THE JONES' - Do you wanna' f***in' die?!

Marlon Ladd said:
Well, I was an actor first. I had always wanted to act and write, but it wasn't until I started working on my Masters Degree that I found an English/Creative Writing program. That opened up the avenue for me to explore all the things I wanted to do (make movies - be in movies). I started off writing and acting in plays - somebody saw me and thought I had acting talent and hired me for video work. After that, got a local agent and was hired to act in a short 45 minute student film. The director (who is still a good friend of mine) showed me the BTS stuff and shortly after that, I made my own first short film (1998 or 1999). After that I made my first feature (a historical western about the first black US Deputy Marshal in the OK Indian Terr. - "Black Marshal") film and since then I've made another feature (2007 - "Recoil") and 8 or so short films.

Now, how I learned to edit came about while I was doing my first feature. The people that filmed it for me only had a limited amount of time to work on the film, because they were doing it for free pretty much. My friend, who had just moved back from LA and had an editing system showed me how to edit, so I could finish getting my film done.

I'd spent thousands and thousands of dollars on that film, so when it came time for me to do another one, technology had changed everything and I was determined not to ever go into debt like that again. I bought all of my own equipment, which included a DVX100A and filmed my second feature ("Recoil") at a fraction of the cost of the first one. So, I stepped out on a limb, left my job (worked for the government) and committed to being a full-time filmmaker and finished that film in about 7 months.

Since then, alot of life stuff has happened and I've just been gearing up to get another feature done. I've written 4 scripts and was trying to figure out which one I wanted to do and which one would be the easiest to do and along came "The Jones.'" LOL!

Now, as far as the comic aspect of the film - the artwork was all computer generated and I did it in After Effects. I'm not a comic book artist by any means.
Click to expand...

You have more than ten years of filmmaking experience behind and in front of the camera - this explains a lot, why this film works that well from different aspects. I just rewatched 'Trivial' from LossFest and 'U...' from TwighlightFest. I remembered that you did 'U...', but not 'Trivial'. Haved watched them both, I must say that you did a big step forward compared to your last films. This film is much more fluid than the others. Also the second lead actor did a fantastic job. I would say it is the most entertaining film of the fest. I would love to see the feature from it. Let me know when you finished it. I am sure, you will put all your heart in it - so it will be great like the short.

Susanne
 
zeke said:
This is my second favorite one so far. Loved the interplay of the characters and the sense of menace the zombies brought, even during the comedic bits.
My one and only advice, and this is strictly a personal take, is less is more, as in the cussing.

I'm not against it, but too much can be distracting. Even if that's how people really talk on the street, it can overpower the story.

Great job though, and glad you are making it into a feature. If you maintain the tempo of the short, it's sure to be a hit.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Zeke. Glad you enjoyed our film. I hear ya' on the cussing and don't think that I didn't think about that. I did, but in the end, I went with my gut and where the characters took me. That can be a fine line sometimes too.

Yes, we hope to maintain the tempo for the feature and I believe and hope that it will not only emulate the short, but take it to another level. Thanks for stoppin' in, man! Appreciate it.

Susanne G. said:
You have more than ten years of filmmaking experience behind and in front of the camera - this explains a lot, why this film works that well from different aspects. I just rewatched 'Trivial' from LossFest and 'U...' from TwighlightFest. I remembered that you did 'U...', but not 'Trivial'. Haved watched them both, I must say that you did a big step forward compared to your last films. This film is much more fluid than the others. Also the second lead actor did a fantastic job. I would say it is the most entertaining film of the fest. I would love to see the feature from it. Let me know when you finished it. I am sure, you will put all your heart in it - so it will be great like the short.

Susanne
Click to expand...

I do feel like I've improved from every film I've made. "U" was definitely a rush job. It was a good story, but editing and lack of time to edit it and this was way before I had After Effects too, caused this film to suffer some. It was also the first time I used the HVX. "Trivial" also suffered from a lack of time and again, no After Effects. Both those films have been re-edited and work much better now, but I can say I learned alot from the shortcomings of those films. I was determined to give myself plenty of time and take my time and upgrade to the programs and equipment I felt like I needed to make an impact.

BTW - You should check out my hallows fest entry, "The Unassumed" and my lovefest entry, "Lyrical Transitions."

I will definitely let you know when I'm done with "The Jones.'" The script is looking good so far and I can't wait to get to filming. This stuff is so funny and fun!

Hey, you changed your avatar and where's your banner.
 
Last edited:
Hi Marlon,

I watched your Hallow- and LoveFest Entry. 'Lyrical Transitions' was for me something like a Rap. I had the idea that you have a lot of creativ ideas in your mind and you made in every short a new experiment. So I loved the dialogs - I think you have a great ability as an scriptwriter. 'The Unassumed' took really my attention, but it is a completely different film genre. At the end of the film I needed a moment to understand that it is him trying to control himself and that he has two identities. The end was probably too fast. I loved the actors in 'Lyrical Transitions', but I have to admit that especially in 'U...' the acting wasn't that good. I think that in 'The Jones' you mixed up all your good abilities and especially the comic part and the fantastic dialogs did the trick, because this film is super good. Then I adore well done humourous films and this is one. I hope you will do more films like this.

Oh, my banner. To took the banner with me was really a habit and I didn't realize that it is a bit embarassed to still show it since TimeFest :embarasse - the time past that fast! Jason and me like to make another short, but we want first by some equipement.

The new avatar is a photo of a painting I did on the cage door for a rabbit who lived ones with us. It is my ironic fantasy to give the rabbit his own crest with two crossed carrots and the motto 'More vegatables no war'. Then the other sentense 'Dimorra due denti' is italian and sounds really good in this language. It means 'Two teeth manor'.
I was a bit fat up with the old avatar and wanted simple another one. This is the reason.

Susanne
 
Susanne G. said:
Hi Marlon,

I watched your Hallow- and LoveFest Entry. 'Lyrical Transitions' was for me something like a Rap. I had the idea that you have a lot of creativ ideas in your mind and you made in every short a new experiment. So I loved the dialogs - I think you have a great ability as an scriptwriter. 'The Unassumed' took really my attention, but it is a completely different film genre. At the end of the film I needed a moment to understand that it is him trying to control himself and that he has two identities. The end was probably too fast. I loved the actors in 'Lyrical Transitions', but I have to admit that especially in 'U...' the acting wasn't that good. I think that in 'The Jones' you mixed up all your good abilities and especially the comic part and the fantastic dialogs did the trick, because this film is super good. Then I adore well done humourous films and this is one. I hope you will do more films like this.

Oh, my banner. To took the banner with me was really a habit and I didn't realize that it is a bit embarassed to still show it since TimeFest :embarasse - the time past that fast! Jason and me like to make another short, but we want first by some equipement.

The new avatar is a photo of a painting I did on the cage door for a rabbit who lived ones with us. It is my ironic fantasy to give the rabbit his own crest with two crossed carrots and the motto 'More vegatables no war'. Then the other sentense 'Dimorra due denti' is italian and sounds really good in this language. It means 'Two teeth manor'.
I was a bit fat up with the old avatar and wanted simple another one. This is the reason.

Susanne
Click to expand...

Yeah, most of the complaints from "U" were about the acting. We had some first time actors and I thought they did fine when we were filming. I think what else contributed to their performances not being so stellar were my camera angles and shots. I just couldn't really get exactly what I wanted with the amount of time and the location where we were. I was rushing entirely too much towards the end of that.

Yes, I think you should do another short. Jump in the next one.

Well, I've had the same avatar since I signed up. I really need to change it! So, you painted that? That's cool. I really like the idea behind it. Very cute! :thumbup:
 
Marlon Ladd said:
Yeah, most of the complaints from "U" were about the acting. We had some first time actors and I thought they did fine when we were filming. I think what else contributed to their performances not being so stellar were my camera angles and shots. I just couldn't really get exactly what I wanted with the amount of time and the location where we were. I was rushing entirely too much towards the end of that.

Yes, I think you should do another short. Jump in the next one.

Well, I've had the same avatar since I signed up. I really need to change it! So, you painted that? That's cool. I really like the idea behind it. Very cute! :thumbup:
Click to expand...


Thanks that you like my avatar.

Probably we will not make a film next fest - we are not ready now, but there are good possibilities the fest after next one.

Very much luck for tomorrow - I would love to see your film in the first three :engel017:

Susanne
 
Just watched it again, it's as good as ever.

What a great monologue:

"People ask lots o' questions about ma boys,
They always say 'what happened to 'em?'
People say lots o' things about ma boys too
They say that they saved this city, yes sir they do
They say when it started, well they was the only ones prepared
Like they knew it was comin'
Shiiit - I don't know if they knew or not
But they always been on point
People ask why they was so good at fighting
Well I tell people 'cause that's all they used to do'
Legends, saviours - I don't know about that
Why don't you judge for yourself"
 
Susanne G. said:
Thanks that you like my avatar.

Probably we will not make a film next fest - we are not ready now, but there are good possibilities the fest after next one.

Very much luck for tomorrow - I would love to see your film in the first three :engel017:

Susanne
Click to expand...
Okay, well I wanna' see you back in the fests soon.

Thanks and keep your fingers crossed.
 
Horncastle said:
Just watched it again, it's as good as ever.

What a great monologue:

"People ask lots o' questions about ma boys,
They always say 'what happened to 'em?'
People say lots o' things about ma boys too
They say that they saved this city, yes sir they do
They say when it started, well they was the only ones prepared
Like they knew it was comin'
Shiiit - I don't know if they knew or not
But they always been on point
People ask why they was so good at fighting
Well I tell people 'cause that's all they used to do'
Legends, saviours - I don't know about that
Why don't you judge for yourself"
Click to expand...

Thanks! I love that opening. I wrote it, but Cara Black, the actress that did the voice, really brought it out. She did her thing! And man, you wrote it word for word like she said it - that's some cool sh*t!

Arturo Sanchez said:
Funny.. Great zombies. Filming was well done.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Arturo. Glad you stopped by!
 
Marlon, I had just been leaving a review and saw your banner. A western! I watched right away because I was so intrigued that someone tackled that genre. You did an excellent job. It seemed like the lighting conditions changed a little between a few shots, but other than that I thought it was good throughout. I really dig the older guy with the gut. He looks the part. I feel like I've seen him get shot in other westerns as a bad guy. I think that was you in the lead right? If so, I think you did a great job. I'm pretty new to dvxuser but I've seen the banner to one of your earlier films...now I really want to check that one out as well! Again, Great Job.
 
Again, that lead that was also in your western ... AMAZING voice, great look ... SO wish he lived on the west coast, up near Portland. Meaning, to put him in a film ... in case that sounds like something else, lol.

Loved your shots in this, and the editing was off the hook ... great, great job ... very inspirational stuff. Really loved the diversity you have between your films here ... to me, that means a LOT of growth & maturity as a filmmaker, to be able to be diverse ... the reason I'm venturing out into comedy now.

Everyone looked & sounded great in here (very solid sound design/mixing, as well as score) ... however, I just lost track of who was who, with regards to being with the gal, being the next to be killed or to kill, why the white guy was killed at the end, if the beginning was the end or the end was the beginning, and on & on. So, entertaining, but at the end of the film, I think I was completely lost ... all though it was a cool film to get lost in. :)
 
I love that opening quote.

Your locations throughout the city are awesome. I love how you took advantage of the city and really made it feel like a part of the film. Slightly off subject, but that is one of my favorite things about shooting in NYC, nobody pays any attention to you. :)

Anyway, I also really dug the edit. I thought it gave the film a great feel - almost a documentary quality.

I still can't believe you got two films done for the fest. Well done and best of luck.
 
Marlon, is it just me or is your thread screwy? I click to discuss "the end" and it brings me to "the jones". well anyway, here's my review of "the end":

loved it. i scored you very high because you really took me through NYC and utilized the city as a character. I sold my soul 10 years ago and moved from NYC to Hollywood, so watching your short made me miss NYC. I like what you did with the 3 characters all telling their story and the way they meet up at the end and then... it ends. i like it. it felt very tony scott to me. it felt like the intro to a feature length film. like, if you have credits rolling over this and all their narrations and then when they sit down in times square at the end, THATS when the movie really begins.

oh and i loved the music in the background, it was cool. now, all the actors did a solid VO but their voices were soft, almost whispers, and the only thing the audio track needs is a compressor on it
which would give their voice some punch and thus more effective.

i want to see more of this, great work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top