IMpulse - An Experimental Short

Hello Indietalk fam!

I'm finally working on filmmaking again after a little break to recoup passion and funds.

This one is based on a poem I wrote about impulsive natures, addiction, and the struggle to silence the mind in order to avoid heartbreak and destruction.

It's a heavy topic, so I thought going full on experimental would help propel the tone and imagery of the film.

Got some raw footage so far, with me Acting in it as well as Directing. Jeeeez, let me tell you..... The bathtub scene was hard to do!!! SO MUCH WATER UP MY NOSE HOLES!!!!! Hated every minute, but I think that just adds to the mood of the scene. Haha. Below is a thumbnail of the upcoming teaser trailer.

IM_pulse Thumb.png


Next will be a "gluttony" scene in the kitchen. Should be fun! I'm just happy to finally be working on stuff again. It's ben a long time away from the camera. Feels so good to get the creative juices flowing.
 
Wow, awesome! What if you style it I'Mpulse? IM/pulse makes me think of AOL Instant Messenger and a past technology. I'Mpulse makes it sound personal, relating to yourself. I'm. Just throwing it out there but the ' instead of the / could make all the difference.
 
Wow, awesome! What if you style it I'Mpulse? IM/pulse makes me think of AOL Instant Messenger and a past technology. I'Mpulse makes it sound personal, relating to yourself. I'm. Just throwing it out there but the ' instead of the / could make all the difference.
I'll ask the fans and family too, but you mean like this?
IM_pulse Thumb 2.png
 
Gluttony Shot.jpg


Ungraded still from last night gluttony shoot. Was my first time ever really trying to light something professionally. Turned out alright. Having a hell of a time color grading it though. BUT the more I learn, the better I'll get over time. Just gotta keep pushing myself, even though sometimes it feels like I'm losing what little hair I have left.
 
Yeah but never mind people might pronounce it wrong like that. I hadn't considered that. Original is good.
 
BTS Stills_1.11.1.jpg


Been practicing with the Laowa Macro Probe Lens.
Got some close up shots of a syringe that I love, and some ice in a glass. Don't know how its going to fit in the film yet, but it doesn't hurt to have insert b-roll I guess.

Macro Test Shots_1.10.1.jpg


Macro Test Shots_1.2.2.jpg



Probably didn't need it for what I am currently using it for, but I do need it for a pill swallowing shot I'm planning to make. I got the idea from another filmmaker, where he uses an adult "toy" to make it look like the camera is down his throat.

I thought it might be fun to attempt it and see what I can do with the idea that someone is swallowing pills.

Other than making a mess and not wanting to clean it up, things are coming along. Next is just a macro shot of a cigar, an eyeball, and of course the pills.
 
This literally sounds so awesome I am very pumped for this. That bathtub scene kinda reminds me of the scene with the chemical acid VAT joker and Harley Quinn fell into in suicide squad. What’s the runtime of this short gonna be do you think? And will it be on youtube like INFINITUS?
 
This literally sounds so awesome I am very pumped for this. That bathtub scene kinda reminds me of the scene with the chemical acid VAT joker and Harley Quinn fell into in suicide squad. What’s the runtime of this short gonna be do you think? And will it be on youtube like INFINITUS?
It's going to be a micro short, so under 3 minutes I assume. It's honestly designed to be that way, in hopes to get something cinematic while using as little budget as possible.

Its also completely based on a poem I wrote instead of a script, so it will probably be more like a music video I imagine.

Oh and the teaser will come out in two days. Why a teaser for a micro short? Cuz I like to make em. haha
 
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The bathtub scene was hard to do!!! SO MUCH WATER UP MY NOSE HOLES!!!!!

I know how you feel. I once spent an hour or so with my face in a large dish-pan recording myself screaming.; sound effects/ADR for a drowning man.

I guess we must all suffer for our art......

A lot of people didn't seem to like any punctuation at all. Said it would be better if I just IMPLIED the meaning more subtly


How about splitting the difference? Use a lower case "m."

ImPULSE
 
How about splitting the difference? Use a lower case "m."

ImPULSE

Unfortunately the font I use in the title doesn't change from all caps. But that's alright, I still think the implied meaning can still make sense in a synopsis or something.

I know how you feel. I once spent an hour or so with my face in a large dish-pan recording myself screaming.; sound effects/ADR for a drowning man.

I guess we must all suffer for our art......

OOoooooooooo, that sounds kinda fun actually. Wonder if your face can wrinkly up all raiseny like fingers and toes? haha
 
that sounds kinda fun actually. Wonder if your face can wrinkly up all raiseny like fingers and toes? haha

It was fun and frustrating at the same time.

I put a tarp on the floor of my studio with an old blanket on top to suppress the "tarp crackle." Put the dish pan on a stool and filled 2/3 with water. Covered a small Carioid mic with a (no lubricant) condom and boomed it into the water.

Took a while to find the right pick-up position for the mic and my face to get the sound I wanted. Hold breath, slowly put my face in the water (no splashing), scream, pull my face out slowly so I don't splash water around the studio, dry off, listen to what was recorded. Repeat until the sound is satisfactory. After finding the right sound, keep screaming under water until hyperventilating to get the perfect take.

My face never got crinkly on long swims, although it's started to the last half dozen years or so... :wait::tear:
 
BTS Stills_1.11.1.jpg


Been practicing with the Laowa Macro Probe Lens.
Got some close up shots of a syringe that I love, and some ice in a glass. Don't know how its going to fit in the film yet, but it doesn't hurt to have insert b-roll I guess.

Macro Test Shots_1.10.1.jpg


Macro Test Shots_1.2.2.jpg



Probably didn't need it for what I am currently using it for, but I do need it for a pill swallowing shot I'm planning to make. I got the idea from another filmmaker, where he uses an adult "toy" to make it look like the camera is down his throat.

I thought it might be fun to attempt it and see what I can do with the idea that someone is swallowing pills.

Other than making a mess and not wanting to clean it up, things are coming along. Next is just a macro shot of a cigar, an eyeball, and of course the pills.
Love these macro shots! This would make great b-roll in your film.
 
Working on finishing things up with the short. The TV head build was completed, and we have also completed getting the main cinematic shot of the film.





We were able to build the set in my basement public garage, luckily I had a friend help me get the shots. (Was going to be hard figuring out how to do it on my own while blind.
20210210_214157.jpg
20210210_211934.jpg
20210210_211944.jpg
TV head meditating.png


All in all, everything went pretty smoothly considering. I still have a hard time figuring out if the light on my green screens are bright enough for editing. I think even for this shot, it wasn't bright enough unfortunately. Oh well, maybe some artifacts will add to the overall look of the film?

I'm going to be releasing a BTS video on the YouTube channel tomorrow morning, so I'll make sure to share that up here when it drops.

The only things left for this short are finishing up the remaining b-roll shots I need to replace my stock footage clips.... That way I don't need to pay as much to finish the film. Most of the shots I can get myself, with the only stock clips needed being the ones that show a family walking through grassy fields in the bright warm sunset. Impossible to do during the coldest winter on the books.

Hope you all enjoy reading and looking at this stuff! Till next time.
 
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