Do we still have gas?
 

It's been a while since DVC13. I sold my Sony FX1 when I read the Scarlett info, and had to sit the last one out. But sitting on the sidelines is making me antsy. So I went out and bought an HV30 to have something to shoot my kids with.

There is only so much editing one can do of children running on the playground. When you start laying the dolly track down to get a shot of your kid traversing the monkey bars, the other parents get to acting a little weird. I'm thinking maybe it's getting close to time for another DV Challenge.

The turn out for DVC13 was a little light. Are we all just getting old and running out of gas? Or are you all just making too much money to work for art's sake?

I say bring on DVC14. I love a good challenge. We went silly last time but I think we wanna try to be serious again.

Bring it :)

Lorinda and I have debated making the next one in October, just been busy making art... er... money... er... pocket change.

Bring it
 

Newborn baby et al helped me find my way to the wall of shame on the last one. I have to say, that's been burning a hole in me lately. I'm feeling all "gassed up" for DVC 14.

Got a whole crew raring to go on a project....

I'm there !
This time I will be paying attention and barring the inevitable "vapor-lock" writers block, I hope to have an offering on this my first time around.

"...lights...camera...: "MEOW !" "...get that cat outa-here !..."

Dvc14
 

I know I say this every time, but I am ready to go and hpe to actually finnish a project this time!

bring on the scary stuff! sadly, my zombie lovers broke up, so i'll have to do a zombie film where the boy zombie demands his stuff back and the girl zombie tells him to stuff it....

LOL, Now there's a log line. ;)

After a looooooooooooong break my team has told me we need to bust something out so I'm up for something scary too.

I was watching some of the entrys for DVC13 again and only just now noticed the blooper reels that were posted along with some of them.
Hilarious! I am so going to do that.
Can't wait.

BTW, I am already starting to stress about how I won't be able to think of anything when the theme is announced.

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop taking my Prilosec...

Ha! You’ve been away from the Challenge waaay too long, Dick.

I totally relate–in a literal sense–to the pocket change for art. Last month, for $150 I shot and uploaded a 15 minute video of a guy throwing a pot at a farmer’s market.

Looking forward to DVC14 and something with a bit more meat... :)

Dylan, Lorinda and other Big Cheeses:

Last year in October, we did scary theme. I'd kind of like to see that become a tradition so we can all sharpen our mayhem production value.....

Further ramblings:

Ideas to make sure it is original:

1. The production must refer to a current news topic

2. You could require a character name with a required carreer, like the 48 hour festivals.

Also, to allow time for proper build up of suspense, fear and loathing, a length of 5-6 minutes would be cool.

To allow time to really get a good production together, I would like to see a 3 week window to write and shoot.

I would only add that if suspense or horror is a theme.... ANY short is challenged to build up suspense....an essential element to a good scary movie, and I agree that a little more time, a paucity though it might seem in the grand scheme of moviemaking... is better. I concur with Chris's comments.

To carry it a bit further.... a December theme (planned for New years) about renewal, hope or celebration? (Or is that a bad time to think about making movies?) A June-July Theme about Country and the things we celebrate on 4th of July?

Just a few times during the year we can plan ahead for generally.... the rest, well, catch as catch can....

My late night musings.

I don't know... plan ahead? That would take the fun out of the ten day turn around.

If you get an idea and the theme doesn't match you can always do what I did for #13 - shoot it anyway and submit it non-competitively.

I don't think I'll be able to manage joining for 14 though. I've got tons of travel for work this fall. But I'll be sure to watch and comment. I'm looking forward to whatever scary (or not) stuff y'all come up with.

Smile,
Kris

I'm in if you get it going.

I like 5-6 minutes and I like 3 weeks, but I don't want to have to include a character a la 48 hour and I don't want it to have to be about a current topic. Especially since every thing in the world at that time will be political with the election coming up.

My intention was not to require a current new topic, just to show something in the footage that refers to some current news, so there was not a problem with someone submitting a pre-made film. Never intended that it be about some current news story, and I agree we don't need political positions pieces !

I could get into making something around a horror theme. It would give me a push to actually do it and finish.

Oliver Pahlow

Here's a paste from the original DV Challenge Web site that explains this challenge in a nutshell. From the head nut himself:

This contest is the pet project of Vancouver based director/filmmaker Dylan Couper, who is a veteran of 24 and 48 hour short film competitions. He found one of the most difficult things in making a short film is to just force yourself to do it. If there isn’t some kind of motivation or challenge, then it usually just doesn’t happen. Frustrated by some of the ridiculous themes and crazy hoops that other short film contests make you jump through, as well as the high price tags on entry fees, Dylan decided to keep this sweet and simple… and cheap.

And there we have it, folks--sweet and simple--just what I like. Oh, and cheap is good, too. :)

I don't think our suggestions added any of those "complications" except for providing verification of newly produced material, as the rules call for. But I do have a group of film making "nuts" who want a project, and I was hoping we could have something in the hopper that we could count on for them to do in October. I do think that the lack of a schedule of contests does result in people planning other things, and having to dissappear from theDVChallenge, because they can't reserve the time on the their calendar. Perhaps that is what is intended, and that is fine.....

In our case, a group of us are getting together this week to consider things like the 72 hour National Challenge, or a project with the theDVChallenge. Without being able to tell people we will have something going on in October, we may have to go another route. I prefer the theDVChallenge because of the time allowed and the kind of exposure and response we get.

Chris,

I prefer the honor system.

It got me through college...

Actually, I do too. I guess I was anticipating an objection to having a recurring horror film every October where someone knowing of the annual even could work on a project year round....

I would like to see it the same as it has been. maybe mostly cuz, it's my first and I am just getting familiar with it.
Are we getting close to an announcement form the powers that be?

I'm all for another challenge. I've only participated in one but I'm ready willing and able to get a project going.

Hey Ken,
I haven't heard from the power that be Dylan in a while, but I bet there will be something coming along soon in the way of an announcement. Stay tuned...

You can count me in whenever it will be :)

Im hoping I can make an Instant Message 2... this time its offline......

Ok... I think I need some sleep... hehe.

Gearing up
 

Figured out how to put together the soft box for my 1000w light. That was really bugging me.
One step closer...

*crosses his fingers and bows his head*

Deep focus master requirement, deep focus master requirement, come on deep focus master requirement.

LOL

What??? :)

“Do we still have gas?” Looks pretty low to me, though if every one of you who posted interest here signed up for real and submitted a film we’d have enough. Trouble is, that [generally] doesn’t happen.

Dunno, fellas....it’s not looking good for October...

awwww
 

10 days w/o a post was making me a bit concerned. My Documentary is deep in pre-production though so I have an "outlet"...

It’s ultimately Dylan’s call, not mine. If we could show him we’ve got enough rowdys around here for a rip-roarin’ time then he’d probably give us a green light! But are there more out there....

As I indicated earlier in this thread, I have a group of people who are excited about making film for this challenge. But problem is that when we have to depend on the whim of someone else as to when the contest will be held, the interest begins to deteriorate. If you have ten people who want to work on series of films, the chances of tying them up for a planned shoot 30 days out, is much better than a sudden announcement. Again, this is a choice of handling that Lorinda has explained before, but that does not change that reality.

I think that a schedule similar to UWOL Challenge should be established, so some planning can be accomplished. Otherwise, I fear that the turnout which occurred last time will be repeated.

Im still looking to go!

DVC 13 gave ten-eleven days for sign-up. That’s not sudden in my book, and not what caused the light turn-out for that challenge, in my opinion. If you think of it as a “whim of someone else” and it’s causing you and your group problems, Chris, then I guess it’s a good thing you have other outlets. From the first DVC it’s been billed as a semi-regular contest, and I’ve always accepted it (and liked it) as a more free-wheeling, spontaneous adventure. Some folks are going to dig it, others are not. I see the slowdown as more of a natural ebb and flow deal--nothing more.

Dylan is lots busier now than before, but he still loves the challenge and wants to give people a place to make and show films. He'll be around as much as he can...if I have to drag him away from his projects to do it! ;)

I’m with you on this one, Josh--even if there aren’t very many of us I’d like to give it a go. But man, if there are some other fun-loving film makers out there, this would be a great time to jump in and say so! :)

I understand the need for a solid turn out for these things. Part of me wants to make a 2nd horror short for fun but would hate to not be able to use it if it does get announced. Maybe Ill have to come up with 2 of them... :p Wishful thinking ;)

Lorinda:

The title of this thread is "Do we still have gas ?" I have merely offered my opinion on what would help to make this challenge continue to be successful... because I've love participating in it. We used to be able to depend on something every 2 to 3 months. But you are right, if it doesn't suit the needs of my "group", we can do something else...

I won't bring it up again....

Me too.

"Let's went. Cisco"

Deep focus master = a master shot that has a deep focus. Like the opening of Citizen Kane when the boy is playing in the snow in the background, the mom in close up at the table, the lawyer and the father move around in the middle. Everyone is in focus.

Sorry about that, rather obscure reference now that I think about it. I was recently in a director's workshop where we had to do one of these. So many people go out of their way and spend lots of money to be able to use a shallow depth of field with a video camera. This workshop I was in praised the long focal length as a strength and then showed us how to use it. Very nice learning experience for me.

Anyway, yes I LOTS of gas, and my wife can attest to it.

Seriously I'm full of creative energy and if my regular crew can't get together if/when it's announced by gosh I'll do one by myself if I have to.

That's the way I roll baby.

(my cool new LA colloquialism I picked up while I was out there, LOL).

Whew! With the obvious reference staring at us day after day, here I was worried that DV Info had become too civilized or "professional." Then along comes Dennis and restores my pleasant belief that men are still boys (with their potty humor and everything that comes with it) in grown-up clothes. Thank you, Dennis. Thinking back on some of your films it had to be you. ;)

Thanks for the deep focus master explanation, too! :)