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70 mins feature shot on Canon XL1


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Guest LondonFilmMan

steve o:

 

My critique may seem a little harsh. It's just my personal opinion, given frankly and with wholly good intentions. I have my reservations of the "Scarred" trailer, as below;-

 

1. 'SUSPENSE' THROUGH DIALOGUE didn't move me.

 

E.g.

 

"You said I could go"

 

"I want you to tell me more about this game you and Jen play"

 

Critique: Didn't the voices sound like those of non-intelligent people? Were the lines they spoke so great? Could the dialogue be improved? Who is the writer? Do you know any mature male with a deep voice who can do a voice-over?

 

 

2. SUSPENSE THROUGH SPECIAL EFFECTS were low budget.

 

a. A solitary truck blown up - then cut-in

 

b. Some red (paint) smeared (?) across someone's face

 

c. Quick shots of an axe, a head, but nothing clearly endorsing it's interraction with any other entity.

 

Critique: Wasn't all this relatively lame in today's market?

 

 

3. MUSIC OUTSIZES VISUALS

 

Was it me or was the music way too big for your movie? Didn't the music significantly out-size the actual visuals? Visually, what I saw was a student set whilst musically what I heard was a mega-blockbuster. Whilst I think the church bells and the wind effects are ok, the music build up is way too much for your actors' plot that, even with (low-budget) effects, they just don't hit it off together! We have a huge build up of music to a crescendo matched only with the explosion of a car (on its own in a field). In today's world isn't this rote and nothing special on a screen? Might you want to take a different route? More of suspense? More subtle actions? Because they may demand a lower budget don't they?

 

4. COSTUMES

 

I don't know about anyone else, but was there a game of paint ball going on in this movie?

 

Sorry for my harshness, but the public will be even more to the point! Having said all of the above, I haven't seen your movie, only the trailer and, I do, wish you well with this feature.

Edited by LondonFilmMan
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Gee whiz London Film Man gave you a real "complete" review :)

 

I think he went to the Phil Rhodes school of criticism.

 

I didn't think it was that bad, especially for low budget.

 

I will say this, I start production on my first feature on October 2nd. Every time I see a DV "movie" it makes me more convinced than ever that my decision to shoot 35mm is the right one, no matter what. DV just doesn't cut it for a movie, HD doesn't either but we'll leave that debate for another day.

 

All of the distributors I've already spoken with have told me if I shoot on 35mm that will put me in a new class above the flood of DV movies they get in every month. At the very least I'll get screened before a DV feature.

 

Now they may shut the DVD player off two minutes in because the acting and script suck, but it will look "nice" at least.

 

R,

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I actually think londonfilmman was being a little overly critical and this acessement of his critique is from someone who who is not known holding back his opinion. This is a no budget, shot on video, very short slasher feature. I didn't expect Stan Winston to be involved, however, I would give you one peice of advice, throw some filters over it and darken it up. Horror movies are generally dark and it this case I think it would add a lot. It would help hide mistakes and add a little more spooky atmosphere to your forest.

 

The beheading thing seemed a little too quick, not cut together well and set in the trailer in the wrong place you can't start out with a beheading, you have to build to it, If you start out with it you got no place to go, also there was no blood in a beheading? Come on. Add some in a digital layer if you have to, have it slpash across the lens.

 

Also I would cut the arial shot before you get to the bare spot in the forest, A thick inpenitrable forest is more intimidating an adds a sense of forboding.

Anyway, take it for what it's worth.

Edited by Capt.Video
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I own the XL1 so am well aware of it benefits and limitations. It is certainly nowhere near professional enough kit to shoot a feature on.

 

This seems like a case of running before you have learned to walk. DV particularly seems to provoke over-ambition, which is not in itself a bad thing, but can lead to some pretty mediocre results.

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Guest david west
I own the XL1 so am well aware of it benefits and limitations. It is certainly nowhere near professional enough kit to shoot a feature on.

 

This seems like a case of running before you have learned to walk. DV particularly seems to provoke over-ambition, which is not in itself a bad thing, but can lead to some pretty mediocre results.

 

 

28 days later...

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  • 4 weeks later...

It does seem that everyone who owns a prosumer camcorder makes a horror movie. They're the easiest, I guess. The previews are all the same, too: scary music and screaming laid over "creative" titling and shaky footage. I'd love to see someone make something else... a well-done drama or a comedy that's actually funny.

 

Believe me, I know it's hard when you're working without a budget.

 

It's nice to see people getting their cameras out and shooting, though - even if they're all filming cheesy horrors (wink)!

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It does seem that everyone who owns a prosumer camcorder makes a horror movie. They're the easiest, I guess. The previews are all the same, too: scary music and screaming laid over "creative" titling and shaky footage. I'd love to see someone make something else... a well-done drama or a comedy that's actually funny.

 

Believe me, I know it's hard when you're working without a budget.

 

It's nice to see people getting their cameras out and shooting, though - even if they're all filming cheesy horrors (wink)!

 

Cheers Dan

 

"hitting the nail on the head" (It's nice to see people getting their cameras out and shooting) a low budget film, and because I've got out there, now I'm making another film this year with a bigger budget. All film makers have to start from some where, i love horror film.

 

Steve o

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