"TUNE" a short film for twilight fest by Neil Rowe

Dang Neil, why do you do this to me? I wanted to see more of this flick! Really loved the skipped film effect, (not sure what else to call it) how did you do that by the way? I really thought the whole film just looked fantastic. I'll have to go back and watch it again for a more thorough review. Great job!

best,
Jon

PS I still want a dolly handle...:)
 
spoiler alert?

First of all, amazing composition, quality, etc. Everything on the visual side is superb. I'm going to have to disagree with anyone that says the story isn't there. It is there. Yes, there is room for interpretation and I have my own idea of what is happening. Obviously, the man and the little girl are somehow connected. It's sort of like a loop; the girl plays something, and then the man hear's what she plays. Whatever the man plays is the sound that comes out at the girls side. But you can see that when he 'echoes' back what she plays, he plays the wrong key. He plays a black key, on purpose. When it cuts to the girl she is still playing the white key, but it is making the sound of the black key the man pressed. So that's where this strange narrator breaks the man's finger to teach him a lesson, and make him play the right notes... and he does. So the piano is tuned. I love the ambient sound, and the narrator is great. The changes between b/w and color are spot on. Every aspect of this film gave it an eerie undertone. I would have loved for it to have been longer since I was so into it, but it got the full message across in a concise and subtle way. Once again, excellent work Neil. This is my favorite film of the festival!
 
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I don't usually go back on my initial impressions but I have to say I have given this film a chance at multiple plays and it has changed my mind.

This is one of those films that is very dense for the short time it occupies. Giving it a fair dose of my attention was difficult at first because I was watching all of the films in a single sitting.

The ominous tone of the story, coupled with the strange echoes the man hears and the juxtapostion of the ominous voice with the innocence of the girl is quite beautifully done.

So forget my earlier comments, this film has grown on me as has its meaning.

Nice job Neil.
 
This is a film you cannot watch only once, you have to see it like, 5 times because it makes you go.. " Whoa... did I really just see that?" and then you go back to review it. I give it a solid 4.7/5 ^.- (Solid)

The only issue I had was the Piano teachers voice.. I lol'd, it sounded like.. a child molester.. lol.. SORRY NEIL it just did i dont know why.. but that was my first thought after i heard your voice.

Very nice! Me Gusta
 
Hey thanks for the feedback guys.

When i first ran this by people about 1 out of 5 said they thought they may get it, so i knew what i was getting into by going through with it. i guess for me its really just a conversation peice thats supposed to open a door, and then just leave you there while it hangs open creeking on the hinges and it never pushes you through. I just wanted to leave people in that strange and uneasy place. so the story is intentionally subversive, and i take full responsibility for all the "what the hecks?!?" that im sure were spoken :) . i realise that its a piece that may require close attention (especially to audio) and/or repeat viewing for the story to come through. but..

SPOILER ALERT

..as far as story goes "pfista" pretty much hit the nail on the head. to further boil down his take on it, ill give my own take on it which is simply that the man is the personification of the piano that the young girl is playing. ..of course i left alot open to interpretation even for those that "got it" . .. its the creeking door left hanging open.

anyway I hope people enjoyed it as much as im enjoying viewing all these other films, and to clarify a few earlier things for youz..

its not all natural light.

thanks for the compliments to the actors, ill pass it on. ( i already told my daughter she rocks of course.)

they are playing the same keys except for the one note the guy is playing flat

"Yet another one i cannot open. 'Failed to render'" ..this means your computer is unhappy with its social life, have you considered getting it an I-pet?

the voice speaking to the girl is just an unexplained entity rather than any certain persona such as piano teacher ect. but thats part of the open door.. although originally planned as such it just didnt work with a normal explainable voice there. it negated the mood of the peice almost entirley.

anyway thanks again for the feedback and id love to hear any more. now im off to watch more twighlity films. :)
 
Hi Neil,

great vibe to this. I loved the bit where his finger is snapped. i think it's a great little idea that has meaning if you care to look for it. I really like the look of your last peice, was it 'fallen?' the one with the guy on the rooftops with his arms stretched - and I was pleased to see here you have somewhat continued that dreamy vibe you had going on. There is certainly a vision behind your work. very interesting piece.

You know what's a really funny co-incidence? You used the same rumbly backing track that is in my entry for twilightfest. I recognised it as soon as I heard it. And also people don't get my ending either...lol
 
really? .. the same one, or is it just really similar? heh. anyway i loved your short, and i thought it was really well done. one of my favorites for sure.
 
well, I didn't get it, sorry. but I went back and read the threads above. however, very nice photography, smooth flow to the edit.
 
Didn't get it. Ambience is awesome, really awesome, but I'm having hard time saying anything about this, either good or bad.

Maybe I just need some time, if get some clue, I'll bump back in.
 
neil, great stuff, shows that you don't need to use the full 6 min to tell a great story. Cinematography was beautiful, I especially loved the feel of the B&W shots with the smoke. As far as story goes, I loved that the viewer could put their own spin on it. I felt like the older guy was some ghost of a jazz legend who nobody listens to anymore, so he latches on to a young person through the piano. But there's some sort of demented contract about it, like selling your soul almost, hence the broken finger.

That being said ... i wished it was longer. :)
 
nice short.

spoiler

i took from your short that the man is the piano? not sure though. he is shot in b and w and the keys are b and w. he also has a busted finger much like the key that is off. would've liked a smile from him though when the piano is fixed to make that work, if in fact this is what it is?

really well shot!!! very cute kid. didnt like the voice over, in fact at first i thought the old man may have killed the girl or something, the voice over threw me off.
 
Neil,

F'n creepy film. And weird. I think that it's short and sweet really sold the idea. Definitely TW material.

congrats on entering!
/j
 
Nice work, Neil. My favorite from you thus far. Great cinematography and editing. Love the creepiness and overall 'off-kilter' view this gives. Simple and strong storytelling! Perfect for this fest and one of my top picks right now. Thanks for sharing!
 
Really dug the mood of this film. The cinematography was great as well. It had that shaky aesthetic that can be really horrible when overused, but it came off really well. Surprising, epecially with the situations it was used in. It added to the uneasy feeling of the piece. Really dug the actors and the voice. creeeepy. Good job!
 
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