So I thought I could drag some of the chatter about how folks are doing over here to this thread.

So, how's it going?

I have yet to shoot a frame (or field) of video. Doing a voice over with a celebrity sound a-like tonight then shooting after 6pm Saturday...plenty of time. You folks that have your's in the can, or mostly done better have some really good stuff since you have been working on it so long.

Best of luck to you all.

Found another darker theme for this years Christmas issue of DVC. Looking forward to hearing everyones responses to it when we get them posted.

Sean McHenry

Shot last night and did a rough cut. Actually using this as an opportunity to try out my self built 35mm adapter, so it will be interesting to see what people think.

well i'm trying to tackle it scene by scene. Looks like big chunks are hittin' the floor because of time issues, like too long time issues.

Mine won't be all that impressive visually. I shot it myself, all done with natural lighting on an old camcorder that records to mini DVD's.

The quality is so-so.

I'm hoping that the story will draw most of the attention.

I'm just about completely finished the entire project.

Mike

Well, I've got the script/shotlist finished up and planning on shooting this Saturday night. I just wish I had more time saturday to devote. I'll just have to stay up as long as it takes. :-)


The cutting shouldn't be too bad though. I think I'll be able to get that done sunday morning easy.

I got the students in my lighting and set design classes (classes that I'm taking, not teaching :) to help "crew" a shoot last night.

While I may have a lame story premise, I expect my production quality to be impressive thanks to the very hard work of all of these folks. Due to the work of the people in these classes, I expect to win the "most impressive prop" award (if only there was one...).

Lucky me. :)

Bill

Hey I don't feel as bad now.....I have a script done, set is waiting and batteries are on charge.....By 3 or 4 tomorrow I hope It will be shot....Sat night/Sun for editing.......Bags of time, hhhmmmm!

Ah well, its all good fun huh!

Mat

I got the students in my lighting and set design classes (classes that I'm taking, not teaching :) to help "crew" a shoot last night.

While I may have a lame story premise, I expect my production quality to be impressive thanks to the very hard work of all of these folks. Due to the work of the people in these classes, I expect to win the "most impressive prop" award (if only there was one...).

Lucky me. :)

Bill

Hey Bill- I seem to recall you had students helping you in DVC #5 too. Very cool indeed!

Tell you what- I have an extra copy of one of Meryem's favorite films on DVD called "Genghis Blues". It is brand new and if Dylan is willing, will donate it for this award: "Most Impressive Prop-DVC#7"

Sound like a deal?

Best wishes~
Bradley

Shot mine Wednesday afternoon with Rode StereoVideoMic on top of the camcorder. Fur from the DeadCat showed in every take (couldn't see it on the LCD due to the bright daylight, new camcorder and mic without much testing...), so I reshot Thursday with the mic on a separate stand, did the rough cut last night.

Had an eye appt today (Friday, just realized it's sat morn) and with eyes dilated couldn't work on anything visual until evening.

I just purchased Quicktime Pro because Dylan suggested QuickTime format for submission but am I ever disappointed in what converting to MOV in a small size does. Lightens image tones too much, compression artifacts BAD (I probably don't know how to use QT 7 Pro but am running out of learning time!)

MPEG4 from Pinnacle Studio to a small size file (10MB) looks almost as good as a full size AVI so that may have to be the way I submit.

I had a ball doing it, my 17 yr old grandson ran the camera as I was in front of it most of the time and he had a small acting part he enjoyed. I gave him general guidance on what I wanted the camera to see and turned him loose.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how well he applied visual sense.

It's fun to be part of this. I've looked at what you folks have done on the past couple of challenges and there is some neat stuff from very talented folks there.

Hey Bill- I seem to recall you had students helping you in DVC #5 too. Very cool indeed!


Hi Bradley,

Nope, DVC5 and DVC6 were homegrown efforts. No students involved. :)

I decided to take Staging (really set and prop design) and Lighting classes this Fall, and this week we happened to be shooting our final projects and testing out our final "big" prop. So, given that I couldn't shoot last weekend and couldn't find much cast and crew, I decided to work this final project into my DVC7 entry. You'll understand when you see it...

Bill

Bill! Dang, I thought you wouldn't be able to do a DVC this month, which is exactly why I voted for December even though I didn't have time for it either!
;-)

Guess I better get started.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work, as well as all the other entries.

I'm starting filming right now. I've just bought some props from walmart (keeping receipts, is that fair?). This is gonna be awesome!!!

Good luck to all. I'll be back tonight to say how shooting went.

I thought I was almost done until I showed it to one of the actors yesterday who said, "Do you want feedback?" And since it was Friday and not Sunday afternoon I said yes. So I'm fussing and tweaking and mixing now, but at least it's all down to me and the laptop.

i wonder if marshmallows are original enough to win "most impressive prop." i'm still sick, yesterday my best friend arrived in town to have lasik surgery, and i've been phlegm-ily driving her around to various surgical appointments and follow-ups.

but i think i have an idea that i can shoot in my backyard, and one idea that may take place entirely in the bathroom. hoping i can put one or the other of these together today.

no time, no crew, no cast (best friend is uselessly lying around watching her eyes heal), no health. i can hardly wait to see what i come up with.....i have never felt so perilously close to the wall of shame before....i can feel its hot, fetid breath on my neck....or wait, maybe that's just another flu-induced hallucination....

...my best friend arrived in town to have lasik surgery... best friend is uselessly lying around watching her eyes heal....

Hmmm. A best friend lying around, unable to see after lasik surgery, nothing to visualize except past memories... Sounds like you've got your movie right there!

Bill

yah, i'm sure *that's* gonna happen! she's a scorpio, just try prying secrets out of a scorpio. especially an irascible one who has just had her eyes lasered. talk about uncooperative subjects.....

i'm better off setting her up with tea and audiobooks and sticking to the bathroom thingie!

The only neat prop we have is an easel, oh well next time around.

script, re-script, re-script. Gave up. Came up with a brand new idea thu night, shot it. Working on edits today. I think we will finish today, phew.

We just finished our edit and are now loading it to the server! I can't wait to see all the other projects.

This is painful. I'm almost done with what used to be a movie. I had to break out the chainsaw and start choppin. It's funny how the scenes that took the longest to setup and shoot are the shortest ones now. I've been uploading one scene at a time for Robert to take a look at during the week, he's not going to recognize them after today. Now it's time to go have a drink and come back to it tomorrow. Have a Merry edit day.

Done!

Uploaded to savefile.com, tested the link, and sent the email.

Like a few others have said here, much of what was shot didn't get used. Actually I've wanted to do a series of dramatic "vignettes" and this short video "challenge" format is perfect for that.

Can't tell much of a story in 3 minutes but you can sure allude to something.

Good luck to everyone.

I haven't done a thing yet, too many other commitments, but hope I can get it done.

Mike

This scorpio is done! I just sent my email. I am looking forward to seeing the other entries. I am really grateful that late entries were allowed. Good luck everyone!

This Scorpio has just finished the rough cut. Sometime tomorrow I'll add music and see what else I forgot. I have a surprise guest celebrity (impersonator) that really helps make the thing pretty neat. Naturally, I found a dark side to this one as well.

I noticed Lorinda hasn't been part of this thread. Hope she isn't giving the boys too rough a time? It's after 12 on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Must sleep a few hours.

See you all at the deadline.

Sean

Up to server this afternoon. Learned a lot by shooting with my DIY 35mm adapter in dark conditions.

I hope Lorinda didn't drop a light in the bathtub while she was in it.

I shot last thursday and early saturday. I'm still editing now and the time issues are what I'm dealing with - just have 30 more seconds to cut.
Production quality is good - for the time I'm happy with this and my actors have been awesome, so I guess everything's good.
I may not sleep tonight, but I guess that's something I live with anyway every once in a while between university and video production, so all's good.

I hope Lorinda didn't drop a light in the bathtub while she was in it.
Hah! The scene may have been dropped, but no lights were.

As for how's it going? It's just going...sort of.

Hey guys

Well It's looking like I may just get the finished....I know it won't be great, be hey it will have been finished in just 2 days with 2 peeps.

Anyway, quick question, what time GMT should I be uploaded by today??

Cheers
Mat

We're in with a coupld of hours to spare, weeeeeeee.

Well, despite a few trials and some tech issues, we are all done! I was thrilled to be able to work with some real people this time...lol.

Best wishes~
Bradley

PS: Mat- I think you have until 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time to get your film uploaded and e-mail sent to Dylan. That means you have 5 hours from right now...6:59 PM PST.

Looking forward to seeing all the films.

So I have several hours left. Sure I could put them to good use re-editing the sound or adding more music or tweaking the color, but in the words of Madeline Kahn, "I'm tired".

Hope you find it at least viewable. Has a nice celebrity voice and a bit of a twisted idea behind it.

Enjoy.

Sean

Just submitted mine...

PHEW!

Hope you like it.

Mike

Just upped mine. One day, one man, one tripod, one camera (Hi8 but please, spare me, I know, but I couldn't get my hands on a decent camera).

It's always fun to watch what other people come up with.

Good luck to everyone.

Same here - one day, one man, one pen, and one tripod got me from script to finished product. I had a ton o' fun though. Definitely do this again.

I can't believe I've been doing commercial video for 6 months now and have never taken the time to make a creative video.

Anyway, I hope y'all like what I've made.

Can't wait to see everyone's videos!!! That's the best part!

Well submitted at 2.30 Am GMT which I thinik means I'm OK.....i have just realised I only but DVC07 in the email subject title, but my name/film name and URL in the body......hope this is OK !

Well it was great fun...well until you watch it ;)

cheers
mat

Our gang had fun, alot of laughs and some hilarious reminiscing. The outtakes are aplenty. Thanks to all the folks who assisted me with uploading. I look foward to seeing everybody's project and appreciate all the hard work and effort everybody puts into the challenge.

I should start shooting soon!
;-)

I should start shooting soon!
;-)


Get-er-done Pete!

Mine's in and it is short and sweet! It will set the record for shortest, but made my point. Don't know if it will be appreciated, but it is heart felt. So tired of doing these alone, I have to find some people to work with. I have helped locally with others at the BRM and assisted with classes, but everyone is far away from me.

I'm sick too, but made it through. Come on Pete, you can do it.

Mike

It will set the record for shortest, but made my point.

Mike

I say extra kudos for making your point in the shortest time possible. I approach these a bit like video haiku. There's a little flexibility in the 3 minutes (or 17 syllables) but the point is to strip away the excess so that all you're left with is what's essential to make you point or tell your story.

I look forward to seeing it.

Smile,
Kris

i think mine is the shortest....i think i set the DV Challenge land speed record for video production. shot, captured, edited, and uploaded in under three hours. i'm not sure that it is even coherent, since i completed it in a haze of phlegm, while also nursing my friend through laser surgery. i watched it this morning, and somehow the ending audio, the only spoken line in the whole thing, seems to have dropped out in the upload. i'm not sure it will make sense to anyone but me. the Wall of Shame might have been preferable to this Display of Shame!

Mike: I feel the one sure thing we have going for one another is a deep appreciation for each other's work. I've never felt otherwise when reading everyone's feedback concerning my two previous entries.

Meryem: Know what I've noticed time and again? We are our own worst critics. If I had a dime for every time somebody dissed his own movie that turned out fabulous. I'll wager you did very well! Phlegm and all! I am really looking forward to top notch entertainment this time around.

Nothing like good, old fashioned American movie competition to get the creativity flowing!

So... when do we start to see these videos!?? I can't wait to see what everyone came up with. I loved viewing the clips from DVC6.

So how short is short?
I used ALL of the available time on mine...

I have to learn the art of getting my point across in a shorter amount of time.


:)

thanks, hugh, you are a comfort during these trying times. heh. but since i'm a leo, my tendency is to think "hey, this turned out great!" when everyone else is indifferent to my little treasure. so you have to know that i really mean it when i say it sucks!

the one thing that i did take away was a new appreciation for Cineframe 24, which everyone hates on the FX-1 and on the Z1. i shot using cineframe 24 in black and white, and while the so-called story is incoherent, i like the look and can see some really good possibilities with using that tool for a dreamy, experimental look...

Mike: I feel the one sure thing we have going for one another is a deep appreciation for each other's work. I've never felt otherwise when reading everyone's feedback concerning my two previous entries.


I just need to find a replacement for that old fart has-been that I have to use as the star. Sadie can't seem to learn her lines, so had to fire her this time! :) Maybe next time I can find a replacement.

I would like to concentrate on lighting and shooting. I did a short for a friend about a month and a half ago. Two kids in Jupiter who are great little kids and have an agent in Hollywood. Shot the short to be presented to Nickelodian reps, and I could just do lighting and camera stuff, and minor directing as he was new at it. It turned out nice and I had it edited and back to them within days. The dad got the DVD copies to the Nick people and to their agent.

Well, all liked the short and they were going to shoot a Pilot for Nick, so I hurry back from a trip to do it. Turns out they went through some record producer in Palm Beach. When I talk to him I find out he has a guy he uses to shoot stuff and all he has is an older Pany. No lights, no audio, nothing. Wanted me to come and bring my lights and stuff. I politely said no thanks, I was busy. My friend, who is a writer and director, appoligized to me, as he did not know this was going to happen. But, that's life!

I look forward to these contests, but not to trying to find help.

Mike

on the FX-1 and on the Z1. i shot using cineframe 24 in black and white, and while the so-called story is incoherent, i like the look and can see some really good possibilities with using that tool for a dreamy, experimental look...


Meryem:

I have ignored that mode on my FX-1 myself, following the lead of others, who just ran it down. About three weeks ago I had some time to kill, so I fooled around with it. In certain situation its not half bad, and Cineframe30 is also good. I've had the camera over a year, but ignored it because of bad press here, and other places. So I think while people should listen to other's experiences, we should actually be trying out the things that are available on our cameras, to see how they will lend themselves to our particular creative needs....

I just need to find a replacement for that old fart has-been that I have to use as the star. Sadie can't seem to learn her lines, so had to fire her this time! :) Maybe next time I can find a replacement.

I would like to concentrate on lighting and shooting. I did a short for a friend about a month and a half ago. Two kids in Jupiter who are great little kids and have an agent in Hollywood. Shot the short to be presented to Nickelodian reps, and I could just do lighting and camera stuff, and minor directing as he was new at it. It turned out nice and I had it edited and back to them within days. The dad got the DVD copies to the Nick people and to their agent.

Well, all liked the short and they were going to shoot a Pilot for Nick, so I hurry back from a trip to do it. Turns out they went through some record producer in Palm Beach. When I talk to him I find out he has a guy he uses to shoot stuff and all he has is an older Pany. No lights, no audio, nothing. Wanted me to come and bring my lights and stuff. I politely said no thanks, I was busy. My friend, who is a writer and director, appoligized to me, as he did not know this was going to happen. But, that's life!

I look forward to these contests, but not to trying to find help.

Mike

We like the guy in your movies! Keep him around!

That deal about the short you shot for those kids really stinks, Mike. You did a great job of lighting on that! (Thanks for letting me see it.) Now the project may get scrapped, because your work is what helped sell it in the first place.

Maybe by next challenge you'll have some actors. I found out this time how NOT fun it is being in front of a camera.

I found out this time how NOT fun it is being in front of a camera.

Finally, Lorinda revealed !! :)

I found out this time how NOT fun it is being in front of a camera.Ditto! I hope to never be in that situation again. Sadly, it seems that I am one of many who can't find anyone willing to act. :(

We like the guy in your movies! Keep him around!

That deal about the short you shot for those kids really stinks, Mike. You did a great job of lighting on that! (Thanks for letting me see it.) Now the project may get scrapped, because your work is what helped sell it in the first place.

Maybe by next challenge you'll have some actors. I found out this time how NOT fun it is being in front of a camera.

The kids are so cute, it will work! And hey, much better you in front of the camera then me! By the way, great news on September and keep me posted.

Mike