"The Signal" (Nick Hiltgen) picked up at Sundance

Kevin Wild · January 28th, 2007, 09:38 PM

Total guess here, but I bet there was an accidental zero thrown on there.

Let's wait until the directors want to discuss to really find out...

KW

Nick Hiltgen · January 30th, 2007, 05:30 AM

HA! if it was 5.2 million I got screwed! I think the thing is just about anyone can get on IMDB and post information. I don't even think I'm on there yet.

No, I assure that no one involved with this movie LOST any money. Kevin is sort of on the right track. I hate not being able to post the budget but we've got to make sure that we don't upset any distributors or publicity or what have you.

Michael Vaden · January 31st, 2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hiltgen

HA! if it was 5.2 million I got screwed! I think the thing is just about anyone can get on IMDB and post information. I don't even think I'm on there yet.

No, I assure that no one involved with this movie LOST any money. Kevin is sort of on the right track. I hate not being able to post the budget but we've got to make sure that we don't upset any distributors or publicity or what have you.

Congrats on your success. I know the investors were happy to get a return. LOL
Are you working on another movie?

Nick Hiltgen · January 31st, 2007, 03:54 PM

Currently in preproduction for a series of shorts which I'm point-producing in atlanta through the dailies project (the project that spawned the signal). In addition I will be directing one, which I think will be using more or less the same setup that we used in the signal.

But right now I'm freezing my butt off in breckenridge colorado working on a ski show. (I just got off a project working with dvinfo, member Vince Gaffney and his xl-h1 and the new 6x wide-angle) which was much more fun.

Steve Rosen · January 31st, 2007, 05:31 PM

Nick: I strongly recommend writing a short book or a long magazine article on the process, with comprehensive chapters on prepping, lighting, shooting, editing and distributing (meaning, I assume, blow up to 35mm) of the film...

With this success you are the current reigning expert on using a "pro-sumer" camera to break the waves... I know much of the info is probably somewhere in this forum but it would be nice to have it all in one place...

Vince Gaffney · January 31st, 2007, 09:17 PM

Quote:

(I just got off a project working with dvinfo, member Vince Gaffney and his xl-h1 and the new 6x wide-angle) which was much more fun.

And what a fine time we had. You missed a real hair puller today Nick. Sorry you had to leave. I'll try and get pics of the rig to post / forward. It looks pretty crazy with your liitle camera piggy back.

Vince

Rob Lohman · February 1st, 2007, 03:55 AM

Congratulations, the trailer is looking sweet! Hopefully I'll be able to see it one day!

Christopher Reynolds · February 8th, 2007, 11:37 AM

Wow, I remember seeing the trailer for this a little while back and I still laughed at the end. I'm definately going to buy it.

Robert Morane · January 27th, 2008, 12:51 PM

Has it been released? Can you say what the budget was? Thanks

Floris van Eck · January 28th, 2008, 06:22 PM

Nick, did you use the factory default settings or a custom preset (custom created or maybe one from this forums)?

Nick Hiltgen · January 29th, 2008, 04:44 AM

Hey Floris it was a custom preset. We created the look, the "custom preset database" wasn't up on these forums yet. It was a pretty basic set up though (don't completely remember) there was a lot of color correction in post to get the difference between the three stories.

I've posted a DSC 24 file and 60 file which I use for about 90% of my shooting now. (the other 10% of the time I'm trying to match to some other inferior camera like an HVX or F900 or Red, you know thooose cameras...)

Nick Hiltgen · January 29th, 2008, 04:46 AM

Official release date (seems like the official date keeps getting changed) is only a few weeks away! february 22nd there's a list of cities up on the website I think but it is by no means comprehensive. Hopefully it's playing at a theater near you!

Kevin Dorsey · January 29th, 2008, 12:43 PM

Just as I was reading this thread I glance up at my television to see the trailer running on HDNet. They seem to be running it quite often. The film looks fantastic and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Congratulations.

Floris van Eck · January 29th, 2008, 03:58 PM

Nick,

where did you post those two presets? Could you share them in the custom presets thread in the stickies section?

Any chance that "The Signal" will be released over here in Europe? Or will it depend from the US success?

Leon Lorenz · January 29th, 2008, 09:48 PM

Congratulations Nick on your film, I hope to see it someday. Maybe Canon will want to use parts of it in promoting the XLH1 ( for a good price of course ). Hopefully it will help break the ice in selling well shot HDV movies to broadcasters where the format is sneered at. Keep up the good work.

Leon Lorenz
www.wildlifevideos.ca

January 30th, 2007, 05:30 AM	#17
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	HA! if it was 5.2 million I got screwed! I think the thing is just about anyone can get on IMDB and post information. I don't even think I'm on there yet. No, I assure that no one involved with this movie LOST any money. Kevin is sort of on the right track. I hate not being able to post the budget but we've got to make sure that we don't upset any distributors or publicity or what have you. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

January 31st, 2007, 03:54 PM	#19
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Currently in preproduction for a series of shorts which I'm point-producing in atlanta through the dailies project (the project that spawned the signal). In addition I will be directing one, which I think will be using more or less the same setup that we used in the signal. But right now I'm freezing my butt off in breckenridge colorado working on a ski show. (I just got off a project working with dvinfo, member Vince Gaffney and his xl-h1 and the new 6x wide-angle) which was much more fun. __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

February 1st, 2007, 03:55 AM	#22
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Congratulations, the trailer is looking sweet! Hopefully I'll be able to see it one day! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 8th, 2007, 11:37 AM	#23
Christopher Reynolds Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: North Canton, Ohio Posts: 109	Wow, I remember seeing the trailer for this a little while back and I still laughed at the end. I'm definately going to buy it. __________________ The only thing worse than quitting is being afraid to start. Get off your bum and go shoot something!

January 29th, 2008, 04:44 AM	#26
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Hey Floris it was a custom preset. We created the look, the "custom preset database" wasn't up on these forums yet. It was a pretty basic set up though (don't completely remember) there was a lot of color correction in post to get the difference between the three stories. I've posted a DSC 24 file and 60 file which I use for about 90% of my shooting now. (the other 10% of the time I'm trying to match to some other inferior camera like an HVX or F900 or Red, you know thooose cameras...) __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

January 28th, 2007, 09:38 PM	#16
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	Total guess here, but I bet there was an accidental zero thrown on there. Let's wait until the directors want to discuss to really find out... KW

January 31st, 2007, 05:31 PM	#20
Steve Rosen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 895	Nick: I strongly recommend writing a short book or a long magazine article on the process, with comprehensive chapters on prepping, lighting, shooting, editing and distributing (meaning, I assume, blow up to 35mm) of the film... With this success you are the current reigning expert on using a "pro-sumer" camera to break the waves... I know much of the info is probably somewhere in this forum but it would be nice to have it all in one place...

January 27th, 2008, 12:51 PM	#24
Robert Morane Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 267	Has it been released? Can you say what the budget was? Thanks

January 28th, 2008, 06:22 PM	#25
Floris van Eck Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 993	Nick, did you use the factory default settings or a custom preset (custom created or maybe one from this forums)?

January 29th, 2008, 04:46 AM	#27
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Official release date (seems like the official date keeps getting changed) is only a few weeks away! february 22nd there's a list of cities up on the website I think but it is by no means comprehensive. Hopefully it's playing at a theater near you! __________________ I have a dream that one day canon will release a 35mm ef to xl adapter and I'll have iris control and a 35mm dof of all my ef lenses, and it will be awesome...

January 29th, 2008, 12:43 PM	#28
Kevin Dorsey Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 64	Just as I was reading this thread I glance up at my television to see the trailer running on HDNet. They seem to be running it quite often. The film looks fantastic and I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Congratulations.

January 29th, 2008, 03:58 PM	#29
Floris van Eck Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 993	Nick, where did you post those two presets? Could you share them in the custom presets thread in the stickies section? Any chance that "The Signal" will be released over here in Europe? Or will it depend from the US success?

January 29th, 2008, 09:48 PM	#30
Leon Lorenz Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: McBride BC Canada Posts: 100	Congratulations Nick on your film, I hope to see it someday. Maybe Canon will want to use parts of it in promoting the XLH1 ( for a good price of course ). Hopefully it will help break the ice in selling well shot HDV movies to broadcasters where the format is sneered at. Keep up the good work. Leon Lorenz www.wildlifevideos.ca