Scene From Feature w/HD200 and Mini35

[Brian Duke]

I have not been here in a while. Film production can take its toll. In any event, I wanted to share with those who are curious about the project I worked on so here is a clip:

Any feedback is obviously appreciate, good or bad.

YouTube - Last Score Chop Shop

We should complete it within 2-3 months due to some unfortunately delays. I will take any questions.

[John-Paul Bonadonna]

GLORIOUS! There are complete projects which make it to network TV that don't have as much talent squeezed into all parts of the production as that clip!

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by John-Paul Bonadonna

GLORIOUS! There are complete projects which make it to network TV that don't have as much talent squeezed into all parts of the production as that clip!

Thanks man. Appreciate your time and feedback.


Anyone else? Even if it is bad I don't mind hearing it, as long as you explain why.

Thanks again

[Claude Mangold]

Duke, I loved the shop's atmosphere throughout. And those hues ! And that light through the window ! JVC look at its best, makes me almost feel that film would yield a less attractive image! (but silver screen is a lot thougher than youtube and maybe i'm just in love with that JVC look&feel)

It's always difficult to opine on the basis of a single scene, but Carlos&co are beautifully cast.

What disturbed me a bit (it's a matter of taste) is the short focal length used in the wide shots and the reverse shots. The casting and set seemed to me strong enough to hold their own without this, resulting also in a difficult pan shot. and not helped by the dialogue which goes in a circle just a moment over the cash issue (an editing issue, maybe) when the focal length would suggest a short comic relief or snap resolution.

Now forget this academic syrup I just wrote and congrats on this great scene.

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Duke, I loved the shop's atmosphere throughout. And those hues ! And that light through the window ! JVC look at its best, makes me almost feel that film would yield a less attractive image! (but silver screen is a lot thougher than youtube and maybe i'm just in love with that JVC look&feel)

It's always difficult to opine on the basis of a single scene, but Carlos&co are beautifully cast.

What disturbed me a bit (it's a matter of taste) is the short focal length used in the wide shots and the reverse shots. The casting and set seemed to me strong enough to hold their own without this, resulting also in a difficult pan shot. and not helped by the dialogue which goes in a circle just a moment over the cash issue (an editing issue, maybe) when the focal length would suggest a short comic relief or snap resolution.

Now forget this academic syrup I just wrote and congrats on this great scene.

Thanks so much for your critique. Just wanna make sure I understand you. Are you saying the problem is lens issues? Not sure I understand that part. Yeah I sorta agree on the money thing. The scene used to be another minute and it was cut. I think itflows better now, and like you said you will have to see the whole thing to really give a better opinion, but I will accept anything now.

Since we had less than 6 hours to shoot this I am pretty happy with the way it came out, but again, I will take any criticism from anyone.

Duke

[Claude Mangold]

Brian, I didn't mean to be critical at all since it'^s a very very handsome sequence you are sharing with us.

I was a bit unprecise indeed about the remark on choice of lens . please don't think of it as a problem which it certainly is not, as the frame, dof etc are just right. What I wondered about is the use of a wide angle (25mm?) in the first takes including the interior reverse shots (is that the correct term?) of the dialogue, up to and including the right-pan revealing Carlos in the back.

My sense was that the effect induced doesn't add to the creepy feeling and distracts me a bit from the cast who could probably have delivered the mood with the mid-range lens you seem to have used later. Hitchcock is supposed to have said "no effect without a cause" (like e.g. no one was lying on the floor) but since I don't know the screenplay i can't be more precise about this, and again, it's a matter of personal preferences and such a tiny issue really.

also, I'm sorry for being somewhat vague as my film language is French.

I look forward to the seeing the entire film !

[Joseph A. Benoit]

Just want to say i loved it

Joe

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Brian, I didn't mean to be critical at all since it'^s a very very handsome sequence you are sharing with us.

I was a bit unprecise indeed about the remark on choice of lens . please don't think of it as a problem which it certainly is not, as the frame, dof etc are just right. What I wondered about is the use of a wide angle (25mm?) in the first takes including the interior reverse shots (is that the correct term?) of the dialogue, up to and including the right-pan revealing Carlos in the back.

My sense was that the effect induced doesn't add to the creepy feeling and distracts me a bit from the cast who could probably have delivered the mood with the mid-range lens you seem to have used later. Hitchcock is supposed to have said "no effect without a cause" (like e.g. no one was lying on the floor) but since I don't know the screenplay i can't be more precise about this, and again, it's a matter of personal preferences and such a tiny issue really.

also, I'm sorry for being somewhat vague as my film language is French.

I look forward to the seeing the entire film !

No no no. don't worry. I need to hear these things and like I said I will accept any negative feedback or criticism. I can't learn anything if I am not open to feedback, good or bad.

I guess you are talking about the choices between lenses from cut to cut. We used a 9mm for some of the shots and a 50mm on others, and I guess that is what throws you off a bit. I can understand that. It certainly can throw soemone off a bit. It did to me at first when we edited, but then I got used to it. Like cutting from the 9mm shot to Carlos nodding at the 50mm, and first I took it out, but I later pout it back in and Now I like it. Again, it is a matter of choice, and there's not much I can do now because most of this scene is shot with the 9mm.

Its kinda of a heavy drama, even though it has humoreous moments, so I agree you would need to see the whole film to really know, but anything you say is welcome. Don't feel like I'm being defensive, I am just trying to explain how we did it.

Thanks again

Duke

[Claude Mangold]

Same for me about learning. You can't learn anything if you can't look at other people's work and discuss it.
many thanks for the opportunity to comment.

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by Claude Mangold

Same for me about learning. You can't learn anything if you can't look at other people's work and discuss it.
many thanks for the opportunity to comment.

Its all my pleasure and hopefully gain from your comments. I as hoping to get a bit more feedback, but I understand people being busy.

[David Scattergood]

Wonderful work Brian. I've been following your work for a while now - in fact one of your earlier films helped towards the decision of investing in the JVC.

The acting is much stronger in this footage Brian - and that for me is integral to making all the technical precisions worthwhile.
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by David Scattergood

Wonderful work Brian. I've been following your work for a while now - in fact one of your earlier films helped towards the decision of investing in the JVC.

The acting is much stronger in this footage Brian - and that for me is integral to making all the technical precisions worthwhile.
Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing.

Thanks so much David for taken the time out to watch and comment. I strive to improve everything on every new project. Hopefully it gets better each time, but film making is difficult and it could turn out to be a lifetime of learning.

P.S. I'm glad I was some inspiration in you getting the JVC.

[Justin Ferar]

Hi Brian,

The thing that jumps at me is the audio. The older guy sounds like he's swallowing a lavaliere while the three amigos are boom miced with a shotgun. Not sure if that's how you did it but that's what it sounds like. Kinda breaks up the continuity.

This is just a niggle as I really like your work and appreciate you sharing with us.

J.

[Brian Luce]

Great looking footage. Lighting and set were first rate. The scene lags a bit dramatically, the dramatic element is the lack of money to buy guns from a bad guy. You can make that point much quicker and efficiently and get a stronger scene.

[Brian Duke]

Originally Posted by Justin Ferar

Hi Brian,

The thing that jumps at me is the audio. The older guy sounds like he's swallowing a lavaliere while the three amigos are boom miced with a shotgun. Not sure if that's how you did it but that's what it sounds like. Kinda breaks up the continuity.

This is just a niggle as I really like your work and appreciate you sharing with us.

J.

They were all Lav miced. The older guy just has a really deep voice. Kinda like the new Batman movie. Batman talks like Clint in Dirty Harry and the rest sound normal. I guess after 40 years of smoking and drinking you get s deep raspy voice =)

Thanks for the input. Really appreciate it.