Indie Short at DVinfo.net

Mark Moore · June 21st, 2003, 10:23 PM

College-Film.com had a short film contest recently and MY SKIN won the voting poll. It is an amazing short, so I hope you don't my posting it here to watch. It is one of the best shorts I've seen in a long time.

http://www.blackcabproductions.com/MS.Movie.1.html

Here are the production notes: courtesy of www.college-film.com.

“My Skin” was shot on Mini DV with a Sony TRV-900 camera, over four 18-hour days. The location was the second-floor apartment of actor Tony Simmons’ duplex. The windows were blacked-out with opaque black plastic to allow for daytime shooting. 15 camera setups were utilized to capture approximately 80 shots.

Lighting was designed to enhance the room’s already existing practical lighting –– only 3 film lights were exploited as fill and to create the blue-green ceiling.

To achieve the overhead spinning shots, a special rotating contraption was built and fondly named “The Device”, due to its rack-like appearance and the vertiginous torture it put the camera through.

The film was edited in Final Cut Pro and the soundtrack built in Pro Tools, before being mixed and re-imported into Final Cut Pro for synching to the master cut.

The opening title sequence was created using images composed in Photoshop, which were scanned in from the original finished poem, “My Love (Skin)” from the film –– and then imported into Final Cut Pro to be distorted and animated. All color timing, compositing, and motion effects were accomplished using Final Cut Pro.

Alex Knappenberger · June 21st, 2003, 10:51 PM

Man, I have to say, the story of that video is more retarded then anything I could ever dream up. The shooting/editing, everything in that aspect was amazing, but what the heck is up with these retarded stories that don't make sense "getting all the gold?" Seriously, jeez. The stuff I make up may be retarded and stupid, but atleast it makes sense.

Mark Moore · June 22nd, 2003, 07:18 AM

You mean the story of MY SKIN? Nah, it's a very good short. It's a little 'out there', but still an amazing piece - especially the scene where 'death' is writing on the paper and the camera spins from above.

Zac Stein · June 22nd, 2003, 09:07 AM

Yes, i thought it was fantastic...

Beautiful use of shots and everything... i would love to see a higher quality version of it. Very inspiring.

Zac

Keith Loh · June 22nd, 2003, 03:40 PM

60mb? Ouch. Oh well, I will queue it up.

It may be worth it in the future to use Bit Torrent to speed the download.

Keith Loh · June 22nd, 2003, 03:59 PM

The production values and the look of the film was superb.

Direction, lighting, top notch.

I didn't quite get the story, though.

John Locke · June 22nd, 2003, 04:56 PM

Very Lynch-esque. Great indie film.

Mark Moore · June 22nd, 2003, 07:21 PM

SPOILERS BELOW!

Keith, I too was a bit confused and had to watch it several times (not that it was chore to do!). I'm pretty sure that death comes in to take a body (the dead woman, killed by her husband/boyfriend). He carefully marks her name in his "book" but then teases and torments the man by replacing his gun, fingerprints and letter (with messages in his hand!). He then marks OUT the murderers date in his book so that he will never die. So I suppose if he is to be caught, and either imprisoned, hung, gassed, etc., that he's in for some problems!

I could be off-base, but that's what I got out of it! Still an amazing piece!

Keith Loh · June 22nd, 2003, 08:51 PM

I think you got the story right but I didn't really follow it the first time.

I like the crow mask / concept. Well done.

Zac Stein · June 22nd, 2003, 09:09 PM

Only the good die young...

well that is what i got from it.

Zac

Rob Lohman · July 16th, 2003, 05:36 AM

Very very very good. Wow. I got the story 99% I think. Try to
watch the movie "Delicatessen".

Definitely keeping this one! Thanks for pointing it out.

Story quote from the site:

Quote:

SYNOPSIS: Death flies in to collect the soul of a murdered young woman, but first takes revenge on her killer. After replacing all of the incriminating evidence –– the bullets, the smoking gun, even the murderer’s fingerprints –– Death takes a moment to place a very special phone call. Here the supernatural vengeance truly begins.

The trailer for his first short [My Skin was his second] can be
found here (not as nice, he seemed to have progressed well)

For people who want the higher quality version you can buy
a double DVD with both the shorts MY SKIN / SCREAM FOR ME
at $14.99 plus shipping @ the store

June 21st, 2003, 10:23 PM	#1
Mark Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 301	Indie Short College-Film.com had a short film contest recently and MY SKIN won the voting poll. It is an amazing short, so I hope you don't my posting it here to watch. It is one of the best shorts I've seen in a long time. http://www.blackcabproductions.com/MS.Movie.1.html Here are the production notes: courtesy of www.college-film.com. “My Skin” was shot on Mini DV with a Sony TRV-900 camera, over four 18-hour days. The location was the second-floor apartment of actor Tony Simmons’ duplex. The windows were blacked-out with opaque black plastic to allow for daytime shooting. 15 camera setups were utilized to capture approximately 80 shots. Lighting was designed to enhance the room’s already existing practical lighting –– only 3 film lights were exploited as fill and to create the blue-green ceiling. To achieve the overhead spinning shots, a special rotating contraption was built and fondly named “The Device”, due to its rack-like appearance and the vertiginous torture it put the camera through. The film was edited in Final Cut Pro and the soundtrack built in Pro Tools, before being mixed and re-imported into Final Cut Pro for synching to the master cut. The opening title sequence was created using images composed in Photoshop, which were scanned in from the original finished poem, “My Love (Skin)” from the film –– and then imported into Final Cut Pro to be distorted and animated. All color timing, compositing, and motion effects were accomplished using Final Cut Pro. __________________ Mark Moore Sugar Free Productions

June 22nd, 2003, 07:18 AM	#3
Mark Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 301	You mean the story of MY SKIN? Nah, it's a very good short. It's a little 'out there', but still an amazing piece - especially the scene where 'death' is writing on the paper and the camera spins from above. __________________ Mark Moore Sugar Free Productions

June 22nd, 2003, 03:40 PM	#5
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	60mb? Ouch. Oh well, I will queue it up. It may be worth it in the future to use Bit Torrent to speed the download. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 22nd, 2003, 03:59 PM	#6
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	The production values and the look of the film was superb. Direction, lighting, top notch. I didn't quite get the story, though. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 22nd, 2003, 04:56 PM	#7
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Very Lynch-esque. Great indie film. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

June 21st, 2003, 10:51 PM	#2
Alex Knappenberger High School Student Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Canton, Ohio, USA Posts: 609	Man, I have to say, the story of that video is more retarded then anything I could ever dream up. The shooting/editing, everything in that aspect was amazing, but what the heck is up with these retarded stories that don't make sense "getting all the gold?" Seriously, jeez. The stuff I make up may be retarded and stupid, but atleast it makes sense.

June 22nd, 2003, 09:07 AM	#4
Zac Stein Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 730	Yes, i thought it was fantastic... Beautiful use of shots and everything... i would love to see a higher quality version of it. Very inspiring. Zac

June 22nd, 2003, 07:21 PM	#8
Mark Moore Major Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 301	SPOILERS BELOW! Keith, I too was a bit confused and had to watch it several times (not that it was chore to do!). I'm pretty sure that death comes in to take a body (the dead woman, killed by her husband/boyfriend). He carefully marks her name in his "book" but then teases and torments the man by replacing his gun, fingerprints and letter (with messages in his hand!). He then marks OUT the murderers date in his book so that he will never die. So I suppose if he is to be caught, and either imprisoned, hung, gassed, etc., that he's in for some problems! I could be off-base, but that's what I got out of it! Still an amazing piece! __________________ Mark Moore Sugar Free Productions

June 22nd, 2003, 08:51 PM	#9
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	I think you got the story right but I didn't really follow it the first time. I like the crow mask / concept. Well done. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

June 22nd, 2003, 09:09 PM	#10
Zac Stein Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 730	Only the good die young... well that is what i got from it. Zac