Dv Challenge #2 Theme Announcment - Go! Go! Go!

[Mike Teutsch]

Dylan,

After having a great idea for #1, but too late to enter, I have not done so well this time.

The only plots I have come up with, I don't have the people and such to utilize. Hurricane Dennis didn't help, but no excuse, my A/C going out Saturday morning didn't help but still no excuse. At least I got the A/C fixed today. I did it myself, and I guess that is at least an accomplishment! Funny how this topic, broad as it is, seemed so much more restraining for me.

Damn it, I will submit for the next! Please try to have another soon! Let's not wait another month or more.

Sorry--Mike

[Bryan Mitchell]

My "3 minute idea" developed into an 11 page script. It's really wonderful, but doesn't help me at all right now. I can't wait to shoot that one, but I really want to make it good, so on to another idea.

...I just thought of one!

[Jeff Sayre]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

Actually, for wildlife documentaries, it is typical for the ratio to be 20:1. Wild animals just don't take directions very well. You can yell action all you want and still have to wait for something to happen. :)

I guess my wildlife movie making mindset has not allowed me to sharpen my directorial skills! That is why I shot 24:1 for this (less than) 3-minute short. But then again, that is one of the benefits of doing challenges like this. You learn something beyond your traditional skills set.

For the next challenge, I'll try to get closer to 5:1-- let's say 10:1 or so. I can't reduce my shooting ratio that quickly. :(

[Jeff Sayre]

I have moved beyond my rough cut and started to add transitions and make adjustments in flow.

My piece will definitely come in under 3 minutes! It will be 2:58:26. Hey, 1 second and four frames to spare. Not bad for my first ever, fictional short. It also puts me closer to 20:1 for total footage to final footage used. Now I'm only four times higher than big budget movies. :)

Tomorrow I spend time sweetening the audio tracks, creating the score, and polishing off some motion graphics (okay, that may take more than one day of my spare time).

We're having a party in the evening to show version 2 of the sequence. It will not be finished yet, but will have the look and feel of the final product.

Good luck to everyone else. I can't wait to see what others have done!

[Rob Lohman]

Originally Posted by Meryem Ersoz

how 'bout a prize for best video shot while simultaneously taking care of an active pre-schooler?

"sweetie, you need to be quiet and color while mommy works on this voice-over with Auntie Louise, okay?"

anyone else working under these conditions?

Thanks for that Meryem, it brought a smile to my face!

I've set myself a different challenge. I've decided to do everything myself with
a simple consumer DV camera from my dad (since I don't own my XL1S anymore).

From the footage shot I can see it is a tad grainy and some stuff was auto
exposed etc. I'll see what I can do to work around that.

Good luck to all!

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Mike Teutsch

Dylan,

After having a great idea for #1, but too late to enter, I have not done so well this time.

The only plots I have come up with, I don't have the people and such to utilize. Hurricane Dennis didn't help, but no excuse, my A/C going out Saturday morning didn't help but still no excuse. At least I got the A/C fixed today. I did it myself, and I guess that is at least an accomplishment! Funny how this topic, broad as it is, seemed so much more restraining for me.

Damn it, I will submit for the next! Please try to have another soon! Let's not wait another month or more.

Sorry--Mike

Ah, that's too bad. However, you do still have a lot of time left, 4 full days in fact. Why not scale down your goals or ideas, and just shoot for a 1 minute video? Although it would probably be wrong of me to give you ideas, I can think of something that combines a hurricane aftermath and secrets.

[Sean McHenry]

Man, for me getting a simple idea going that works with my "dark" nature was the hard part. Not being able to pull of that multi car stunt in the middle of downtown freeway traffic sort of put a hitch into the whole thing too, as did the unavailability of those unpredictable Martians (seems they are all too hung-over from all the parties since their new film came out) and I couldn't sign Gary Busey or Christopher Walken for the lead so...

I really did have a hard time finding something dark enough that fit as odd as that seems. I have yet to shoot. The lead actress had to babysit all week due to an unexpected death in the family so she is out and I had to move on with another of the daughters. Not that she won't be great but I have to work around her schedule too now.

I see it so clearly in my head and I can hear the soundtrack clear as a bell. I hope I can get it on tape (and make it feel like film).

See you folks Friday evening.

Sean McHenry

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

Ah, that's too bad. However, you do still have a lot of time left, 4 full days in fact. Why not scale down your goals or ideas, and just shoot for a 1 minute video? Although it would probably be wrong of me to give you ideas, I can think of something that combines a hurricane aftermath and secrets.

Did something yesterday that gave me a good idea! Now to see if I can get it all together and get it done by midnight Friday. Actually, since I'm on the left coast, I get three extra hours don't I!

Been fighting with Bellsouth, but still have no place to host it. Can't post it to my PWP. I hope that I can get that taken care of in time too.

Thanks for the little push Dylan. Whos knows, it could have fired-up a little braincell.

Mike

[Jeff Sayre]

Originally Posted by Mike Teutsch

Been fighting with Bellsouth, but still have no place to host it. Can't post it to my PWP. I hope that I can get that taken care of in time too.

Mike

Mike:

I have a dedicated server with a hosting firm were I have several websites. I'm creating a special one or two page site just for my short. If you still need a place, let me know and I can try to put up a one page site for your short as well! All I would need is your actual quicktime file or files and I can create a simple one pager for you.

I can't promise to keep it there for ever, but it should suffice for the challenge. :)

[Chris Thiele]

Originally Posted by Dylan Couper

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper.
Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.

How many extras do people have?
I was going to have two up until the day of shooting and they both have the flu pretty bad.
re-write of the script. Did I say re-write? New idea. Now it is raining outside and -3oC. (middle of winter here) Another re-write.
So I am fully solo now, indoors, but I have come up with a new script. I will get there in time! Must think about shooting now, it's Thursday 14th 9.30am here.

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Jeff Sayre

Mike:

I have a dedicated server with a hosting firm were I have several websites. I'm creating a special one or two page site just for my short. If you still need a place, let me know and I can try to put up a one page site for your short as well! All I would need is your actual quicktime file or files and I can create a simple one pager for you.

I can't promise to keep it there for ever, but it should suffice for the challenge. :)

Boy, I really appreciate that! I'm still trying to get it all together and maybe get another website in time, but if I don't, I will take you up on the offer. Now if I could just get my people together. Found out today that one of my people has to go to Miami tomorrow. He has to get a medical check-up, in order to stay on the heart transplant list! Perhaps I need younger actors?

Thank you very much,

Mike

[Dylan Couper]

Originally Posted by Chris Thiele

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper.
Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.

To be fair, the question was about feature film production. For many reasons, digital video film makers should aspire to maintain a similar shooting ratio. Cheap tape can cost you much more than you think, but this is a topic for a different thread.

[LeEarl Rugland]

OK I feel a little out of place, being this is my first ever go at shooting any type of short. I am actualy done right now except for one minor change in sound. I shot it all in one night with 3 high school students helping. We sat down for 15 min before and I explained it all to them. We had a blast! It only took 20 min of filming to get everything but man we had a lot of 2, 3 and 4 takes on stuff. It was a great time by all. I then edited the short in 1 night to get the look I needed. I do not have any fance equipment but the people I showed the short to thought it was pretty good, for having high school kids helping out. (all over 18 years old)

I can tell this will not be my last try at this! Thanks for the oportunity!

LeEarl

[Mike Teutsch]

Originally Posted by Chris Thiele

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper. Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.

This is what I am loving about digital. My Nikon D70 or my MiniDVs, just shoot all you want and throw away all the bad stuff. It is almost FREE, especially the D70. Erase and reshoot! My 1 gig card can bold 291 fine res pics. With the old 35mm film cameras, I was the blind squirrel looking for the acorn. Now, I don't care!

Mike

[Jeff Sayre]

Originally Posted by Mike Teutsch

Boy, I really appreciate that! I'm still trying to get it all together and maybe get another website in time, but if I don't, I will take you up on the offer. Now if I could just get my people together. Found out today that one of my people has to go to Miami tomorrow. He has to get a medical check-up, in order to stay on the heart transplant list! Perhaps I need younger actors?

Thank you very much,

Mike

Mike, if you decide to take me up on my offer, I would appreciate your file(s) by Friday afternoon no later than 2:00 EST. I have plans for that evening.

You may want to create a high-bandwidth and a low-bandwidth quicktime file. Some people do not have Quicktime 7 yet, so I would suggest saving in an earlier version.

Give me an email ahead of time if you're interested in this option and we can decide the best way to get your files. I do have a high-speed connection.

Good luck!