DVC #8 - The Lottery Will be Televised

[Hugh DiMauro]

Okay. Technically, it was a "10". I kinda felt it had a Kubrick quality to it but then again, I am not a deep thinker. I missed the symbolism until after you explained the visuals. You put alot of work into this and I appreciate that.

[Dylan Couper]

Pink Floyd called. He wants his hammers back.




(couldn't resist :)

[Bradley L Marlow]

(Dang it Dylan- that is EXACTLY what I was going to bring up) I kept having flashbacks to "Pink Floyd's - The Wall"

http://www.univie.ac.at/cga/art/img19.gif

Also, I think it was The Island that had a similar theme where they had a "give-a-way" which was all pre-rigged of course. Instead of a nice tropical vacation, they would be used for spare parts!.

Over all, I always enjoy your work Sean. It is fun to work to interpret these ideas as well as let your own mind develop possible meanings. Well done.

PS: By the way - whose face was that with the hammers?

[Sean McHenry]

Two notes, yeah, I tried to rework the hammers into a different graphic so as not to borrow something I didn't outright own but I failed to find the owner of the original prints and probably would never have gotten through to them anyway so yeah, I borrowed the hammers. Originally I had a graphic of my own in mind, like the original artwork in the Richard Burton, John Hurt version. Looked odd so I gave in to the dark side this time. (Don't try this at home kids).

Second point;
one of my actors told me I might not want to use that picture of Manson as it had such an evil menacing vibe to using anything related to an evil entity like that and I might not want to go there. I agreed but then had to tell him, that's a very old picture of - my dad. The picture itself isn't that menacing and in fact it's actually rather a good one of him but when you zero in on his eyes, he takes on a sort of Anton LaVey thing. Worked for me.

Glad it's generating some talking points.

Sean

[Bradley L Marlow]

Originally Posted by Sean McHenry

Second point;
one of my actors told me I might not want to use that picture of Manson as it had such an evil menacing vibe to using anything related to an evil entity like that and I might not want to go there. I agreed but then had to tell him, that's a very old picture of - my dad... Worked for me.

Glad it's generating some talking points.

Sean

LOL Sean! You are crackin' me up.

[Hugh DiMauro]

Sean:

Your dad looks like a movie star. My dad looks like a cross between Ben Gazzara, Robert Loggia and Gene Hackman. Then again, my grandmother looked like Karl Malden, so...

By the way, what am I doing up this late? Oh yeah! I just had a snack!

[Jeff Hendricks]

Definitely had that psychological/cerebral style of filmmaking that leaves you thinking for days afterward. I think that it is important to imitate style and form based on those we admire and obviously you have no quams about stating that you are a Lynch fan...I admire that. There is a saying that goes something like "we stand on the shoulders of giants"...David Lynch appears to be your giant. I have found this true for all aspects of life for myself...I stand on the shoulders of many different giants and from them I have come to find who I am...dang you film is making me think too deeply...and I seem to be going nowhere with this so let me say...

I really enjoyed it greatly...I agree with others who state that is has the Kubrick, The Wall and Orwellian styles mixed within but it may seem strange that the scene where the people get out of the car in masks reminded me of "Point Break" where they all get out of the van in ex-presidents masks...

Liked the mix of balck and white and raw coloring as well

Jeff

[Ruth Happel]

I didn't totally understand the message- your explanation was helpful. But I definitely enjoyed the surreal feel to it, a bit of Pink Floyd mixed with Orwell. And I liked the way it kept shifting, so as you got into a groove of watching, something would change- colorize, new scene, different actor. I think the way it kept me constantly off balance was neat. As everyone has said, this one makes you think. Well filmed, fun to watch.

[Jamey Hastings]

Hey Sean -

I definately got the Orwell/THX1138 vibes when I started watching your film. lol I saw that reference to THX actually in your color bars actually! :) Sneaky!

Overally I really liked your entry...it was really creepy and mysterious and the music you chose was perfect for that feel! Excellent use of symbolism too! I followed the story for the most part, the only time I got confused was with the prize patrol...until I read your posting I thought they were celebrating a funeral or something like that...which in a way I guess they were. I liked seeing the baloon stuck in the tree at the end too...that was a really beautiful shot...lol did you send the baloon up in the tree and hope it would pop there or did someone climb up and put it in the branches?

The other thing I thought about when I saw your film was this short story called "The Lottery." Read it? It's been a long time since I've read it, but I think I'd still recommend. :)

Jamey*

[Sean McHenry]

Thanks Jamey.
Actually, that tree branch is only about 5 ft off the ground so I just hung it there. Actually the balloon was the spare balloon that I got for the shoot, just in case one popped, and I knew I wanted to shoot a dead balloon in a field but finding the balloon isolated in the tree (and consequently closer to the heavens) was what David Lynch calls "A happy accident".

That particular balloon popped the moment we got out of the car. I just though, great, it's ready to shoot then. It all worked out fine. Glad you saw the ref in the bars. I wanted the bars to show the end of the "official" transmission and the rest just mysteriously shows up, like a ghost or a presence you aren't supposed to see.

I sometimes wonder, if the Matrix were real, what if the movie The Matrix was actually sent out by folks like Neo to see who they can wake up from this worlds secret sleep? What if it was a test to see if we were paying attention and had enough ability to see the real truth?

Might make an interesting movie in itself.

Thanks everyone. I like this stuff.

Sean

[Jamey Hastings]

Originally Posted by Sean McHenry

I sometimes wonder, if the Matrix were real, what if the movie The Matrix was actually sent out by folks like Neo to see who they can wake up from this worlds secret sleep? What if it was a test to see if we were paying attention and had enough ability to see the real truth?

Might make an interesting movie in itself.

LOL! You're quite the conspiracy theorist...although it's definately something to think about. VERRRRRY interesting...and yes...might make a good movie! :)

[Jamey Hastings]

Originally Posted by Sean McHenry

Actually, that tree branch is only about 5 ft off the ground so I just hung it there. Actually the balloon was the spare balloon that I got for the shoot, just in case one popped, and I knew I wanted to shoot a dead balloon in a field but finding the balloon isolated in the tree (and consequently closer to the heavens) was what David Lynch calls "A happy accident".

My favorite film professor in college use to use the phrase "happy accident" all the time. I definately picked it up. Not sure if he stole it from Lynch or if it was just a "happy accident" that he came up with it it. In any case, happy accidents are the best! :)