Here's a place for us to gather and talk about whatever we want during the production of these fabulous films. Join in the conversations so we can spur each other on! We'd love to see 100% completion this round--everyone who signs up submits a film! Can we do it? :)

Ooh, this place is swish. Much better decor than the daily production rant ;)

I've written 6 scripts for this, 4 revisions each, 30 pages per... then tossed them all out.

Nah not really. I just wanted to contribute to the thread. :)

Slow start to this one. Work keeps getting in the way. Any number of ideas, just none that seems to slap me in the face and say 'hey, I'm the one.' Probably need to try a dose of aqua vitae and stare at the ceiling for a while.

You guys have done a lot more than me. Haven't had time to think about anything yet.
Maybe a script would be a good start.

Good evening,

Well, its been on my mind every night before lights out, sometimes nagging during the day.

I have had a couple ideas jelling on the perspective theme. One would not likly be a very popular look at things, the other actually would need some other people involved, Hummmm.

Maybe something better will come to mind!!!

I hope others arre feeling more inspired.

A kittin Cam, Hum?????? Is glue ok??? (scrooged reference)


Hope everyone is enjoying the coming season!!!!!

I really like this theme, but I am doubting if I am going to have time to work on it. We have a loose script and visual storyboard but still need major attention. I only have 2 weeks available and work might occupy that time now too.

Glad to hear someone likes the theme--I'm having a terrible time with it! I hope you find some time, Clint.

No excuse, but agreeing to step in as volunteer cameraman for a zero-budget documentary (yes, I am an idiot) is taking up way more of my December than I thought it would, so the challenge will have to wait until the week after Christmas. Hoping when my son gets home on Sunday he'll come up with an idea for it. :)

Lorinda, a week is plenty time.
My shortest UWOL was filmed and edited within a day.
You can do it!

And Clint, hope you manage to find some time.

So we have our idea and a pretty good idea how to shot it, and what effects we want. Now its just a matter of getting all the elements/people together at the same time to do the shoot.

I feel your pain, Graeme. Have just come up with a doozy of an idea but now need to blag a load of VFX guys through the company I work for to make it happen. Not sure how the whole "I need you to work christmas for nothing" pitch will go down ;)

Well the three of us came up with the idea, but now we need to get together the first week of January because the other two are out of country over Christmas. So I need to find 1 actress and one animal, stake out locations and propose the final shot list / locations for the shoot so that when they get back we are good to go.

So it boils down to this: a weekend of folly sipping caipirinhas on a Brazilian beach under palm trees and watching waves roll in as sweat trickles down the nape of one's neck -- or filming this latest challenge. Make or break time. The idea is cast, script is underway.... I guess tropical idyll can wait?

Surely it's vital to the integrity of the script to film in a tropical idyll ;)

Good evening,

Ah, al you high profile dv creators, even have a cast!!!!!

Script, yes that may be essential whether you have a cast or not. I doubt very much I could get anyone to go out in our winter weather to do what I would like!!!!! It was NOT cold today, only -17.

I think I have it worked out, will be interesting to see if it unfolds the same as my imagination has it.

No story board, but I do have a shot list!!

We had a great day out filming yesterday morning, we even ran into something rather unusual to add to the repretoire of footage.

Shooting in the winter here is all about "Low Contast" making that palatable will be the challenge.


Any idea how to take a still, cut out the middle and make it transparent???

I do have photoshop and am editing in Vegas.


Get out there filming!!!


Have a Great Christmas!!!!

I've written a script, have found an actress and am scouting for locations, but I won't sign up till I've shot something. Last two walls of shame won't let me.

That is funny, Andris! We've been missing you and your films so I really hope it works out and you can sign up. :)

Any idea how to take a still, cut out the middle and make it transparent???

I do have photoshop and am editing in Vegas.

Dale, I have done this several times with Photoshop. (long time since last time)
Taking this out of my memory as I'm not on my own computer at the moment, but if I remember correct, this is how I did it:

In photoshop:
Make a new picture with transparent background.
Then copy the photo you want to use over to this new picture. (as a new layer)
Cut away the middle of this layer/photo so you see the transparent background in the middle.

Then import this new picture into Vegas. (I use Premiere, but if Vegas can handle layered photoshop filetypes, just use that...)
I believe you will use this picture as a "mask" in Vegas, and put it on a separate video track as it is done in Premiere.

Hi Guys,

Another way if Vegas won't take a .psd file, might be to take the image into Photoshop and add a chromagreen shape the size you want in the middle of the picture. Save it as a .tiff or even a .jpg and import it in to Vegas. Key out the chromagreen (should be easy because you added it all in a single colour) and it will be transparent.

If Vegas will take a.gif file, that format can keep its transparency when saved out of photoshop (I don't think either .tiff or .jpg will stay transparent).

Hope that helps,

Alan

good evening,


thanks for the ideas!!


Well, we have most of my footage shot, a few more individual shots to make over the next while, and perhaps a couple to reshoot if opportunity arrises.

I solved my delima and it was rather easily after sorting out a couple mistakes I was making. Basicly I made a mask, inverted it so the center was transparent.


Rule 11 has totally prevailed this round!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful season!!!

Well done Dale!

Much more proactive than me. I'm now on script number 3 after junking the first two for, respectively, being too unpleasant and not making any sense. Am on the point of junking number 3 for being too sentimental.

Sure everything will be fine though. I didn't finally come up with a script idea I was happy with till three days before the deadline on DVC19 so plenty of time left ;)

I wrote a short story about 25 years ago, and have been kicking around the idea for the past couple of weeks of adapting it to the screen for this challenge. Is this within the spirit of the challenge to use an old story?

You bet it's okay, Bill! The only instance that wouldn't be okay is if you had wanted to use footage shot outside of the challenge dates. Go for it!

Thanks Lorinda.
That's what I was afraid of.
Now I have to try to bring the story to life.
I know exactly how I want it to play out, scene by scene, and the challenge will be very technical to get what is on paper onto the screen. I guess that's what this DV challenge stuff is all about.

Good evening,

Henry, Sentimental is good in the sense that it allows you to show emotion!!!!

I have been waiting for matching weather to reshoot a couple basic shots!! I still have not received my new glasses yet!!! focusing is still an issue!!!

I am flying out january 8th for a ten day shoot down in Balmy California!!!! I will have to post mine, if I finish it, by the 6th!!!

Tomarrow morning looks good to shoot, only -12 and a 20 click wind, can't wait!!!



dale






















!!!

I kind of chickened out of the sentimental one - it was a bit too personal!

Have finally settled on a revamped version of the really nasty idea I had in the first place. Been given a compendium of 50's sci-fi/horror comics for christmas and I think it's having a bad effect on me ;)

Henry, nasty ideas gleaned from 50s comics will be welcome. But actually so would be a sentimental stab.

Well, in my case, choice of genre really was determined by practicalities. Nailing down actors before the big Christmas/New Year's exodus was key. I managed to get much of the script done before the talent high-tailed it, but not all, which is now going to call for some adaptation.

Also, I kind of wanted to try something different. So given my last DVChallenge had a humorous bent with a literal take on the theme, this time I'm aiming for something from a different place. And even though I have some interiors (where we have greater control over audio and angles and what happens, right?), this time I very consciously wanted to get outside to "open up" the story, put it a bit more in the world outside.

Am currently organising the images, seeing what's missing. Feeling uncertain as to how it will all come together, but hoping for the best.

Great to hear it's going well Marc. I hope everything comes together as planned. I'm really looking forward to seeing your video.

Many thanks for the kind words also. The sentimental script touched on Alzheimer's and the situation that brought it to the forefront of my mind is quite immediate. I didn't want to put my family through a production that was a bit emotionally raw at this time of year, so I've put the script on the back burner to get made at some unspecified point in the future.

The nasty one is going well though. I have quite an advanced draft that I'm very happy with (barring the inevitable last minute changes) and I've just sent a begging email to one of the compositors on the last feature the company I make coffee for did. Hopefully he's not too busy over the holiday season and can spare a couple of days to help me out with the VFX shots I need. Fingers crossed! Other than that I've blagged my boss to compose the soundtrack again and my Dad is currently wrapping his head around he latest piece of grip he has to build (last time a snorricam, this time a dolly and track - I really should learn how to use a screwdriver myself one of these days). Location is pinned down and (I think) costume and practical FX are all sorted. Now I just need an actor that fits the bill.

And I got a proper clapper board for christmas! It's the little things...

Oh, and Dale, I feel your pain. I've got conjunctivitis in my right eye and feel a bit Donald Pleasance in The Great Escape at the moment. Hopefully it'll be gone by the time we shoot!

well, I have a lot of footage of my dog and cat chewing each others' faces, and that is about it, so far. My fur actors are not cooperating.

I need a plan. A master plan.

Meryem, have you thought about trying an animal wrangler? The one time I worked with one personally they were on a small shoot where I was running the show. The wrangler was not only an absolute trooper but also very accommodating about rates- this being the holiday season as well you might be able to get yourself a bargain. I was amazed at what the wrangler could reliably and safely get their animals to do on cue and how consistently they could reproduce it, take after take. Granted that shoot was working with tarantulas the size of my head (!) but the company I work for has also used wranglers for different, more cuddly animals on larger productions with invariably excellent results.

I thought I was supposed to be the animal wrangler. I doubt my production insurance would cover the cost of a stranger intervening in one of Daisy and Kosmo's wrestling sessions! Too dangerous!

I put out the plea on Facebook to see if any of my film friends could bail me out with a better concept than shooting the pets. We'll see how it goes. Looking pretty good at the moment.

Too bad! Daisy & Kosmo even makes for a great title. :)

Every germ of an idea I have on my own or receive from others gets the ax for one reason or another. This may be the toughest theme [for me] yet!

Today I shot the first few shots by a semi-frozen sea. (not officially participating yet)
It was very cold, my hands kept freezing, not even mentioning the iris, focus and zoom rings of my cam and waves were clashing against the ice.
In an hour will go to shoot 90% of the rest. Then the last 2% some other weekday.

Not sure if it'll fit in 5mins though, that's my biggest concern.

Lorinda,


A couple Questions:

1. I have actually finished my film: it is 5:30 with credits included. Is that alright or do I actually have to cut the 30 seconds out??

2. I am leaving the country this week and I wont be back till the 19th. I was wondering if I could load it up on vimeo and send you the link so it could be posted at the appropriate time?

Suggestions???

Dale, we have allowed 5:30 before so that is okay. Originally, the rule was bent to allow 20 seconds or so extra for credits only, but we'll be charitable since you're finished and getting ready to take off. Otherwise, I would remind you that you'd be surprised how much better a tighter film can be. (A note to those who aren't finished yet: Keep in mind what Dylan has said in past challenges...it had better be worth the extra time or you risk getting docked in the judging!)

Go ahead with your plan to submit early. Send the Vimeo link to thedvchallenge@gmail.com and we'll be sure it gets posted for you. Hope you have a good trip! :)

I'm pretty much screwed!

Was up in the mountains and filmed a lot on new years eve. Just to find out that nothing, absolutely nothing was recorded. (No sign of errors until I checked the recordings afterwards).

Back home again, I got my camera back up and running, after several rounds with a cleaning tape.
But there is no way I can get back there to film again. (Earlier in the morning, the camera performed very well, bummer!)

So unless I can come up with something totally new, and find time this week, I'm out.

Trond, that's terrible! Was it the cold that did it? Did you find out what the problem was?

Maybe you can still put something together -- even make it based on true events. As in: you may have lost some brilliant New Year's footage, but putting it into PERSPECTIVE, your camera is still working.....

No, the cold is innocent. I always use a Portabrace heating cover for the camera when it is colder than 32F/0C, so the camera stayed warm all the time.
It might have been because I forgot to take the tape out of the camera from the day before. But I really don't know why it happend at that time.

I believe it was pure bad luck, and the tape clogged the camera's video heads.
Had to use the cleaning tape 3 x 10seconds to get rid of the stuff.

Interesting idea you mention. I'll see if I find time to do something this weekend.

Tronde,

Get after it!! you can do it!!!

Mine is definitely real life subtly based on perspective. What else could I do when I have to do evereything by myself out here!!!!

Mine is downloading as I write this, truly the earliest I ever finished a challenge, but then I pretty much had to or swim, and I don't swim well, just sink so I stay out of the water unless I am on my Cat.

Look forward to see what pressure can do for you!!!

Just heard back from my lovely VFX operator but already got a replacement script in pre-production that dosen't require clever tech stuff. Decisions, decisions...

Surely "lovely" wins out over "replacement"?

My actress has gone down ill with high temperature. I hope she recovers until 4day, or there is no short for the DVC...

Good evening,

Ok, you videogaffers with acters and actresses and fx operators and what ever else,

Drum one up you can do all on your own if nothing else!!!!!

The 8th is not far off!!!!!

I have faith in you!!!

"ucan do it," all of you!!!

I'm on it Dale, shooting friday UK time and pre-production already underway (got my two actors confirmed today) so should be able to avoid the wall of shame...

And the shoot is done. Off now for a well deserved beer then into the edit suite tomorrow...

How's everyone else getting on?

Good evening,

I hope everyone is getting a wrap on their short films!!! With such a broad based theme as perspective I reckon we will see lots of variety, totally cool!!!

I wont be back till the 19th and I will view everyones work at that time. Got my cameras packed and can't wait to get to the sunny south!!!!!


Look forward to seeing them.

Trouble never comes alone, it is said.
I was out in the woods to shoot my backup plan today. Snow everywhere and big fat snowflakes falling down from the sky.
Yeah right, in my dreams...

Well, at least this time when I hit the record button, my trusted XM2 was nice enough to say "heads dirty, use cleaning tape". As if I haven't already done that last weekend. (for a total of 4x 10 seconds)
Here we go again...
Hm, maybe this is a sign that I should upgrade to HD soon?

Oh well, have one more day. Can't give up yet.

Wall of Sharks for me. Dang.

That's too bad, Meryem! Like Trond (and maybe others) I've got today and tomorrow to come up with something.

By the posts it's looking like we've got 2-3 films done or in the works. Sure hope there are more of you out there!