New Tape
 

check it out ... its the most disturbing thing ive made to date i think. Very happy with how it turned out. 6 mins long..

http://www.smiley-films.com/movieselection.html

WARNING: explicit material in this movie!

As usual, testing the boundaries... for that I commend you. Delving deeper into areas that most people don't touch. Trying to understand better the things a lot of us don;t want to understand more about... at least, I hope this is what you are doing.

And although I am the first one to say, that I like creating controversy and making people think about things they typically don't even glance at.... I wonder, why not explore other areas? This is getting a bit too monotonous for me. Again... I see a wonderful side to this. But it's also getting a bit old.

I'd like to see something a bit on the lighter side from you. Not because I feel so disturbed by the darker stuff, but because working towards the lighter side has its challenges as well. Just a thought.

I'd like to know if you'd want to work on a film this coming winter man. It is a dark drama that I think would be right up your alley. It really taps into the darker sides of the human mind. It is about the struggles of a boy who wants to be normal and happy, but can't escape from the world he imagines. that's not the whole story, but those are simply the most basic of details.

Email me man... marty.martrin@imagenfilms.com

Colin
That may be one of the most powerful short films I've seen. Why haven't you dropped out of school and started doing this professionaly yet? How many more years of school do you have?

One thing your film needs is an explicit warning content. Push all the boundries you like, but warn people first.

I have nothing else to say except that every time you release something I am even more impressed than by your last effort.

My favorite shot was the view of the camera lens while the rape was happening. The bed squeeking foley was good, but I think you have a little too much squeek compared to the rest of the sound.


Oh, wait, one negative thing. The blood on the wrists looked like chocolate sauce. Too late to change it now, but if I was taking this to festivals, I'd reshoot it. Maybe show more off camera, since the sliced wrists are hard to make real looking without someone that knows F/X.

I'm really picking on very minor things since the rest of it is so excellent.

PS, sending you an email.

You're hitting on very touchy subjects that, honestly, need to be recognized. There are many sides the the controversial aspect of film making. 9 times out of 10, a film labeled "controversial" is created specifically for shock value and taken way too far just to get a reaction from the audience. I see your films in the 1/10 minority. You're hitting issues that people need to consider. Unfortunately, most don't think about this stuff until it either happens directly to them, or they witness fully detailed experiences. Basically being scared sensible.

Everyone has heard the story about some girl at a party getting drugged and raped, but how many actually stop to think about what happened? That's where your films come in. Yes, your films are disturbing. Dictionary.com defines disturb as "to break up or destroy the tranquillity or settled state of." People don't ordinarily think about this stuff and remain in a settled state of mind until WHAMMO you disturb that tranquility with your movie and open their eyes for a minute, hopefully making a lasting impact. I'd much rather be disturbed by a fabricated movie than the real life situation.

As far as technicalities, I noticed exactly what Dylan did... engrossing sound effects, not so realistic blood, and especially the need for a warning. That was an excellent film and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work.

damnit. that blood looks so good too.. but only when shot in color... but the warning thing .. there is one... http://www.smiley-films.com/movieselection.html it warns you that its disturbing.. isnt that good enough???

and thanks for all the comments. I didnt make the film to exploit the horrible shit that happens.. i made it because i know this shit happens often... it would be the same movie if those 2 guys would have waited untill the girl was drunk.. and then got her even more drunk.. and then she would have been passed out... and that happens more often than not.

But in any event.. do you think i should make the bed squeeking not so loud or somthing??? and bring up the sounds of the rapists??? i think its disturbing as is.. but i need to know because i have to clear off this rough footy asap.. so i can start putting the music video footy on my comp.


thanks, and dylan/marty ill be getting back to u via email shortly

I didn't see that warning before, and I even read the description. Its a bit hidden in the text there, so it might be a good idea to provide a highly visible WARNING on the actual newtape.html page. Even if its down at the bottom, since the whole page is in black and white, a red "warning:" would be nicely visible.

I think you did a really good job with the squeeking effects. It seemed to me like you slowly increased the volume which kept me engrossed in the movie because I was so curious of what I was hearing. Sort of like, "is that what I think it is?" As the level increased, it became super obvious and I thought, "oh no..." Add that to the slow zoom in on the camera lens, and you really captured the moment.

As far as the blood, what if you kept the red color of the blood while the rest of the movie is in black and white? Sort of like the little girl's jacket in Schindler's List. If you don't have AfterEffects or anything like that, I'm sure you could get creative with the saturation levels and come up with an eery red blood effect.

i was thinking the same thing about the blood. I would definitely consider doing that. It would really emphasize the pain she's going through.... physically [as well as emotionally on a subconcious level for the audience].

What are you using to edit? In FCP 4 it's pretty easy to just have one color stick out like that.

A disclaimer is definitely needed in the beginning of the film. No doubt about that.

I don't like how at the very end the camera pushes into the sink drain. It's not that I don't like the idea, but the fake zoom at the VERY end is always cheesy to me. Why don't you just fade to black. Start the fade the instant the shot comes onto the screen, and have it hit black before that fake zoom. Otherwise it feels too amature for my taste.

I would also recommend slowing the entire film's speed down to 98%. That alone will give it a more film-like feel. Although you may not be going for that, I think it would draw the audience in a bit more. 2% speed difference really changes things subconciously.

Hi,
I liked this short...
In general I liked the use of b&w and the high contrast... A few years ago I tried to do something with that look, but didn´t get it right..
Also the framing is very likable for me...

I also liked the squeeking sound a lot.. I think it fits very well with the off-frame action...
I´ve been beaten very badly, and also have been very wasted a few times in my life...
and at those times I don´t recall many images images but instead I recall flavors, smells, and sounds.. and strangely the perception of those sounds was very distorted..
Long story short, I´d leave the squeeking like that...
But then again, maybe (and hopefully) not all the audience has been beaten or wasted... so maybe it doesn´t work for others..

About the blood, if you want extreme realism.. then there´s hardly enough blood there.. I´ve seen a sliced wrist and there was "a lot" of blood... Maybe she just cutted a little bit to die even slowly... but I would have used much more blood...

yeah .. coulda used more blood your right. i like the ending the way it is though.

and im going to screw around and play with colors for red blood.

Colin

1) You NEED to have the warning as part of the video itself.

2) DO NOT keep just the red colour in the blood and have everything still B&W. That is highschool crap and you are better than that.

3) I was going to get into the amount of blood in my first post, but didn't. Glad it was brought up. Realisticaly (and I expected to see it) there would have been alot more blood than you had, and it would run differently than the blood splatted you showed. If you have the resouces, I would reshoot the blood scenes, maybe use a different formula for the blood.

4) The sound effects during the rape scene. I'd volume down the "squeak" but keep the "creak" of the bed. Know what I mean? Take a bit of the higher frequency out. It sounds a little comical. I would bring up the volume of the grunts from the rapists just a bit. Not too much.

5) If you have the time... How about putting the faintest shadows of the two guys overtop the lens, so we can see a bit of their reflection?

Great flick, I really liked the sound control.

One tip. If you slice your wrists, its best to put 'em in a sink of warm water(cuz it makes it not hurt), also it would look really cool if you rigged up some tubes under her forearms that could "bleed" into the water.

also a during the zoom on the camera rape scene, if you put some sort of flat glass in front of the lens like a 3x3 filter. It would be good to see a reflection of the rapers, for drama of course:/

gas

wouldnt you have to do a composite if you were to do that...because i was filming directly towards the lens???

Yes you would, otherwise you'd see your camera too.

My only problem with it is that the rapist filmed it then sent it to her. I realize this is what sends her over the edge but its also very stupid since the rapist are cleanly in the video. They are giving themselves away by sending her the video. I guess we could assume they put mosaics over their faces but...

It’s a great movie no doubt about it. I was just pointing out something that came into my mind after watching it.


And on a lesser note, I see that in JEt and New Tape, that the girl is the only one that dies, both times. Got some issues there?

I'm just joking with. Looking forward to your next one, and could a film maker ask for more? I think not.

Good short... but I was also confused as to why a rapist would send a video of himself to the girl.

I enjoyed watching all the shorts available on your site. Thanks. I work in the EMS field. The bleeding from the wrist lacerations, and the wounds themselves, were unrealistic to the point of distraction to me. Although, I have seen many actual examples of these types of injuries, so there is a bias of sorts. I still was completely impressed with the material, but hey, I'm sure your looking for constructive criticism, and that tid-bit is all I can offer you. Sometimes we do "realistic" training scenarios with moulage wounds and LOTS of fake blood. This stuff is very realistic visualy (color & such) and the texture and consistency can be easily manipulated. I'm sure the FX guys out there have plenty of options, they might even use the stuff I'm talking about. I can pass along specific info if you wanted it, I would need to look it up. (You just order the "blood" in kits from a vendor).

the rapists never sent a video to her. She is on the internet.. she is clicking a mouse on the internet while crying.. you see the porn playing in .rm format online.

the intro credits are sleezy shit from that website.. the one she is on.

... and.. yes i know it would have to be composited.. thats why i suggested it, not using some 3x3 filter or whatever was suggested... because obviously you would see the camera filming the camera.

thanks,

Good film - I wouldn't change anything.

It's too bad you think Macs suck ... I would have liked to look at some of your other films.

i dont think macs suck?? what are you talking about??? is it because i have only a few things on my site in .mov format?


the reason behind that is because when i make .mov files, they dont turn out looking as rich as the wmv... and the .mov retains a larger file size... i dont know the best way to compress i guess... right now i go mpeg 4 60% and 22,000khz and frame size of like 320x240 or so..... whats better?

I always do mine in .mov because I think its the most universal, but recently I'm finding out many of my friends don't even have it on their computers. Luckilly It's just a link away for them to get -mac or windows. It sucks that apple doesn't make a quicktime plugin for linux though. All the computer science lab comps at school have linux, and I can't show anyone there my movies.

Right now I used APPLE Photo Jpeg at 50% around - 400x300. I'm still experimenting with the codecs because I havn't found one that keeps all the color with a good compression though.

Could you make yours in .mov just incase some people have no choice? Mabye put on your site:

WMV
Large | Small

Mov
----- | Small

(The small Mov could be the same resolution as the large WMV, - small would be In reference to lesser quality of color- but not explained which could take up room, and confuse people.)

Also, *sorry I dont know the name* I thought your other movie where the boy gets beat up in the locker room was more disturbing than this. That's more than likely just a personal view though. Your stuff is really good.

Excellent dramatic work but the overall theme is somewhat cliche. I would NOT put any warning on the tape itself because it would water down the overall affect.

I don't know that you need the voices or heavy breathing during the rape but the spring sounds by themselves may improve the feel of it. You'd have to see how it works out.

The colored blood would be an excellent choice but not original.

Great job!

Colin,

I've also watched some of your other works and I think they're impressive. Continuity is the key point for editing and you're really good at it. I'm looking forward to see your future films.

Best Wishes...

OMG OMG OMG! i thought i would never meet another person with the same name as me! HAHA thats crazy!

<<<-- Originally posted by Colin Minihan : i dont think macs suck?? what are you talking about??? is it because i have only a few things on my site in .mov format?

Sorry, I used my wording that way because of the note on your web site to the effect – "if you can’t run this film on your machine, then your computer sucks.”

I wasn’t trying to be a prick. I know that it is hard to find a way to make media universally accessible ...

I still would like to see your other films though. Maybe you could send me a mail when and if you make them available in .mov. Or maybe I’ll have chance to check them out on a windows machine soon... come to think of it I will.

One thing that occurred to me about "New Tape”: you say the rapists never sent her a video – but the film starts with her holding a VHS tape - or am I wrong? The film is called "new tape” , or not? If not then something is confusing there.



the reason behind that is because when i make .mov files, they dont turn out looking as rich as the wmv... and the .mov retains a larger file size... i dont know the best way to compress i guess... right now i go mpeg 4 60% and 22,000khz and frame size of like 320x240 or so..... whats better? -->>>

I usually go with .mpg, you have to experiment. It’s always a trade off between "quality” and size.

Excellent work Colin! I was very impressed by this (again). I did
add a warning note to your post since there are younger people
here as well.

Thanks for posting and keep up the good work!

its called new tape because to the rapists.. its just some tape... a new tape... and its a non descriptive hand grabbing it at the begining.. that is all. it doesnt start with anyone holding a vhs tape.. just a hand grabbing one labeled new tape.

If that’s the case, I think that your use of the tape as a symbol is not working for the film. Judging from some of the earlier comments and my own impression, I think that the viewer takes the presence of the tape literally. But it sounds like you don’t want that – the tape is a symbol for banal video – just another vhs ... if I’m getting you right. Just another tape for the rapists, but the collapse of one person’s sense of self-worth, that person’s life. But the title "New Tape” and a vhs tape, don’t work for me. I connect a lot of other things with "new tape” – maybe something like "meat 015667”, or "wedge 30456” or something like that would fit more into the language you are working with.

The film starts with a collage of porno images, which sets the atmosphere for the film – that works really well, it irritates the viewer but draws the viewers in at the same time. The montage is confusing but not misleading – the images could be anywhere or anything (on tape, live, Internet, flashback, flash forward etc.), at the same time it is clear that they are disjointed. The hand reaching for the tape is narrative. It doesn’t fit into the porno language, so it doesn’t fit into the montage. I think the scene following the montage is the girl looking at her computer monitor... the rest is a flashback. I’m just going from memory here. In any case, if you have a scene with a hand reaching for a vhs tape, and you have a scene after that, of someone looking at something. The viewer is going to make a connection between the two things. Even if it isn’t her hand that is reaching for the tape, the viewer will think it is.

yeah i agree .. that about 50% of the ppl that watch this are thinking the girl has the bloody tape! haha oh well too late to change it... doesnt really matter if they think she has the damn tape anyway. But you said it goes straight from the tape being grabbed to her watching the computer .. not true,it goes from the tape to her staring at herself in mirror.

And the images at the begining are obviously coming from a computer.. . the whole background audio consists of typing, clicking, and what have you... there are porno website slogans all over it.. the only way for somone to think it was a tape being fast forwarded... is if they watched it with the sound off. And when she finally watches the .rm file on the comp.. its once again blatently obvious that she is watching it from a computer screen... she clicks the mouse and the screen flashes... we see 2 shots of the monitor playing a small compressed porno file... and there is computer HUM glore happening in the background...

This film relies a lot on sound, and if you dont hear it, you arnt gonna understand the movie or get the proper effect.

In any event though, im pissed that ppl are miss interpreting the tape... but its too late to change it because i have deleted my source material so that i can edit the music video im 60% done editing now. But even though all is being said.. i dont think i would change it anyways.. i just love the tape being grabbed.. and then fading into the scene like that.. coolest thing ive ever done.. lata

hey i managed to learn how to compress way better .mov's.. its a smaller file now.

This was a good short, but try and steer clear of suicides...I've seen hundreds of student films and they all seem to deal with suicide. I think if you challenge yourself you could have came up with an even better ending.

But I love that you subdued your editing, The short is your strongest work, now all it needs is an even stronger script.

Keep up the good work.

Trevor

I don't understand how she got the video, unless she was browsing porn sites and just happened to come upon it??

Honestly, who cares. It was a movie, and a good one at that. Maybe she knew who they were prior to this and knew they had a website and she became a victim of it. Maybe they sent her the address. Maybe somebody else saw it and then sent her the address. Either way it doesn't matter. The purpose of the film wasn't to show the girl watching herself having sex and then tell a story about how she got the video footage, it was to get the point across that it was a rape and that my friend, is a serious issue. Rape screws people up even to the point of suicide and the film did a very good job at captivating those emotions. You're thinking way too much about it. Take it for what it is, a disturbing insight to crap that really goes on. Now everyone stop crying about it.

<<<-- Originally posted by Will Robertson : Honestly, who cares. It was a movie, and a good one at that. Maybe she knew who they were prior to this and knew they had a website and she became a victim of it. Maybe they sent her the address. Maybe somebody else saw it and then sent her the address. Either way it doesn't matter. The purpose of the film wasn't to show the girl watching herself having sex and then tell a story about how she got the video footage, it was to get the point across that it was a rape and that my friend, is a serious issue. Rape screws people up even to the point of suicide and the film did a very good job at captivating those emotions. You're thinking way too much about it. Take it for what it is, a disturbing insight to crap that really goes on. Now everyone stop crying about it. -->>>

I think it does matter, because you are telling a story. People here always get caught up in visuals and technical aspects, but forget about actually telling a story. Here it is a story about a rape. A well presented one, too. However, it is apparent that many people were questioning this one point, which means they were distracted from that central story. A distraction is never good, especially near the climax. I am just offering constructive criticism for better storytelling.

Please re-read Colin's posts people. He clearly explained the
tape thing.

I was thinking of an alternative story to the one you already told Colin. Although after some carefull consideration it isn't entirely Original either.

I really like the opening of choice where the Bully runs into the change room and beats down the Narc, wouldn't it be cool to open with the same premise?

The Audience would feel sorry for the kid getting his ass fed to him, and then it would cut to a flash back of the party, and the two friends plotting to Date rape the chick. One of which is the kid who got beat up in the change room

In the end you realize that the guy who beat the crap out of the kid in the changeroom was getting revenge for his sister or girlfriend who was the one who was date raped.

But after thinking about this particular alternate ending I realize how closely it resembles the Film Irrevirsible. Where two Estranged friends get revenge on a sexual predator for raping their ex girlfriend.

Just thoughts.

Trevor T.

yo i got New Tape up on triggerstreet.com now its getting good reviews up there too!

ps i wanna see irreversable. and i agree that suicide is a very student like film thing to do.. i actually thought of a different way to end this movie.. the day after my lead actress moved.. which was the day after i wrapped shooting. It was to have her lift the knife up... not do it and to just leave the room... meaning she would have to deal with what happened to her and not take the easy way out. ... not sure if that would have been great or not.

That could have been great if it was done well. It all boils down
to emotion and how well the audience can feel it. It could've been
very powerful. Perhaps hessitating to get out of the "safe" room...

Well, this was the last of your work that I viewed, and I'd like to start by saying I loved your other stuff.

Technically, "New Tape" was shot very well. I wasn't put off by the flashbacks and cuts or anything else. It all fit. Now, on to my constructive criticism (some of which others have covered as well).

I am one of those who thought that she had the 'new tape'. I'd elaborate on this, but I'm sure you've already gotten the point on that.

I also agree that there should have been much more blood, which you also know, so I'll leave that alone too.

I didn't like the ending with the camera heading into the drain. My focus needs to be connected with her somehow at the end, and instead, I get separated from her. One way to use a similar shot would have been to follow blood from her wrists (assuming she stayed at the sink) as it went to the drain. There are countless other ways to end the film with the viewer still connected to the girl but I think you'll see my point.

An alternate ending that I think would have been awesome (if not darker) would have been for her to pick up the knife, and then, when you have the viewer thinking she is going to kill herself, you cut to her putting the knife into one of the guys at another party. Just a real quick shot of that to end the film, so that the viewer knows what she's up to, but so that you don't linger on the visuals and distract the viewer from the feeling.

I realize it's too late to make most of the changes we are suggesting here, but hopefully all of our nagging will just help you out on your next project.

Best of luck.

i dislike your idea for an alternate ending... it would be a wtf kinda ending that just leaves the audiance thinking how did she find the rapists so easily.. and it would be far to much of jump from the pacing of the bathroom scene. I also think that that sort of revenge seems pretty contrived to me dont you think...its totally the kind of ending that would take away from the disturbing crime that is commited earliar in the film. It just makes it so lame to have her kill them...that would be the worst thing i could possibly to do it.

Well, it's all a matter of opinion obviously. It just depends on the story you want to tell. The main reason that alternate ending appealed to me is that you're leading the viewer to believe that she's going to kill herself, and to switch it around right at the end would have been cool (IMO).

I'm a little surprised that you would be so vehemently against a different ending. It almost sounds like you didn't even seriously think it over, but that's cool. Whatever.

I just like being surprised in movies, that's all.