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Ashley Wing

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Everything posted by Ashley Wing

  1. Hey folks, Finally got my sci-fi short 'Fracture' released. We distributed it through Sony's Playstation Home network throughout the EU and looking at further outlets. I'm glad the project is now finished and I can move on to my next project which has been in the pipeline since 2007! Fracture was a no-budget community project. You can watch the full film HERE Would be great to get some feedback. Best, Ash
  2. Howdy all, We filmed this some time ago - but it's nearly finished. It was my first set based shoot directing and it's strange seeing how I approached it and how I've developed over the period. Time seems to go so quick! It's a teaser for a short commercial promo piece. Full short is released soon. http://vimeo.com/14313266 Feedback would be very much appreciated. Many thanks, Ash
  3. Thanks Adrian, your advice is much appreciated.
  4. Hey all, We're in prep on our short film and I just wanted to get some feedback on the relationship between the DoP and director. As we're writing and directing, how far do we go in terms of reaserch/pre-production in the style/look of the story without pissing off the cinematographer. We're still trying to find someone to fill the role consistently, so at this time I'm not sure how to approach it. If we were using the same person time and time again I guess it would be easier because a relationship of trust would have been built over previous shoots and these developments would, hopefully, come across more as suggestions. Depending when we find our cinematographer, if we then presented storyboards, shot lists, ideas for preferred stock/format, the tone/atmosphere we want to achieve with the lighting - is that overstepping the mark? We don't want to alienate or restrict the creativity and input but at the same time we're developing a visual identity for the story, we know the direction we want to take it. We're also developing our writing style and we're writing more camera movements and positions into the story. I don't mean in the slug line, more in the action, as part of the story. We used to avoid any type of camera movement and still do for material we don't direct, but we are finding it helps the reader develop a stronger image and sense of pace. Is this considered offensive to a cinematographer? I've been very conscious in the past about such things, we've never presented a script with camera movements in before but we're considering whether to do so on this occasion. Ideally we'll talk it all through after we presented our ideas, we didn't want to present them and end up annoying our collaborators in the process! Simply put, we don't want to encroach on their job. Reading the above post it sounds like something that does happen. It would actually be great to hear how other cinematographers on here would react if presented with such things. Any advice or opinions would be very welcome. Cheers, Ash.
  5. Nah, it's most likely an issue with the way we constructed the flick if it isn't clear. The house not belonging to the killer is very obscure, the fault is ours. There's some shot choices that would fix this but... it's a bit late now :) It's all good though! We know what works and what doesn't and we'll no doubt fix that in the next one. Thanks again. Ash.
  6. Thanks Richard! Yes, there's a few things that are a little 'bumpy' that we're aware of. It's actually not the killers house, but the family in the photo frame. There's a line of dialogue that acts as exposition in the phone conversation. She says - "he's only gone and broken into Roger and Jane's house". Again it's not clear from the short who Peter is, it's actually the killer. When he leans into the cupboard we wanted to cut to a close up of his badge on his apron that reads 'Hello my name is Peter' but we had to move on and drop that shot so not to compromise other scenes. We were really that tight for time! Note to self - add an extra day. The twist is, Susan (mum) has killed many times before and it's Tony that's clearing her mess up. She's changed but this situation doesn't look convincing from Tony's eyes. Some feedback has suggested this is clear, but from your reply, it's not. Thanks again, really appreciate that fact you took time to watch. I'm working on another short where we hope to improve on the faults of this one. Best, Ash.
  7. Any feedback on the story or technical side would be very much appreciated, if you guys have time to watch :)
  8. Hi Redita, I was in a similar situation as you, except I had to keep working to pay bills. I couldn't afford the time nor money on a filmmaking course, it was my dream to do this. The truth is it would be a great benefit to you, but don't stop just because you can't get into film school. You will find you can get just as much information from the internet and books. Ask questions in the forum and around on various websites. Rent (or borrow) a camera at the weekend and shoot some experimental shorts. The key to good filmmaking is passion and the ambition to keep learning. No school can teach you this, it comes from inside. Put yourself out there as a runner on other productions and pull together your own projects, no matter how small. Watch films and write down the things you really like about each one and why, these littles things will help you begin to shape the tone and feel for the kind of movies you want to make. School is fantastic and a good start, but when the option isn't always there, nothing beats it like the real thing. As Kubrick famously said, "Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all.” I agree with him. Wishing you the best of luck in your ventures, Ash.
  9. Hey all, Just finished our most recent short film called 'Robbing Peter'. We're writing our feature which will be a different story, but run along the same lines in tone. It would be great to get some feedback and see what you guys think of it. Links- http://robbingpeterthemovie.co.uk/video.html YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/CottageIndustr...u/0/oZz4gtCiBRw Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/7416776 Cheers, Ash.
  10. Ashley Wing

    H16 Rx3

    Thanks for the posts, both have been very helpful! My last question is about placement of the meter. Many articles recommend to place the meter by the object or actor, but a thread on here suggests the camera lens is the preffered method. Is there a right and wrong to way to obtain the reading, it must have an effect on the accuracy? Or is it dependant on the reading being spot or incident. Thanks again, Ash.
  11. Ashley Wing

    H16 Rx3

    Hello all, I'm actually a beginner on the film front. I've used digital ever since I started making films six years ago but wanted to try my hand at the film process. I'm in possesion of a Bolex H16 Rx3. After doing some digging around I've stumbled upon a question I thought best asked here. Please excuse the simplicity of the question, this is all new to me. I understand there are different types of light meters you can get to get the right exposure on the film, spot and incident. My question is, do I need a light meter for the Bolex Rx3, if so which light meter would be best? Are there any particular models/makes that you guys can recommend. Cheers, Ash
  12. Hi Kieran, Thank you for the kind words! It's good that you liked it, I'm always uncertain about how these things come across when we're so personally involved. We used the Sony EX1 with a Letus35. I was impressed with the quality Sony's camera produced but the 35 adapter was cumbersome, and we had a couple of focus issues which we managed to resolve . Overall we're happy with the results and will without a doubt post them for feedback. Cheers, Ash & Clay
  13. Hey guys, We're in the process of putting our next short together in the edit, as it happens we have our 'Making Of' released online to spur interest in our filmmaking and so on. We wanted the doc to reflect the atmosphere on set as well as the quirky nature of the story. I just wanted some feedback on the content really. Do you think we're too silly, should we only show positive movement, keep it serious and remove any issues we had on set? We felt adding a mixture makes the 'behind the scenes' footage a bit more interesting, although I'm worried it might also show too much honesty so to speak. The feedback has been pretty good, but as always I'd value your thoughts and comments on the content. We want to push for a feature next year and have one more short in the pipeline for this year. These little bits of footage represent us so please, any feedback would be great. YouTube here: Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=110...5011&ref=mf Cheers, Ash. (and Clay)
  14. Howdy peeps, Written & Directed by - Clayton Fussell 'Disturbed' is a short psychological thriller. Feedback and constructive criticism would be most appreciated. What works for you, what needs improvement, do you think it holds up technically, is the story interesting to you? You can view the short here: Please note that YouTube HD files seem to stutter unless you let the red bar upload all the way to the end first. Seems to run smoothly after that. Thanks again and hope you enjoy the short.
  15. Dark Comedy looking for DOP. We are looking for an experienced DOP to work on our dark comedy short Robbing Peter. Filming will take place in Devon on the weekend of 16th/17th May, although the DOP does not need to be Devon based as we will pay all travel expenses and provide accommodation Synopsis: When Susan follows her son Matthew into a house he has broken into, she is determined to take him home whatever the cost. Little do either of them realise that the price they have to pay might be their lives as they become unwittingly entangled in a struggle to escape the clutches of a deranged psychopath. We are shooting on the Sony EX1 with the Letus 35 extreme adapter accompanied with a set of Canon FD primes. All locations are interior so we will be blocking windows to give control over lighting set-up. Experience of lighting night scenes an advantage. Due to the self funded nature of this project we can only cover expenses, these include; travel, food, and accommodation. On completion of the project all cast and crew will be provided with a copy of the film and should the film be in receipt of any monies once production costs have been reimbursed, cast and crew will receive a percentage of any profits made. The film will be co-produced and directed by Ashley Wing & Clayton Fussell (http://www.ashleywing.net) & (http://www.claytonfussell.co.uk) More information about their projects can be found on: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.p...831&ref=mfq
  16. Loved this short. I like how it's captured people's hearts yet they're not entirely sure why. I have shown this to quite a few friends and they liked it a lot. Brilliant example of what the HVX200 can do with a bit of post magic, at first glance I thought it was shot on film. I also like some of your fake trailers/experimentation. I especially liked the cinematography in 'Maze of the blind'. I think you're on your way to creating something very special, as indeed is this. Great stuff! Ash.
  17. Thanks for your suggestions! I'm all too aware of never taking 'No' for an answer, every short film I made I was told by people it couldn't be done. I guess you just have to find a way. We are extremely passionate about the story we want to tell, it's very relevant to us in particular because it's a true story and somewhat personal. I feel the story will also connect to quite a wide target audience and would be of interest. It's more than just about that though, I've been working on this idea for around two years but I felt I wasn't ready. After two years of pulling shorts together I feel it's time to take the plunge, or at least give it my best shot. The most important thing I've learned technically is fine tuning the way we tell the story through our shots. As I've progressed I notice that my early shorts just show the story, whereas now every shot conveys an emotion, it translates in a much better way as a final piece regardless if the audience knows it or not. It also felt like we were making three films, one for us, one for the audience and then one for critics. It's been a strange journey but a wonderful one too. Every project is an eye opener and no matter what anyone says you always take something new away from the experience. It's quite addictive in that sense. Of course having all the technical skills in the world is useless without a great story. Again, thanks for your replies. I'm taking it on board! Best, Ash.
  18. Hey guys, We're planning to go to Cannes next year with a short film that can be expanded upon as a feature. If I'm being honest I'm not sure what to expect or if we're going the right way about it? I know there's no chance of getting any financial backing from a studio, not without a feature already under our belt, so we're going to look for investors. First we're getting a portfolio of work with a selection of short films to shoot this year, we need to win some awards as this will no doubt help our cause and show we're capable of pulling a film together. I have already won one award but I don't think it'll help unless we win more. We're also trying to drum up support, get out there and let people know what we're doing. We're currently working on a website and have already put the word out on social networks like, facebook and myspace. We feel this is the place where people will be able to follow our progress as well as network with other filmmakers. If you like, you can find us here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...id=68556411831 http://www.myspace.com/466270456 Unfortunately the YouTube HD videos stutter a little, a problem with YouTube I've been told. But they view fine from the facebook group. Anyway... We have made short films on a variety of formats already but now, basically, just trying to pull a feature off the ground. I was wondering if anyone else has gone through the same experiences or could advise on a route to take? Ash.
  19. Hey guys, We've had an opportunity rise to use a RED cam on our next shoot, I'm still skeptical after hearing so many horror stories but it seems to good an opportunity to miss trying for myself. We're not shooting any more than 5 mins of footage and I'm going to hold my hands up and say it our first time using equipment like this. I just wanted to get some idea of the transfer process. I've watched a couple of videos and read through some threads but there's no description of the physical process involved. I am familiar with the Panasonic HVX200 setup and that's as far as my experience goes with file transferring from solid state to a laptop. Is the RED similar to this process or will I need any extra equipment? We are sending the files to a studio to be edited so the only thing I'm worried about is getting the digital negative/files off the camera and stored onto a macbook pro, which we'll then transfer on to an ext drive. My macbook is a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB of ram, I hope this is okay just for the pure use of putting the files on, it's not going to crash from the data dump? I hear a lot about transferring the footage through a firewire 800 cable and I wasn't sure if this was a direct connection from camera to laptop. If anyone can help - or link me, I'd be very grateful. I have looked and I only seem to find talk about the backup drives and space, not the actual process. I just wanted to make sure we could transfer the files as we won't have a technician. Many Thanks, Ash.
  20. One of the best student shorts I've had the pleasure of watching. Well done to you and your team, thanks for sharing. Best, Ash.
  21. Hi Dean, We didn't really have much money so we opted to shoot on p2 with the HVX200, using the Redrock adapter. Best, Ash.
  22. Hey guys, Finished our latest, a 3min digital short. Any feedback would be great. I've uploaded the short film here: www.ashleywing.net/uploads/OMGweb.mov Best, Ash.
  23. It's looking like they're going to sell it on dvd with a ton of extras. AlamDV was a long long time ago. They still make compositing programs, they're progressing to more advanced stages now where even Genarts and Apple have had an interest. It's going really well for them and I was really honored to be picked to direct their short. It was a great experience and I met some very talented people through it. I've been making films since 2006. Can I say films? I'm yet to experience shooting on the film format. Even though I'm yet to shoot film, I love the filmmaking process in it's entirety. I'm learning all the time and I hope to get some work next year, if only to learn more. I don't care what I do as long as I'm in that environment. I would like to understand more about film equipment, gain a better understanding of lighting and apply that to improve on the skills I've gained already. There's just not enough time! I'll post an update of the progression of the short and it's release. Not long to go, we're hoping early next year.
  24. Hey guys, I'm in the process of pulling together a short world war 2 drama and one of the scenes is in a country lane at night. I know exactly how I want it to look but I'm unsure how to achieve this. I tried something similar awhile back and it didn't look quite right, we did day for night and enhanced the effect in post, which didn't get me the ideal results. I would really like a heads up before I start considering what other options there are, what kind of equipment I'm going to need to pull together to make this happen. This time I'm determined to get it as perfect as possible. The colour palette I'm going for is blue and Ideally I'd like to see a majority of the surroundings illuminated by a full moon. A good example of the kind of look I'm going for can be seen to good effect in Del Toro's, Pan's Labyrinth, in the last scene. CLIP: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S6XvHsjH06o&...feature=related How do I approach something like this? Shooting in a country lane in the middle of nowhere. At night the area is completely pitch black and you can't even see your hand in front of your face. Is it even possible to do what I want to achieve? Thanks in advance, Ash
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