Experimental Narrative Short

Kraig Ewert · August 7, 2015

This is a short project I've been finishing up for school. A neo-noir filled with stock footage appropriation and plenty of experimentation. Critques and comments welcome.

Larry DeGala · August 9, 2015

Oh my! Nostalgic memories of Film School. Very imaginative with story telling style incorporating unusual yet interesting visual elements and editing. Choice of music orchestration? I've used Kevin McLeod as well. Nice choices of broadcast clips. Humorous. Love it!

Enter your short at your local film festival. Bravo!

Kraig Ewert · August 9, 2015

Thanks so much, I've been working hard on it for month. It's awesome for great feedback. Really glad you appreciated and enjoyed it. Thanks again!

Tyler Purcell · August 9, 2015

Not to be blasé, but as a filmmaker, I just see lazy filmmaking. I'm glad someone else likes it, just goes to show; there is something for everyone. However, the noir and experimental genre's, usually work best with some elements of realism. Plus, a lot of young filmmakers spend too much time experimenting with concepts that aren't viable on the open market. I've always told young filmmakers to spend more time focused on creating product which are marketable. That's where you'll find success in the long-term and hopefully a career in the media arts.

Good luck with your future filmmaking!

Bill DiPietra · August 9, 2015

Plus, a lot of young filmmakers spend too much time experimenting with concepts that aren't viable on the open market. I've always told young filmmakers to spend more time focused on creating product which are marketable. That's where you'll find success in the long-term and hopefully a career in the media arts.

Yes, but in order to be well-versed, you should delve into virtually ever genre and give it a whirl. And the time to do that is when you're in school, because very few people will be hiring you to experiment with their time & money. There will be plenty of time for narrative work down the road. Plus, this kind of stuff broadens your perspective as a filmmaker. Based on the level of abstract thought in their respective narrative works, it is very easy to see which industry filmmakers were influenced by the avant-garde genre and which paid it little mind. One of my film teachers in college used to show us all sorts of experimental films - mostly because he was an experimental filmmaker himself. But he always said "You may get ideas from these films." And he was right.

My all-time favorite has to be Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon, but I also enjoy Kenneth Anger's, Chantal Akerman's & Stan Brakhage's respective works.

My only critique would be that you should shoot your own footage for your next project.

Kraig Ewert · August 9, 2015

Not to be blasé, but as a filmmaker, I just see lazy filmmaking. I'm glad someone else likes it, just goes to show; there is something for everyone. However, the noir and experimental genre's, usually work best with some elements of realism. Plus, a lot of young filmmakers spend too much time experimenting with concepts that aren't viable on the open market. I've always told young filmmakers to spend more time focused on creating product which are marketable. That's where you'll find success in the long-term and hopefully a career in the media arts.

Good luck with your future filmmaking!

Thanks for the critique, and I appreciate it but I think whole heartedly that school is the best time to experiment outside of form and norm. I've noticed to many of my fellow classmates hung up on narrative viability, straight forwardness, and gear obsession. Playing in the abstract is the best way to find your own voice and strengthen those concepts later. Thanks for the comment.

My only critique would be that you should shoot your own footage for your next project.

Thanks again. I may have mis-typed when I said "found-footage" it's mostly reaproppriated sound. Everything with the puppet & cast was 100% shot by me, just to clear that up. Thanks for taking the time to give some honest feedback.

Miguel Angel · August 9, 2015

I liked the idea and the concept of creating a world to experiment with it.

I would say take care of the framing next time even if you are "experimenting" as most of the experimenting films that I have seen (and I watch a lot of them) are mostly carefully and thoroughly framed which helps both, the filmmaker and the spectator understand that world better.

And try to create your own flares in camera rather than using a post - production suite! It is funnier and you get a kick out of it when you get it right!

Take a look at the following film, it might give you some ideas!

Western Motel

Don't get caught on the gear talk, under my point of view, it is irrelevant, although you have to know what you can or you can't do with the different tools.

Have a good day!

Tyler Purcell · August 9, 2015

Thanks for the critique, and I appreciate it but I think whole heartedly that school is the best time to experiment outside of form and norm. I've noticed to many of my fellow classmates hung up on narrative viability, straight forwardness, and gear obsession. Playing in the abstract is the best way to find your own voice and strengthen those concepts later. Thanks for the comment.

The nice thing about film school is that you have a locker full of equipment that you most likely won't have access to again. Plus, you've got people who can critique your work on a level which is very difficult to find in later years. This is why a lot of people choose to make more normal films, it has nothing to do with equipment fascination, it has everything to do with learning the narrative form and demonstrating it. The moment you make something that totally goes left field and doesn't follow any real standard, you are no longer being judged by your peers. The audience doesn't know what's a mistake and the filmmaker can say everything was "intentional" which doesn't really teach you anything. You aren't "learning" from your peers and professors, because it's nearly impossible to critique since there is no set guidelines. In your film, exposure was all over the place, the audio was poorly captured and the editing was erratic. I have no idea if those things were purposeful or just poor filmmaking.

Plus… the great thing about the experimental genre is that anything goes. So you really don't have to demonstrate cinematic form and equipment doesn't really play a huge role. So you can shoot anything at any time with any camera. Thus, after your done with school, you can buy a $300 camcorder and make as many experimental films as you want.

I agree the great thing about film school is the ability to experiment. However, you can experiment within the confides of a standard genre, showing cinematic form and at the same time, building a resume of content you can use in the future.

Kraig Ewert · August 9, 2015

The moment you make something that totally goes left field and doesn't follow any real standard, you are no longer being judged by your peers. The audience doesn't know what's a mistake and the filmmaker can say everything was "intentional" which doesn't really teach you anything.

I agree with with you there, experimenting can have that problem too. One of my favorite things about filmmaking though is that one audience member's view of a glaring mistake could be another's favorite moment. And critical feedback, sometimes negative is the best, can be the best way to learn. So thanks again for the feedback, all great things to take away.

Larry DeGala · August 10, 2015

I could have mention all the technical problems but content is king. You borrowed where you needed to borrow. The deadpan delivery was right on where deadpan is concerned. your paying homage to scenes straight out of many noir titles was witty and humorous. the Moppet was real. Yes, goofy but real enough. the flashing strobe brought memories of Agent Cooper and the Dancing Midget. the pacing was good. the dialogue was unpredictable. the public domain footage tied everything into a dreamy hot mess. i laughed. i cried (not really, i was laughing). i had memories of film school, the crew obsession, the gear envy. but content is what keeps bringing the audience back. don't need to over-think this one or second-guess yourself. as they say-- make stories you can enjoy. surely, others can relate to and enjoy those stories. and when it stops being fun, you can always get off this amusement ride. and do it again tomorrow

Edited August 10, 2015 by Larry DeGala

Kraig Ewert · August 11, 2015

Thanks again, it was a fun little project to spend my time on. And a great experience getting it from script to where it is now. If it can get any good reaction, or be providing of a little fun entertainment, then I'm definitely happy with it.

-- make stories you can enjoy. surely, others can relate to and enjoy those stories. and when it stops being fun, you can always get off this amusement ride. and do it again tomorrow

With the new semester starting there'll be plenty of project opportunities after this and even more after that.

Thanks again!

Kraig Ewert · December 14, 2015

Just wanted to mention an update, I won a $533 School Equipment Fund Grant for this film, The Grillo Award at CU Boulder.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Kraig Ewert

Freya Black · December 14, 2015

Surprising thread in a lot of ways!

I was especially amused at the suggestion that in experimental filmmaking "anything goes" whereas in my experience the whole scene has become very codified and strict about what is and isn't okay. It's also got a long history of being quite exclusionary.

I was also surprised to see this video being described as experimental at all, as it seems like a straightforward narrative short.

It reminded me mostly of Fight Club and Brick both of which are fairly conventional narrative movies. To be fair there is something a bit like George Kuchar or something to it too though.

I quite liked this short.

I really liked the idea of the lampshade killer.

Freya

Freya Black · December 14, 2015

And try to create your own flares in camera rather than using a post - production suite! It is funnier and you get a kick out of it when you get it right!

Don't think those are flares!

It does look almost like lens whacking in places (which I wouldn't consider to be flares either) but it isn't lens stuff.

It's a dissolve with film stock... unless you mean something else?

Freya