The City Is Mine

capitalP

capitalP

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The_City_is_mine_Poster.jpg


Full Trailer YOUTUBE MYSPACE

This is something I’ve been wanting to accomplish for a long time. A feature film. Currently still in production, here is a teaser trailer of the film. But first some details for those interested.

Synopsis: A young man name Gruver coming home after serving five years in the penitentiary finds a city he once controlled, now in the hands of four individuals. With the help of four childhood friends, Gruver stops at nothing to gain sole control of a city he feels is rightfully his. His task becomes very difficult when a veteran detective is out to ruin his plans. Meeting a beautiful young lady name Erica is not enough to stop Gruver from heading into an all out bloody war. With a detective and four enemies out to get Gruver, he must now try to live and survive in a city where death and prison awaits him at every corner.

Pre-Production: I begin to develop the story Winter of 2005 while working on a short film. The screenplay went through many drafts. A writing partner came along and co-wrote the screenplay with myself.

The final draft which was 4 by the way, was completed February of this year. We then headed straight to auditions where all of the principal casting was made. Rehearsals were then set up for a month and a half while also scouting location and buying props, equiptment and finalizing some last minute things. A filming schedule was then made and production beganed.

Production: May 12, 2007 was the first day of filming with a crew of 10+ and a principal cast of 11. Like all indie films we came across some bumps on the road, like loosing 2 principal cast members and adjusting the screenplay as needed to. Production is scheduled to wrap in one week.

Post Production: I was blessed to hook up with a good friend of mine who is also a fellow DVXer who specializes in special fx and who is also very good with Adobe After Effects. He will handle the special effects of the film, like muzzle flash, blood and other things. The scheduled release date for “The City is Mine” is February 2008.

Technical:
PRODUCTION
Camera: Panasonic DVX100a
Panasonic AG-LA7200 Anamorphic Lens Adapter
Varizoom VAVZTFT7K
VZ-TFT7U 7-Inch Widescreen Color LCD Monitor
Bogen / Manfrotto
3246 Tripod Legs (Black) with 3433 (501) Pro Video Fluid Head
Glidecam GLGL2000
Glidecam 2000 PRO Camcorder Stabilizing System –
Glidecam GLGCFB
Glidecam Forearm Brace - for Glidecam 2000 Pro and 4000 Pro Stabilizers REG
Bogen / Manfrotto BO3137
3137 Variable Leg Spread Portable Dolly REG
Azden AZ200ULT
Dual Channel Camera Mount Wireless Microphone
Rode RONTG2K
NTG-2 Battery or Phantom Powered Condense Shotgun Mic
Impact IMFL5006K
Tungsten 2 Flood Light Kit - consists of: 2 Flood Lights, Bulbs, Light Stands - 500 Total Watts REG
Sticky Pod ProPak
ProAm DVC200 Camera Crane / Jib
Camera Crane Stand

 
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congrats capitalp. it's a huge achievement just to get a production rolling. looking forward to more.
 
Congrats man i look forward to following your progress so pleas keep us up to date.

I am in the process of finishing up a script for my first feature i plan to shoot and it sounds like your film will be similar, not similar as far as story but similar from a logistics standpoint so i look forward to following your progress and learning alot from you.
 
Thanks guys, I will keep you all updated as I move along, Shabit87, I will look for your message on youtube.
 
I am still eager to see the finished product... I thought the trailer was kinda all over the place, i kinda go by the less is more when it comes to trailers but that is just my taste. The only other critique i had was that the sound effects specifically gunshots sounded off to me.

But with that aside i wish you luck as you finish up your post production and i look forward to seeing how it all turns out.
 
I wasn't expecting so much production value.... so congrats on that. It looks well done.

I think the shot on the youtube trailer at 2:21 is my favorite. It is the shot where there is a semicircle of thugs behind a blind folded man on his knees (cu to camera)

I think that shot is great. Most of your framing and camera movement is nice, but around 2:15 there was a big talking head in the middle of the anamorphic screen and it was a very 'unbalanced' composition. I didn't like it. It may not be that he is center screen but the top of his head and chin are cut off. It bothered me.

Anyway this trailer shows that somebody knows what they are doing. The obvious attention to camera movement is important to me.

Congrats and goodluck

PS: ADR might do a big service to your film.
PPS: Add more of that stripper to the trailer, haha!

Thanks for posting!
 
I feel the trailer runs a bit too long despite some nice shots. There are several elements that are repeated over and over, mainly someone would be talking, then we cut to some shoot out and then we cut back to the conversation. It gets really repetitive by the third or fourth time you do it. And to be honest I lost track of who the characters are except for the cops and the girl. After a while it's just a bunch of guys pointing guns and talking smack. Plus the hip-hop tracks that cut in and out don't have a smooth transition to them, which break up the flow. The jarring jump cuts, (the cops get out of the car and suddenly he's already in front of the girl by the next shot) added to this problem as well.

The biggest problem was simply that there's not enough momentum in the trailer, not enough "flow." I think you can edit this to be shorter and it will have more energy.
 
YaBoyTopher said:
I am still eager to see the finished product... I thought the trailer was kinda all over the place, i kinda go by the less is more when it comes to trailers but that is just my taste. The only other critique i had was that the sound effects specifically gunshots sounded off to me.

But with that aside i wish you luck as you finish up your post production and i look forward to seeing how it all turns out.
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I'm a little late with responses here, :) better late then never. Anyway, thanks for the critique, I do agree the trailer is a bit all over the place. This was kind of intentional on my part, because of the audience I'm going after, I wanted to show alot of the gun chases, girls, and so on. So that's probably why it seems all over the place.

But I also made sure I threw in the words across the screen to try and explain the movie as well. As for the sound, well I did work on it and for the Premiere of the film which was 2 months ago, the sound was one of the things that we were complimented on.
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
I wasn't expecting so much production value.... so congrats on that. It looks well done.

I think the shot on the youtube trailer at 2:21 is my favorite. It is the shot where there is a semicircle of thugs behind a blind folded man on his knees (cu to camera)

I think that shot is great. Most of your framing and camera movement is nice, but around 2:15 there was a big talking head in the middle of the anamorphic screen and it was a very 'unbalanced' composition. I didn't like it. It may not be that he is center screen but the top of his head and chin are cut off. It bothered me.

Anyway this trailer shows that somebody knows what they are doing. The obvious attention to camera movement is important to me.

Congrats and goodluck

PS: ADR might do a big service to your film.
PPS: Add more of that stripper to the trailer, haha!

Thanks for posting!
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Thanks for the good word on the production Value. I personally think I took a big leap from my last film I did. I really wanted to bring the best I could out of the DVX this go around, so I focused alot on composition, lighting and so on. I wanted to hire a DP, but could not so I did my best. Glad it was noticed.

And I also love that shot at 2:21 also, one of my favorites in the entire movie. As far as that big talking Head scene, I personally love that shot, because of what he was saying so I wanted it to be a real close up shot and I love the lighting in that shot.

And believe me, I try to put as much of the stripper in there as possible, but the trailer could only be so long..:).
Huy Vu said:
I feel the trailer runs a bit too long despite some nice shots. There are several elements that are repeated over and over, mainly someone would be talking, then we cut to some shoot out and then we cut back to the conversation. It gets really repetitive by the third or fourth time you do it. And to be honest I lost track of who the characters are except for the cops and the girl. After a while it's just a bunch of guys pointing guns and talking smack. Plus the hip-hop tracks that cut in and out don't have a smooth transition to them, which break up the flow. The jarring jump cuts, (the cops get out of the car and suddenly he's already in front of the girl by the next shot) added to this problem as well.

The biggest problem was simply that there's not enough momentum in the trailer, not enough "flow." I think you can edit this to be shorter and it will have more energy.
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I agree with some of the transitions of the hip hop songs, could of been better. And also as I stated above, the trailer is kind of all over the place and it was intentional. Maybe I should of let the Words run accross the scene a little longer.

And as for the length of the trailer, since this is the Full trailer, by standards 2:30 is kind of normal so I don't think it was too long. And I admit watching it myself feels longer than 2:30.

Overall, thanks for looking at it and for the critique. I did spend alot of time on different versions of the trailer, this one was the one I think I got right, maybe not perfect but I was happy with it.


It's also been a long time since I updated this thread, I'd like to mention the film Premiered February 18, 2008 to a Standing room only crowd. We had about 400+ people in attendance, it was a great feeling. Right now I'm doing the Festival Circuits and looking at distribution options.

Wish me luck and I will keep things updated.

Also, due to popular demand, I'm having an Encore screening This Saturday of the film. If anyone is in the Jersey Area and would like to check it out, let me know.

Thanks all.
 
Hey, are you releasing this on DVD yourself, because there are a couple of distributors that relish in films like yours - Maverick Entertainment and York Entertainment. Check 'em out if you already haven't. Congrats on your progress as well. I know all too well how difficult making a feature can be.
 
leenewton said:
Hey, are you releasing this on DVD yourself, because there are a couple of distributors that relish in films like yours - Maverick Entertainment and York Entertainment. Check 'em out if you already haven't. Congrats on your progress as well. I know all too well how difficult making a feature can be.
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Yup, thanks for the info, I already looked into those distributors and others, I haven't found a buyer yet, hopefully soon though.

I've also gotten news the film has been selected at the 12th Annual Black Film Festival out in LA. I'm going to be attending with some of my actors, hopefully I can meet the right individuals. www.abff.com

Our film is also nominated in 3 Categories.( Heineken Red Star Award for Innovation in Film, Target Filmmaker Award for Most Inspirational Film And Grand Jury Prize for Best Actor).

Can't wait to attend this and meet some people.
 
The audio work wasn't meshing too well with me. The of the sfx seemed to match particularly well-- they sounded like they were out of a Counter-Strike library of AWP sounds. I'd definitely redo that if you still have the opportunity. Also, when a gun is shot in a forest, it's blast is going to echo for longer than 0.5s :-D

Otherwise, I have to throw you huge props for coming through on a feature-length production on a $5,000 budget-- all while managing a cast of 11. Well done!
 
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I never shot anyone in the Forest before so I wouldn't know... you must be speaking from experience, does the FBI know your on the loose..? :laugh:

Seriously, thanks for looking at the clip and breaking down what you saw, if given the opportunity there's definitely some things I would work on, and some parts of the Audio is one of them. But the film is already done and out there. Maybe a distributor will pick us up and put some money behind some fixes.
 
capitalP said:
I never shot anyone in the Forest before so I wouldn't know... you must be speaking from experience, does the FBI know your on the loose..? :laugh:

Seriously, thanks for looking at the clip and breaking down what you saw, if given the opportunity there's definitely some things I would work on, and some parts of the Audio is one of them. But the film is already done and out there. Maybe a distributor will pick us up and put some money behind some fixes.
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Most distributors will only do minor fixes. So be ready for that. Congrats on making the feature. It's great experience to get a few under your belt.

On the next one though, I encouage you to spend about $5K just on lighting equipment, lights, flags, etc. And if you can't find anyone who knows how to light, figure it out yourself. Lighting basically makes your camera look good. And the mixture of lights/aperature from the camera and/or DOF adapter are what pulls out the max resolution/color out of the camera.

I'd definately use the money of the sell to buy at least a used Sony Z1U/V1U/Z7U or Canon XL-A1. Having more resolution can help in future sales.
 
Just got back from the ABFF(American Black Film Festival). And it was a great experience. I met alot of filmmakers and saw some good films.

I've only been fortunate to attend 3 festivals, and I must say the ABFF is one of the best organize and just overall well put together festivals out there. The parties were incredible and there was alot of major distributors there also.

So far we have not been picked up by a distributor yet, but the exposure we got was definitely a major deal.

We did not win any of the awards we were nominated for, but getting accepted was an honor by it's self.

Just wanted to update you guys and I have some more festivals I'm entering the film in, so hope we get into more fest, and hope we get a call from one of the major distributors who were out there at the festival.

LA is a wonderful place.
 
Marlon Ladd said:
Hey, are you releasing this on DVD yourself, because there are a couple of distributors that relish in films like yours - Maverick Entertainment and York Entertainment. Check 'em out if you already haven't. Congrats on your progress as well. I know all too well how difficult making a feature can be.
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Yep. Looks like another film for York Distribution. I see instant distribution for this. Maverick would probably want a name but try them too.

-Nate
 
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