DVC 4 feedback for "Earthling Chronicle" at DVinfo.net

Benjamin Durin · December 19th, 2005, 12:58 AM

This is where you can see "Earthling Chronicle" : http://markets.specialists.free.fr/dvc4/entry.html.

Shot with a Panasonic GS400. The internal micro was used, it is why the sound is not very good (but better than what I expected).

We live in Taiwan, Aurore and I, and Taiwan is full of ghosts, evil spirits and a lot of gods. So we decided to use the fact that we were in Taiwan with all these ghosts around us. Here, the students go to the temples before exams, girls and women go to the temple to ask for a husband or to have a healthy baby, people go to the temple before a trial, my wife even went to the temple to ask if she'd better find a new job. When somebody dies, one has to burn paper money to give to the ghost or he will come back haunt the family.

I think you get the picture now.

This story is about a guy who, contrary to everyone around him, doesn't believe in gods or spirits. And you can see what happens around him. We found the idea funny but the result is not funny as I wanted. Oh well !

The actor is Taiwanese and we asked him to learn the text in English overnight, both didn't help. The poor guy hardly slept and had difficulties with some words but he was very nice and never complained. Thanks a lot to you Patrick.

Jimmy Bustos · December 19th, 2005, 01:34 AM

Hi Benjamin,
I thought it was well-shot, great locations.
At first I thought you where trying to make a serious documentary style short, but closer to the end, I realized you where trying for the "Mockumentary" style, by that time it was too late for me, I was still I serious mode, to catch the joke. I think a faster pace of editing and some funky music combined with the music you used would of made this work a little better. I think Patrick did a good job.

Lorinda Norton · December 19th, 2005, 02:21 AM

Thank you, Benjamin, for the explanation! I'm sorry; I think several factors may have gotten some of us way off track. I thought your guy was being completely serious the whole time! Now that I think back to his place there at the end being a big pile of rubble..... that's pretty funny!!

I should have known that anyone who puts "Crappy Version" on his smaller Quicktime link has a good sense of humor.

Nice work. Many of your outdoor images are beautiful! And tell Patrick Henry Wei he did just fine. :)

Lorinda Norton · December 19th, 2005, 02:31 AM

I just watched it again through my "new eyes." Yes, Benjamin, that's good comedy!!!! :)

Dick Mays · December 19th, 2005, 04:11 AM

I love dthis one. Very, very funny. The non believer, confronting the superstition of his peers, superior in his intellectual understanding of the myths. But conflicted by the unexplainable results. The gambling stuff was great. Beautiful location and shots. Can't get pictures like that one here in Hoschton, Georgia!

Benjamin Durin · December 19th, 2005, 05:02 AM

Thanks for all your comments.
I am glad that some of you find the movie funny.
It seems that a lot of people think it is a real documentary (even outside of DV Info), well Patrick did too great a job !

Jean-Francois Robichaud · December 19th, 2005, 10:11 AM

I liked this one. I too thought the gambling bit was a nice touch: gambling as a remplacement of religion... On of the best uses of the theme so far. The best thing was the quick insertions of the statues with the sound. It's what made me realise that it was a mockumentary.

The actor did a great job considering English is not his main language. But I had to pay really close attention to every word he said, in order to get everything.

However, I think the editing could have been a bit tighter.

Mitchell Stookey · December 19th, 2005, 12:14 PM

I thought this one was excellent. I loved the story, and how many layers there really were. Wildly entertaining and very interesting because of the great difference in cultures. I loved the dark humor.

Tyler Baptist · December 19th, 2005, 01:15 PM

Really good, and humorous story. I loved the cutting back to the drum every once in a while to pound the impending 'forces' home. Haha. Good work.

Craig Bellaire · December 20th, 2005, 09:26 AM

Ok this was a very intersting film. Though after reading you post I guess it was to be funny... Well I took it as more of a documentetry.. which is why I think it held my attention till the end... The ghost/spirits looked a bit to fake to me.. anyway i liked it..

Benjamin Durin · December 21st, 2005, 09:23 PM

Thanks for all your good words.

I will try to improve my editing for the next one, as some of you think it could have been tighter.

After finishing the movie, I realised that we should have asked Patrick to translate the text in Chinese and speak in Chinese. It would have been much easier for him and maybe also better for the mood. Would it bother you if it was in Chinese with English subtitles ?

Craig, I'd appreciate if you can send me some photos of evil spirits. I never saw one myself so I don't know how to make one that looks real.
Just joking here ;)

Craig Bellaire · December 22nd, 2005, 05:00 AM

OK you got me... I can't send a picture.. ha ha ha ..Well I'm am not good in after effects but I think maybe with a bit of trial and error they might be able to just be a bit non cartoonish. But again I don't think I could have done any better myself... Again good video

Sean McHenry · December 22nd, 2005, 10:02 AM

"I see dead people".

On the idea of subtitles, I think that would have been fine. If I had to lear a new language or speak in French and am not used to it, as well as try to act, I would probably be worse than I am now.

Subtitles might have helped actually as he would have felt more natural and might have been able to concentrate more on his delivery.

Sean McHenry

Patrick Henry Wei · March 5th, 2006, 01:37 PM

Hi there...

Finally found this web site....
First of all... Thanks Benjamin gave me the chance to take a part in his work.
He is really a nice guy and did a great job. I was happy to work with him and Aurora.
And then, thank you guys love his work, although I think I did not do it very well lol. But anyway, thanks again.....

Benjamin Durin · March 11th, 2006, 09:10 PM

Hey everybody, look who's here !
It is the famous Patrick, leading role in the famous Earthling chronicle !

Well, ok. Maybe not famous, not yet. But one day maybe.

Patrick, good to see you here. I hope we can work together again. The DV Challenge 5 has already begun but I am not in because I will be a dad within a week.

Ah, life !

Benjamin.

December 19th, 2005, 12:58 AM	#1
Benjamin Durin Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 212	DVC 4 feedback for "Earthling Chronicle" This is where you can see "Earthling Chronicle" : http://markets.specialists.free.fr/dvc4/entry.html. Shot with a Panasonic GS400. The internal micro was used, it is why the sound is not very good (but better than what I expected). We live in Taiwan, Aurore and I, and Taiwan is full of ghosts, evil spirits and a lot of gods. So we decided to use the fact that we were in Taiwan with all these ghosts around us. Here, the students go to the temples before exams, girls and women go to the temple to ask for a husband or to have a healthy baby, people go to the temple before a trial, my wife even went to the temple to ask if she'd better find a new job. When somebody dies, one has to burn paper money to give to the ghost or he will come back haunt the family. I think you get the picture now. This story is about a guy who, contrary to everyone around him, doesn't believe in gods or spirits. And you can see what happens around him. We found the idea funny but the result is not funny as I wanted. Oh well ! The actor is Taiwanese and we asked him to learn the text in English overnight, both didn't help. The poor guy hardly slept and had difficulties with some words but he was very nice and never complained. Thanks a lot to you Patrick.

December 19th, 2005, 02:21 AM	#3
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	Thank you, Benjamin, for the explanation! I'm sorry; I think several factors may have gotten some of us way off track. I thought your guy was being completely serious the whole time! Now that I think back to his place there at the end being a big pile of rubble..... that's pretty funny!! I should have known that anyone who puts "Crappy Version" on his smaller Quicktime link has a good sense of humor. Nice work. Many of your outdoor images are beautiful! And tell Patrick Henry Wei he did just fine. :) __________________ Lorinda

December 19th, 2005, 02:31 AM	#4
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	I just watched it again through my "new eyes." Yes, Benjamin, that's good comedy!!!! :) __________________ Lorinda

December 19th, 2005, 05:02 AM	#6
Benjamin Durin Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 212	Thanks for all your comments. I am glad that some of you find the movie funny. It seems that a lot of people think it is a real documentary (even outside of DV Info), well Patrick did too great a job ! Last edited by Benjamin Durin; December 19th, 2005 at 10:47 PM.

December 19th, 2005, 01:15 PM	#9
Tyler Baptist Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Saskatoon, SK Canada Posts: 71	Really good, and humorous story. I loved the cutting back to the drum every once in a while to pound the impending 'forces' home. Haha. Good work. __________________ Tyler Baptist

December 19th, 2005, 01:34 AM	#2
Jimmy Bustos New Boot Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 24	Hi Benjamin, I thought it was well-shot, great locations. At first I thought you where trying to make a serious documentary style short, but closer to the end, I realized you where trying for the "Mockumentary" style, by that time it was too late for me, I was still I serious mode, to catch the joke. I think a faster pace of editing and some funky music combined with the music you used would of made this work a little better. I think Patrick did a good job.

December 19th, 2005, 04:11 AM	#5
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	I love dthis one. Very, very funny. The non believer, confronting the superstition of his peers, superior in his intellectual understanding of the myths. But conflicted by the unexplainable results. The gambling stuff was great. Beautiful location and shots. Can't get pictures like that one here in Hoschton, Georgia!

December 19th, 2005, 10:11 AM	#7
Jean-Francois Robichaud Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 142	I liked this one. I too thought the gambling bit was a nice touch: gambling as a remplacement of religion... On of the best uses of the theme so far. The best thing was the quick insertions of the statues with the sound. It's what made me realise that it was a mockumentary. The actor did a great job considering English is not his main language. But I had to pay really close attention to every word he said, in order to get everything. However, I think the editing could have been a bit tighter.

December 19th, 2005, 12:14 PM	#8
Mitchell Stookey Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 196	I thought this one was excellent. I loved the story, and how many layers there really were. Wildly entertaining and very interesting because of the great difference in cultures. I loved the dark humor.

December 20th, 2005, 09:26 AM	#10
Craig Bellaire Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 422	review Ok this was a very intersting film. Though after reading you post I guess it was to be funny... Well I took it as more of a documentetry.. which is why I think it held my attention till the end... The ghost/spirits looked a bit to fake to me.. anyway i liked it.. __________________ Craig Bellaire www.VerticalVideoSolutions.com

December 21st, 2005, 09:23 PM	#11
Benjamin Durin Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 212	Thanks for all your good words. I will try to improve my editing for the next one, as some of you think it could have been tighter. After finishing the movie, I realised that we should have asked Patrick to translate the text in Chinese and speak in Chinese. It would have been much easier for him and maybe also better for the mood. Would it bother you if it was in Chinese with English subtitles ? Craig, I'd appreciate if you can send me some photos of evil spirits. I never saw one myself so I don't know how to make one that looks real. Just joking here ;)

December 22nd, 2005, 05:00 AM	#12
Craig Bellaire Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 422	Good Point OK you got me... I can't send a picture.. ha ha ha ..Well I'm am not good in after effects but I think maybe with a bit of trial and error they might be able to just be a bit non cartoonish. But again I don't think I could have done any better myself... Again good video __________________ Craig Bellaire www.VerticalVideoSolutions.com

December 22nd, 2005, 10:02 AM	#13
Sean McHenry Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 1,193	"I see dead people". On the idea of subtitles, I think that would have been fine. If I had to lear a new language or speak in French and am not used to it, as well as try to act, I would probably be worse than I am now. Subtitles might have helped actually as he would have felt more natural and might have been able to concentrate more on his delivery. Sean McHenry __________________ ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m shooting on D.V.’ - my hero - David Lynch http://www.DeepBlueEdit.com

March 5th, 2006, 01:37 PM	#14
Patrick Henry Wei Tourist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 2	Finally here Hi there... Finally found this web site.... First of all... Thanks Benjamin gave me the chance to take a part in his work. He is really a nice guy and did a great job. I was happy to work with him and Aurora. And then, thank you guys love his work, although I think I did not do it very well lol. But anyway, thanks again.....

March 11th, 2006, 09:10 PM	#15
Benjamin Durin Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 212	Hey everybody, look who's here ! It is the famous Patrick, leading role in the famous Earthling chronicle ! Well, ok. Maybe not famous, not yet. But one day maybe. Patrick, good to see you here. I hope we can work together again. The DV Challenge 5 has already begun but I am not in because I will be a dad within a week. Ah, life ! Benjamin.