What codecs were used on bith the wmv and QT versions? I can't get either one to play here. Remember, I'm an Avid guy and can't randomly add codecs so if you used any exotic codecs, I won't be able to view this one.

Let me know what you used so I can check my system or load the codecs on another machine to wathc it there.

Thanks. Looking forward to seeing it.

Sean McHenry

Sean,

I'm not sure what I used, I think it was H.264 QT and WMV 9.0

I won't be back home until Monday, but maybe I will be allowed to render it again in a different code and post another version.

I've got outtakes too. I think it would be neat to see everybodies outtakes!

Dick

I had the very same problem shooting with my FX1. When we started our film, the forecast called for a completely overcast day. Halfway through, the sun came out of nowhere and blew everything out.

You did a VERY good job getting them to match. The only thing I could suggest is just a little less contrast on the guy shots, or more contrast on the girl. The exact settings I couldn't tell you. You did a good job of doing a 2-person dialogue sequence and keeping the cuts and composition interesting.

Dick,
It's OK now. I downloaded it and I can see it from the hard drive but not direct for some reason. Aside from that little tech issue, and that doesn't count at all - Freaking amazing. That was like watching the opening scenes from a feature. Well executed and planned. In other words, stuff I wish I had done.

Great acting. We seldom get that level of people to help us out. Great all around.

My only minor issue is, I know the guy didn't write her while he was away but I don't quite understand her really strong positive reaction to him saying he would write. If we knew he was incapable of writing, or had never written anyone anywhere, it might have been the push I needed there. Still, excellent.

Sean McHenry

Sean,

Thanks for the nice comments. I plan to shoot a feature some day, so my shorts tend to look more like scenes from movies rather than complete stories.

You ask why is she so excited that he will write her letters? Why indeed! If the audience doesn't get it from the story, I'll never tell.

I'm surprised no one asked about the father of the baby.
(My two year old daughter Caroline played the part and went uncredited.)

Dick:

Music was well used and in all the right places. Camera work was good and great choice for the male and female leads. I think this might be your genre. I wish I could nail it like you. Thank you. The letters from a soldier angle hit me the most.

I think we all made certain assumptions. Mine was that he is not the father (Wow, sorry, that sounded like a Maury thing didn't it?) and that it was some mistake she had made. That theory even follows her dialog as she says something rather round about like it wasn't anything that meant something to her, or something like that.

My assumption was they were close, she made a bad judgement call and he took off for the military to escape his seeming rejection.

I can creat a whole backstory in my head that fills it in. I always try to do that with anything I do. Leave enough small blank spots to let the audience tell the story to themselves. I always think that makes it so much more personal. We may all walk away with a slightly different take on it but hey, isn't that just like art then?

Good job.

Sean

Did you have a right answer in mind?
 

I read the baby thing the same way Sean did. But now that you mention it, did you have an interpretation in mind that you were expecting or hoping we'd get?

Whose baby was it?
 

Kris and Sean,

I'm glad your guys got it the way I intended. For some reason, several people in Barrow county that saw the short, assumed he ran away from the problem, and that the baby was his. Probably because 80% of the births in this County are to unwed mothers.

Sean, I'm like you, I like leaving a few holes for the audience ot fill in. Thanks to all of you for the kind comments. I'm behind on reviewing all the entries, but hope to be able to catch up tonight.

Dick

I pretty much read it the way Sean described -- she made a mistake and got pregnant by someone else, he got upset/hurt and left, she came around and realized how much he meant to her, and wrote him letters in the hope of winning him back. He never returns the letters. The ending is meant to be him forgiving her at least partly, by letting her back into his life at least a little bit. That's why she's so happy -- she feels relieved and forgiven, and the letters are a symbol of that.

Do you have your outtakes uploaded somewhere? I'm putting mine up tonight, as well as an extended director's cut (extra minute or so) and my initial green-screen mirror test.