TheatreGuy's "ID"

HA HA HA! LOL!!!

Yeah, I wanted "Tim" to have ugly socks!

I so appreciate the breakdown of your critique. The one line that you didn't find believable was actually cut in in post because people were confused at who Sherry was. (Hmmmmm, forgot to establish that during my re-writes!)

And yeah, I'll never do the one-man band thing again! I just didn't want to drag anyone through a filmmaking experience without having tackled the beast once myself. If I had gone to film school and had classmates and such, different story. But I am 42 making my first film and I know how many hours are spent in a set with a crew THAT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING!!!

So appreciate the feedback. Looking forward to putting all of these wonder comments and observations into my next project!

Thanks Charli!!!
 
That's what so great about all of this is the feedback can help you make a better film.
If people don't care for something in a film they say WHY.
All the threads I've been reading people have been leaving great feedback on what worked and what they thought could be done better and HOW it could be done better.

Awesome!

Charli, you should see MY socks! :)

I'd crew for ya any day Ted.
 
Thanks Kevin! That means a lot!!!

And, yes! I am just so happy to be able to put something up to get feedback!

There are so many incredible users here and it is such an honor to be able to hear back from them.

This has been such a rewarding day for me!!!

Thanks again! I would love to work on a film with you Kevin. I bet that we would have a great time!!!

Ted
 
Acting: Solid throughout, great lead + auteur.
Script: You really worked some nice ideas into this.
Direction: Again one man! Good shot’s.
Music: Fitted but I didn’t like those chimes, sorry.
Editing: Well paced. Loved the time forward transitions,
Lighting: Solid.
Loved: Time elapse opening shot, the body being dumped, number-plate shot, the number of “****’s” you used, the garden hand, sun/ tombstone time delay mixed in with the knocking (great idea), walking down the cellar, the twist.
Hated: The glass not breaking,
Overall: Man! To do everything well…I admire you, with a crew you will fly.

I applaud you, you spent time on this buddy and it shows. For a first film W.O.W. your gonna be good.
Jp
 
So I took a shot for each f ck, and now I'm drunk.

Nice one-man rack focus!

Really great job, Ted, ESPECIALLY for your first time, and ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY for doing everything (except the female lead, of course) yourself. I didn't mean "doing" the female lead...sigh...you know what I mean. And speaking of doing the female lead, I disagree with what was said about the line "I told you I wouldn't leave my wife" - I actually kind of liked that. didn't like the follow up line where you said that you had to kill her, though, as that much was obvious.

THE-GUY on the license plate. That made me laugh. Loved the requisite sink shot. Can't get enough of those!

The music was very appropriate, I thought. It felt very 70s horror. And to my surprise, the rest of it didn't come off as a 70s porn flick (think fiona apple) as earlier anticipated. But with the pacing, the music, the acting, etc., it definitely felt like a throwback to 70s horror. I loved it.

Great reveal on the blood-dripping ceiling by first spotting it on the socks. The amateur would probably just have the blood drip onto the actor's head, but you took a different approach. I really liked it, and liked how it was later able to play out as he realized that his socks were clean (relatively speaking...) again.

Next time (when you have a crew :) ) you'll have to think about how you can fancy up your lighting. I think your short could've really benefited from some creative lighting upstairs - nothing too over the top, but just a little something.

Your acting and the female lead's acting where GREAT. Seemed very natural - have you done film/tv acting before?

Loved the shots when the female lead first appeared, and the accompanying music. Also loved the shots with the tombstones punctuating the knocks in the dream - very effective.

Editing was nice and tight - none of the shots felt too long, nor did any cuts seem out of place.

As already noted, I would have ended on his suicide. That really would have wrapped things up a little more cleanly than to bring in the wife at the end. Although it did give us all a chance to meet your beautiful wife :).

All in all, good job!
 
Ted,

Not sure I have anything to add that others have not said, or that you won't learn by doing more movies. It's clear you had a GREAT TIME doing this, and it shows in the work. You had a very good grasp of horror tropes, shots, editing, etc. I would just say keep shooting. Set yourself another project and do it.

Sound, sound, sound!!! Considering that your lav mic wasn't always clean, you might want to pay more attention in post, maybe think about some ADR. I am now the sound Nazi. :)

Oh yeah, aren't ALL guys in New Hampshire pretty much like that? :)
 
Hello! Thank you all for the great feedback! I am so excited to have had this experience of making a film and been able to display it for feedback. I am learning so much today. This is GREAT!

I am curious about ADR, dc. What exactly is that? Voice-overs? I know that I learned a lot about my wireless lav. I found that I had to re-shoot some stuff because I had the sensitivity WAY TOO HIGH. I am NOT a sound person (surprised???). Even in my theatre-life, I STAY AWAY FROM THE SOUNDBOARD!!!

But I did play with some functions on the lav unit and found that turning down the sensitivity helped immensely! No more distorted audio (at least not as heavily distorted. But that was half-way through the shoot.

In post, I found that I could lower the lav channel and it helped. But nothing like having clean audio from the get-go.

I did learn that, while I thought that the dvx's on-board mics were good, they are NOTHING compared to the lav unit.

I am anxious to learn more about sound. There is a ton of reading material on it out there and if anyone has recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

Especially from you, dc. I would rather get advice from the sound nazi, no offense to anyone.

I am off to bed. I have had a fantastic day and have more films to watch and re-watch and a list of comments yet to share.

Thank you again for your time of viewing my film and leaving feedback.

I will take a little part of each of you into my next filmmaking project!

Ted!
 
jpbankesmercer said:
Acting: Solid throughout, great lead + auteur.
Script: You really worked some nice ideas into this.
Direction: Again one man! Good shot’s.
Music: Fitted but I didn’t like those chimes, sorry.
Editing: Well paced. Loved the time forward transitions,
Lighting: Solid.
Loved: Time elapse opening shot, the body being dumped, number-plate shot, the number of “poo poo’s” you used, the garden hand, sun/ tombstone time delay mixed in with the knocking (great idea), walking down the cellar, the twist.
Hated: The glass not breaking,
Overall: Man! To do everything well…I admire you, with a crew you will fly.

I applaud you, you spent time on this buddy and it shows. For a first film W.O.W. your gonna be good.
Jp
Click to expand...
That is awesome about the glass!!! It actually broke when I dropped it the first time. I KNEW that I would take a hit on that but I wanted the hand shot more. And I just don't think that "Tim" would retrieve a broken glass, especially at that time!

For the falling/breaking glass shot, please click here to view in thread. Post #59. I actually put up a sequence of stills as it broke!

Thanks for the feedback! Excellent information!!!
 
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Ha ha, rule number one on sound?

GET HERMAN!!!!!!!

ADR is recording the lines in the studio AFTER the shoot, and then matching them up in post.

But I will post some ADR BTS in my thread. On Bloody Mary, I decided to ADR the whole movie. We used some location sound, but mainly on the real freakout parts where I didn't want the actress to try to match the emotional level and lack of control she achieved in performance. But everything else was recorded in studio (my office) and matched up and mixed in post.

And Herman foleyed all of the sound FX, even the clothing rustles and footsteps and stuff. It just give you sooo much control.
 
Lingothree, I want to take time and reply to your comments. But I have to take my wife to bed. I just made her watch several Horror flicks (she hates horror) and she is calling for me to comfort her!!!

So, I want to revisit your comments in the morning. I did read through them and appreciate everything you said. But ANYONE who knows me, knows that I am long-winded and just can't leave a word or two. Must comment all over the place!!!

Thanks! I will try not to think about all of those gorey women shots that you had in you film!!!

Night All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eat, Drink, Watch Horror and be Happy!!! :) :O :)
 
desperatecomfort said:
Ha ha, rule number one on sound?

GET HERMAN!!!!!!!

ADR is recording the lines in the studio AFTER the shoot, and then matching them up in post.

But I will post some ADR BTS in my thread. On Bloody Mary, I decided to ADR the whole movie. We used some location sound, but mainly on the real freakout parts where I didn't want the actress to try to match the emotional level and lack of control she achieved in performance. But everything else was recorded in studio (my office) and matched up and mixed in post.

And Herman foleyed all of the sound FX, even the clothing rustles and footsteps and stuff. It just give you sooo much control.
Click to expand...
Whoa! That is SO COOL! I never knew. I would never had known that from your film!

Can't wait to learn more about this!

Yeah, Honey!!! I'm on may way up to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:grin:

'Night!
 
Ted, Horrofest is great and all, but if my GF were here right now, waiting for me in bed...uh...I'd have my priorities straight, son.
 
Hey Ted,

Really liked the film and you are my current hero for putting this all together for your first film and all.

In particular I thought the editing was really good - I watched this hours ago and am only posting now so its not quite as fresh - but I remember it having a definite style, which can sometimes overtake the film itself, but in this case it didn't feel that way.

Well done, and now I have to be a little more afraid of you in Fantasy Football as I see what your capable of!!
 
its a good thing you had caller id... you know, big companies could use that as some slick product placement? slap a big ol' sprint logo on that phone... =)

kidding!

i can't say it enough. your short ruled.
i loved the quick-beat graveyard shots on the knocks! SCARY!!!!
 
Hi Ted,

I think you did a great job. I cant even think how hard this would have been to do single handed. A nice style, the music isnt overdone either.

I really like the cross dissolve on the phone shot, that just shows you had no-one to help. Did you go back and re-focus, then get back into the shot to act?

super determination...

I thought it all came together well. The only bit I didnt like was the line of dialogue where he explains about killing his fling "yes, I killed you..."etc Maybe would have been better if you have told that visually somehow rather than putting in an unatural line. But thats a minor niggle and I think you had your work cut out as it is.

I look forward to seeing more stuff and with some extra help it might free you up. I just did a film where I directed and (tried) to act too. At the end of it all though the film would have benefited from me just being behind that monitor - but we cant all have it that way can we :)

I just read it's your first film too..... I bet you've got the bug now.. You're only going to get better and this really isnt a bad place to start for sure!
 
Hi Darkline, Thank you! Yes, first film. I appreciate the comments. I am learning so much from the feedback here. It's wonderful. And yes! The bug is firmly planted!!!

Just to touch on the dialogue since it has been mentioned before (and I still want to respond directly to the other posters here) I added that because I wanted "Tim" to dismiss the demon in his head. I wanted him to "admit" that he killed her. Aloud.

That is a very interesting observation about telling it visually, but I was trying to get "Tim" to admit this crime and dismiss the images in his head. Trial and error.

I tell you, I want to make films. I just don't want to write them. (Not my strength as evident from the lack of script! LOL!) I do enjoy acting but not when I want to be the director or DP.

It was a great new experience for me and I can't wait to start a new project!

Thank you again for the feedback! I have your film downloaded and will be viewing shortly!

Ted!

UPDATE>>>

One Man Rack Focus job.....

Yeah, that was an accident gone right!

I knew that I wanted a rack focus there but knew that I couldn't pull that off!

So, I shot it at both focus points and planned an insert shot with a tight shot of me at the phone. BUT, as I was editing... I found that take after take, I was hitting the same mark and had the same arm placements!

I tried a few different dissolves and found one that was acceptable!

Thanks for noticing that!!! (I was pretty pumped that I got that in!)
 
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desperatecomfort said:
Ted, Horrofest is great and all, but if my GF were here right now, waiting for me in bed...uh...I'd have my priorities straight, son.
Click to expand...
Priorities are straight, believe me! We are about to celebrate our 10th year of marraige and I haven't screwed up in that department!!! :grin:

Seriously, looking forward to talking with you more! LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Bloody Mary!!!! (that was one of the films I showed my wife. I had to pry her hands from her face so she could see the necklace on the dead figure! I believe this may have been the movie that sent her to bed!!!)
 
bigteethproductions said:
Hey Ted,

Really liked the film and you are my current hero for putting this all together for your first film and all.

In particular I thought the editing was really good - I watched this hours ago and am only posting now so its not quite as fresh - but I remember it having a definite style, which can sometimes overtake the film itself, but in this case it didn't feel that way.

Well done, and now I have to be a little more afraid of you in Fantasy Football as I see what your capable of!!
Click to expand...
Hey BTP! Great to see you outside of Fantasy Football!!!

Thank you so much for the comments. Looking forward to having you jump into this festival in the future!

I appreciate you taking the time to view and comment on my film!

Good luck on Sunday!!!

Ted
 
thekyleman71 said:
its a good thing you had caller id... you know, big companies could use that as some slick product placement? slap a big ol' sprint logo on that phone... =)

kidding!

i can't say it enough. your short ruled.
i loved the quick-beat graveyard shots on the knocks! SCARY!!!!
Click to expand...
Thanks Kyle! I appreciate your comments! It was a great time shooting this.

Funny about the caller I.D. thing. This film is called I.D. and I tried to get as many references in as possible. For instance, the cell phone I got. The home phone was supposed to be a tight shot on the caller I.D. box saying caller unknown. However, I don't have that service and couldn't get it to come up. Also, the I.D. box just didn't read on screen. I thought about doing a photoshop'd element to past there, but knew that it would look dorky.

Also, at the door with the "police," my character originally asked to see some I.D. One of my friends (credited, Allegra English) told me that "Tim" seemed too cocky and would not ask the police this. He has just commited a crime! He would be shocked and scared.

I took her advice and re-shoot the scene that is now there. Much more effective at the loss of another "I.D." reference.

Thanks for viewing and sharing! I have feedback coming your way. I really liked your film!

Ted
 
Lingothree said:
So I took a shot for each f ck, and now I'm drunk.

Nice one-man rack focus!

Really great job, Ted, ESPECIALLY for your first time, and ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY for doing everything (except the female lead, of course) yourself. I didn't mean "doing" the female lead...sigh...you know what I mean. And speaking of doing the female lead, I disagree with what was said about the line "I told you I wouldn't leave my wife" - I actually kind of liked that. didn't like the follow up line where you said that you had to kill her, though, as that much was obvious.

THE-GUY on the license plate. That made me laugh. Loved the requisite sink shot. Can't get enough of those!

The music was very appropriate, I thought. It felt very 70s horror. And to my surprise, the rest of it didn't come off as a 70s porn flick (think fiona apple) as earlier anticipated. But with the pacing, the music, the acting, etc., it definitely felt like a throwback to 70s horror. I loved it.

Great reveal on the blood-dripping ceiling by first spotting it on the socks. The amateur would probably just have the blood drip onto the actor's head, but you took a different approach. I really liked it, and liked how it was later able to play out as he realized that his socks were clean (relatively speaking...) again.

Next time (when you have a crew :) ) you'll have to think about how you can fancy up your lighting. I think your short could've really benefited from some creative lighting upstairs - nothing too over the top, but just a little something.

Your acting and the female lead's acting where GREAT. Seemed very natural - have you done film/tv acting before?

Loved the shots when the female lead first appeared, and the accompanying music. Also loved the shots with the tombstones punctuating the knocks in the dream - very effective.

Editing was nice and tight - none of the shots felt too long, nor did any cuts seem out of place.

As already noted, I would have ended on his suicide. That really would have wrapped things up a little more cleanly than to bring in the wife at the end. Although it did give us all a chance to meet your beautiful wife :).

All in all, good job!
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for taking the time for such an depth review. I appreciate it so much!

Great comments and feedback. Will take them all with me on my next project!

As far as my acting, mostly stage. Started when I was in 3rd grade. Found that it was the only place where I could open up and communicate. (yep! A shy kid.)

I have done more and more film work as an actor, mostly student films in Boston. I had a great experience 10 years ago when I was cast in a local independent feature. The guy spent ALL of his money on this project (something like $300,000!) The movie bombed! He wrote, directed and produced the thing himself. (a big no-no.) The movie had a great premise, but he screwed it up with meaningless crap and some bad casting choices.

Basically, I played "Wilder" (loved the name!), a ex-Navy Seal, professor of Marine Biology who is trying to draw awareness that the oil tankers and Nuclear sub station pose a threat to the quaint livelihood of this port-side fishing and lobster community.

Then the Writer/Director/Producer added the fact that my character as a common-law wife and a son, a girl friend that is one of my students (CAST WAY TOO OLD and hit the cutting room floor but that was after 40% of my shots were filmed with her). My character tries to justify to the "wife" that he is capable of loving more than one person! (side note.... the Writer/Director/Producer has a common law wife, a son and a girl friend! Just justifying his life on film!)

Many mistakes. A good time, but mistakes.

It plays in Turkey at midnight all the time! (at least it used to!)

"AGAINST THE TIDE" starring Ted Arabian and Kelly Lawman.

Funny.

Sorry for the side track!

Thanks again, Lingothree. I do appreciate the words and support. And I really liked BOTH of the films that you worked on!

Ted
 
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