S C H I T T E K A T T E R a Taylor Bryson Film

[Beat Takeshi]

Not you, the other guy with the wire.

 

[Blake Balu]

oh aight. But I can do muppet voices though rogar-Dum(DBG):

 

[aravance]

I really enjoyed this film. I'm a huge fan of Infernal Affairs and the Departed, and this movie seemed to fit right into that cop/gangster mole mold.

Great location. Thought the acting was good although my least favorite was the guy who gets his head bashed in. I agree with a lot of other viewers, it did feel like it was a scene out of a larger movie. I would love to see that larger movie though!
You captured the genre very poignantly.

Only thing that stuck out to me was when he gets his head bashed in. Some of the editing and just the way his face was being repeatedly smashed into the pavement just didn't seem real enough for me. I find it's much more effective to leave it off screen and leaving it to the viewer's imagination.

Kudos on the film!

Hope to see more of your work.

 

[Texture]

Well, having done the audio sweeting on this baby and having listened to the dialogue of this film for what seems to have been at least a thousand times, I have to say that I'm amazed at how fresh and exciting it remains, now that I've seen the final cut.

Great work Taylor, so happy to have been introduced to you and your project.

Good luck!

Erik Paulsen

 

[jojopop]

Loved it. This one's definitely in my favorites list. Cinematography was excellent -- everything looked great. The editing worked really well -- wasn't a fan of the way the beat down was cut, but overall yeah - fantastic. Really liked the way the last shot came together as well...

Intense, professional, cohesive, plus lots of what others have said...

Excellent work!

 

[MsManhattan]

This has a really well crafted script -- there's lots of necessary exposition but it never feels like you're being bombarded with exposition. It was organic. It also has a good look, although I found the look of the OTS shots a little distracting -- the black silhouettes. But I think I am in the minority on that. I also enjoyed the rat -- he always gives an interesting performance (wasn't he the cuckoo dude in Odd Squad?).

 

[Darkline]

A good well rounded short film here.

Very well shot and edited. Blocking was excellent and I felt you directed this with some fluidity. In fact out of all the multi-character scenes I have seen in this fest I think I liked the way you handled this the most. Thats both the shot selection and the way you played with your actors.

The only shot that stood out was the bashing head on the floor - it didnt convince me. But I have to say that was the only shot that bothered me.

The script was also prety natural, not relying on heavy lines of expositional dialogue to propel it forward. Everything worked.

The only thing that didn't get this top3 for me was the premise. The idea didn't have me on the egde of my seat or leave me with any emotional impact. But i understand this is just a personal liking. Unfortunately when you have 5 or 6 films that are very well made, you have to go with your gut and choose the ones you felt struck you more. It is certainly one of few shorts that did everything right. You know how to make a movie and I would look forward to seeing more of your work.

 

[Dahopafilms]

Very, very cool.

I'm sorry not to have read all the posts here or seen this earlier. But here's my input:

• The sound. Excellent. Great audio all 'round. As close to perfect as you can get, in my view.
• The cast. Really, really good.
• How it was shot and framed. I liked the whole thing. Very pro.
• The story. Of course, I wanted to understand the title. And it was really interesting to me.

Here's the stuff I wasn't so convinced of:

• There's a really long take of the Boss with his back to the camera before he turns. It took so long for him to turn that it was a little distracting to me.
• I didn't buy the head bang into the concrete. Sorry. But I appreciate that's a hard effect to pull off.
• Wouldn't the snitch have had the wire under his t-shirt? And aren't I REALLY nitpicking now?
• I remember the problems you had with the location. I wonder if they were truly worth it in relation to the benefits you gained from the look. Sure it looked good, but couldn't all that have taken place in an alley, too? Just wondering.

This was terrific. Thanks so much for making it.

 

[Matt Sconce]

I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in here. I thought the hardened cop's acting was excellent and a highlight of the movie. I believe I saw him in Odd Squad. He was very engaging. The images captured were so brilliantly crisp and vibrant. I loved the location and thought it looked amazing.

The thing that made it hard for me was that I didn't believe two things. I dd not think the man was suficiently beaten to be a lost cause, and I didn't believe the hardened cop would shoot him. I got the sense that he cared about him more than the other cop. I can't put my finger on why, but that is what I got out of it.

This was a great story, and I did not see the twist coming. I totally thought the man who was killed was wearing a wire somewhere, until the reveal.

What a great short.

 

[Keystoned]

Catching up with a few ....

Thanks for all the feedback people.

I watched it with 3 other people and we were all speechless.

So professional, very well directed. The actors were all brilliant and totally believeable. The diaglogue was punchy and everything made sense. The story held me to the end. My favourite movie so far.

loved-it!

Great short one of the best. Great audio, I am taking lessons from u. Great exposure. Great acting except for the French guy. Sorry. Think he was a little weak. I love the bookies voice. One thing that I think, (could be bad or good) but it felt like a really good scene from a good movie.

Wow, Taylor. Excellent job on this film. I felt like I was watching a short of the Sopranos. It was well acted and wonderfully shot. I loved the pool table idea. It was ironic and believable. I also think that someone could be bashed against the sidewalk that many times and not make it, so again, well done. I agree with Norm, don't change a single frame, man!! Keep it comin! I can't wait to see what you do next.

Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment :beer:

Kept me engaged the whole way through. My Quicktime messed up though, becasue right at the end it just went to black, there was a line of dialogue and then the shot. Then I fixed the problem and realized I kind of liked it the other way. Awesome movie in any case.

Cinematography was excellent for a one location short, and nicely balanced footage, considering water elements and bright surrounding concrete surfaces. Cast performance and dialog was tight, really tight. Only criticism, I think Blake would have made it, and like HappyGobo said, if I interpret correctly, I would cut to black just as Blake raises his head, we then hear the gun shot, so we may then ponder if Blake or Antony got taken out. I know, everyone thinks they know how to do something better/different... Great energy in this one. Sound and music is awesome. Congrats Taylor and crew!

Hey cool. I will definitly look at his black out idea. Especially since it's not the original ending anyway.

... I thought the acting in this was quite good. For many films in this and in fests past, the acting seemed to be an afterthought. Taylor seems to have a really good eye for casting both the right actors and actors who can...act. And I don't know too much about his background, but I would think he's had some training himself, to get these kinds of performances under such conditions (fast shoot, homeland security, etc.)

Thanks. It was a challenge. Mostly because we had just written the script and were making it up as we went along though.

The only thing I told Taylor I really had a problem with was the ending didn't completely make sense. I thought it was unlikely that Dane's character would not go STOP the French dude from beating the kid to a pulp. And that could have given an opportunity for an even bigger slice of drama in the end, say for example, with the French dude and Dane facing off over the kid. But this ending seemed a little too much like something the writer wanted to make happen, instead of what the characters would have naturally played out. Like Taylor was looking for a button for effect, rather than seeing it through and finding the real drama.

But it's superb work, and clearly some of the best in the fest. And Taylor clearly is a capable director, so I feel compelled not to let him off lightly.

Yeah I hear that on the ending. I like that the older cop goes to reveal the real wire when the chaos starts, but I think that it is not executed well. As many have commented I didn't sell he beating. I just had like zero coverage of this area unfortunately. Maybe it would never work like I wanted to shoot it, but I have never been able to cut what I have to my own satisfaction around this area.

Thanks :beer:

I thought this film was excellent. One of my favorites. Wonderful performances, great pacing. It felt like a scene out of a real Hollywood movie. Very well done.

Wow, everything was great about this. Directing was excellent and so were the actors.

What 35mm adaptor are you using? There was some bad grain on those static shots (I have a brevis with cinefuse 3 and it shows some grain too).

Thanks for the kudos guys :thumbup:

TMNT, I used a go35 which friend let me borrow while my Letus35a was sick. I found that the grain was only a problem with light back ground when I stopped the nikon or canon lens down, which when shooting against blown out water or sky, I of course had to do. I added a 1 pixel blur to these shots and that helped a lot. Also the H264 compression helps a lot.

Looked good and acting was good. story wasnt there enough , but worked since it felt like a segment of a film. big effect scene needed lots of work. it wasn't shot well and it threw me off from the rest of the film. everything else it was like watching a movie from and larger film. good job.

work on action or curbing people... even if it happend off camera it could have been more effective or getting a dummy head with a wig to imulate hair would do the job with blood tubes....

other than that your dialouge is there just work on putting all of it more cohesive.

good job.

Thanks spidey. We through this together so quickly and I think I underestimated how hard it would be to get the beating on the ground effect. Even though we had less than a day of pre-production, we probably could have still found some way to do what you are suggesting. Like I say I think I underestimated the challenge. But a producer friend of mine liked it enough that we may go back and reshoot the beating AND the original ending when all of our team is back in New Orleans.

what beautiful colors! sweet sweet sweet.
i agree with what's being said here about it feeling like it was taken from a larger movie. (namely... deja vu? funny because your lead was in it...). also reminded me of Man On Fire.

Funny. I used Man on Fire for the temptrack

the ONLY qualm I have is the wire on 'the book' -- I think that it shouldnt have been taped so obviously to his shirt. that made me laugh out loud and that is NOT how you want your audience to react. Perhaps if the wire was underneath his shirt and was lifted when it was discovered?

Well this is a bit of a pickle. I think it might have been more distracting to have that actor shirtless, especially as long as I wanted to hold there. But still we can't have people reacting as you did. So as I said - a pickle.

either way. great job! one of better looking films of the bunch!
-kyle

THanks for the feedback sir.

fantastic film... i can't say anything other than what has already been said. You have raised the bar.

Heheh thanks mike. But I won't let your words go to my head, because you are clearly insane

Well done short. The acting was on point, the camera was on point except for the static grain or dust on the lens. The outside colors were nicely controlled. I hated the guys voice who [was the bookie], felt like he was a muppet and it took me out of the intense mood you set up with the other actors. The pacing and editing was great except for the part where he smashes the head I think. Something sped up for a sec but I'm guessing thats to hide the effects. Audio was on point also. Great job.

Thanks Aram. Man I wish that head beating was better. 2 days editing those 20 seconds into 5 versions and this is what I got :laugh:

As for the bookie and the Tension ... I hear you. We went back and forth on this. I was afraid it was too far. I had straighter takes of him. Then I had takes where I just let him improv on the line. I used the funnier takes because out of the dozen or so people I showed it to and specifically asked "is he too much" everyone kind of liked him. Then a friend that had had the rough cut online for two weeks before upload day gives me notes the day before upload and said basically the same thing you did! D'oh! but it was a day before upload.

I think the way to go with a situation like this where most people think something is OK but you are getting say 20% notes that other people don't like it ... is to try the alternate if you have it (and like I said I do have straighter takes) and ask if it looses anything. In other words, I am gonna put in the straighter takes of him and see if I feel like I loose anything. If the answer is "no" then of course I will go with the straighter takes. I mean why push out the 20% or so that don't dig it if the change doesn't take something away.

So I will definitely look at those alternate takes at somepoint.

I may keep it the same for a while until we get all of our team back and reshoot the headbanging and the original ending as it's scripted, and then open up the project again. That might be like a year or so though.

But thanks for taking a good look at it and for getting into details.

....

Ok will get to some more of these later today.
:beer:

 

[Geoff_R]

Just wanted to say that I enjoyed your film. Very well shot and directed. All of your actors were great except for that guy wearing the wire, he just seemed a little too 'off' compared to the rest of the characters...

Also, I'm not into dialogue, I usually find myself getting bored with too much dialogue but you managed to hold my attention due to high-tension, good delivery and cinematic value.

 

[Keystoned]

time to play ketchup ...

I really enjoyed this film. I'm a huge fan of Infernal Affairs and the Departed, and this movie seemed to fit right into that cop/gangster mole mold.

Great location. Thought the acting was good although my least favorite was the guy who gets his head bashed in. I agree with a lot of other viewers, it did feel like it was a scene out of a larger movie. I would love to see that larger movie though!
You captured the genre very poignantly.

Only thing that stuck out to me was when he gets his head bashed in. Some of the editing and just the way his face was being repeatedly smashed into the pavement just didn't seem real enough for me. I find it's much more effective to leave it off screen and leaving it to the viewer's imagination.

Kudos on the film!

Hope to see more of your work.

thanks, for the feedback -- yeah it's looking more and more like off screen may be the only way to go for the beating

thanks again :beer:

Loved it. This one's definitely in my favorites list. Cinematography was excellent -- everything looked great. The editing worked really well -- wasn't a fan of the way the beat down was cut, but overall yeah - fantastic. Really liked the way the last shot came together as well...

Intense, professional, cohesive, plus lots of what others have said...

Excellent work!

Thanks for taking time to view and comment!

This has a really well crafted script -- there's lots of necessary exposition but it never feels like you're being bombarded with exposition. It was organic. It also has a good look, although I found the look of the OTS shots a little distracting -- the black silhouettes. But I think I am in the minority on that. I also enjoyed the rat -- he always gives an interesting performance (wasn't he the cuckoo dude in Odd Squad?).

Thanks for the review and notes on the script.

Yeah Michael was in ODD Squad, he played the red mutant with an anvil for a hand. It was pointed out to me after filming that if I was really clever I would have made his first line in SCHITTEKATTER the same as his first line in Odd Squad. "Doesn't anybody shake hands anymore?" So it would have been:

RENE
Hey you hold it right there, you!
BOOK
Doesn't anybody shake hands anymore? I wuddin goin' nowhere detectives.

vs.

RENE
Hey you hold it right there, you!
BOOK
Who me? I wuddin goin' nowhere detectives.

Oh well. Hindsight.
Thanks for the detailed comments!

A good well rounded short film here.

Very well shot and edited. Blocking was excellent and I felt you directed this with some fluidity. In fact out of all the multi-character scenes I have seen in this fest I think I liked the way you handled this the most. Thats both the shot selection and the way you played with your actors.

The only shot that stood out was the bashing head on the floor - it didnt convince me. But I have to say that was the only shot that bothered me.

The script was also prety natural, not relying on heavy lines of expositional dialogue to propel it forward. Everything worked.

The only thing that didn't get this top3 for me was the premise. The idea didn't have me on the egde of my seat or leave me with any emotional impact. But i understand this is just a personal liking. Unfortunately when you have 5 or 6 films that are very well made, you have to go with your gut and choose the ones you felt struck you more. It is certainly one of few shorts that did everything right. You know how to make a movie and I would look forward to seeing more of your work.

Glad you liked the blocking and work with the actors. I wanted to force myself to use one location with a 5 page scene just to practice that very thing.

Thanks for the thoughtful comments. Maybe next time I can hook you with the premise as well :thumbsup:

...

thanks again all, more ketchup later
:beer:

 

[Justin Kuhn]

Cinematography was excellent for a one location short, and nicely balanced footage, considering water elements and bright surrounding concrete surfaces. Cast performance and dialog was tight, really tight. Only criticism, I think Blake would have made it, and like HappyGobo said, if I interpret correctly, I would cut to black just as Blake raises his head, we then hear the gun shot, so we may then ponder if Blake or Antony got taken out. I know, everyone thinks they know how to do something better/different... Great energy in this one. Sound and music is awesome. Congrats Taylor and crew :beer:

Hey cool. I will definitly look at his black out idea. Especially since it's not the original ending anyway.

Personally I'd cut to black before he raises his head, that might help settle the issue of whether he's going to make it or not. When Blake is just lying there twitching, I thought he was done for, but then when he raises his head, that makes me think oh, he might make it after all...but no we're going to kill him on a snap descision, that's messed up. By cutting to black before that it leaves you with the question pointed out by Mr. Barry, and makes Rob, everybody's favorite character, more sympathetic either way you think about it. If he shot Blake, then it's definitely a mercy killing; Anthony, and justice is done. Just my longer-winded pair of pennies.

 

[AmyO]

Taylor, great film. I loaded it onto my Mac Mini and watched it on my TV for a second screening. I was too busy watching your great photography to think that the Book might be the mole. I was just too caught up in the filmmaking. This was one of my top favorites. The only weak point, and others have said this, is the head bashing scene. It was too slow and hesitant (I'm sure because one actor didn't want to hurt the other.) But the blood effect was awesomely gory.

Nice work.

 

[MalcolmOng]

Very very very great film. Its my favourite for this contest, and like a previous comment said, it looked like it came straight out of a larger movie, and i really felt you pulled it off amazingly well.

 

[aFox]

Very good movie, very well acted, directed. Its just a dialog scene absically, but it felt very tense, because it was so well done. Only thing that i didn't really like was the way the head bashing on the ground was done. Also i didn't really buy the ending, although i liked the mood. Still i enjouyed it very much.

 

[Hermn8r]

Very nicely done. I thought everything looked great, and actually had no problem with the head smashing part. The only thing that threw me a little was it seemed more like a scene to me, and less like a short film. While I would love to see the larger movie that this was a part of, I wasn't sure that the whole thing worked as it's own free-standing film with a definitive beginning, middle and end.

That aside, however, it's important to note that I was certainly drawn into the action immediately, and my attention was kept throughout. The cinematography was really strong, the editing was good, and I think the acting was good. Even the guy wearing the wire totally worked for me.

Nice job!

 

[Christopher Barry]

Yes Mr. Gobo, what I meant, yet not expressed correctly. Hold on Rob until just before he raises his head, cut to black. Taylor, your film man, not really for me to say, just a very general comment, nothing more. For me, this entry has punchy and dynamic performances, script and edit. There is something about it that makes it stand apart from the rest. :beer:

Personally I'd cut to black before he raises his head, that might help settle the issue of whether he's going to make it or not. When Blake is just lying there twitching, I thought he was done for, but then when he raises his head, that makes me think oh, he might make it after all...but no we're going to kill him on a snap descision, that's messed up. By cutting to black before that it leaves you with the question pointed out by Mr. Barry, and makes Rob, everybody's favorite character, more sympathetic either way you think about it. If he shot Blake, then it's definitely a mercy killing; Anthony, and justice is done. Just my longer-winded pair of pennies.

 

[Blaine]

Dane Rhodes is an excellent actor. Unfortunately, I felt that he overshadowed the others in this piece. You did a good job though and made an interesting movie. You made the most of minimal locations. It looks like there is still a vibrant filmmaking community in NOLA.

 

[Aaron Marshall]

Incredible film guys. I'm a big fan of Blake Balu from " The Dinner Guest" by Brian Kaz. If you haven't watched it; you should. It's one of my favorite short films.

I thought almost every aspect of this film was aces. One part was distracting and came off slightly amateurish. That was the head pounding. When you have something like that you must show it from initiation to completion or it's not believable. The jump cuts of Antony starting the pounding were too clever. A scene like that could really use a locked down camera position much like the one where Blake is struggling in the end. The two scenes should be siblings, one the journey, and the other the destination.

The acting, the blocking, the blah blah blah I don't think you need me to tell you it was top notch. You know you're good, or at least I hope you do. I noticed a very strong Jack Daniel Stanley style feeling to the film. You guys must be two peas in an iPod from the same Nawlins school, or pool of experience.

The music was great Herman and Sid. You guys are always nailing these works down. Top notch work, but again no surprise.

Great job overall. I an magnetically driven to vote this film first place, but I'm struggling with other films. oooh decisions decisions