great film! I really loved the editing in the final shootout sequence...
Acting was spot on and the camera movements were nicely executed too....
this is absolutely one of my faves in this fest...congrats!

Thanks for the review, Vince. Glad you mentioned the editing in the shootout. I was hoping people would appreciate that. I tweaked it to death to try and get the desired outcome. One of your favs?? Thanks!

 

[RodThompson]

"Don't need no law-god around here!"

I dug this historical look at black heritage. Seriously awesome! Loved the use off cut and wiggles, but the color grading changed from cut to cut. Not saying it effected the continuity, but it was noticable. Like when Bass is talking the colors are warm, and evening-like, then it cuts to Santa (lol) and it's almost bleached and very bright.

On the whole, I loved the concept and the film so ROCK THE EFF ON!

 

[The Unknown]

really enjoyed this one

 

[Ben Sliker]

MARLON! Another filmmaker that I am glad to see return, not to mention, deliver two films! 4 guys out in the woods for a bit, and guess what, it's a good film! This really felt like a scene from a larger piece, like there should be more story before and after (<- a good thing), and I assume that your title cards are true and you pursue this story farther because it sounds like a neat piece of history.

I would have liked to have seen a color correction scheme that held up better after being compressed. But that's just a small nit-pick by me, you did a real good job in the edit to keep the tension throughout the stand off, which I think was the most important part!

 

[MrSeth]

My critique for Lawless
The story:
Really cool story!! And it's nice to see that it was based off a true story.

The acting:
Excellent! All 3 guys (plus the dead guy) did well.

The camerawork:
Loved the dollying/tracking as well as the subtle movements. The color fit the genre well!

The editing:
Editing is what brought the tension alive. Good job!

The sound and music:
Dialogue was clear and understandable. Loved the music!

Overall impression:
Overall it was GREAT! Very entertaining -- You could easily turn this into a feature!

My favorite shot:

 

[jasonthewho]

Man, you know how to tell a story. I liked that you took the time to show the things that really make a movie come alive, with the knowing glances between the two robbers.

The acting was great, especially by yourself.

There was some line crossing, and some exposure shifting, and some inconsistent CCing, but I didn't really care too much because the story was so engrossing.

Great tension.

Some of my favorite shots were of you, so whoever was your second camera op did a great job.

Not sure we really need the end titles explaining the first black marshall. It's interesting, but it kind of makes the film feel like something you'd watch for school.

What a fun film! I really enjoyed myself watching it.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Marlon, I remember writing a review on this, but I mut not have posted it? Anyway, I really enjoyed your film. love the dude that chose not to die...feel like I've seen him in other westerns. I think there was a line that he dropped his dialect, but all around believable. You've obviously got the chops! You should get to LA like previously posted. You photograph really well. Great film dude.

Yeah, they had the link for this thread linked to my last film, "The Jones'" for some reason. It's fixed now though. Glad you enjoyed the film. The guy that didn't die has actually been in a few westerns over the years playing small parts here and there and he also played one of the police officers in "The Outsiders" back in the day. He's an excellent actor and just does this as a hobby for the most part. I've been pushing to get him to do it more. There have been other to say I need to get to LA and that is definitely the plan. Hope to be there by the end of the summer. Thanks for the review!

I really enjoyed the shootout at the end. There was a lot of tension in building up to the standoff. Nice work all around.

Thanks, killacam. I was hoping to build the tension good enough so that people would get it and understand. I wanted the shootout to be quick, fast, but powerful, violent and real, so I'm glad you liked it.

2 words....BAD ASS!

luved everything about this.

couple shots where the cc threw me for a millisecond.

Luved the shootout...i rewinded it possible 10 or more times to see how many shots u got in that quick amount of time. And i actually think the "jello" worked there

very good job.

Yeah, there's two shots where the cc is off. I had to fix so many that by the time I got done, I was tired. I still plan on getting it right though. LOL! You guys pick up on everything!! Thanks for stopping through. Glad you liked our film!

Really enjoyed this, I noticed how "right" most of the shot selections were, just some really nice framing, good performances, you most of all. The first time I watched I thought everyone seemed a little clean but I can see that really isn't the case, just doesn't come across well in the small format. Anyways, excellent job!

Thanks for stopping in, Chris. I enjoyed your movie too. Thanks so much for the compliments. Yeah, the cowboys were dirty - I made sure of that. When I initially filmed the feature, that's one of the first things I learned about old west authenticity. These guys lived on and around and traveled on dirt and would always basically be "dirty." I think you're right though, it didn't come out as well on the small format.

Thanks again, man.

Marlon, you've made some good stuff in the past but you've just topped them all with this. I really enjoyed it. I loved the score, too. It hooked me right at the beginning. Really fine job on this.

Okay, the only small nit I have with this is the revolvers. If you're not going to have them loaded, don't get too close, letting us see no bullets in them. But you did such a good job on this that I forgive that small problem.

Heya, Blaine. Once again I always look forward to your reviews. Yeah, when I was editing I thought about the shots I had of "Slim" where the gun was right in front of the camera and those barrels were empty. The shots were so good that I just had to go with them. I figured there would be a few to notice, but for the most part it would be okay. I'll make sure next time though that we have something in there.

So happy to hear that you think this film is my best. "The Jones'" resonated so much with people that it was a little concerning to me that I could come up with something to rival that. I know I have grown and matured as a filmmaker in these competitions and making "Lawless" and having people like you make those comments is a testament to me that I am still learning and growing and hopefully continuing to get better. :thumbsup: Thanks!

 

[Marlon Ladd]

"Don't need no law-god around here!"

I dug this historical look at black heritage. Seriously awesome! Loved the use off cut and wiggles, but the color grading changed from cut to cut. Not saying it effected the continuity, but it was noticable. Like when Bass is talking the colors are warm, and evening-like, then it cuts to Santa (lol) and it's almost bleached and very bright.

On the whole, I loved the concept and the film so ROCK THE EFF ON!

"Listen Mr. Kansas Law-Dog, law just don't go around here."
"I'm retired"
"Good, 'cause law just don't go around here."
"Yeah, I heard you the first time. . .winner to the king."
"Shut up, Ike."
TOMBSTONE

One of my favorite films for sure. I can't tell you how many times over the years I've watched "Tombstone." A classic.

Thanks for compliments, Rod. Yeah, I had to do some last minute stuff on the cc side. In parts it was too strong and was effecting the resolution. You say "Santa?" I was thinking Kenny Rogers with all the white. rogar-Shock(DBG): Anyway, glad you liked the film. Although it is in a sense a look at black heritage and history, I want people to understand that it's more and bigger than that. It's American History and a part of American history that we should all know about. Yes, Bass Reeves was a black man and the first black man to do many things, but he was an "American hero."

Thanks for diggin' it!!

really enjoyed this one

MARLON! Another filmmaker that I am glad to see return, not to mention, deliver two films! 4 guys out in the woods for a bit, and guess what, it's a good film! This really felt like a scene from a larger piece, like there should be more story before and after (<- a good thing), and I assume that your title cards are true and you pursue this story farther because it sounds like a neat piece of history.

I would have liked to have seen a color correction scheme that held up better after being compressed. But that's just a small nit-pick by me, you did a real good job in the edit to keep the tension throughout the stand off, which I think was the most important part!

Thanks, Ben. I was wondering when you come by. You're also one of the filmmakers here I respect. You always have good ideas and stories and excellent films. Actually, I made a feature film out of this story 8 years ago. I wanted to revisit it again on a smaller scale, but hopefully I'll be able to make something bigger happen with it in the future. It's a great story and something close to my heart.

Several people have complimented the tension build up in the standoff. I'm so glad it came across as good as it did. Building tension is not an easy thing to do. The audience has to be invested in the characters enough to care what's going to happen next and for that you have to have 3 dimensional characters, good acting, editing and luck. I at least had alot of luck. rogar-Shock(DBG):

Thanks for coming by, man.

My critique for Lawless
The story:
Really cool story!! And it's nice to see that it was based off a true story.

The acting:
Excellent! All 3 guys (plus the dead guy) did well.

The camerawork:
Loved the dollying/tracking as well as the subtle movements. The color fit the genre well!

The editing:
Editing is what brought the tension alive. Good job!

The sound and music:
Dialogue was clear and understandable. Loved the music!

Overall impression:
Overall it was GREAT! Very entertaining -- You could easily turn this into a feature!

My favorite shot:

Thanks, mrseth. I've been checking you out and you've been giving some really kick-a** reviews. Putting your favorite shot in there is so cool. Lets us filmmakers know that you were really paying attention to our films and really into it, so thanks and thanks for the great review!

Oh and btw - I already made this into a feature, but that was about 8 years ago. I hope to revisit the story at some point with more experience, maturity, skill and money behind me.

Man, you know how to tell a story. I liked that you took the time to show the things that really make a movie come alive, with the knowing glances between the two robbers.

The acting was great, especially by yourself.

There was some line crossing, and some exposure shifting, and some inconsistent CCing, but I didn't really care too much because the story was so engrossing.

Great tension.

Some of my favorite shots were of you, so whoever was your second camera op did a great job.

Not sure we really need the end titles explaining the first black marshall. It's interesting, but it kind of makes the film feel like something you'd watch for school.

What a fun film! I really enjoyed myself watching it.

Thanks for coming by, Jason. Happy to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for the compliments about my acting. It's funny, because me being in front of the camera is always a major concern, because usually when I'm not in front of it, I'm the one that's filming. But I always worry about the shots of me, because I've been frustrated at times over the years, because I felt the shots of me could have been better - like if I had done it. LOL! But yes, this time I was more than satisfied with alot of those shots, so shout-out to Ricci Jett and also Phillip Borghee who did a little bit on that.

I do think though that you definitely need the explanation titles at the end, because there are alot of people that don't know this part of history. There are people that really don't know that there were black cowboys, let alone black marshals, let alone a black marshal that did all the things that Bass did. With this film I intended to show a great story, but a great story based on an actual character and provide that sort of education to people that would never have otherwise heard of Bass or any of the other black cowboys beside the famous rodeo cowboy, Bill Pickett. The fact that others have actually looked Bass Reeves up on the internet shows that people have been not only surprised, but excited about finding out about something historically important. That's how I felt after the first time I watched my favorite movie. I went and did research and my life hasn't been the same since.

I think I know what you mean about it being something you'd watch for school, but I think because this story is so sort of unbelievable that the only way it can be told is in this type of context. I'm sure if it was told any other way, people wouldn't believe it and that would detract from it (IMHO).

BTW - saw your film and will be dropping a review today (if I didn't already).

 

[John LaBonney]

Hey Marlon:

Wow, very impressive film! You gotta love a western any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

On the whole, this is a really solid movie. I thought that there was a lot of very good cinematography and editing this puppy had to be complex. The quality really shines through, I liked the opening sequence and liked the handheld stuff throughout.

If you might allow me, being well below your skill level, to nitpick a little bit, I found it a little annoying that I didn't get a clear view of the piece of jewelry at the end of the chain. I don't think that it was hyper-critical to the story, but they spend some time fawning over it so I would have liked to see a close-up to see what all the excitement was about.

I appreciate the effort that went into costumes/props; I had no trouble buying this as a story from the late 1800's. Also, I think the casting and acting was great.

If there's an issue I have with this film is the story itself; I like the concept of telling a piece of this historic lawman's life, and he sounds like an interesting fellow for sure, but I'm not entirely sure the slice of life that you created here really epitomizes what he was. I'm not sure I could suggest one better, it's just that the situation itself doesn't grab hold of me and draw me in all the way.

I think one of the parts I like best is when Bass takes command of the final outlaw. It's kind of like, "in your face, pal." Great ending.

Marlon, I think this is a really great film and I think you'll do well in the fest. Nice job!

 

[Tom Shortridge]

In a fest with a lot of movies that blended together in my head, this one definitely stands out.

Production design was great - I see no problems with the costumes, and the location works well.

Performances strong all around - especially from Bass Reeves. At 5:18, the delivery on "You choose" with the push-in? ****ing trailer moment. I got a chill, honestly.

I agree with John - this slice of life may not be the most interesting or defining for this character, and in the end, the film is mostly just a mexican stand-off. But what really sold this for me were the costumes, the acting, and the fact that the ending wasn't just "everybody gets blasted." That's all too often the choice of amateur filmmakers, because they don't know how else to end their film. In a lot of cases, it's easier to just say "Oh, let's just Reservoir Dogs it." But I'm very grateful you didn't do that here.

High marks all around.

 

[stinkpot]

He!! yeah, a western! They only work when they are good and yours is good. You really captured the essence of the standoff/showdown (or whatever term applies to westerns). The only technical thing I would liked is more color grading. Now, I wished for less color grading on most of the films but yours would have benefited from a subtle color wash, nothing to crazy. Great film, great cast, great job.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Hey Marlon:

Wow, very impressive film! You gotta love a western any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

On the whole, this is a really solid movie. I thought that there was a lot of very good cinematography and editing this puppy had to be complex. The quality really shines through, I liked the opening sequence and liked the handheld stuff throughout.

If you might allow me, being well below your skill level, to nitpick a little bit, I found it a little annoying that I didn't get a clear view of the piece of jewelry at the end of the chain. I don't think that it was hyper-critical to the story, but they spend some time fawning over it so I would have liked to see a close-up to see what all the excitement was about.

I appreciate the effort that went into costumes/props; I had no trouble buying this as a story from the late 1800's. Also, I think the casting and acting was great.

If there's an issue I have with this film is the story itself; I like the concept of telling a piece of this historic lawman's life, and he sounds like an interesting fellow for sure, but I'm not entirely sure the slice of life that you created here really epitomizes what he was. I'm not sure I could suggest one better, it's just that the situation itself doesn't grab hold of me and draw me in all the way.

I think one of the parts I like best is when Bass takes command of the final outlaw. It's kind of like, "in your face, pal." Great ending.

Marlon, I think this is a really great film and I think you'll do well in the fest. Nice job!

Thanks for stopping in, John. You, well below my skill level?? Please. I've seen your films and you always bring it! I have no choice but to take that as a compliment.

Okay, I understand what you're saying about the necklace thing. I actually do have a closeup shot of it, but when I was editing before the reshoots the shot I had of it did not match up continuity wise. The actor held it in the other hand. Once I did the reshoot I think we got the hand situation right, but I didn't throw the shot in, because it didn't seem to further the story. I'll go back and revisit that though.

I really don't think you can epitomize Bass' life in a 6 minute film or even come close, but what I tried to do here is provide the audience with a little education by introducing him. I feel like showing a piece of what he is famous and remembered for was the best way to tackle that. He was the first black US Deputy Marshal in the OK Indian Territory and caught cold-blooded killers and thieves, so I had to show him doing that and I had to show that he was good at it. I think the story should grab people, because most people didn't even know that there were black cowboys let alone black cowboys that wore the badge and most people have never even heard of Bass Reeves or know anything about the Oklahoma Indian Territory.

There are many things about this man that were amazing and one of the things that was so powerful and unbelieveable about him is that he used to go undercover (alone) to catch these criminals. This approach became his trademark and became so famous that it's been rumored that The Lone Ranger's character was patterned after him. There's so much more I wanted to say in the film, but the main points I wanted to establish was that he was hired by the "hanging judge," Isaac Parker as the first black US Deputy Marshal in the OK Indian Territory and that he is probably the greatest lawman that nobody ever heard of. If you got that much from the film, then I feel like I at least did part of my job. There's alot more to him, but I didn't want to or have time to give it all away in such a short film.

As far as Bass' command at the end - I wanted the ending to represent and show just what type of guy he was. He could have easily killed that outlaw and although he was tough as nails, he was also very compassionate and would much rather capture an outlaw "alive" than "dead." Believe it or not, I was this close to changing that ending in editing. I wasn't sure people would get it (thought I needed to go out with more of a bang), but you guys certainly have.

Thanks again for coming by and giving me a critique. I've liked all the films I've seen from you, so your compliments are very much appreciated!

 

[Marlon Ladd]

In a fest with a lot of movies that blended together in my head, this one definitely stands out.

Production design was great - I see no problems with the costumes, and the location works well.

Performances strong all around - especially from Bass Reeves. At 5:18, the delivery on "You choose" with the push-in? poo pooing trailer moment. I got a chill, honestly.

I agree with John - this slice of life may not be the most interesting or defining for this character, and in the end, the film is mostly just a mexican stand-off. But what really sold this for me were the costumes, the acting, and the fact that the ending wasn't just "everybody gets blasted." That's all too often the choice of amateur filmmakers, because they don't know how else to end their film. In a lot of cases, it's easier to just say "Oh, let's just Reservoir Dogs it." But I'm very grateful you didn't do that here.

High marks all around.

Thanks, Tom! Glad you liked it. I responded to John's post about Bass' slice of life and basically said that I was trying to introduce this incredible character and show him doing what he was famous for, which was going undercover to catch outlaws. It's tough to try and incorporate such a complex figure in a short piece, but I did what I could to bring an awareness to him, his name and the legacy he left behind. If the audience leaves with nothing else besides knowing that there was a black marshal named Bass Reeves - well, I feel like I've done my job to an extent, because that's probably something they never would have learned about.

I'm elated to hear that you liked the ending. The funny story about that is that I had two endings. The one I used was the original and how I wrote it, but when I showed it to a couple of friends and thought about it, I felt I may need to end it with a bang. My composer got the original version and told me not to change it and I told him I would see which one worked best after he did the score. After I got the score back and plugged it in, it was an easy decision.

Thanks for dropping in! Much appreciated!

He!! yeah, a western! They only work when they are good and yours is good. You really captured the essence of the standoff/showdown (or whatever term applies to westerns). The only technical thing I would liked is more color grading. Now, I wished for less color grading on most of the films but yours would have benefited from a subtle color wash, nothing to crazy. Great film, great cast, great job.

You're right, stinkpot - wait, did I just insult you? LOL! Yep, westerns only work when they're done right. I'm glad you feel like I captured that essence, because I don't think that's an easy thing to do. I'm not 100% satisfied with the cc and am definitely going to revisit that soon! I'm thinking the same thing about the color wash.

Thanks for the great critique and comments. Will be checking your film out today or tomorrow and will drop a review to you too.

 

[dre83]

No complains about the shots and recorded sounds.

Only thing I miss is some more sound design (birds, crows, wind, breaking brunches, wind true leaves... moving trees, moving brunches)

 

[Marlon Ladd]

No complains about the shots and recorded sounds.

Only thing I miss is some more sound design (birds, crows, wind, breaking brunches, wind true leaves... moving trees, moving brunches)

Hey, man. Yep, you're exactly right. Because it was down to the wire with me finishing, I didn't have time to put all that in. I wish I could have delegated that off to you - would have made it easier.

 

[alex whitmer]

Really enjoyed this one. I'm a sucker for a Western, and this did not disappoint. Nice little biopic. Had some 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly' in there with the CU and shifty eyes, and it worked well.

Great opening. Music and that shaky camera work really pulled me in.

Excellent performances and costumes. Even had a horse in there without having to show it.

I hated to see this one end. Damn six minutes!


One glitch ...

How did he know there was 20 dollars in the money pouch? He never looked.

a

 

[Aaron Marshall]

The costume design here took me out of it. Other than that you did a good job establishing that western mood. I think you played it way too safe in the writing. I think that situation could have offered a lot more suspense. The dialog was way too safe. I think those two outlaws would have been a lot more patronizing to Bass Reeves. Having a shotgun over your shoulder is lightyears away from having it ready and aimed. Him supposedly being such a good law man; he wasn't very alert.

The music started off very nicely. By the end I wasn't feeling it.

The actors seemed too modern and well kept to have been out braving the wilds of Oklahoma (cleanly shaven and outlined beards). I want to see stubble, and maybe a little bit of food stuck in the stache. I want to be able to smell a lonesome campfire through the screen when I see them.

Your framing and your cuts were quite nice. Good job.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Really enjoyed this one. I'm a sucker for a Western, and this did not disappoint. Nice little biopic. Had some 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly' in there with the CU and shifty eyes, and it worked well.

Great opening. Music and that shaky camera work really pulled me in.

Excellent performances and costumes. Even had a horse in there without having to show it.

I hated to see this one end. Damn six minutes!


One glitch ...

How did he know there was 20 dollars in the money pouch? He never looked.

a

Thanks for the cool review, Alex. Glad you picked up on the horses. LOL! We actually had some at our disposal, but the script didn't call for it, so we didn't use one. You're right on about the $20. I couldn't remember exactly how I'd written it in the script, but I remember thinking about it when I was editing that somebody might pick up on it. Can't remember if he was supposed to say "about $20" or if he was supposed to actually peek inside. Anyway, glad you liked it and thanks again!

The costume design here took me out of it. Other than that you did a good job establishing that western mood. I think you played it way too safe in the writing. I think that situation could have offered a lot more suspense. The dialog was way too safe. I think those two outlaws would have been a lot more patronizing to Bass Reeves. Having a shotgun over your shoulder is lightyears away from having it ready and aimed. Him supposedly being such a good law man; he wasn't very alert.

The music started off very nicely. By the end I wasn't feeling it.

The actors seemed too modern and well kept to have been out braving the wilds of Oklahoma (cleanly shaven and outlined beards). I want to see stubble, and maybe a little bit of food stuck in the stache. I want to be able to smell a lonesome campfire through the screen when I see them.

Your framing and your cuts were quite nice. Good job.

Hey, Aaron. Thanks for the critique. Sorry the costumes took you out of it, but what we wore were authentic. I don't know if you know much about the old west, but there's an authenticity that's very important when it comes to the boots, pants, suspenders, holsters and hats that alot of people and films miss. There's even a such thing as "Hollywood holsters" that many films have used that weren't true to the old west. They were holsters that were low on the leg, which is not what they used to carry. Alot of westerns also go out and get modern cowboy boots and thing they'll work, but they're not right. They have to be square toe. I did a feature film on this subject 8 years ago and I was given a very intense education by some true-blue re-enactors (in addition to my other research) and they know their stuff. So, I'm not sure exactly what you were looking for with the costuming, but I can tell you it was dead on.

This story was historically accurate. The dialogue and reactions between the three of them was the way it would have been. 1 in every 3 cowboys in the old west was black, so although there was still racism it was of a different sort with those that worked as cowboys or were in that outlaw business. It was a different class of people and if you had a gun and knew how to use it, that gave you respect and fear from others no matter what your race. Could I have thrown a few curse words in there? Yeah and I curse my a** off, but from all the research I've done and it's been alot, it didn't fit. Plus, this is a story that people of all ages should see.

I think maybe you should go back and watch it again. The only time Bass had the shotgun over his shoulder was when the outlaws had holstered the weapon. Besides that, he was very skilled with his weapons. It's hard to defend the story if you don't know anything about Bass Reeves. That was the purpose of this story in the first place - to introduce Bass Reeves and who he was. I think unless you know about him or alot about the old west then this is a film that you have to have faith that I did my research.

Also, the cowboys were all dirty, but it didn't come across as much on the small format.

Sorry some of the things in the film didn't agree with you, but I'm still glad you watched and also stopped by to leave me a review. Thanks, man.

 

[TMerry]

Hi Marlon, great flick! I really liked it. It's not easy to pull off a realistic micro budget western and you did this with complete believability. My only minor critique was some color correction differences that took me out of the story for a moment here and there. Other than that, solid acting, great tension, great story. I felt like this was the opening of a feature and would like to follow the days of Bass Reeves adventures further. I think you are working on this already, but it not, it needs to be made. Good job my friend!

 

[Hermn8r]

Nice film! I would really like to see more of this story! Feature waiting to happen? Well done.