DVC16 - "Noodle Time" - Jeremy Doyle

[Jeremy Doyle]

I had several different ideas for this contest, each seeming a little more elaborate than the next. I talked with friends and everyone was busy. Wanting to keep my name of the wall of shame I went back to the drawing board to figure out what I could make with the resources at hand. Then it hit me. Cute kids.

With my wife being out of town for the weekend, I called in reinforcements (a couple of my nieces). When they arrived I told them "we're gonna make a short this weekend". They didn't object so Noodle Time was made.

I look forward to the day when my daughter reaches an age where she realizes the grossness of eating the noodle that was stuck to her nose. Although that will probably be the day she stops liking me so maybe I shouldn't be looking to forward to it.

It was shot in my porch, with my handy dandy Canon HV20 set to 24f mode. A cheap wireless mic for sound, edited in FCP. Graphical elements done in photoshop, animated in AE. The 3D noodle time wipe was created in Kinemac which I got as part of the last machiest bundle.

[Chris Barcellos]

Cute concept, and it definitely kept the food theme in the forefront. I liked the instant replay idea, and the competition idea was fun too. Like the shot off them kicking each others feet. Graphics added to the siliness in a fun way. Nice job !

[Robert Martens]

Just after the fifty-eight second mark is the shot that defines this movie for me; "what are you lookin' at, punk?"

The lower thirds were a great touch, though I would have kept them up a little longer. Not much, maybe just an extra second. I was able to read them the way they are now, but it was a bit of a race.

Lila pulling off the sunglasses is another little touch that I love. Adds a lot to the "competition" feel, and almost reminds me of some kind of poker tournament. She could be the Phil Hellmuth of competitive spaghetti eating.

When you first posted the two teaser photos in the earlier discussion thread I didn't realize what I was looking at at first. Only when I looked at them a second time did I realize there were child seats in the chairs. I suspected you'd be going for 'cute' when I noticed, and I was right. It was a fun short, and who could resist anything narrated by Pokey?

[Clint Harmon]

First off, no fair. I don't have cute children at my disposal. Great lighting and fantastic shots. I love seeing great footage come from a "consumer" camera. On the other hand, I was confused at the start of the video. Seemed over the top "way back in" to the point that I thought I was about to watch a sci-fi flic taking place eons ago. Then it seemed to transition to a recorded sporting event, then finally switching again to a live coverage event. That is really my only criticism. The movie was entertaining, beautiful footage, cute kids, and jabs me in the side reminding me that I am no graphic artist. Good show.

[Lorinda Norton]

WOW! Jeremy, that was GREAT!

At the risk of sounding like a real battleaxe I’ll admit I’m normally not a fan of kid movies. So while I was watching this for the first time I kept thinking, “You don’t like this kind of stuff. Why are you smiling?” :)

When you got the shot of the noodle falling into your daughter’s mouth I laughed out loud. That was a great catch--on both counts.

Loved the music choices; I especially loved it when the battle got serious and the expressions on the kids' faces changed with the music. Hilarious.

I am amazed at your technical abilities (have you been hiding them or am I that forgetful?). But I’m loving the concept of this, as well. Because I don’t watch much TV I had to assume the format, the style, the girls' commentary, etc. was all patterned after competitions broadcast on television, but it didn’t take much to appreciate the humor.

I hope you’re pretty proud of this film because you should be.

[Jeremy Doyle]

Originally Posted by Robert Martens

The lower thirds were a great touch, though I would have kept them up a little longer. Not much, maybe just an extra second.

I was having a tough time deciding if I should put them where they are or where the kids are introduced by the commentator. If I had put them at the later point I could have left them up longer (and I think they would have been better there upon subsequent viewings), but I had already made them for the spot that I put them. Although it would not have taken much to make them longer, I decided it wasn't worth it. And yes, sometimes, I am that lazy.

Originally Posted by Clint Harmon

. Seemed over the top "way back in" to the point that I thought I was about to watch a sci-fi flic taking place eons ago. Then it seemed to transition to a recorded sporting event, then finally switching again to a live coverage event.

The way back was meant to be funny. I always laugh when I turn on the ESPN Classics channel and they're replaying a game from the week before. My concept was to play off that.

Originally Posted by Clint Harmon

I love seeing great footage come from a "consumer" camera..

I'm pretty impressed with that little camera, although I probably should upload a version of it before I ran it through Color. The original is much flatter and I did use some secondaries to better highlight areas of focus.

And several of the shots are out of focus because its just harder for me to focus without a proper ring plus I was just using the LCD screen.

Originally Posted by Lorinda Norton

At the risk of sounding like a real battleaxe I’ll admit I’m normally not a fan of kid movies. So while I was watching this for the first time I kept thinking, “You don’t like this kind of stuff. Why are you smiling?” :)

Really? You don't like kid movies? And here I thought I was laying a trump card with the cute kid factor. I'm glad it made you laugh when you were telling yourself you shouldn't be liking it. That's a big compliment. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Lorinda Norton

I am amazed at your technical abilities (have you been hiding them or am I that forgetful?).

I don't know the answer to this, so I guess you'll have to go back in the archives and watch my previous submissions. (he says as a shameless plug for his old entries)

[Dick Mays]

Jeremey,

I love the credits, and the "lower third?" Didn't know what that term meant. Loved the computer generated characters which evolve into the descriptions. Someday I may try to learn how to do titles well, but I have a feeling that could suck up a lot of time, playing with those.

Pretty watchable short film. However, I wasn't able to eat anything yesterday after viewing this. Still feel a little nauseous. You should add a viewer advisor at the beginning.

Also, I think in shot 3:56, you can see that a clear win was had by E.J.
The fix was obviously in on the competition, with the two female judges trying to preserve respectability, and not giving E.J. his due.

I'd lodge a protest if I were E.J.

[Jeremy Doyle]

Originally Posted by Dick Mays

Jeremey,

I love the credits, and the "lower third?" Didn't know what that term meant. Loved the computer generated characters which evolve into the descriptions.

A lower third is the same as the name key. It's the part with the computer generated characters in this particular short. It's given that name because, well, it takes up the bottom third of the screen.

Originally Posted by Dick Mays

I'd lodge a protest if I were E.J.

I'm pretty sure what's he gets a little older and realizes he was duked, he'll make more of a stink.

[Keith Heyward]

I like the beginning titles. It really sets the comic mood. And the shots were great. I have an HV20 and it always amazes me what can come out of that little machine. I like the looking down shot when E.J. sticks his hand up as if he won. I also was a little nauseous after words. Great job.

[Joseph Tran]

A great, great piece, Jeremy! The motion graphics are very slick, the music choice was excellent, and the editing was top notch!

I got the off the top, ESPN classic gag at the beginning of the piece, and you kept that mood nicely throughout with your cuts.

Most parents have enough trouble just getting footage of their kids... you, however, have captured their antics in a most creative way. AND you have footage to embarass your daughter with when she reaches the dating stage. The food into the nose, which my crew and I all laughed at, makes an especially great illustration for potential idiot boyfriends.

Wonderful how you got your porch to look like a soundstage. How'd you do that?

And I agree with Robert -- who can resist commentary by Pokey?

[Lorinda Norton]

Sorry to be so ignorant here but....who is Pokey?

[Robert Martens]

Pokey is Gumby's sidekick from the old stop-motion series; I thought the pitch shift Jeremy used in his film made his voice sound kind of like the character's.

[Jeremy Doyle]

Originally Posted by Joseph Tran

Wonderful how you got your porch to look like a soundstage. How'd you do that?

It was pretty simple. I moved all the crap (kids toys) to one half of the room. Closed the blinds and hung a 54" by 12' piece of black fleece behind them to cover left over distractions.

I wasn't able to get it as closed off as I'd have liked to. Ideally I would have had them completely surrounded by black. The painters plastic on the floor was for obvious reasons.

[Keith Heyward]

Wow! Awesome! I like seeing what your set looks like. You did a great job making it look like a sports center episode shot in a studio!

[Mike Horrigan]

Nice pics of the set!

This was pretty cute. Looks like you all had fun with it.
Some nice slowmo shots but the fix was clearly in! Biased judges. ;)

Mike