archived-videos A DAWNING DARKNESS (8:00min)

Flicker Pictures

Flicker Pictures

Hey there,

This doesn’t have too many scares, although it might raise a few hairs. :eek:

A DAWNING DARKNESS - "Tea & Sympathy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jlw_aODxao​

Vimeo link: https://vimeo.com/63150825

What started out as a camera test for the GH2 slowly grew into something more, but didn't quite get big enough to feel complete; at least that's my take on it. Which is probably why it struck out at the handful of horror festivals I submitted it to. Oh, the horror! haha.

Still, I felt it was important to post on YouTube to get everyone's efforts out there (some IndieTalk members) for folks to see and hear.

I had plans on shooting another story that ties into the chain theme, creating parity with the couple featured in the tarot card, but I couldn't pull a production together before our move to Boston. Who knows? Maybe I'll do it here.

I also had intentions of adding some "dark spirits" seeping from Sheilah's mouth in the last 3 shots, but I simply ran out of steam and had zero money to incorporate those FX.

landing page
http://flickerpictures.com/adawningdarkness.htm

earlier thread
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=45661

There you have it.

Enjoy the witching season! :devil:

Jeff
 
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Nice to hear from you, Jeff! I thought your movie was well executed. I liked the Coppola-ish DRACULA shadows and the Raimi-ish demon angles/sound. Good cinematography and title/credit music (no Josh this time, the strings sounded a little workstationy, but still good). Overall, the short had a nice polish to it and was competently directed.

If I had to quibble a bit, the hell flames could have been better and some of the pacing tightened up - quit looking at the lady sitting on the bed and jump-cut to the feet in the shoes, already. :lol: The music could have hit some more marks, like the first chair rocking, etc. I know you were going for mostly subtle creepy, but I would have punched some parts a bit more. Most importantly, I wanted to know why the lady deserved to go to hell; I wanted more backstory. She looks like such a nice lady. :devil:

You moved to Boston? What happened with C...Ca....Kaleefornya?

alg-schwarzenegger2-jpg.jpg
 
Thanks for taking a look folks.

Mike,

Yeah, this is an incomplete story and isn't satisfying enough. My fault. It needed more oomph to make it work and I just ran out of steam. But I didn't want it to collect dust. Hate when that happens.

This is just a slice of a bigger story about a long buried witch that's been hoisted from her watery grave which sets off a chain reaction of ancient demonic spirits that seek out those involved with the dark arts and the occult.

There was a prologue I wanted to add as well as another character. Not saying this would have made for a more complete film, but I guess it's all a work-in-progress...

Our families are rooted in New England, they weren't coming to us, so after 10 years in California it was time to move back east.

* I had completely forgotten I submitted to this festival months ago and woke up to some good news this morning, which was a nice surprise. :)
http://www.zedfest.org/001FESTIVAL/zf2013.html

** here's the witch coffin I built for the prologue
BWOAWL7CcAATcDH.jpg:large


*** the opening scene/setup PDF
http://t.co/WzgDfTmygd

Happy haunting to all!
 
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That witch-coffin is off the chain!

...and speaking of which, very creative pattern worked into how it's tied up.

I really hope you can find the peeps with the bux to make both this and the Deep one. :cool:

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Yeah I had a lot of fun putting that coffin together. And I had the image of strapping it to the top of our Ford Focus that we towed with the moving truck, with a "Salem of Bust" sign and a witch hand sticking out of it... ;) But I didn't for fear of vandals and rainy weather.

The guy down the street from us was a carpenter and collected all types of old wood, so this was made from planks that were at least 100 years old. I scraped off the paint to show off the grain; will be good for close-ups.

BWiQOuxCIAAR4t4.jpg:large


And I kept wanting to wrap the chain into a pentagram of sorts and played with it until it came together. Ultimately I'd love to have a length of super old rusty boat chain, but for the time being I got some plastic stuff at Lowe's and need to rust it up with some spray paint.

Next up is adding the symbol that I hope to make out of copper or tin and hammer it into the top.
BWT-u0MCcAAXj41.jpg:large


Props are a good time. :yes:
 
Hey, I'm glad you enjoyed it. :D I'll be thinking of ways to improve on what I have in place so as not to reinvent the wheel when moving forward. There are certainly a few spots that can be trimmed down and would make for natural cut points for other stories happening.

If anyone knows an FX artist who can create some black sooty goo that oozes from Sheilah's mouth (in the last three shots) be sure to let me know. I'd have to get the file to Evan so he can add it under the layers of smoke.

I have no idea what something like that would cost or take to do. I saw something like it recently in the show 666 Park Avenue.

Always a learning process!
 
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