My Videos

Michael Ekpoh · December 9, 2010

Visit www.michaelekpoh.com

David McDonald · December 9, 2010

Visit www.michaelekpoh.com

If I'm being honest they're really not good at all. I don't know what camera you're shooting on but it looks like a pretty poor quality, standard-def camera. You're not really doing anything creative or artistic with your shots or framing...there's no lighting....no color correction.....your camera-work is really bumpy and awkward. The content of all your videos is pretty bad too. The first video doesn't really make sense...are you filming two guys playing basketball or something? The other two were pretty uninteresting music videos with bad music. I would recommend you do some reading and watch some tutorials on youtube or on other websites...from the looks of your videos you have zero training or knowledge about filmmaking and it doesn't appear that you have much natural talent for it so I don't see you getting any better if you don't do some training and learning.

Edited December 9, 2010 by David McDonald

Stephen Floyd · December 12, 2010

from the looks of your videos you have zero training or knowledge about filmmaking and it doesn't appear that you have much natural talent for it so I don't see you getting any better if you don't do some training and learning.

I didn’t see what David saw. There were some major technical problems, with lighting, sound and whatnot, but I could not call your talents non-existent. What I saw on the topmost video (The Promise) was an aptitude for well-executed long takes and a knack for social realism. In short, you know how to rock the minimalist end of the spectrum.

Look up some older French gangster films like Le Samourai if you want something to stimulate your mind. The French and the Japanese have made a lot of movies that look very much like what you made.

But as a note of criticism, stay away from novelty transitions. Just…don’t.

David McDonald · December 15, 2010

What I saw on the topmost video (The Promise) was an aptitude for well-executed long takes and a knack for social realism. In short, you know how to rock the minimalist end of the spectrum.

lol...is that a joke? I think you're giving him way too much credit there. Anything you "saw" about 'social realism' or whatever is purely accidental or just you looking for something that isn't really there.

Stephen Floyd · December 15, 2010

lol...is that a joke? I think you're giving him way too much credit there. Anything you "saw" about 'social realism' or whatever is purely accidental or just you looking for something that isn't really there.

I find your manners curious. You seem affronted by a comment that was not direct at you, about a movie you have nothing invested in. Lighten up.

David McDonald · December 16, 2010

I find your manners curious. You seem affronted by a comment that was not direct at you, about a movie you have nothing invested in. Lighten up.

Well you disagreed with me so I wanted to explain why your opposing opinion is kind of ridiculous. Sorry but I've seen high school video students make better stuff than that guy's and I just have to point out the absurdity of you praising his "long takes" and "social realism" or "minimalism" like that's something he actually intellectualized in his filming...he's obviously untrained and anything that you're reading into his films is not there. I don't want to sound insulting I'm just pointing out the truth.

Stephen Floyd · December 16, 2010

Well you disagreed with me so I wanted to explain why your opposing opinion is kind of ridiculous. Sorry but I've seen high school video students make better stuff than that guy's and I just have to point out the absurdity of you praising his "long takes" and "social realism" or "minimalism" like that's something he actually intellectualized in his filming...he's obviously untrained and anything that you're reading into his films is not there. I don't want to sound insulting I'm just pointing out the truth.

That was an argument?

1. I've seen VFS graduates make worse movies than Michael did. They use RED cameras, but they waste them on tripe.

2. Making movies is like making pancakes: You will always screw up the first batch. That’s a reality for everyone.

3. Being trained and being talented are independent qualities. There was a time when you were lacking in at least one.

4. He's here, on a forum for filmmakers, asking openly for feedback. Sounds like a man who can intellectualize his decisions just fine.

I was trained to be conscious of engaging visuals and well-paced camera-work. What he made was not stellar, but it was not an accident, because I can recognize his methodology. It’s a methodology that is obviously very different from what you were taught. Funny, though, how you both make obscure music videos.

David McDonald · December 16, 2010

1. I've seen VFS graduates make worse movies than Michael did. They use RED cameras, but they waste them on tripe.

I didn't go to VFS if that's what you were implying...and I agree with you. VFS films are usually terrible because the school is more interested in making money and pumping out products to show off to recruit more students. (But none of them are worse than Michael's films, I can assure you of that).

Being trained and being talented are independent qualities. There was a time when you were lacking in at least one.

Yes, at a time I was definitely untrained and had no idea what I was doing. But I think I've always had some natural talent that helped me as I learned more.

He's here, on a forum for filmmakers, asking openly for feedback. Sounds like a man who can intellectualize his decisions just fine.

Posting on a forum with only "Visit www.michaelekpoh.com" is not intellectualizing anything. And I was referring to him intellectualizing concepts in his film...such as 'minimalism' or 'social realism' like you ridiculously suggested....which I know he wasn't thinking about and probably doesn't even know what either of those means.

It’s a methodology that is obviously very different from what you were taught. Funny, though, how you both make obscure music videos.

lol @ "methodology" like this guy is practicing some kind of methodology consciously. It's not anything different from what I was taught because it isn't anything! He's just innocently pointing the camera and shooting things certain ways without any reason. It's like when little kids make movies, or people without training; they just do whatever they feel like without intellectualizing the decisions they make. They aren't experienced or trained enough to know that your films will be better if every choice you make has a good reason (related to story, themes, style etc.).

I'm done arguing about this because I've seen this guy's work and it's absurd for you to give it the credit that you're giving it. I don't want to keep bashing the original poster by going into any further detail about his work, but he certainly isn't practicing some 'methodology' like you say.