"Seven Months" - A New Short Film

Started by matt35mm, July 25, 2006, 03:54:36 AM

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matt35mm

Bryan (site member xerxes) and I started working at the beginning of the year on a collaboration, and we've just completed it.  We both wrote it, and Bryan directed while I produced.  I'm sure I speak for the both of us when I say that we are thrilled with the results, and are unabashedly proud of it.  It's certainly the best movie that I've ever been involved with.  It's been a lot of hard work, so we hope you all enjoy it!


(Quicktime 7 Required, 86 MB.  19 minutes.)

Pozer


matt35mm

Is it not?  Do you have Quicktime 7?  What seems to be the problem?

It works on my end.

Pozer

i do.  goes to blank screen.  its probably just my end, i'll try at home later.

JG

same thing with me so i right clicked and saved as.  all was well until i got an error toward the beginning of april.   now i can't finish it.  buffer run overload or something. 

Ravi

Worked for me this morning. 

Matt, what was that form at the end of the film?  I'll post my thoughts tomorrow when I'm not so tired.

matt35mm

It's been working for everyone else I've given the link to, so I have no idea what's going on with that.

Quote from: Ravi on July 27, 2006, 12:59:35 AM
Matt, what was that form at the end of the film?
I'm not sure what you mean to ask.

Ravi

Quote from: matt35mm on July 27, 2006, 01:05:09 AM
Quote from: Ravi on July 27, 2006, 12:59:35 AM
Matt, what was that form at the end of the film?
I'm not sure what you mean to ask.



I liked it too.  Interesting build-up.  I wasn't sure what the film was getting at, but that just means I was intrigued and wanted to keep watching.  It has these nice little moments, like the girl looking out the window on the bus or the two of them waiting for someone in the car.  Every shot felt purposeful towards contributing to the film as a whole.

matt35mm

Quote from: Ravi on July 27, 2006, 01:45:23 PM
Quote from: matt35mm on July 27, 2006, 01:05:09 AM
Quote from: Ravi on July 27, 2006, 12:59:35 AM
Matt, what was that form at the end of the film?
I'm not sure what you mean to ask.


Oh yes.  I forgot about that for some reason...

I'll say this about it: originally it was intended to be a brouchure or pamphlet, and thus much clearer.  We could not get a proper brouchure in time, and so we decided on the set to use an application.  It was not something designed to be evasive, but since the application is unclear, we all finally agreed that just the fact that it's an application is meant to suggest some sort of change.  Given that, it's now a little bit open ended.

Even though I know what that actual application is for, in my mind now for the film it could be anything.  As long as it's clear that it's a decision on her part to change something, to take some next step, I think that's good enough.

bonanzataz

i thought it was pretty clear. took me a while to get into it, but when i did, i found myself enjoying it. i tend to like movies like this and it seems like you guys spent some money which is ALWAYS impressive when dealing with independent film. did you get clearances for the music? you going to submit it anywhere? how'd you do the sound, cuz i'm shooting a movie soon and i want sound like that!

that actress is really good. everything she did seemed very natural. what more can i say other than good job?
The corpses all hang headless and limp bodies with no surprises and the blood drains down like devil's rain we'll bathe tonight I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls Demon I am and face I peel to see your skin turned inside out, 'cause gotta have you on my wall gotta have you on my wall, 'cause I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls collect the heads of little girls and put 'em on my wall hack the heads off little girls and put 'em on my wall I want your skulls I need your skulls I want your skulls I need your skulls

matt35mm

Glad you enjoyed it.

The music clearance is in progress so that we can submit it to festivals.

The sound was done mostly with a good boom mic (the more you spend, the better quality it is; ours was about $750), and the diner scene was done with wireless lav mics.  Careful sound mixing and editing is crucial as well.  Make sure you capture dialogue as well as you can, and then everything else can be added in later, if need be.  Also remember to get the background noises, even if it's a quiet background (ask the crew to be quiet and record a couple of minutes worth of background noise, as the boom mic sound alone will be too "focused" and narrow to sound natural on its own).  Let me know if you need more info, although most if it is online or in books.

polkablues

A) Beautifully shot.  Seriously.  Some of the most gorgeous mini-DV I've seen.  And the camera moves, when there were camera moves, were nicely executed.
B) Could have lost a couple of months without hurting much.  Especially near the beginning, the editing felt way loose... as in every shot went on 2-5 seconds too long.
C) The scene on the bus listening to Belle & Sebastien was amazing.  It could have gone on for five minutes and I would have been with it the whole way.
D) The lead actress was quite good, the guy who played James (I think that was his name... the dude with the jacket) was actually very good, and everybody else was a little awkward.  Luckily (or perhaps it wasn't luck at all), they were the only two who had significant lines.
E) I think I would have got the application thing even if I hadn't already read your explanation of it, but man, a brochure would have been better.
F) Who did those paintings that were just a big canvas with a tiny little scene painted in the center?  I loved those.  I always cringe a little when a character in an independent film is an artist, because you never know if the filmmakers could actually get art that's as good as the story suggests it is.  Your guys' art was, so good job on that.
G) Cosmic bowling is wicked cinematic.

This is exactly the sort of short film I like, where it's all about mood and character and theme, and story be damned.  Because, let's face it, plot-based short films tend to be either undercooked or over-clever.  And this film definitely casts its spell; that bus scene practically had me hypnotised by the end of it.  Good work, fellas.  I'd love to see what you whip up next.
My house, my rules, my coffee

matt35mm

I'm glad you liked it!  And I'm especially glad that the "Chalet Bus" scene (as I keep calling it) had a hypnotic effect--that's exactly what I'd say we were aiming for.

Quote from: polkablues on August 11, 2006, 11:14:26 PM
Who did those paintings that were just a big canvas with a tiny little scene painted in the center?
Bryan's brother, Chris Oldaker.  He is credited for the paintings.  The apartment was also Chris's.

Stefen

Just watched this after I saw it in your sig, wanted to see what you were up to.

It's shot really good and shows your growth. You're on your way.

In the scene in the beginning at the bus stop, did you rent that bus, or just time it? And was the driver all paranoid when he saw your set up?
Falling in love is the greatest joy in life. Followed closely by sneaking into a gated community late at night and firing a gun into the air.

matt35mm

Quote from: Stefen on May 13, 2007, 12:55:49 AM
Just watched this after I saw it in your sig, wanted to see what you were up to.

It's shot really good and shows your growth. You're on your way.

In the scene in the beginning at the bus stop, did you rent that bus, or just time it? And was the driver all paranoid when he saw your set up?

The first scene with the bus we just grabbed by timing it.  It was a weekend and the buses aren't very busy.  The driver didn't know anything about it.  I guess he or she noticed us but that it's not very visible on camera.

The scene on the bus with the music was organized.  We didn't exactly rent the bus, but we approached the bus administrators and after we talked to them (and after they talked to their lawyers and we talked to their lawyers), they let us use one of their lighter routes and more or less do whatever we needed to do in there.  Fortunately, it was a simple set up and we were on and off pretty quickly.

Thanks for the interest, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.