My first film with the EX1!
 

I have written a script and to TRY to give a flavour of what it might look like made a concept opening for the first few minutes. I'm limited by budget scale and signed actors! But hey who cares! So please have a look at my concept/test OPENING.. And maybe leave some thoughts?


http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...679&CID=177563

This was the script.

Apologies for its lack of formatting!

FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE. SAMS SMALL CAPSULE EARTHBOUND
A Sun explodes. A massive violent explosion. Whizzing
across this landscape. A black capsule "Whoosh” flies
through space. Through warped images. Space the scale of
distance as a horizon disappears into infinity.
Images of strange shapes and ghostly appearance. Like
mirrored reflections and lights. Ghostly contortions of
stars and galaxies as they move slowly.
The universe. Contorted by the capsules faster than light
speed.
A lifeless looking cold frozen body. A light “glimmering”
can be seen as we break through the capsule wall. A voice
can be heard. This V/O is a pre-recorded message and heard
from Sams POV. It can be used as a background to the
journey as required. It can be loud soft or indiscernible.
(The first part though does contain a plot point. The
learning program enables them to later design the new
Battle simulator prototype and for convenience is in
italics.)
DOCTOR BOUGHTON (V.O.)
This is Doctor Boughton Sam. "This
Mission is one way. Your going
Home. Your Destination? Your
Place of birth.
A small drill. Drills into sams head. A clear plastic pipe
with robotic equipment moves down the tube into his Brain.
DOCTOR BOUGHTON(CONT’D)
I’ve made a learning program to
help you operate their machinery.
It’s being adapted to your
Genetic makeup It will enable you
to operate their transportation.
This program will run completely
independent of you and still be
accessible by your conscious
mind. The inhabitants defined by
our Analysis model are at a low
level of technology. But
undoubtably under review by the
Artec intelligence control life
scan systems. Once there your
high alpha wave activity should
lure them in. Our assessments
show this has an 90% probability,
providing of course you stay
unknown until the Artec life scan
systems locate your position.

Once you reach your destination
you’ll know enough of their
customs and knowledge to live
undetected among them.
Outside Sam’s craft flies through the universe. Past gas
Nebulas. Through meteorite storms. Etc. A visual spectacle
of the universe’s wonder.
Sams craft approaches earth and flies downwards. A
different light comes on, and the process of bringing Sam
to waking consciousness begins. Close up of Sam stirring.
DOCTOR BOUGHTON (CONT’D)
If they become suspicious your
not one of them. Isolate
yourself. They are approaching a
more advanced level and can be
unpredictable. Acquire one of
their dwellings and wait. Then
remain hidden and stay away from
trouble.
The V/O Continues until the end of this sequence.
EXT. SAM GETS OUT OF HIS CAPSULE. - NIGHT
Sam’s craft lands on the bank of a lake at night. He gets
out and reaches back in for a bundle. The craft takes off
automatically. He throws the bundle over his back and sets
out for the town. Looking up he sees the moon and across
from it Orion his home. He can see it’s so far away.
EXT. SAM WALKS ALONG A MOTORWAY. - SUNRISE
He walks along a Motorway and past a big sign. Early
morning. sunrise.
EXT. SAM IN TOWN. - SUNRISE
Sam has arrived in town. In front a newspaper stand with a
cafe next to it. Lots of sights, cars trucks. He looks at
the papers and pulls one out he looks at it and we see in
his mind’s eye the learning program deciphering the
language. He pulls out some money looks at the coins
strangely before giving them to the seller who reacts
indifferent to Sams odd behaviour giving him his change.
CUT TO. Sitting in an all night cafe with a bought
newspaper he circles a rented house.

I just tried to watch it, and I got a "video not available"

Hi Allen

Just tried it its working fine for me? This was the link I just tried.

Hope you give it another go!

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...679&CID=177563

it worked! I liked it, I think your doing good so far. what cameras are you using, just one ex1? (I do not make films, I do not have much to contribute)

If you liked it that'll do nicely! :) Yes just the one EX-1.

link is dead

maybe issues with your server? possibly try uploading it to vimeo, I see some high quality samples there

Buba. The link does work. Could be a few others trying to watch it to! Please keep trying!

Hi Mark, I've tried to watch it a few times since yesterday but playback is very choppy for me and stops half way through. Any chance of a vimeo upload?

Hi Daniel I'll render a new version out tommorrow that is less defination! Id rather people had seen it as HD though.

vimeo has HD

Here it is at half the size! Hopefully should be easier to watch now. Alan I tried Vimeo but it squeezed the image. Anyway done now.

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...227&CID=178163

Made a website for it now! There is a trailer there as well. Also the menu buttons dont work yet, but the link in red does.

http://www.freewebs.com/markwilliams/index.html

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...679&CID=177563

hi mark

been trying to watch this for a few times past days now but it stops after a few seconds and goes all haywire. maybe my computer isnt up to the task. maybe you could post slightly smaller video somewhere? Looks interesting though, the first few secs i can see :)

Sami did you try the smaller version here?

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...227&CID=178163

yeah, its stops playback at the exact same point when the hand comes into the picture. maybe its just my computer. Ill try later with a better computer.

sami

I tried too. It starts up as a download on my Mac then a window with a bunch of jibberish text pops up. If you decide to put it on Vimeo I'd take a look.

I saw it w/ no problems- Man, that looks awesome! Let's see some more!

Sami, Tom, I've got a version on my space. Sorry about the quality.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=31969471

You could have a look at some other films (If you want) I've put up there too.

Hayes... Thanks!

Mark, what is your reason for not using vimeo? you have a product that very few people can watch

Hi Alan. Well I actually pay to have the video on this site So I guess I want my moneys worth!

Now its on my space streaming at 1128 kbits. The reason I didn't want to use Vimeo was because its not widescreen. The effect was to stretch the film. Although my space does this too. But you can have a look around at some of my other films there too.

Hopefully everyone can watch now!

Hey Mark got a chance to watch it. I like the idea of a movie about Alien Wars for sure. Some really cool visual effects. When you say I made a learning program... How did you do those effects they are quite good. And the night sky was that footage you shot?

Cool video cant wait for the rest.

Hi Tom Really appreciate your comments!

The learning program sequence was made in Maxon C4DLE the original intention was to follow the script more closely and have robotic bugs come down a hollow tube. But it would have been very time consuming and drawn attention to what may have taken up days and perhaps ended up being a lessor effect. Knowing how hard I sometimes find it to edit out work that has been labour intensive (My labour) It might ruin it. So I went for something a little simpler. In fact I wanted a blank screen for the opening speech. I think that would have worked better! Especially when a real film would be so effects laden. However as a short first few conceptualized few minutes it would have been seen as a copout on my part a cheap budget . I built the program from basic shapes textures etc.

The problem with doing effects like this is computing power. Renders can take forever especially with global illumination etc. Not having access to render farms and only one laptop to edit on is very limiting. Imagine what a proper effects house could do!

The night scene..
Sam was filmed using a green screen and the night sky was added in. The EX-1 seems great for greenscreen effects!

One scene I liked was nearer the end where Sam stands by the road looking at the sign. This was all filmed on location but to me Possibly because he is so still it looks like he was added in. I wish now I had used a longer lens for that even though I think its more effective in not looking quite right isolating Sam and making him look insignificant. To me that whole scene looked odd signifying his strangeness and the new environment. I loved it but Im sure many wouldnt get it.

If there was a demand I could do a making of video! Although I doubt this would happen! :)

Hey Mark

I really liked this. I love the storyline, are you taking this further?

I really enjoyed what I have seen so far. It didn't seem like another stupid alien film, rather something that requires a little more thought.

Questions -- what equipment did you use? Was there a 35mm adapter? Polarizing filters? A mattebox? Etc...


Some of the better EX1 footage I have seen.

ADVICE --

Some of the CG work just doesn't work. It does't come across as authentic, and as such doesn't subsequently flow as well as one would hope with the rest of your trailor. Personally I felt that it diverted my interest from your otherwise great peice.

If you found a way to go the low-budget but more film type look I think you would be able to take this peice much further.

But then again -- this is all IMHO.

Best of luck,
Alex.

Hi Steven. Thanks! I want to!

Hi Alex

No just the camera and without its mattebox. I did use a Dolly.

I agree with the effects. This is really a step up from a storyboard to try and give a feel for the script and direction. Its to show people what it could look like. But not a finished film. I would love to let loose some creatives and take what Im doing to the next level!

Alex see what you think of the trailer?

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...379&CID=154394

And the two minute opening again in case you might want to compare?

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...679&CID=177563