EX1 Film Festival Entry at DVinfo.net

Chris Forbes · January 7th, 2008, 12:22 PM

Hi Everyone,

Over the weekend I was involved in a 48 hour film contest. For those who don't know basically you have 48 hours to write, shot, and edit a short film. Including elements designated by the contest organizers.

The entry was shot exclusively with the EX1 at night with only practicals no supplemental lights at all. And then we threw away 80 percent of the picture in post

Here is the link. Our short is titled "Strangers To Kindness" (4th link from the bottom)

http://arts.utah.gov/48HoursinUtahFilmContest.html

or right to youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8kw-FaLRXI

The elements that had to be included were:
1. 10 seconds of dancing
2. A musical instrument
3. The phrase: "Did you know that the Louvre was originally built to be a fortress?"
4. The character: Alexander Bischovsky, Gallery Owner

Thanks,
Chris Forbes

Rob Collins · January 7th, 2008, 03:03 PM

Nice job Chris. I did a similar project last summer (http://gluckziel.com/sarah.htm) on my (just sold) DVX100 and am looking forward to using the EX1 next time. I just hope they find a way to accept an HD master. We had to deliver on mini-DV or DV QT data DVD. How did Utah have you deliver? Was it Youtube only?

Tuomas Sebastien · January 7th, 2008, 04:12 PM

You should tighten the cuts, time seems to stand still between cuts. You should also cut from movement to movement which would also help on the other issue.

Evan Donn · January 7th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Nice job - was the line of dialogue (about the Louvre) in there?

I've done a few of the 48 hour competitions and am looking forward to having the EX for the next one - it'll be nice not to have to waste a couple hours capturing footage from tape.

Chris Forbes · January 7th, 2008, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the responses guys. The line of dialog was written on a poster that was superimposed on the wall of the train @ :40 sec into it. But it was kind of hard to read.

Thanks for the advice on the editing I'll pass it along to the guy how edited most of it.

One of the most educational parts of this was trying to get it to look halfway decent on YouTube. But the festival specified that was the only way for the delivery.

Thanks to Ken Stone's website on that.

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage...ssor_gary.html

Here are the rest of the entries

http://www.youtube.com/groups_videos?name=48hoursinutah

Chris Barcellos · January 7th, 2008, 05:55 PM

Chris:

I did two 48hour films in 2007-- (one as DP and second doing the whole ball of wax with family and friends) Knowing the pressures involved, you guys did a great job. I was figuring the eventual victim as the bad guy in cohorts with the other, so it was a surprise ending for me..

I'm guessing the time savings over tape aren't that great. After all, in a tape situation you can pass tape for capture to an AD after every scene...

Chris Forbes · January 7th, 2008, 06:53 PM

Thanks, I am glad we surprised someone with the ending. I hate predictable scripts.

Jim Montgomery · January 7th, 2008, 07:11 PM

Chris

That was slick!

I would have liked to have a cleaner duck under in the beginning and a little de-essss'ing on the gallery owner.

All in all it was well shot, with a keen eye.

Jim

Steven Thomas · January 7th, 2008, 07:37 PM

Nice job, it definately makes you want to watch it to the end.

Ray Bell · January 7th, 2008, 08:08 PM

Very good...

Thanks for sharing it.

Chris Forbes · January 7th, 2008, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Montgomery

Chris

That was slick!

I would have liked to have a cleaner duck under in the beginning and a little de-essss'ing on the gallery owner.

All in all it was well shot, with a keen eye.

Jim

Glad you enjoyed it.

Defiantly some stuff to be improved. We did ADR with a ME66 gaffed to a light stand in a basement with a sheet on three sides to minimize echos.

Steven Thomas · January 7th, 2008, 08:34 PM

I was wondering why the dialogue audio sounded so good. ;)

Chris Forbes · January 12th, 2008, 07:05 PM

Thanks for all the posts. I just wanted to announce we took first in the juries prizes.

Charles Papert · January 12th, 2008, 07:17 PM

This is a timely one for me, Chris, as I am dealing with a nearly completely looped film right now myself (by the way, when you said you threw away 80% of the picture in post, I assume you meant production sound?)

ADR on an "impossible" schedule like you get with a 48 hour film is a real drag, especially when there is so much of it--for all of the ones I made in my 48 hr days, I think I looped only a few lines here and there. Very ambitious!

The trick seems to be in getting clean tracks and then building back the ambience and natural bounce that would have occurred with location. I'm using a combination of very light reverb and echo to make the ADR sound less "present". You have to tailor it to the volume of the voice--a louder voice generates more reverb in a natural location. It's a fine touch but you can tell when it works.

Good job overall. Now I have to head back to the mike to record more foley--having just made myself some lunch, it's a good time to get the eating sounds I've been missing!

Marty Mankins · January 12th, 2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Forbes

Thanks for all the posts. I just wanted to announce we took first in the juries prizes.

Congrats on first place. Enjoy Sundance this next week.

The EX1 looks like a great camera and works well in low lighting, with the Trax station and Wells Fargo building scenes.

January 7th, 2008, 12:22 PM	#1
Chris Forbes Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 155	EX1 Film Festival Entry Hi Everyone, Over the weekend I was involved in a 48 hour film contest. For those who don't know basically you have 48 hours to write, shot, and edit a short film. Including elements designated by the contest organizers. The entry was shot exclusively with the EX1 at night with only practicals no supplemental lights at all. And then we threw away 80 percent of the picture in post Here is the link. Our short is titled "Strangers To Kindness" (4th link from the bottom) http://arts.utah.gov/48HoursinUtahFilmContest.html or right to youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8kw-FaLRXI The elements that had to be included were: 1. 10 seconds of dancing 2. A musical instrument 3. The phrase: "Did you know that the Louvre was originally built to be a fortress?" 4. The character: Alexander Bischovsky, Gallery Owner Thanks, Chris Forbes

January 7th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#4
Evan Donn Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 795	Nice job - was the line of dialogue (about the Louvre) in there? I've done a few of the 48 hour competitions and am looking forward to having the EX for the next one - it'll be nice not to have to waste a couple hours capturing footage from tape. __________________ My latest short documentary: "Four Pauls: Bring the Hat Back!"

January 7th, 2008, 05:55 PM	#6
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Chris: I did two 48hour films in 2007-- (one as DP and second doing the whole ball of wax with family and friends) Knowing the pressures involved, you guys did a great job. I was figuring the eventual victim as the bad guy in cohorts with the other, so it was a surprise ending for me.. I'm guessing the time savings over tape aren't that great. After all, in a tape situation you can pass tape for capture to an AD after every scene... __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

January 7th, 2008, 07:11 PM	#8
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Chris That was slick! I would have liked to have a cleaner duck under in the beginning and a little de-essss'ing on the gallery owner. All in all it was well shot, with a keen eye. Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

January 12th, 2008, 07:17 PM	#14
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	This is a timely one for me, Chris, as I am dealing with a nearly completely looped film right now myself (by the way, when you said you threw away 80% of the picture in post, I assume you meant production sound?) ADR on an "impossible" schedule like you get with a 48 hour film is a real drag, especially when there is so much of it--for all of the ones I made in my 48 hr days, I think I looped only a few lines here and there. Very ambitious! The trick seems to be in getting clean tracks and then building back the ambience and natural bounce that would have occurred with location. I'm using a combination of very light reverb and echo to make the ADR sound less "present". You have to tailor it to the volume of the voice--a louder voice generates more reverb in a natural location. It's a fine touch but you can tell when it works. Good job overall. Now I have to head back to the mike to record more foley--having just made myself some lunch, it's a good time to get the eating sounds I've been missing! __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

January 7th, 2008, 03:03 PM	#2
Rob Collins Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 229	Nice job Chris. I did a similar project last summer (http://gluckziel.com/sarah.htm) on my (just sold) DVX100 and am looking forward to using the EX1 next time. I just hope they find a way to accept an HD master. We had to deliver on mini-DV or DV QT data DVD. How did Utah have you deliver? Was it Youtube only?

January 7th, 2008, 04:12 PM	#3
Tuomas Sebastien Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 107	You should tighten the cuts, time seems to stand still between cuts. You should also cut from movement to movement which would also help on the other issue.

January 7th, 2008, 05:04 PM	#5
Chris Forbes Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 155	Thanks for the responses guys. The line of dialog was written on a poster that was superimposed on the wall of the train @ :40 sec into it. But it was kind of hard to read. Thanks for the advice on the editing I'll pass it along to the guy how edited most of it. One of the most educational parts of this was trying to get it to look halfway decent on YouTube. But the festival specified that was the only way for the delivery. Thanks to Ken Stone's website on that. http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage...ssor_gary.html Here are the rest of the entries http://www.youtube.com/groups_videos?name=48hoursinutah

January 7th, 2008, 06:53 PM	#7
Chris Forbes Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 155	Thanks, I am glad we surprised someone with the ending. I hate predictable scripts.

January 7th, 2008, 07:37 PM	#9
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Nice job, it definately makes you want to watch it to the end.

January 7th, 2008, 08:08 PM	#10
Ray Bell Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,414	Very good... Thanks for sharing it.

January 7th, 2008, 08:34 PM	#12
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I was wondering why the dialogue audio sounded so good. ;)

January 12th, 2008, 07:05 PM	#13
Chris Forbes Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Salt Lake City, Ut Posts: 155	Thanks for all the posts. I just wanted to announce we took first in the juries prizes.