Lingothree - Dear Jane

Michael_Petro said:
you know what? I watched this again (I did) and this thing kicks ass!
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Thanks - the quotes in your signature kick ass. Not as good as rekindled - that's just darn funny.



I really need to learn how to quote multiple users in one post. Sigh...
 
Lingothree said:
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you were impressed with the production design. It was all shot in my very colorful house. Blue living room, yellow bedroom, brown dining room, purple bedroom...the rest was basically a last minute trip to St. Vincent's thrift store. They had an impressive selection of ceramic birds and jesus memorabilia.

What did you mean by "live video in a quiet room"?
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Well, then I really like your house! :)

What I meant about the sound... well, it sounded like just what it was, a guy talking into a microphone (a very nice one, apparently). Now I'm not a sound engineer by any means, but that's what it sounded like to me. A very low background of humm and room tone from somewhere other than where the actor was sitting down writing his letter or even his head. Best way I can describe it is that it sounded like the V.O. was added later, you know? Like I WASN'T listening to the a guy writing/reading aloud his own letter in his head while he was at THAT desk in THAT room. It almost sounded like a home-movie narration to me.

Don't get me wrong. The quality of the sound was excellent. I think it just needs a better mix/mastering to fit WITHIN the film and not seem like it was tacked on in post.

Anyway, thanks for listening. You still have a pretty good little film. :thumbsup:


John G.
 
cinealma said:
Well, then I really like your house! :)

What I meant about the sound... well, it sounded like just what it was, a guy talking into a microphone (a very nice one, apparently). Now I'm not a sound engineer by any means, but that's what it sounded like to me. A very low background of humm and room tone from somewhere other than where the actor was sitting down writing his letter or even his head. Best way I can describe it is that it sounded like the V.O. was added later, you know? Like I WASN'T listening to the a guy writing/reading aloud his own letter in his head while he was at THAT desk in THAT room. It almost sounded like a home-movie narration to me.

Don't get me wrong. The quality of the sound was excellent. I think it just needs a better mix/mastering to fit WITHIN the film and not seem like it was tacked on in post.

Anyway, thanks for listening. You still have a pretty good little film. :thumbsup:


John G.
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Got it - thanks for the clarification, and the feedback.
 
Lingothree said:
Thanks - the quotes in your signature kick ass. Not as good as rekindled - that's just darn funny.



I really need to learn how to quote multiple users in one post. Sigh...
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Hey Lingothree! To quote multiple users...

Quote, type, cut(or copy), hit back, go to next quote... repeat and rinse!

Ted
 
Lingothree I liked your movie.
It was clever and original, was an appropriate story in terms of the time limit, and some really well thought out storytelling executed with the camera such as the under the table shot of the adults.

I have some small dings here and there but I'm sure most of them have been hit upon.

One thing I will leave you with as far as constructive (hopefully) criticism though, and this is a small thing but I'm about to write a paragraph explaining it which will make it seem like a huge problem when it is a small one - you have a tendency to cut on the dialogue (or sound) and the image at the same time, rather than letting one lead the other (usually dialogue or sound leads the cut) this makes the cuts seem less organic and less motivated. This was especially evident with the mom flash backs. I got the sense that she was waiting to say her line and then we cut to her and she said it, rather than cutting into a conversation, or lecture, or scolding already taking place. So that's an example where you might want to begin her audio while you are still in the previous cut and then let that word or few words or fraction of a word pull us into the next shot by motivating the cut. Just a hair of the word will tighten it up and no one will notice even that that's what you are doing, but you can experiment with a little more, especially if you want us to linger on the image preceding the next cut. I think you can apply some of that thinking throughout, though by in large the cutting really served the piece and the story.

Again I hate that explaining myself so verbosely makes it seem like that was my major impression of the film ... it was not ... I'm just not succinct, and again the editing note is a small one and it did not hinder the film's entertaining qualities.

Of course the make up was a star attraction and added a lot here as well.

Let me know if you want any of the rest of the picked nits in PM or in the thread.

A very entertaining and intelligent film. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Best,

Jack
 
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Lingothree said:
Oooohhhhhh....thanks!
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You're welcome! And I wanted to credit the person who taught me that (but Iwas in such a hurry that I actually had to run back to my computer just to type that!)

But, speak of the devil.... It was Jack!!! The man above himself.

Hope that works out for you. And I do love your quotes in your sig and I very much enjoyed your movie!

Ted
 
Got a pretty good kick out of this one. I think the comments above are more
than I can say so I'll leave it at that.
Well done. -gordo.
 
Jack Daniel Stanley said:
you have a tendency to cut on the dialogue (or sound) and the image at the same time, rather than letting one lead the other (usually dialogue or sound leads the cut) this makes the cuts seem less organic and less motivated.

Let me know if you want any of the rest of the picked nits in PM or in the thread.

A very entertaining and intelligent film. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Best,

Jack
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Hey Jack. That was a very good constructive criticism. Thanks. Feel free to send more picked nits (ewwww...that reminds me of those black lice combs they handed out in elementary school) my way via PM or in this thread. I'd love to hear what else you think about it. I'm going to submit it to some other fests and show it locally so I'd love to have some ideas for how to make it better first.

TheatreGuy said:
You're welcome! And I wanted to credit the person who taught me that (but Iwas in such a hurry that I actually had to run back to my computer just to type that!)

But, speak of the devil.... It was Jack!!! The man above himself.

Hope that works out for you. And I do love your quotes in your sig and I very much enjoyed your movie!

Ted
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Thanks Ted. Here - I'm practicing.

The quotes in my signature were very hard to obtain. You know - lawyers and their red tape, bureaucratic prison systems, interviewing the dead.

Raptor365 said:
Got a pretty good kick out of this one. I think the comments above are more
than I can say so I'll leave it at that.
Well done. -gordo.
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Thanks much.
 
Looking good Lingothree!

Very nice... A triple quote i see here!

Bravo!

BTW, new ladder pix!!!

Link at the top of my thread!!!
 
Lingothree,

I have a folder with films I wanted to go back to and this is one of the few.

You've got some really haunting images in here and the craftsmanship truly shows. When I watched it the first time that last haunting image just totally blew me away. Now that I've watched again I'm struck by the careful setup for your scenes and the attention to detail throughout.

In all honesty, my only critique is that I'd prefer a more resonant voice talent for the VO with a more open mic technique. I felt the same way about DEVELOPED. Vocal delivery is so important when the whole track is VO.

That said, the script was wonderful and the camera work tight. I'm going to keep this one on my short list.
 
Mark Johnson said:
Lingothree,

I have a folder with films I wanted to go back to and this is one of the few.

You've got some really haunting images in here and the craftsmanship truly shows. When I watched it the first time that last haunting image just totally blew me away. Now that I've watched again I'm struck by the careful setup for your scenes and the attention to detail throughout.

In all honesty, my only critique is that I'd prefer a more resonant voice talent for the VO with a more open mic technique. I felt the same way about DEVELOPED. Vocal delivery is so important when the whole track is VO.

That said, the script was wonderful and the camera work tight. I'm going to keep this one on my short list.
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Thanks for the feedback, Mark. I'm glad you liked it, and I appreciate the insightful critique. I had originally imagined a deeper, richer voice for the VO, but as I did research on serial killers I learned that they often are effeminate, and so I asked Joe (DP) to do it (because his voice sometimes sounds a little, well, fey. sorry joe). But in retrospect, I think you're right. A richer voice would have added to the film.

What do you mean by open mic technique?
 
You know, I appreciate your comment about the decision regarding the killer's voice and the truth is that in real life the Dahmer's and Berkowitzes do seem to often carry a thin voice and rarely sound like James Earl Jones. However, this is filmmaking and there's a reason Hannibal Lekter sounds like Anthony Hopkins (besides the fact that he played him). His voice and delivery were half the experience and why his character carried so much more impact and terror than "Bill" with his effeminate "it puts the lotion on its body ..." As an artistic choice I think your first instinct was the right one.

By "open" mic I'm referring to the spatial sense. DEVELOPED sounded like it was recorded in a bathroom and, as such, was very closed. Your track is closed because you recorded with the mic quite close to the actor's mouth and you kept the track very dry. Obviously, you don't want to dump a bunch of reverb on the track, but the lack of any room sense removes drama from the VO. This is heavily emphasized by your use of reverb in some of the movie scenes. You can open the mic by repositioning it or altering your room conditions (carpet vs wood floor, stone vs plaster walls etc. ... or you can add depth in post if you are up to the engineering skill required. For something as critical as a VO I recommend test tracks with intentionally varied conditions (mic positioning and room selection) to better judge what your base track will sound like.

Hope this helps.
 
Dear Jane is in my top 5!

One of my favorites that I learned a lot from.

Lingothree, thanks for your review by the way I appreciate the feedback.
 
Mark Johnson said:
You know, I appreciate your comment about the decision regarding the killer's voice and the truth is that in real life the Dahmer's and Berkowitzes do seem to often carry a thin voice and rarely sound like James Earl Jones. However, this is filmmaking and there's a reason Hannibal Lekter sounds like Anthony Hopkins (besides the fact that he played him). His voice and delivery were half the experience and why his character carried so much more impact and terror than "Bill" with his effeminate "it puts the lotion on its body ..." As an artistic choice I think your first instinct was the right one.

By "open" mic I'm referring to the spatial sense. DEVELOPED sounded like it was recorded in a bathroom and, as such, was very closed. Your track is closed because you recorded with the mic quite close to the actor's mouth and you kept the track very dry. Obviously, you don't want to dump a bunch of reverb on the track, but the lack of any room sense removes drama from the VO. This is heavily emphasized by your use of reverb in some of the movie scenes. You can open the mic by repositioning it or altering your room conditions (carpet vs wood floor, stone vs plaster walls etc. ... or you can add depth in post if you are up to the engineering skill required. For something as critical as a VO I recommend test tracks with intentionally varied conditions (mic positioning and room selection) to better judge what your base track will sound like.

Hope this helps.
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Thanks Mark. I think you're spot-on about the voiceover. Thanks for the reference to Silence of the Lambs - I think you're totally right about that. Maybe I will experiment with a different voice talent. Because maybe I was to some extent justifying away my laziness by using Joe (since he was there, and we were in a hurry to wrap it up and head down south to a flaming lips concert) rather than finding someone more appropriate.


Rock Punk! said:
Dear Jane is in my top 5!

One of my favorites that I learned a lot from.

Lingothree, thanks for your review by the way I appreciate the feedback.
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Thanks much.

- Nikki
 
hey Lingothree!

I want to thank you for your contribution to this festival. I have enjoyed "talking" with you and loved your film!

What a classic!!!!

Congratulations and best of luck to you!

And if you ever need a man with a ladder.... :)

Ted
 
Thanks Ted. This has been a fun fest.

Good luck with the voting.

Now get off the threads, put away your ladders, put on some clean socks and go enjoy your anniversary!
 
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