My film is on DVD!

[Myxo]

If you don't mind me asking, what did you shoot it on, and what was your budget? (I'm always curious, as I'm a filmmaker as well.)

Time for some blatant self promotion (apologies in advance). My short film 'Still' is now available on DVD...



I'm selling it through my website. It's only eight bucks (plus shipping). BUT...you can knock two dollars off the price if you type XIXAX in the Special Instructions field when you order.

I hope you all can check it out, especially if you're into the indie filmmaking process (the disc has a pretty good documentary on it that's ten minutes longer than the film itself). All the info is on my website, but this link below will take you directly to the ordering/info page: http://www.road-dog-productions.com/stillpurchase.html

[Ghostboy]

It was shot on super 16mm. As for the budget...well, I spent more than I initially wanted to. It was over three thousand (the original budget) but under ten.

[Sal]

Btw, how did the screening in LA go?

[Ghostboy]

The LA screening was great. I didn't make any contacts or anything, but it was just incredibly satisfying. The response from the audience was really good, and the projection and sound was the best I've seen yet (as far as watching it on a big screen). A great time.

[Sal]

Nice.  I'll probably order it from you in the next couple weeks or so.

[soylent greenish]

the production featurette is longer than the film.
is that a first in film history?
what was the running time for HEARTS OF DARKNESS?

[Alethia]

ghostboy, what is it like the first time you show your film to a random audience on a big screen?  i can imagine its a weird mix of magic and terror.......what was it like for you?

boy i cant wait till my day comes......

[Ghostboy]

It depends, but usually its totally nuts. Every time I show a film for the first time to a (paying) audience, I'll be on the verge of hyperventilating through the whole thing. You're just so worried something's going to go wrong. Subsequent screenings are usually much more relaxing and pleasant, but the first one is like a rollercoaster (even if the movie is slow, like my movies usually are).

But there is NO sweeter sound than the applause afterwards. At festivals, audiences generally applaud for everything, but you can still sorta tell whether its genuine or not. It makes you feel like you're floating, and when people come up to you afterwards and tell you they liked it or something like that, it'll just make you want to cry because you're so fucking happy. All of a sudden you feel like your whole life has been validated. And if your family is there, its even better because its like proof to them that you haven't been fucking around and wasting money...that it's all REAL.

[jokerspath]

Just ordered it.  Looking forward...

aw

[ono]

I watched the actual film part of this when I first got it in the mail several weeks ago, but neglected commenting on it because I wanted to explore the extras first.  I finally did this afternoon, and though I couldn't hear anything because my roommate was bitching about the sound being too loud (trying to sleep at 3 in the afternoon ).  That's beside the point though.  Aren't roommates lovely?

Anyway, as others have said, the features (documentary and commentary) are more interesting in the film, though I think they're a bit intimidating.  All that just for a 22-minute short?    The sound on the documentary (and to a lesser extent, the film itself) wasn't that great, so I'm gonna have to watch all of it over again with no one around to bitch about how loud it is.  I missed some of the things people were saying in the doc, but got the gist of it.  I thought it was odd, though, how you as the director kind of sat back and didn't do much during the actual shooting (that's the way it seemed, though of course I could be wrong).  Your loud-mouthed friend that called "Quiet!" and "Sound!" seemed to be running things more.  You seem a little more soft-spoken.  Nothing wrong with that, of course.  Just an observation.  I think I'd probably regress on a set that big, with so many other people around doing things.  They'd just get in my way, and I couldn't imagine having to incorporate all them.  So kudos to you and your crew for getting things done.

The short itself was a little cheesy.  I liked how it looked, but one of the actors freaked me out a bit.  The guy who played the husband of Alaina's character.  He just looked funny, like a criminal in a cheesy erotic film, like something you'd see on Cinemax, or like Gary Busey.  Yes, Gary Busey.  The plot did seem a little soapy.  I noticed you said in the commentary how the story was supposed to be about the couple without the child.  I didn't get that.  I thought it was obvious that the focus was on the couple next door and that baby you never see.  So you may want to go back and work out how the focus got off.  I think some parts of the film were extraneous and could've been cut.  If this was a feature, they might serve a purpose, but there's a lot of unnecessary dialogue (something you said you want to get rid of), and IMO, unnecessary scenes.

Of course, I say all this with the greatest respect, because this right here, what you've put together, is a big accomplishment in itself.  More than anything I've ever done.  Just trying to give a little constructive criticism.

You said in the commentary that most of these people were your friends and that's how you got them to help.  Some loyal friends, I must say.  Don't know if I could ever find 20 people to cooperate like that.  Some crazy questions: Where'd you get the equipment from?  Where'd the money for the film come from?  How much did you end up spending?  Who got paid on this?  How'd you trick 'em in to working for free or for such  pittance?  Enter it in any festivals?  If so, which ones, did they get accepted, and how'd they do?  I know you already said something about it, but I'd just like to hear a little more elaboration is all.

Also, you may know this, you may not, but I'd consider entering this thing in the IMDb since it's been available to the public, and seen at a festival or two.  Great way to at least establish your work in the "public record," if you can call it that.

http://us.imdb.com/Guides/new-titles

For anyone wondering, the DVD Ghostboy has put together is an $8 well spent.  Great way to support indie film.  

[Ghostboy]

Thank you very much, sir. I really appreciate the constructive criticism. You brought up some interesting points that I feel like discussing (because I always like discussing my own films, narcisism be damned).

I think the production ended up being a little 'bigger' than I had planned. When I first wrote the script (in one day), I thought, this is something I can shoot in two days on DV just for the heck of it. Then I decided I wanted to shoot it on film, and from there it just got bigger.

On the set, when the cameras weren't rolling, I was either rehearsing with the actors or giving my stamp of approval to the various people doing things (the camera and light crew getting the next shot set up, the costumes getting selected, the set being decorated, etc.) It sucked, though, because I like to be very hands on, technically, and I didn't really do much of that on this project, other than supervising everything. I hated not operating the camera (and I think the movie would have been a lot better if I had), and will never forego that again.

The AD, though, did run the set, and that's how it's done on big movies. He did a great job. Incidentally, he is one of the people in the commentary that I mentioned that I'm not friends with anymore. He and the DP and the UPM were sort of a click (they had all worked together before and went to school together), and they didn't like any of my friends, who like me had a more guerilla approach (equally effective, and more fun in my opinion). They were very traditional, and we ended up jarring on a lot of things. There wasn't any friction on the set, but we haven't really spoken since the shoot.

You said in the commentary that most of these people were your friends and that's how you got them to help.  Some loyal friends, I must say.  Don't know if I could ever find 20 people to cooperate like that.  Some crazy questions: Where'd you get the equipment from?  Where'd the money for the film come from?  How much did you end up spending?  Who got paid on this?  How'd you trick 'em in to working for free or for such  pittance?  Enter it in any festivals?  If so, which ones, did they get accepted, and how'd they do?  I know you already said something about it, but I'd just like to hear a little more elaboration is all.

Some of the crew were friends of friends, but most of the key members are very close friends of mine. We all just happen to love making movies (but, luckily, are interested in different aspects, i.e. sound and art, etc.), so it's the best possible situation. The sound guy and JMJ, who shot the doc, are probably my two closest friends. We all work on each other's projects. No one got paid a cent, but that's what's so great about having a group of people passionate about filmmaking -- we all do it just because we love making movies.

We rented the equipment from some of the various equipment rental places around Dallas (there are a lot of them). I used to work for one of them, so I was really familiar with exactly what I needed, and also managed to snare a discount. Everything came out of my pocket, except for a few donations from family members. The movie was initially budgeted at three thousand dollars...it ended up costing a bit more. I'm still sort of broke from the experience, but I'd say it was worth it. I've entered it in a lot of festivals, and made it into five, but nothing too noteworthy. It's been well received at all of them, though (at least the ones I've been to). Also, I have submitted it to IMDB about four times, to no avail.

And lastly (I don't mean to drag this essay out too much further), as far as there being unnecessary scenes and dialogue -- you're probably right, but at the same time, when I was preparing for the shoot, I could have given you a reason for everything shot and every singe line, because I tried to make it as tight as possible.

Anyway, I can explain why I think the movie is about Tom and Mary, as opposed to the new neighbors, but before I do -- did anyone else who watched it pick up on that, and what is your take on it? Did I succeed at all in that goal, in anyone else's eyes?

Thanks again, Onomatopeia...

[Cecil]

i thought it was about all four, but mainly tom and mary

[Ghostboy]

Yeah, that's what I was going for. It's a portrait of a hollow marriage, one that is most likely coming to an end, but that subtextual plotline is sort of hiding behind the mroe obvious story of the neighbors. The clues are in the structure of the film -- the beginning contrasted with the end being the most obvious, and also the way each act ends -- with Tom and Mary in bed, and what goes on between them in each of these scenes. And also of course in the birth control pill scene that I mentioned in the commentary.

My biggest influence in the way I structured the story was Kieslowski's The Decalogue.

[Link]

hey, what program did you use to make the DVD (I haven't ordered mine yet, but I plan to very soon)?  Just curious.

[Lucinda Bryte]

I am really interested in seeing it now. I'm trying to be more well rounded in the indy film area.

Anyway I'll ask my dad if I can order it today.  

(I'm on an emoticon binge. Don't mind me.)