Simple Sins

[lordambrai]

Simple Sins

A house sitter finds his night interrupted by an intruder that has more on his mind than theft.
​

Starring:

Frankie Morales

Andrew Giaccone
​

Rohan Alexander
​

Written Directed and Edited by Christopher Clairmont

 

[lordambrai]

A last minute entry. I wasn't sure if this would be done by the deadline. My production and post production schedual was.

October 23: Filming
October 24: Transcoding
October 25: First attempt at a rough cut
October 26: Special Effects
October 27: Special Effects Pt 2
October 28: Special Effects Pt 3
October 29: Fine Cut, sound effects, scoring, color grading
October 30: Rendering and submission

Anyhoo, I am glad I was able to pull it off before the deadline was out! I love these fests and it's an honor to participate =D

Oh and for the geeks out there it was shot on a nekkid HMC150.

 

[Matt Harris]

i love the last minute entry, it's all about just participating and putting in the effort. good luck, i'll watch it for sure.

 

[lordambrai]

Thanks! I hope it turns out to be an enjoyable experience =)

I like these fests. Always fun to work within constraints even if you loose your hair about it.

 

[Rodney V. Smith]

Welcome to the fest dude.

 

[EditPhish]

Too wordy, and it got to the point of preachy. The score seemed to go silent for a long time, and was noticeably missing. I thought some of the effects were a bit cheesy and needed work... however, other than that, it looked really good... well lit. Overall, it only hit middle-of-the-road for me though. Keep at it... there's room for growth with all of us, and I think you have the talent to tell an even better story.

 

[lordambrai]

Thanks for the review! Yeah, definite room for growth and you're right about the music. I've had a few people comment on the same thing. I shoulda just stuck with either book ending it, or keeping it throughout. Sorry about the effects looking cheesy, I tried to at least make em look cool ><

 

[EditPhish]

Thanks for the review! Yeah, definite room for growth and you're right about the music. I've had a few people comment on the same thing. I shoulda just stuck with either book ending it, or keeping it throughout. Sorry about the effects looking cheesy, I tried to at least make em look cool ><

They didn't ALL look cheesy, there were just moments when they did... I think it's admirable to even try doing them, for sure! I've only begun to learn After Effects myself and know it's hard to pull off. The angel didn't bother me at all... it was the other guy and some of those effects that could use some improvement... so keep up the good work!

 

[Chris_Keaton]

I liked this story. Probably because I got several where a demon and a angel discus or fight over a soul. I think the abortion speach got a tad bit preachy. Why didn't the angel have more than one glowing eye? Good job overall, this certainly high on my list of favorites.

 

[Gord.T]

I thought you began using CU's on the villian too soon. As I undertand it, it's best to get to know the character first before getting too close to them.
In this case it may have been better to start off distant and slowly approach the character in increments, in terms of close ups, as the story progresses.

Again, as I understand it, CU's and in this case medium close (?) CU's are generally reserved for capturing emotional moments, once the character is received by the audience as in my first mention.

So I think you could have went with longer shots overall to begin with and work up to the CU's, and in that process direct the camera around with better effect and make it more fun/interesting visually overall also.

Congrats on your entry and getting it in. Just that one thing threw me this time.

 

[lordambrai]

Why didn't the angel have more than one glowing eye?

Wish I knew >< I had this idea that the angel would have more light in darkness, even though it defies logic... then I forgot why I did it when I was doing the special fx and well, I liked the way it looked... in a sort of weird way... but yeah, shoulda made both eyes glow. But thanks for the encouraging comment!

CU's are generally reserved for capturing emotional moments, once the character is received by the audience as in my first mention.

Definately agreed. I had actually story boarded the whole scene using more wide shots. But it kinda went out the window on shooting day (insert long reason here, I hate excuses and I'm sure you do too =P). But I will keep it in mind for my next project. I am a fan of wider angles, and will hopefully utilize the CU in a better capacity. Thanks!

 

[hoz]

ambitious film for sure! credit for going for the special effects too. the eyes came out pretty cool too.

maybe too much talking for my liking, i get that the demon likes to take pleasure in all of it but then he had better be really really captivating to speak so much and for me your lead wasn't there. he did try though and i give him much credit for getting to where he did.

good try! keep on filming!

 

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

The special effects were kind of cool. I thought the huge knife sitting nearby at the start was a little much. The film looked great, though it could use some grading.

I also thought that there were too many closeups. Some more shot coverage would be nice as well.

Interesting piece though. Some decent acting too.
Hope to see you next fest.

MAH

 

[lordambrai]

ambitious film for sure! credit for going for the special effects too. the eyes came out pretty cool too.

maybe too much talking for my liking, i get that the demon likes to take pleasure in all of it but then he had better be really really captivating to speak so much and for me your lead wasn't there. he did try though and i give him much credit for getting to where he did.

good try! keep on filming!

Thanks for the comment and yeah, I had a feeling I was aiming for too much when I wrote this thing especially since it's been maybe 8 months or so since I've done a serious piece. Shoulda gone simpler. Sorry about too much talking but you're right. Unless I have an actor that was amazing and could capture your attention from start to finish and take you for a ride, well... simplify I guess. I'm just a fan of dark plays like Neil LaBute, and the Tarantino style, even Chekovian styled stuff... I dunno... ambitious, thank you!

The special effects were kind of cool. I thought the huge knife sitting nearby at the start was a little much. The film looked great, though it could use some grading.

I also thought that there were too many closeups. Some more shot coverage would be nice as well.

Interesting piece though. Some decent acting too.
Hope to see you next fest.

MAH

Haha, yeah. I have a running gag of throwing items into place where they normally wouldn't be for the sake of the story >< The last time I did it I literrally rolled the prop into the frame.

And yeah, the guy playing the demon did a bang up job especially since he had only read the full script maybe two days before filming!

I did some minor CC and honestly, in Final Cut the whole thing seemed more constrsty and darker. Then I rendered it out and looked a lot lighter than it should have been. But, then again. I am an amateur colorist...

And next time will vary up the shots more. Thanks for the review!

 

[Noel Evans]

OK. I thought you made a good fist of it. There were moments I was wondering what the hell is this guy on about, by the end I could see the purpose, I just think it could have moved a little faster overall. Actors did a decent job.

Havent crossed you the boards before either - so gday, and good luck.

 

[lawriejaffa]

Right this is a very mixed film in my opinion, so lets go through it together!

First we get these slightly awkward fonted prologue messages against the background of a house, the 'house sitting etc' - except today. It basically makes very little sound, it could be abstract poetical, wonderful, but nope! The most common response i believe may be - um?

Now we're in the house, where our 'victim' is being lectured with small talk. This has become particularly popular in 'ironic' scenes depicted in American popular culture. Tarantino is to blame i bet! It's like im about to murder all your pet kittens but im casually talking about my samba dance lessons and the wonders of pilates.

'booty shorts fine' hehe... there are some amusing and interesting lines - but we do get lost during the devil /angel dudes monologue. Yep its gory description is daring - the gross old pulling of under-developed limbs!

Then comes 'angel dude!' But we're already in 4mins, its a long time - not insanely long, but long for a 6min film to leave us so very confused as to the nature of the film.

Then we get pretty boy (Josh or Todd or something) who is the most 'dude' ive ever seen in a depiction of an angel ever! He does have a nice waistcoat and can bring wine to our table etc!

Then we get the angels monologue of complaints - sodomy is just slightly bad, or promiscuity etc. But now we got, foetal abortions and baby killers - just for violence sake.

That is dangerous ground for anything seeking to be genre related. It's worth noting that bunching girls/women who have abortions with the liking of 'baby killers' ie murderers is hardly going to leave a comfortable taste in the mouth of in many countries (the majority) who don't share that point of view or the significant minority, or any women who have (of which there are far far more than we'd presume.)

For Josh the angel with a tongue piercing to be lecturing on morality of such heated issues, is a liable distraction for your work to those especially more so in Europe.

The 'surprise' i painted a pentagram on the ceiling is a little convenient! For such a device to be smacked in when so much effort went to our lead demons monologue seems a little unbalanced!!!

So overall, theres promise here, and its ambitious in the ideas its talking about, but it comes across in part offensive and naive. And its something to be wary of, just a little bit mon amie! Good effort!

 

[lordambrai]

Thanks for the comments guys! Yeah, there's improvement that is needed and good thing there's a community that allows me to exercise my skills, undeveloped as they are.

It's worth noting that bunching girls/women who have abortions with the liking of 'baby killers' ie murderers is hardly going to leave a comfortable taste in the mouth of in many countries (the majority) who don't share that point of view or the significant minority, or any women who have (of which there are far far more than we'd presume.)

Sorry if that was the message that you garnered from it. That really wasn't my intent.

My intent wasn't to claim that baby killings were abortions, or even synonymous to one another. But rather that crime/violence has become a rather gray area in our fair modern society.

There used to be a sense communally that there were things that were right and wrong, and the point of that speech was to imply that that's not the case anymore. There are certain crimes where socially, we don't know if it is wrong or right and no one seems to be taking a stand on it. It's this big gray area. The only time it seems to be condemned is when it's violence for violence's sake, no motive, no thought, just sheer violence seems to be the only sort of unjustified sin/crime to be considered as unacceptable behavior. That part of the video, was to imply that there's a certain complexity to modern violence that formally would have been a black and white scenario.

The intent was also to make you feel unsettled. But not to be judgmental. It's not like he pronounced judgment on all those who may or may not have done the things he had said.

Anyhoo, thanks for viewing and reviewing nonetheless. I will take into consideration what you have said.

 

[lawriejaffa]

My intent wasn't to claim that baby killings were abortions, or even synonymous to one another.

Yep you have the angel character reading saying these are the new terrible sins of the modern age in the same sentence. ie abortions and baby killings. I know obviously your not attempting to make a serious critique of abortion rights (obviously i have to say again) but notice the overt placement of the two together, and from this character, makes for a powerful 'distraction' in your film.

I understand your trying to evoke an idea that in the modernist consumer lead society that concepts of good and evil have become murky (as those inspired in deep rooted traditional religious society.) That adds a decent context for a world in which angels and demons are 'real' but the concept is strikingly naive.

The horror of mankind is ever present, always was - always is, there was no golden age, and so to create the impression there was one requires some artistry.

Take the trailer for Pearl Harbour (that nightmare Bay movie) and the gold saturated / warm tinted slow mo of an american kid playing baseball. Actually insert that shot into any sequence glorifying the American past. (In Britain it would be a kid with a cheeky smile and a chimney sweep) hehe.

When you have an angel pronouncing judgement in your film, its gonna appear judgemental. When your playing with 'fire' really - you got to be very careful.

I wouldn't generically ad lib to include something like holocaust denial just as an idea to unsettle without expecting judgement.

Its worth considering! Go with it - if there is artisic purpose, but if its a bit loose, and controversial, you would find this kind of response more common than you would think (though perhaps not expressed.)

Good luck mon amie though - and i mean nothing personal in this review against the film.

 

[lordambrai]

Yep you have the angel character reading saying these are the new terrible sins of the modern age in the same sentence. ie abortions and baby killings. I know obviously your not attempting to make a serious critique of abortion rights (obviously i have to say again) but notice the overt placement of the two together, and from this character, makes for a powerful 'distraction' in your film.

I am confused as to how it's a "distraction". I'm sorry if it did distract you, but if you think about it, if an Angel were to comment on such things, then it would be anti-abortion at least from a Judeo-Christian standpoint.

I understand your trying to evoke an idea that in the modernist consumer lead society that concepts of good and evil have become murky (as those inspired in deep rooted traditional religious society.) That adds a decent context for a world in which angels and demons are 'real' but the concept is strikingly naive.

I'm sorry if you think the concept is naive, but at least you understood that particular theme.

The horror of mankind is ever present, always was - always is, there was no golden age, and so to create the impression there was one requires some artistry.

Take the trailer for Pearl Harbour (that nightmare Bay movie) and the gold saturated / warm tinted slow mo of an american kid playing baseball. Actually insert that shot into any sequence glorifying the American past. (In Britain it would be a kid with a cheeky smile and a chimney sweep) hehe.

I never intended there to be a golden age of mankind. Maybe there was, but I don't think that juxtaposing an overtly corny sequence of a time when there were probably more problems with society then there are today would do anything for what I was trying to portray. Which is, different problems for different times.

When you have an angel pronouncing judgement in your film, its gonna appear judgemental. When your playing with 'fire' really - you got to be very careful.

I wouldn't generically ad lib to include something like holocaust denial just as an idea to unsettle without expecting judgement.

No judgment was pronounced as I said earlier. His general disgust was shown.

I feel that you got half of what I was trying to say in this film, and maybe over analyzed the rest. But I'm glad it struck a nerve. If anything, I don't like to dance around topics. But this particular one that you seem bent on, abortions, wasn't one that I was trying to hit. It's funny how one word can send shock waves half way around the world.

Good luck mon amie though - and i mean nothing personal in this review against the film.

Thanks, none taken. And thank you for the review.