My first film with the EX1!

Sami Sanpakkila · April 9th, 2008, 04:39 PM

yeah, its stops playback at the exact same point when the hand comes into the picture. maybe its just my computer. Ill try later with a better computer.

sami

Tom Sherwood · April 9th, 2008, 06:50 PM

I tried too. It starts up as a download on my Mac then a window with a bunch of jibberish text pops up. If you decide to put it on Vimeo I'd take a look.

Hayes Roberts · April 9th, 2008, 11:35 PM

I saw it w/ no problems- Man, that looks awesome! Let's see some more!

Mark David Williams · April 10th, 2008, 01:06 AM

Sami, Tom, I've got a version on my space. Sorry about the quality.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=31969471

You could have a look at some other films (If you want) I've put up there too.

Hayes... Thanks!

Allen Plowman · April 10th, 2008, 01:26 AM

Mark, what is your reason for not using vimeo? you have a product that very few people can watch

Mark David Williams · April 10th, 2008, 02:12 AM

Hi Alan. Well I actually pay to have the video on this site So I guess I want my moneys worth!

Now its on my space streaming at 1128 kbits. The reason I didn't want to use Vimeo was because its not widescreen. The effect was to stretch the film. Although my space does this too. But you can have a look around at some of my other films there too.

Hopefully everyone can watch now!

Tom Sherwood · April 17th, 2008, 03:05 AM

Hey Mark got a chance to watch it. I like the idea of a movie about Alien Wars for sure. Some really cool visual effects. When you say I made a learning program... How did you do those effects they are quite good. And the night sky was that footage you shot?

Cool video cant wait for the rest.

Mark David Williams · April 17th, 2008, 03:44 AM

Hi Tom Really appreciate your comments!

The learning program sequence was made in Maxon C4DLE the original intention was to follow the script more closely and have robotic bugs come down a hollow tube. But it would have been very time consuming and drawn attention to what may have taken up days and perhaps ended up being a lessor effect. Knowing how hard I sometimes find it to edit out work that has been labour intensive (My labour) It might ruin it. So I went for something a little simpler. In fact I wanted a blank screen for the opening speech. I think that would have worked better! Especially when a real film would be so effects laden. However as a short first few conceptualized few minutes it would have been seen as a copout on my part a cheap budget . I built the program from basic shapes textures etc.

The problem with doing effects like this is computing power. Renders can take forever especially with global illumination etc. Not having access to render farms and only one laptop to edit on is very limiting. Imagine what a proper effects house could do!

The night scene..
Sam was filmed using a green screen and the night sky was added in. The EX-1 seems great for greenscreen effects!

One scene I liked was nearer the end where Sam stands by the road looking at the sign. This was all filmed on location but to me Possibly because he is so still it looks like he was added in. I wish now I had used a longer lens for that even though I think its more effective in not looking quite right isolating Sam and making him look insignificant. To me that whole scene looked odd signifying his strangeness and the new environment. I loved it but Im sure many wouldnt get it.

If there was a demand I could do a making of video! Although I doubt this would happen! :)

Steven Edwards · April 20th, 2008, 04:57 PM

Hey Mark

I really liked this. I love the storyline, are you taking this further?

Alex Gutterson · April 20th, 2008, 08:57 PM

I really enjoyed what I have seen so far. It didn't seem like another stupid alien film, rather something that requires a little more thought.

Questions -- what equipment did you use? Was there a 35mm adapter? Polarizing filters? A mattebox? Etc...

Some of the better EX1 footage I have seen.

ADVICE --

Some of the CG work just doesn't work. It does't come across as authentic, and as such doesn't subsequently flow as well as one would hope with the rest of your trailor. Personally I felt that it diverted my interest from your otherwise great peice.

If you found a way to go the low-budget but more film type look I think you would be able to take this peice much further.

But then again -- this is all IMHO.

Best of luck,
Alex.

Mark David Williams · April 21st, 2008, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Edwards

Hey Mark

I really liked this. I love the storyline, are you taking this further?

Hi Steven. Thanks! I want to!

Mark David Williams · April 21st, 2008, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Gutterson

I really enjoyed what I have seen so far. It didn't seem like another stupid alien film, rather something that requires a little more thought.

Questions -- what equipment did you use? Was there a 35mm adapter? Polarizing filters? A mattebox? Etc...

Some of the better EX1 footage I have seen.

ADVICE --

Some of the CG work just doesn't work. It does't come across as authentic, and as such doesn't subsequently flow as well as one would hope with the rest of your trailor. Personally I felt that it diverted my interest from your otherwise great peice.

If you found a way to go the low-budget but more film type look I think you would be able to take this peice much further.

But then again -- this is all IMHO.

Best of luck,
Alex.

Hi Alex

No just the camera and without its mattebox. I did use a Dolly.

I agree with the effects. This is really a step up from a storyboard to try and give a feel for the script and direction. Its to show people what it could look like. But not a finished film. I would love to let loose some creatives and take what Im doing to the next level!

Alex see what you think of the trailer?

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...379&CID=154394

And the two minute opening again in case you might want to compare?

http://www.mydeo.com/videodownload.a...679&CID=177563

April 10th, 2008, 01:26 AM	#20
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	Mark, what is your reason for not using vimeo? you have a product that very few people can watch __________________ "What I need is an exact list of specific unknown problems we might encounter."

April 9th, 2008, 04:39 PM	#16
Sami Sanpakkila Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 317	yeah, its stops playback at the exact same point when the hand comes into the picture. maybe its just my computer. Ill try later with a better computer. sami

April 9th, 2008, 06:50 PM	#17
Tom Sherwood Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 83	I tried too. It starts up as a download on my Mac then a window with a bunch of jibberish text pops up. If you decide to put it on Vimeo I'd take a look.

April 9th, 2008, 11:35 PM	#18
Hayes Roberts Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Naples FLA Posts: 89	I saw it w/ no problems- Man, that looks awesome! Let's see some more!

April 10th, 2008, 01:06 AM	#19
Mark David Williams Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hertfordshire UK Posts: 414	Sami, Tom, I've got a version on my space. Sorry about the quality. http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=31969471 You could have a look at some other films (If you want) I've put up there too. Hayes... Thanks!

April 10th, 2008, 02:12 AM	#21
Mark David Williams Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hertfordshire UK Posts: 414	Hi Alan. Well I actually pay to have the video on this site So I guess I want my moneys worth! Now its on my space streaming at 1128 kbits. The reason I didn't want to use Vimeo was because its not widescreen. The effect was to stretch the film. Although my space does this too. But you can have a look around at some of my other films there too. Hopefully everyone can watch now!

April 17th, 2008, 03:05 AM	#22
Tom Sherwood Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 83	Hey Mark got a chance to watch it. I like the idea of a movie about Alien Wars for sure. Some really cool visual effects. When you say I made a learning program... How did you do those effects they are quite good. And the night sky was that footage you shot? Cool video cant wait for the rest.

April 17th, 2008, 03:44 AM	#23
Mark David Williams Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Hertfordshire UK Posts: 414	Hi Tom Really appreciate your comments! The learning program sequence was made in Maxon C4DLE the original intention was to follow the script more closely and have robotic bugs come down a hollow tube. But it would have been very time consuming and drawn attention to what may have taken up days and perhaps ended up being a lessor effect. Knowing how hard I sometimes find it to edit out work that has been labour intensive (My labour) It might ruin it. So I went for something a little simpler. In fact I wanted a blank screen for the opening speech. I think that would have worked better! Especially when a real film would be so effects laden. However as a short first few conceptualized few minutes it would have been seen as a copout on my part a cheap budget . I built the program from basic shapes textures etc. The problem with doing effects like this is computing power. Renders can take forever especially with global illumination etc. Not having access to render farms and only one laptop to edit on is very limiting. Imagine what a proper effects house could do! The night scene.. Sam was filmed using a green screen and the night sky was added in. The EX-1 seems great for greenscreen effects! One scene I liked was nearer the end where Sam stands by the road looking at the sign. This was all filmed on location but to me Possibly because he is so still it looks like he was added in. I wish now I had used a longer lens for that even though I think its more effective in not looking quite right isolating Sam and making him look insignificant. To me that whole scene looked odd signifying his strangeness and the new environment. I loved it but Im sure many wouldnt get it. If there was a demand I could do a making of video! Although I doubt this would happen! :)

April 20th, 2008, 04:57 PM	#24
Steven Edwards Tourist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 3	Hey Mark I really liked this. I love the storyline, are you taking this further?

April 20th, 2008, 08:57 PM	#25
Alex Gutterson New Boot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Westchester, New York Posts: 24	I really enjoyed what I have seen so far. It didn't seem like another stupid alien film, rather something that requires a little more thought. Questions -- what equipment did you use? Was there a 35mm adapter? Polarizing filters? A mattebox? Etc... Some of the better EX1 footage I have seen. ADVICE -- Some of the CG work just doesn't work. It does't come across as authentic, and as such doesn't subsequently flow as well as one would hope with the rest of your trailor. Personally I felt that it diverted my interest from your otherwise great peice. If you found a way to go the low-budget but more film type look I think you would be able to take this peice much further. But then again -- this is all IMHO. Best of luck, Alex.