DVC 12 "Guests"

[Robert Martens]

Any chance you're the one on the right (our right) sitting at the table with his buddy, laughing, in the white t-shirt?

[Jay Kavi]

HA! close! Thats the DP. I'm the big guy in the hoodie.

[Tor-Atle Kindsbekken]

I think this was a really great idea. I love the story/concept :-) I also like experimental films like this one ;-) The music is great for setting the mood.

I love the way it's cut. These fast cuts works very well for me. When you're starting to get a clue of what's happening it disapears in the exact right moment to keep me interesting to see more ;-) I think that's great and keeps me interested in watching it to the end... and to see what happens in the end ;-) it could have been booring with slower cutting ;-)

My critique must be that the image is a littlebit to dark for my taste for wide shots like this... Especially on that low resolution youtube clip, I have to concentrate a lot to see what's going on in that dark room. Another critique is that I'm waiting for something really interesting to happen that never comes... This film would have been a winner if there was happening something more interesting things in that hotel room. I'm sitting all the time and wait for something more interesting than people just brushing their teeth and reading a book... I'm waiting for someone to dress up in a crazy outfit, prepairing for a crazy party... someone to be killed... take drugs... or to call a prostitute and have sex... SOMETHING controvercial in a way or another to keep me entertained. The film keeps me interested all the way to the end, but when the film is finished, I feel a bit disapointed that the film didn't show me what I expected if you know what I mean ;-)

Except from that, I LOVE this idea/story. I would love to see a remake of it with more dramatic content... because that would make this film a really excellent piece of work in my opinion ;-)

[Lee Stokes]

Originally Posted by Tor-Atle Kindsbekken

My critique must be that the image is a littlebit to dark for my taste for wide shots like this... Especially on that low resolution youtube clip, I have to concentrate a lot to see what's going on in that dark room. Another critique is that I'm waiting for something really interesting to happen that never comes... This film would have been a winner if there was happening something more interesting things in that hotel room. I'm sitting all the time and wait for something more interesting than people just brushing their teeth and reading a book... I'm waiting for someone to dress up in a crazy outfit, prepairing for a crazy party... someone to be killed... take drugs... or to call a prostitute and have sex... SOMETHING controvercial in a way or another to keep me entertained. The film keeps me interested all the way to the end, but when the film is finished, I feel a bit disapointed that the film didn't show me what I expected if you know what I mean ;-)

Hey Tor-Atle...
I agree that the darkness of the video is a little disappointing for us as well. We used a lens we didn't have time to test beforehand. Now we know. Hopefully you can view the links that Jay posted earlier in this thread, as they show up much better.

And two of the things you mention actually do take place in our piece (the drugs & the guy wiating for his hooker). But I know exactly what you mean about the overall effect when seen in its entirety, like it leaves you wanting more.
Two factors led to that... 1) using amateur actors we had never met before in a seedy motel in South San Francisco. Hardly the circumstances which makes them comfortable with anything too edgy. If we had more time to get to know them, and maybe having everything written down (we literally came up with a scenario for each of our actors as the arrived), maybe we could have pulled somethng more satisfying overall.
And 2) simply the length of the piece. I would love myself to see a longer cut of the movie. I will work on enticing the editor to re-cut it!

Thanks for your thoughts, very much appreciated!

Lee

[Dick Mays]

Originally Posted by Jay Kavi

Dick - Next time, all smut! just for you ;)

Thanks! But seriously, no smut required.

However, a little good clean sexual chemistry is always welcomed!

[Robert Martens]

Originally Posted by Jay Kavi

HA! close! Thats the DP. I'm the big guy in the hoodie.

Ah, man, I never get these things right. That's why I didn't guess the first time.

In the downloadable, brighter versions, did you have to compensate for vignetting from the lens, or is it just naturally that even across the picture? I've got my own adapter (not as good as a Letus, I'm sure), and a few lenses that work wonders, but I have one with a 35mm focal length that's a 3.5, and it vignettes like you wouldn't believe. I expected it to be dark, sure, but it falls off around the edges like crazy. Your lens is even wider, with a smaller aperture, and looks brighter edge-to-edge.

Strange, but then again I'm using a different camera, adapter, lens, and mount system, so any number of things could cause my problem. And I have a zoom lens, of all things, that goes to 35mm on the wide end but is bright as day and looks perfectly flat all the way across the image, so ... I just don't understand optics well enough, I suppose is the answer.

[Tor-Atle Kindsbekken]

Lee: You're right, the drug is there ;-)
Please let us know if you make a re-cut... post it here ;-)
I'm sure we all would like to watch it ;-)

[Jay Kavi]

Originally Posted by Robert Martens

Ah, man, I never get these things right. That's why I didn't guess the first time.

In the downloadable, brighter versions, did you have to compensate for vignetting from the lens, or is it just naturally that even across the picture? I've got my own adapter (not as good as a Letus, I'm sure), and a few lenses that work wonders, but I have one with a 35mm focal length that's a 3.5, and it vignettes like you wouldn't believe. I expected it to be dark, sure, but it falls off around the edges like crazy. Your lens is even wider, with a smaller aperture, and looks brighter edge-to-edge.

Strange, but then again I'm using a different camera, adapter, lens, and mount system, so any number of things could cause my problem. And I have a zoom lens, of all things, that goes to 35mm on the wide end but is bright as day and looks perfectly flat all the way across the image, so ... I just don't understand optics well enough, I suppose is the answer.

Robert, it totally was the lens. We rented some special one that had some kinda fancy correction (at least thats what the rental guy told me). I'm new to the whole 35mm adapter thing so I'm not sure, ill ask the dp about it more.