DVC5 "Jeremy's Letters" - Feedback

Sean McHenry · April 15th, 2006, 01:22 AM

What codecs were used on bith the wmv and QT versions? I can't get either one to play here. Remember, I'm an Avid guy and can't randomly add codecs so if you used any exotic codecs, I won't be able to view this one.

Let me know what you used so I can check my system or load the codecs on another machine to wathc it there.

Thanks. Looking forward to seeing it.

Sean McHenry

Dick Mays · April 15th, 2006, 11:08 AM

Sean,

I'm not sure what I used, I think it was H.264 QT and WMV 9.0

I won't be back home until Monday, but maybe I will be allowed to render it again in a different code and post another version.

I've got outtakes too. I think it would be neat to see everybodies outtakes!

Dick

Robert Kirkpatrick · April 15th, 2006, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick Mays

By the time we finished, the "his lighting" was substantially different from the "her" lighting, and I had to play with gamma, contrast, and color hue to get it to match the best I could.

I had the very same problem shooting with my FX1. When we started our film, the forecast called for a completely overcast day. Halfway through, the sun came out of nowhere and blew everything out.

You did a VERY good job getting them to match. The only thing I could suggest is just a little less contrast on the guy shots, or more contrast on the girl. The exact settings I couldn't tell you. You did a good job of doing a 2-person dialogue sequence and keeping the cuts and composition interesting.

Sean McHenry · April 15th, 2006, 04:30 PM

Dick,
It's OK now. I downloaded it and I can see it from the hard drive but not direct for some reason. Aside from that little tech issue, and that doesn't count at all - Freaking amazing. That was like watching the opening scenes from a feature. Well executed and planned. In other words, stuff I wish I had done.

Great acting. We seldom get that level of people to help us out. Great all around.

My only minor issue is, I know the guy didn't write her while he was away but I don't quite understand her really strong positive reaction to him saying he would write. If we knew he was incapable of writing, or had never written anyone anywhere, it might have been the push I needed there. Still, excellent.

Sean McHenry

Dick Mays · April 16th, 2006, 12:58 AM

Sean,

Thanks for the nice comments. I plan to shoot a feature some day, so my shorts tend to look more like scenes from movies rather than complete stories.

You ask why is she so excited that he will write her letters? Why indeed! If the audience doesn't get it from the story, I'll never tell.

I'm surprised no one asked about the father of the baby.
(My two year old daughter Caroline played the part and went uncredited.)

Hugh DiMauro · April 17th, 2006, 07:34 AM

Dick:

Music was well used and in all the right places. Camera work was good and great choice for the male and female leads. I think this might be your genre. I wish I could nail it like you. Thank you. The letters from a soldier angle hit me the most.

Sean McHenry · April 17th, 2006, 08:18 AM

I think we all made certain assumptions. Mine was that he is not the father (Wow, sorry, that sounded like a Maury thing didn't it?) and that it was some mistake she had made. That theory even follows her dialog as she says something rather round about like it wasn't anything that meant something to her, or something like that.

My assumption was they were close, she made a bad judgement call and he took off for the military to escape his seeming rejection.

I can creat a whole backstory in my head that fills it in. I always try to do that with anything I do. Leave enough small blank spots to let the audience tell the story to themselves. I always think that makes it so much more personal. We may all walk away with a slightly different take on it but hey, isn't that just like art then?

Good job.

Sean

Kris Holodak · April 17th, 2006, 11:07 AM

I read the baby thing the same way Sean did. But now that you mention it, did you have an interpretation in mind that you were expecting or hoping we'd get?

Dick Mays · April 17th, 2006, 03:45 PM

Kris and Sean,

I'm glad your guys got it the way I intended. For some reason, several people in Barrow county that saw the short, assumed he ran away from the problem, and that the baby was his. Probably because 80% of the births in this County are to unwed mothers.

Sean, I'm like you, I like leaving a few holes for the audience ot fill in. Thanks to all of you for the kind comments. I'm behind on reviewing all the entries, but hope to be able to catch up tonight.

Dick

Philip Gioja · April 18th, 2006, 07:29 PM

I pretty much read it the way Sean described -- she made a mistake and got pregnant by someone else, he got upset/hurt and left, she came around and realized how much he meant to her, and wrote him letters in the hope of winning him back. He never returns the letters. The ending is meant to be him forgiving her at least partly, by letting her back into his life at least a little bit. That's why she's so happy -- she feels relieved and forgiven, and the letters are a symbol of that.

Do you have your outtakes uploaded somewhere? I'm putting mine up tonight, as well as an extended director's cut (extra minute or so) and my initial green-screen mirror test.

April 15th, 2006, 01:22 AM	#16
Sean McHenry Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 1,193	What codecs were used on bith the wmv and QT versions? I can't get either one to play here. Remember, I'm an Avid guy and can't randomly add codecs so if you used any exotic codecs, I won't be able to view this one. Let me know what you used so I can check my system or load the codecs on another machine to wathc it there. Thanks. Looking forward to seeing it. 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

April 15th, 2006, 04:30 PM	#19
Sean McHenry Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 1,193	Dick, It's OK now. I downloaded it and I can see it from the hard drive but not direct for some reason. Aside from that little tech issue, and that doesn't count at all - Freaking amazing. That was like watching the opening scenes from a feature. Well executed and planned. In other words, stuff I wish I had done. Great acting. We seldom get that level of people to help us out. Great all around. My only minor issue is, I know the guy didn't write her while he was away but I don't quite understand her really strong positive reaction to him saying he would write. If we knew he was incapable of writing, or had never written anyone anywhere, it might have been the push I needed there. Still, excellent. 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

April 17th, 2006, 07:34 AM	#21
Hugh DiMauro Trustee Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,207	Dick: Music was well used and in all the right places. Camera work was good and great choice for the male and female leads. I think this might be your genre. I wish I could nail it like you. Thank you. The letters from a soldier angle hit me the most. __________________ Interesting, if true. And interesting anyway.

April 17th, 2006, 08:18 AM	#22
Sean McHenry Trustee Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Hilliard, Ohio Posts: 1,193	I think we all made certain assumptions. Mine was that he is not the father (Wow, sorry, that sounded like a Maury thing didn't it?) and that it was some mistake she had made. That theory even follows her dialog as she says something rather round about like it wasn't anything that meant something to her, or something like that. My assumption was they were close, she made a bad judgement call and he took off for the military to escape his seeming rejection. I can creat a whole backstory in my head that fills it in. I always try to do that with anything I do. Leave enough small blank spots to let the audience tell the story to themselves. I always think that makes it so much more personal. We may all walk away with a slightly different take on it but hey, isn't that just like art then? Good job. Sean __________________ ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, and I’m shooting on D.V.’ - my hero - David Lynch http://www.DeepBlueEdit.com

April 17th, 2006, 11:07 AM	#23
Kris Holodak Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 302	Did you have a right answer in mind? I read the baby thing the same way Sean did. But now that you mention it, did you have an interpretation in mind that you were expecting or hoping we'd get?

April 15th, 2006, 11:08 AM	#17
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Sean, I'm not sure what I used, I think it was H.264 QT and WMV 9.0 I won't be back home until Monday, but maybe I will be allowed to render it again in a different code and post another version. I've got outtakes too. I think it would be neat to see everybodies outtakes! Dick

April 16th, 2006, 12:58 AM	#20
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Sean, Thanks for the nice comments. I plan to shoot a feature some day, so my shorts tend to look more like scenes from movies rather than complete stories. You ask why is she so excited that he will write her letters? Why indeed! If the audience doesn't get it from the story, I'll never tell. I'm surprised no one asked about the father of the baby. (My two year old daughter Caroline played the part and went uncredited.)

April 17th, 2006, 03:45 PM	#24
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Whose baby was it? Kris and Sean, I'm glad your guys got it the way I intended. For some reason, several people in Barrow county that saw the short, assumed he ran away from the problem, and that the baby was his. Probably because 80% of the births in this County are to unwed mothers. Sean, I'm like you, I like leaving a few holes for the audience ot fill in. Thanks to all of you for the kind comments. I'm behind on reviewing all the entries, but hope to be able to catch up tonight. Dick

April 18th, 2006, 07:29 PM	#25
Philip Gioja Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Piper City, IL Posts: 350	I pretty much read it the way Sean described -- she made a mistake and got pregnant by someone else, he got upset/hurt and left, she came around and realized how much he meant to her, and wrote him letters in the hope of winning him back. He never returns the letters. The ending is meant to be him forgiving her at least partly, by letting her back into his life at least a little bit. That's why she's so happy -- she feels relieved and forgiven, and the letters are a symbol of that. Do you have your outtakes uploaded somewhere? I'm putting mine up tonight, as well as an extended director's cut (extra minute or so) and my initial green-screen mirror test.