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Author Topic: Our little film screening in Chicago!  (Read 4519 times)

ChristopherBarrett

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Our little film screening in Chicago!
« on: May 07, 2012, 09:23:16 am »

Last Summer I DP'd this little short with my RED One... And I Will Rise If Only To Hold You Down...

It recently premiered at the Ann Arbor Film Festival to great reviews. It has also just screened at the Athens Fest in Ohio and the Oberhausen Short Film Fest in Germany. After this translation of the German review, I'm feeling pretty damn pleased...

Quote
it is made with very particular/special lighting, the lighting is set in a totally fascinating way, it has (gives it) such a magical/captivating mood, a sentimental mood.
Anyway, if you happen to be in Chicago, check us out for yourself. We'll be screening at the Chicago Underground Film Festival on Monday, June 4th at 8:00. I'll definitely be there ;)

CB
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fredjeang

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2012, 11:07:22 am »

I'm pissed ! Honestly pissed.

We have a member of this forum that, almost starting from scratch, just accomplished an entire drama project as a DP from A to Z that now compeat in some festivals and we know how difficult financiation, distribution etc...can be. It seems that the movie has a good press.
And not one congrat or encouragement ?

So my first words will go to Chris: Congrat and best luck mate !

Then, it seems that nobody has any curiosity or questions regarding the experience on set for this entire project. I'd have many questions to ask to Chris, things that we could all benefit, but honestly I feel totally cold now and won't post anything publicaly because I know that if it would have been a thread like: "Nikon plan a 9K dslr for 2056 maybe", or "Canon managed to put 20 stops DR on a super 35mm sensor Arri-Red killer"; or a movie with an absurd timelapse of people walking on a city square with the dslr settings, the forum would already burn in hundreds of repplies, debates and opinions, and soon (it's written) the graphics and curves will show-up here like in the still section.


I'm done with this mentality.

Best.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2012, 11:14:12 am by fredjeang »
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bcooter

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2012, 12:05:49 pm »

I'm pissed ! Honestly pissed.


Fred,

Take a pill man.

I think everyone is happy for Chris, why wouldn't they be?

Still, most people haven't seen the short or a trailer, so it's kind of hard to get fired up about an body of work you haven't seen.

Not to say it's not good, I'm hope it is, but be fair to the people on the forum, because we're all bombarded with imagery by the minute and it's difficult to comment unless you've seen it.

IMO

BC
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smthopr

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2012, 01:13:15 pm »

Great news CB!

Please let us know when we can see a trailer or even the whole movie online and have fun at the screening :D
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2012, 01:23:58 pm »

First, congrats to Chris!

If it helps explaining something, dare I suggest this is a predominantly photographic site? While I very much enjoy watching movies and especially appreciate good photography in them, I do it as an end-user. In other words, as a photographer, I have zero, zilch, nada, interest in how it is made. I hate with a burning passion the inclusion of video function in photographic cameras. I hate that the most "improvements" in Canon cameras as of late seem to go to the video side. I do, however, appreciate that others might have a different opinion.

Having said that, I will make the effort to go and see Chris' movie when it begins screening in Chicago, and, given the chance, say hello to Chris.

P.S. On a related note, one of the best photography I've seen lately in a TV series is in The Killing, a Seattle detective series (I watch it on Netflix).

fredjeang

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2012, 02:19:54 pm »

Well,

Let me explain maybe better why my ire on that aspect because I think it's important.

It's not about the movie itself, there is no public link to the movie so obviously there is no point to say bravo to something we haven't seen.
It's all about mentality. Feeling good for someone when a nice accomplishement has occured to the person and expressing it, regardless of the final result. Because those things aren't happening for many people. IMO, it's almost a mark of elegance and manners.

You know, here in Spain the cine industry is completly blasted and breaking it up to a point that has never been seen before. There is simply no financiation. And it's not just about an exciting time where the old is dying and a new fresh and dynamic new is coming; It's simply disappearing without any releive. I can tell you that at all levels, high-end, middle-end, low-end, people involved in this industry are not having good time at all and the perspectives are really dark for the moment here.
The other day I saw an interview of the director Fernando Trueba who was saying this: "the only reason why I keep going now it's because I'm mad; but I don't ask other people to follow a madness path".

I mean by that, that we may not loose from our radar that there are a lot of reasons not to applaude in this world, and I think it's quite good if we can express at least enthousiasm or encouragement when a great thing is happening to someone.
Financiations and distributions are damn difficult to obtain, generally the indy cine has always starved and this profession have always be or billionaire budgets or nothing. But this is getting really more drastic, each time more, you'll see because it will reach US too.

To me, the Chris experience shows that it's possible to be involved in a serious project without 50 years of experience on the craft, it's dynamizing and even without seeing the movie, just the news seemed to me good enough to be celebrated.  

And yeah, I felt pissed that it didn't occured talking about someone we share things with here; and don't apologyze for it.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2012, 02:27:28 pm by fredjeang »
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ChristopherBarrett

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2012, 02:28:32 pm »

Fred... thanks, that's kind of you to take up the gauntlet.  It's cool, though, man.  The medium is something I'm really excited about and I tend to blurt out everything that's happening to anybody that will listen.  Put a motion camera in my hand and I'm like a little kid.

I got into motion as a way to extend my commercial services.  Now, though, I'm really not concerned with the commercial viability of it all.  I'm not making any money on these little independent shorts.  They are really damn satisfying, though.  And the thought that the first thing I shot has achieved international praise for my lighting work... well that is just icing on the cake.

Some of us are really passionate about this and others are not.  Whatever floats your boat, ya know?

We do have a little teaser online.  Viewable here:  https://vimeo.com/christopherbarrett/review/24660467/7dcf7bb482

It's very brief and something I threw together with a few clips I happened to have on my laptop while I was in LA.  It does give you a feeling for the visuals though.  If you're like me... sitting with your feet up, with nothing else to do while CS 6 finishes installing...
« Last Edit: May 08, 2012, 02:30:59 pm by CBarrett »
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fredjeang

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2012, 05:52:09 pm »

Hi Fred,

you are french aren't you? Do you know this book by Frédéric Martel: Mainstream, Enquête sur la guerre globale de la culture et des médias?
http://www.amazon.fr/Mainstream-Frédéric-Martel/dp/2081236176/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336508574&sr=8-1

It is a very, very, very good read about how the film, tv and music business works.

Best,
Johannes
Yes I'm french, and eat snails but not frogs.

Thank you johannes to put this book in my radar. I'll read it for sure.

Cheers from Madrid.
« Last Edit: May 08, 2012, 05:53:43 pm by fredjeang »
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fredjeang

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2012, 05:55:10 am »

I've watched it again and will try to make a constructive post.

To me, the indoor takes, specially the intimists' ones are really spot-on in terms of both lightning and grading.
I like the natural look but at the same time it's quite elaborate and give a right atmosphere.

Chris avoided specially to fall into pushing the blues in the shadows to look Kodak. The DR has been reduced IMO exactly were it should be for this story that we can guess more or less the big line on this teaser.
The distribution of cold tones and warm ones is very nice.

The only thing I would drive the attention to are an outdoor take. But not the one where we see her in the car that's not in this video (I remember those stills Chris uploaded here some time ago), but I'm talking about the wide angle where we see the car, the house, the street and tree with urban lightning. IMO, this is in the end too neutral. Specially the presence of the warm ext light with the green of the tree is always an atmosphere killer.
In other words I think that this take looks too neutral or balanced, doesn't transmit this intimist and heavy atmosphere of the rest. It would have been maybe more effective to treat this outdoor take almost as a thriller with much colder or warmer tones and less saturation. The outdoor night takes are difficult anyway and that's another step into the experience adquisition in both on-set and grading.
This is the only aspect I'd rework in future footage.

Otherwise very nice and great work.

Cheers from Madrid.

Example instead of words.
Personaly, I'd go this way (attached). Left is the video, right is the path I'd go. It's not there at all, just quick base, specially the green leaves are disturbing me a lot but you got the idea.
From this base I'd probably keep going getting rid of the magentas on girl and sky, re-give a warmer tone from for outdoor light and rework the green satu (urban vegetation is my worse enemy and try to avoid it as the plague) but won't touch the car (it's important for the story that the woman is seen. On the left she's too dark IMO).

On attached #2, you can also see that this based has more to do with other scenes you graded while the left one is a completly different animal.
But there are many different paths.

« Last Edit: May 11, 2012, 07:37:27 am by fredjeang »
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Morgan_Moore

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2012, 10:31:21 am »

The medium is something I'm really excited about and I tend to blurt out everything that's happening to anybody that will listen.  Put a motion camera in my hand and I'm like a little kid.

I got into motion as a way to extend my commercial services.  Now, though, I'm really not concerned with the commercial viability of it all.  I'm not making any money on these little independent shorts.  They are really damn satisfying, though.

This is exactly how I feel - having so much fun

I do think however that doing no profit shorts you learn so much.. which will translate into the commercial service offer (and your ability to deliver it) improving no end..

S
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Sam Morgan Moore Bristol UK

ChristopherBarrett

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2012, 08:00:31 am »

Fred you're totally right.  That exterior has always bothered me and I think it should feel more like the opening sequence.  I was up till about 1 last night grading the newest short for our Cast & Crew screening tomorrow.  Resolve and a control surface make photoshop feel like painting on cave walls.  So fast... and powerful.  Will have to revisit AIWR.

Thanks,
CB
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fredjeang

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Re: Our little film screening in Chicago!
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2012, 02:35:08 pm »

Yeah, I think I'd definatly keep going this grade path (attached) from my first primary correct.

Resolve is great, no doubt. But you know, motion requires idealy having 50 hours per day, 2 brains, 4 hands and 3 eyes.
My only concern with Resolve was entering in another tedius learning curve to ad on the very long list and I wanted to avoid this unless it was absolutly necessary.

I also experienced some crashes like Morgan. Maybe the free version isn't as stable.

« Last Edit: May 24, 2012, 03:04:46 pm by fredjeang »
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