New Short Film with HD-100/ Mini35

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by John Vincent

Well, I agree with this to a point. First of all, there are plenty of films that have had great script/acting/lighting/art departments/music/directing that suck. Not just, "Not great," but out right suck.

Making a great film is always a crap shoot, no matter what talent you have lined up, what script you have (ever watch a bad large budget film based on a play by Shakespeare? Sure you have). There are so many variables, so many things that can go wrong and so many things that have to go right to make a great film. Think of the thousands of films that have been made and how few would qualify in your mind as "great."

If the photography is so bad that you can't see the actors, then yeah, photograpghy matters. Think of 2002: A SPACE ODESSEY - it is largely a film featuring great photography and a little nice dialogue/acting. In this movie (and many great films) the motion picture IS what tells the story.

Well, that's photography. Lot's of other things affect the story telling in films - Don't underestimate music's ability to tell the story. If you have any doubt of this, watch STAR WARS w/o the music - It's nowhere near the same heroic story w/o the music, is it? Remember, there are only 22 stories (man vs man, man vs nature, etc). There have been more than one film saved in post production and transformed into greatness (HALLOWEEN comes to mind - John Carpenter has admitted that w/o the music the film's a disaster).

It's not so much the story, as the story teller (in this case, the director).

John
evilgeniusentertainment.com

John, there are exceptions to everything, but my main point was that a lot of people focus too much on the technical aspect, but of course, there are cinematically pictures that are great without much of a story. Los in Translation I particulaly like, but as mentioned, 2001 a Space Odyssey is another. One of the reasons I brought it up was because most of the conversations on the board and else where in the communicty is focuses on 24p, 1080i, 720p, resolution, mpeg etc, and less time spend on creating a captivating story with a interesting plot and/or sympathetic characters.

[David Scattergood]

Some cracking points raised there John and Brian.
When I first watched Halloween as a young kid (admittedly watching this behind the door of a brightly lit kitchen to minimise tension!) it was one of the first films I saw which made me want to one day make a film (and in fact when I ws young, I used an old tiny 8mm family cine cam with some cheap prosthetics to attempt my 'feature'!).
That film was done on the cheap but is very effective, not so much the shocks (which Carpenter stated were at least one to many) but the atmosphere and tension a fine unison between the music (which he himself composed - another reason why I'm such a fan) and the photography (dean cundey - brilliant cinematogrpaher imo). Not quite sure why Carpenter seemed to lose his way...but that's for another thread!
Kubrick - beatifully crafted photography - almost a series of fine paintings - hardly worth mentioning scripts...perhaps the same could be said about Terrence Malick - hardly great characteristion, but poetic moive making all the same.
Kevin Smith, for example, on the other hand, is mostly about really sharp, well written dialogue...a good film is a good film.
Recently watched L'enfant (Belgian movie) - I don't recall any music/soundtrack in there at all (which would usually annoy me!) but one wasn't necessary...just goes to show.

[John Vincent]

Originally Posted by Brian Duke

One of the reasons I brought it up was because most of the conversations on the board and else where in the communicty is focuses on 24p, 1080i, 720p, resolution, mpeg etc, and less time spend on creating a captivating story with a interesting plot and/or sympathetic characters.

Brian - I agree with you 100%, sometimes people do overawed with the technical aspects.

One of the neatest things about being a filmmaker right now is that, using a camera like the JVC100 and the new editing systems, a poor person can make something professional, something great. This is true, however, only if he can max out the potential of these new tools, and that's where most of the meat is on this board.

I think that before someone can become a master story teller in film, they've got to know the technical aspects of cameras, et al, at least in some degree. This would seem to be even more true in smaller films where the director is wearing several hats. Gotta walk before you run.

Because what makes a good director good is so subjective, so individually based, it's much more difficult to talk about it on these boards - but, the technical aspects are something concrete, something "real."

But your point is absolutely crucial - if a film maker lets the technical aspects overwhelm or become the only thing focused on, there is a great likely hood that the film, even if technically good, will lack the quality of good story telling - something beyond what editing and music can save in post. I thinks it is a good idea to talk about these things, because it is very easy to lose focus (so to speak).

john
evilgeniusentertainment.com

[Justin Phillips]

Brian great film, you did a great job on a short independant film. It did a great job pulling me into the story after a bit. The only time I even thought maybe you were doing ADR work was in the car scene with the two woman in the convertable. I was thinking if that was not ADR work you did some amazing audio work! It is short films like these that are helping me to want to make the leap and do my own film.

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by Justin Phillips

Brian great film, you did a great job on a short independant film. It did a great job pulling me into the story after a bit. The only time I even thought maybe you were doing ADR work was in the car scene with the two woman in the convertable. I was thinking if that was not ADR work you did some amazing audio work! It is short films like these that are helping me to want to make the leap and do my own film.

Hi Justin,

Thanks for your kind words. It always good to hear that my work can inspire others to make thier dreams come true. Can't wait until see your work.

[Agustin Vrljicak]

Great job man!
I think you should work the cover design/poster again. I can't relate the poster with the film and I don't think it's visually attractive nor presents the theme. That's just a secondary thing, but felt I should told you.
A question... I see the faces and bright things get totally white at times (rocks along the route, the sweater of the girl in the coffee shop). Is that a desired look?
I felt it is a story needed to be told as a feature.
I am thinking of buying a hd110 myself, and these kind of things make me really optimistic of the quality that one can achieve with this camera.
Congratulations!, and thank you! Best luck in the festivals