Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

M

Mike_Donis

Veteran
These are some frame grabs from a short film I'm working on, "Gray Christmas". Within a month, I'll be posting a trailer for the film (though it entirely depends on how much time I have...school takes up most of my time now lol). Please tell me what you guys think!

Thanks!
-MIKE

38212218.jpg


38212352.jpg


38212411.jpg


38212515.jpg
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

These look great, excellent compositions, and subtle fill light action.
Really like shot 2 and 4.
The car interior, how did you rig the camera position and is the vehicle moving/driving in the shot, or was the BG lights simulated?
Shot 4,
Grissly forground, hopefully there was a pan or tilt...
Ontario snow.

Cant wait to see it...great job Mike. Ryerson Poly would be proud.
My brother wrote Black Christmas, ha.
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS


"The car interior, how did you rig the camera position and is the vehicle moving/driving in the shot, or was the BG lights simulated?"

-The lights were simulated...we had two crew members that day (including myself, lol) and the producer/composer. I operated while he ran the lights alongside the car...it took a lot of planning (expecially during the car's 'turns', etc) but it looked pretty good in the end!

"Shot 4,
Grissly forground, hopefully there was a pan or tilt...
Ontario snow."

-Gotta love Ontario! And in regards to the grissly foreground...don't worry, this is a dark comedy-the scene doesn't play out as nastily as you'd think. Eventually I'll post some scenes so you guys can see some of the actual seqences.

And I hope that Ryerson is proud! Actually, I'm applying there, I guess I'll include this in my portfolio!

"My brother wrote Black Christmas, ha."
What was Black Christmas about?



[/quote]
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

It was a very dark film shot at night in TO. A real bedwetter.
http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/b/black_christmas_1974.shtml

Top grossing Canadian film in its year.
I saw the title of your film and saw the way it was lit and it kinda reminded me of ...

So for the car interior, you just dropped the camera in the window O/S? Did you have any lights inside the car? did you add car/motion vibration? Excellent window scum too, then.
Did you shoot a reversal as well? Great framing.

Good luck with Gray Christmas.
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

"So for the car interior, you just dropped the camera in the window O/S?  Did you have any lights inside the car? did you add car/motion vibration? Excellent window scum too, then.
Did you shoot a reversal as well?"

We had one worklight (the kind that you use in the garage) hooked up at the back of the car to give a little bit of a fringe of overexposure around the actor's faces. We also turned on the interior lights of the car to add a little more fill (as you can probably tell, we have NO budget since I bought my DVX, lol). We took footage from that 2 shot of both of them...then the reversal...and closeups of both of them, from their respective angles (going more telephoto). We shot it handheld to simulate the car's motion, and we're adding the 'car sounds' in post.
In the car, we also took a shot from the front, and duct-taped two lights beside each other, and had Aaron (the producer/composer) hold them there, adding a slight motion (and twisting them for parts when the car 'turns'. While operating the camera with one hand, I held that worklight above my head, simulating streetlights. Very effective. Very ghetto. :D

We shot it all in Jeff's (the male actor's) garage.


"Good luck with Gray Christmas."
Thanks!

-MIKE
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

Right on Mike, excellent explaination. Ghetto man... 8)
I have been looking at those lights at Home Hardware and I have 2 dimmers. hmmm night BC exteriors,,,

So what is the story of Gray Christmas? and why Ryerson? When I went, which was along time ago, I got hired by a production co in my second year and was miles ahead than my fellow students. If your doing this now, school is irrelevant, really. It's about doing the time, and Ryerson requires/has alot of academia to the ciriclum versus eye to lens time DIY. My 2 cents: oh and oh ya, I used to own 2 post secondary schools.
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

So what is the story of Gray Christmas?
Click to expand...

Basically, it's three stories which all take place on the same night, around a car accident. They're told out of order and by the end everything ties together. The first story is about the people who hit the guy with the car, the second is about the people who made the guy get hit by the car, and the third is about the guy who *does* get hit by the car. It may sound a little convoluted and weird...but I assure you it *should* be funny and entertaining :p
We have one more weekend of shooting and we'll be done principal photography. It's crunch time now, trying to shoot everything before the snow melts away! If only people didn't care about continuity ;)

-MIKE
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

man I love Cinescope.
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

man I love Cinescope.
Click to expand...

Me too :D  Speaking of which, does anybody know of an anamorphic lens that can squeeze a 2.39 image onto the DVX?  I wanted to shoot "Gray Christmas" spherically, but I'd like to try out some anamorphics.  Not necessecarily (sp?) buy one, but maybe rent one?  Would it be even worth it (I'd be going for the lens artifacts, not the resolution).

Thanks,
-MIKE
 
?Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

?Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

Hey man. Nice shot from inside the car. What is on the badge that guy is wearing? and who's the hottie in the first shot ;) (and I'm not referring to the guy).
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

Hadnt commented yet.

Looks great! Love the aspect ratio!

So...

Who is the guy in the first frame? :D
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

I was kidding!  :P
Click to expand...

LOL, I didn't read the previous post until after I had responded to yours, John! Hahaha, ahh man, next time I'll read EVERYTHING before responding, :P

And yes, Wannabfilmer, he is really hot. LOL ;)
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

so i hear there is a self proclaimed film star at your school. name is shawn dell i believe. i saw a music video he made out of some rough footage he was given and is posting it on this site soon. do you cry every night when you think about his skills?
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

You're right, Wannabfilmer. You do know how I'm going to respond.



G O T O H E L L

;)

(for those of you who don't know, this is an inside joke, and isn't malicious in any way :P)
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

no its not. kick him off the site. for the record, this is the last stupid message i'll be posting. this isn't a chat room!
 
Re: Stills from GRAY CHRISTMAS

[quote author=wannabfilmer link=board=Clips;num=1076294417;start=0#18 date=02/12/04 at 21:37:00]this isn't a chat room![/quote]

Scarily, it is more!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top