NBCshooter--"DISTRACTION"

Hey NBC, just watched it, and will respond with my own before I read what others have posted.

Back when we were all scrambling to get our stuff done, and you were concerned about the script/editing ... you were right. I didn't get this at all. I don't see the connection between why the guys handcuffs just fall off, then later he's back in the seat again only to get shot & THE END.

Story/script wise, this scored low. But, for nearly everything else, top marks. Especially the lighting, acting, and CAMERA work. WOW!!! My wife & I are pretty hooked on Law & Order / CSI ... and you had the look. Very believable stuff. Make up/FX were good as well, and the acting, though I had no clue what they were saying, was great.

You're dead on when you say that you won't show what you can't sell. Every shot here was sold to me, and was near perfection. Just no story/sense that I could make of it.
 
D_and_G said:
I would have really liked to see what was at stake in this film, maybe cutaways of normal life, or people on the bus, before the denoument. Just a thought.
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Well thank you for the hugely generous comments! THAT was the one day of shooting I still needed--this I thought of the Monday before the deadline. I needed the terrorist getting on the bus, the terrorist in his normal "unterrorist" life, the innocent people on the bus, etc. Thanks for the encouraging words for my totally half-baked short!
 
Envision said:
You're dead on when you say that you won't show what you can't sell. Every shot here was sold to me, and was near perfection. Just no story/sense that I could make of it.
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WOW! That is the greatest compliment I could have heard! Personally, I voted my film a score of '1' on script only because there wasn't the option of putting '0.'
 
KOVAROVA said:
good actors and shots. i kept thinking you were trying to make a point rather than tell a story... were you?
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No point. A political slant would've been great if I had been so creative to think of one. Just needed another day to shoot the bare-minimum "story" which I only thought of two days before the deadline and couldn't complete. But I didn't want to be left out of the fun, so I submitted what I had anyway.
 
NBC...there aren't many that can match you picture for picture. You've got some really nice shots. My problem is that I can't find a Sci-Fi connection.:confused:
 
Blaine said:
NBC...there aren't many that can match you picture for picture. You've got some really nice shots. My problem is that I can't find a Sci-Fi connection.:confused:
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Yeah, I know. That's why I almost pulled out of the contest. I had the handcuff gag in there to hopefully qualify, but I don't know if it does--who knows? The original sci-fi element [for this particular short, not the other script] we thought of just worked out to be too fake to pull off, so I never shot it.
 
I haven't read anyone else's review so forgive me if this repeats anyone else's feedback but here's my whatever...

Distraction – Ralph, I have always been a fan of your camera work and the overall polished look to your submissions. I think you are a true professional, but this time it seems like the you were a true professional limited just by story. I couldn’t get into the film, although I thought it was extremely visually satisfying, I just didn’t buy in. It seemed like a movie and just didn’t come across natural. There were some drop outs in the sound that pulled me out of the experience and just something didn’t sit right with me. Your lighting was great and in general I found that the pace worked well, but I just wasn’t pulled in overall. The car thing in the beginning also pulled me out of it. I imagine these terrorists to be driving massive vans or something, but it looked like a Neon they pulled up in. Maybe that is my own short sightedness, but it just didn’t work for me. Overall I would say that your film had some of the best camera work and editing I had seen, but the story just made it not work for me.
 
I could of cared less if there was a story to this piece. Like Mac and Kaz's work I was just in awe at how beautiful it looked. The shot at the beginning of the Muslim temple was gorgeous! Can't wait to see your entry in the next DVXFest!
 
Jimmy John Worley said:
I'm curious. So, What was that "original sci fi element" that was too fake to pull off?
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I was struggling with the sci-fi element since the day I had to ditch my original script due to time constraints. My friend (also a camera guy) suggested a transporter machine as a way for the CIA to transport terrorist suspects from another country without the legal hassles. He envisioned that as the "twist." Well, of course, it wasn't a strong enough twist, and the transporter, I thought, would just be some stupid box with lights on it. So I didn't do that version.
 
Definately thought Michael Mann (or Dante Spinotti) in some shots with the gunmen pop out of the car and aim from the roof of the car. I dunno... I was thinking Mann's "Heat" with those. :)

*thumbs up*
 
agreed the shooting was freakin awesome! However, I was waiting for a man to turn into and alien in the van or something.
 
NBC,

Gotta say, my first reaction was "how is this sci-fi??" but you already addressed that. The story really confused me, but you already addressed that too. All the yelling was a bit annoying without knowing what was going on or what the story was supposed to be telling us. The visuals, as beautiful as they were, didn't fill in all the blanks.

The cinematography and lighting were excellent, and the actors seemed to be very good (I can only go on tone, since I don't know what their dialogue was). Some of the edits seemed to be paced a bit weird... especially right before the bus scene. The explosion looked pretty good, but there was something "fake" about it that I couldn't put my finger on... though I think a lot of people wouldn't notice.

There's no doubt, I couldn't help but stand in admiration over how the film LOOKED.

Thanks for sharing with us... especially given what you said about it all being so "last minute".
 
Well shot and lit. I really enjoyed this aspect of it.

I had trouble following your story/point, but the fact that their is no stoyry makes me feel slightly validated on that point. I kept waiting for some political message but it never really came.

It may have been the compression or something but to me the explosion of the bus didn't look great. I don't know if it was the quality of the explosion video or what but seemed pixlated. I really liked that part of the short, but I was hoping for a little more for the bus event.

Under an extreme time contraint you have presented us a very strong entry. Thank you for sharing.
 
NBC,

I would be a hypocrite if I didn't start off by commenting on the
absence of sci-fi in the storyline (especially after my doing so in other
film's threads.) I understand that you have discussed the reasoning,
but this oversight is such a huge thing for me that I had to mention it
first and foremost. I am watching all of the films with that perspective.

If I had been watching Distraction under any other condition, however,
I would have said, "Wow...nice shots." You really know how to shoot
action scenes very well.

I also noticed that, in addition to being on the cutting-edge of dv technology,
you still have some of the classic tricks up your production sleeve. This was
especially true with your cheating of the establishing shots to build a mid east local feel.

beer.gif
Cheers
 
You guys that can put together a film in such short time just amaze the hell out of me .
When viewed the first time I thought Theater material .
I felt a little out at first when I didn't see any Sci Fi, I thought where did I miss it . I then read your post . Ok
Still what an amazing piece of work you did .
Congrats NBC
Ian
 
Hey NBC,

I haven't really read all the posts on your film, just a handfull on this page and I'm sorry if I am repeatative.

I was very very confused by your piece, both storywise and how it was a sci-fi movie. I could deal with not being able to get any sense of the story if there was at least some sci-fi element to it. One of the above posts says that you explained that, so I'll scroll back and look, but I shouldn't need an explanation.

That aside...

Gorgeous shots. I love what you can do with a camera. I loved your zombie film and loved the look here. But a beautifully shot movie with no story might as well be a painting.

Interestingly, you'll score high from me in everything but screenplay, but I wonder if that's really fair since there is no sci-fi element and this is a sci-fi contest...

-Robert
 
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CallaghanFilms said:
I would be a hypocrite if I didn't start off by commenting on the absence of sci-fi in the storyline (especially after my doing so in other
film's threads.) I understand that you have discussed the reasoning,
but this oversight is such a huge thing for me that I had to mention it
first and foremost.
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You're absolutely right for pointing that out. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I were actually disqualified for not sticking to the required genre. Since sci-fi is actually my favorite genre, it kills me that I didn't get it together enough to shoot what I really wanted. I tried to get an authentic NASA EVA suit, but failed (so that I could do my homage to the 2001 slit-scan scene). Too expensive, and no credit account with the one rental firm I did find with one. Thanks for your kind comments about the Middle-East feel!
 
The awesomeness of the look and the absentness of the plot have already been well-covered, so let me just say: I'd love to write a script for you one day. ;)
 
NBCshooter,

even though it wasn't in english.. I still can tell what was going on. So that didnt bother me.. it just that it wasn't sci-fi! After reading some of the post I can totally understand, I had a hard time writing for the contest..almost didnt make a film. until EJ contacted me and that was that...lol Got lucky I guess. I wasn't surpise to see good camerawork in this film, the sfx wasn't that bad either. Looking forward to seeing you in the next contest!
 
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