30sec anti-drug thingy

[Rich Lee]

Here is something that i have been messin around with over the weekend. Its all a bit rough still, but please feel free to comment on anything. Trying to make this into some sort of anti drug spot, with a little tagline at the end. Havnt got the tagline yet. anyway, i am not going to be able to work on it for a week or so, so i am posting it now to get some initial feedback.

Thanks!

Link to movie
http://www.rich-lee.com/drugs_edit_CD.mov


Link to Films Page, click Drugs.
http://www.rich-lee.com/shortfilms.htm

Oh, i shot it with the dvx100a 24pa.

[Rob Lohman]

Interesting look! I like it very much. Also in regards that you are
running it in reverse. Perhaps a tagline similar to "do you know
the end result?" or "do you like your ending" etc. might be
approriate for this type of thing.

The only thing I thought was a bit off was the blood in the
beginning. Is this "accurate" and "realistic" ? That also might
be a bit too much perhaps for some viewers?

Good luck with the last parts!

[Rafal Krolik]

Rich. Excellent work. Just like Rob, I was waiting for some message at the end like "Something are hard to undue", but you imply that this is not necesarilly a finished piece.
I, on the other had, though the blood is great as a strong a brute exclamation of what happenes. Back in my high school days, I have seen people go into convulsions, cough up blood, etc, all as a result of their addiction

[Rich Lee]

Hey guys, thanks for checkin it out.

The end will have somesort of message like that.

the blood is a bit of a stretch, vomiting definitly can happin, but who knows what else is going on with this kid you know? a few places on the net said that combined with other drugs or illness that vomiting blood could happin. but, it probly is a tad overdone there, although, my intent with the eye shot is to put some sort of blood runing back up into his tear ducts. or at least having the veins in his eyes swell up red or down. But that would definitly make it a bit more unrealistic. maybe i should make one just as an exercise that doesnt have any blood.

glad it reads ok, i was worried it might be a bit to fast.

Thanks again!

[Dylan Couper]

Hey Rich
Really nice effects. I like it!

[Rafal Krolik]

Off topic question for you Rich. On your website unders the precursor stills you have a picture of an xl1s mounted on a jib/crane. Is it a commercial crane and what brand is it? Thanks in advance for your answer.

[Peter Sieben]

Wow Rich,

This looks disturbingly good! Strong way to tell the message, good use of the reversed video and fast editing.
Also the music fits it well? What did you use for that? Or is it your own track?

Regards,

Peter

[Rich Lee]

Thanks guys!

Rafal- The jib i used for that was a cartoni mini jib. Its pretty good, and cheap to rent more info here

http://www.cartoni.com/easy_jib.html

Peter- The music is a radiohead track called The Gloaming off of Hail to the Thief, played backwards of course.

[Gilles Guerraz]

Very good job !

The clip looks terrific.
I applause with both hands... ;)

[Jeff Rosenberg]

While I think you definetly did a great job and I don't really feel a need to give any more compliments, I personally am just kinda tired of the whole "Requiem"-feel on every drug scene now. You are obviously a creative individual, and I think you could come up with a better way to shoot it without feeling like it is ripped off from someone else. I'll probably get flamed for this, but that's just my opinion. Otherwise, great work.

Jeff

[Rich Lee]

hey jeff, can u elaborate on what you mean by it being ripped off from requiem? is it the shots that are close up on things? just curious what your seeing in it. wasnt trying to mimic requeim, maybe subconciously i did, but the only movie that came to mind when i was making it was pulp fiction when travoltas character shot up heroin, there was a great shot as the blood came into the syringe that i liked.

thanks man

[Dylan Couper]

I'm guessing Jeff means Darren Aronofsky's Requiem For a Dream.
Loved the movie, and didn't make the slightest connection between it and this video. However, now that Jeff mentions it, yeah, maybe it does have a similar feel, but so what I ask? It's still well put together.

You know for once, I'd like to see a pro-drug commercial... :)

[Rich Lee]

yeah, he does mean aronofskys requiem for a dream, just curious what jeff sees in it that is similer that makes him tired of it.

yes, pro drug is the next one to do! you see bad boys 2? in that opening bit in the club as the camera goes between the girls legs, take the guy od'ing out of it and thats prodrugs, goodtimes had by all! hot ladies and drugs! i guess u can say that about any movie with drugs, take out the death and misery part and its goodtimes.

[Dylan Couper]

<<<-- Originally posted by Rich Lee : yes, pro drug is the next one to do! you see bad boys 2? in that opening bit in the club as the camera goes between the girls legs, take the guy od'ing out of it and thats prodrugs, goodtimes had by all! hot ladies and drugs! i guess u can say that about any movie with drugs, take out the death and misery part and its goodtimes. -->>>

Don't forget the Escalades and the speedboats....! :)

Err.. sorry to hijack your thread, back on topic now!

[Jeff Rosenberg]

Hey Rich, I've been waiting to write back until I could load the clip again, cause I was having problems but just figured them out. Basically, I just felt that the pacing and shot choices reminded a ton of Requiem for a Dream. It's not a terrible thing, but just using mainly inserts and quick cuts to close-ups and what-not. I still think you did a damn good job, I just don't like when someone does something hip and cool, and it suddenly becomes the standard for how to shoot those scenes. I guess I'm just sick of how whenever drug-use is filmed now, everything is fast and disjointed, but that's just me.

In terms of the pro-drug commercial idea, my buddies who are in a comedy troupe have a pretty hilarious one based on those pdas, in which three guys are sitting around outside trying to make a phone call and the VO goes "just tell them you couldn't pick them up to get stoned, 'cause you were too busy getting stoned".

Anywho, keep up the good work Rich.

Jeff