archived-videos I, Creator -- A 4 Minute Preview
- Thread starter Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC
- Start date
This could possibly rule in a so bad its good kind of way (No offence), and not that it's really bad,
just maybe a bit too ambitious for the budget or something.
The guy at 2:24 is awesome. lol
I really like ultra low budget stuff like this and would love to see it.
-Thanks-
just maybe a bit too ambitious for the budget or something.
The guy at 2:24 is awesome. lol
I really like ultra low budget stuff like this and would love to see it.
-Thanks-
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Well, it is a 100 minute feature made for $20,000.
Here's the story on the production: http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=413
Here's the story on the production: http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=413
20k huh? Wow.
It has the low budget appeal that I personally like. Hopefully it will catch on.
(Are there other trailers for it?)
-Thanks-
It has the low budget appeal that I personally like. Hopefully it will catch on.
(Are there other trailers for it?)
-Thanks-
I would be interested to hear how that was spent.
Regardless, the preview itself makes no pretense about what it is. I'd totally show that at Movie Night here. Sci-fi films are a great vehicle for discussing all kinds of interesting issues, lo-budget or not.
Plus, chicks in pleather & vinyl are hot.
A good half was spent on upgrading equipment from mini DV to HD. The weakest link in the chain is the audio. Two "DPs" who dropped out right before we went into production recommended wireless lapels and they caused nothing but headaches. Short battery life, stray sounds from rubbing on clothing, EMI interference, audio dropout, and condensing too much audio information makes them useless for an no budget production where the crew is still in the learning phase of the business.
The few scenes where a cable shotgun microphone was used had superior audio. I have had to do endless sleepless nights doing audio repair work with Sound Forge and Sound Soap.
The rest of the budget went into the art department for costumes and props, shooting locations, preproduction expenses such as renting space for casting, advertising for casting, rehearsals, stock footage, some animation and title work, conceptual art in the preproduction stage, getting the script analyzed, some audio recording at a friend's studio, food, and travel expenses. I also paid for a makeup kit for the cast.
These expenses are off the top of my head.
The few scenes where a cable shotgun microphone was used had superior audio. I have had to do endless sleepless nights doing audio repair work with Sound Forge and Sound Soap.
The rest of the budget went into the art department for costumes and props, shooting locations, preproduction expenses such as renting space for casting, advertising for casting, rehearsals, stock footage, some animation and title work, conceptual art in the preproduction stage, getting the script analyzed, some audio recording at a friend's studio, food, and travel expenses. I also paid for a makeup kit for the cast.
These expenses are off the top of my head.
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I would be interested to hear how that was spent.
Regardless, the preview itself makes no pretense about what it is. I'd totally show that at Movie Night here. Sci-fi films are a great vehicle for discussing all kinds of interesting issues, lo-budget or not.
Plus, chicks in pleather & vinyl are hot.
Tell me about movie night here.
Why are you asking a DP for audio advice, and why are you making a $20K movie with a crew that is "still in the learning phase"?
I like your gumption. A lot. And I hope you're not discouraged by the results of this film. You should keep making films. Except, maybe you could benefit by simplifying the process. For your next story, figure out what is really the bread and butter, and how you can tell that in the simplest, most effective way. Cheers!
I like your gumption. A lot. And I hope you're not discouraged by the results of this film. You should keep making films. Except, maybe you could benefit by simplifying the process. For your next story, figure out what is really the bread and butter, and how you can tell that in the simplest, most effective way. Cheers!
Tell me about movie night here.
Friends come over to my house, and we watch a movie that someone brings.
Sometimes great; sometimes terrible. No vetting in advance.
Good times.
Based on the trailer, I think it has certain "Quirky Trappings" and a "Dysfunctional Charm" that I would pay to see and enjoy.
Some of the dialogue sounds pretty decent too.
-Thanks-
Some of the dialogue sounds pretty decent too.
-Thanks-
In my head phones the audio was horrible I can tell you had issues. Try a zoom h4n next time with a boom shotgun mic. I hear those work good.
I had issues with sound on my first short film too do to a crappy camera mic built in the camera with a very small diaphram it clipped out at times because it could not take any loudness near it. I edited it out in post and fix a lot in a DAW with plugins. But wow do I ever need a h4n and a good boom shot gun mic.
I had issues with sound on my first short film too do to a crappy camera mic built in the camera with a very small diaphram it clipped out at times because it could not take any loudness near it. I edited it out in post and fix a lot in a DAW with plugins. But wow do I ever need a h4n and a good boom shot gun mic.
I didn't ask. They like to put their .02 cents in anyway.
Try finding a crew with a $20K budget and see who applies to work with you.
Discouraged? No! The sound was disappointing, but the rest of it came out as expected for an Indie feature. There's only so much that can be done with $20K.
The bread and butter? Read about it here. It was known before the movie was made.http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=413
I wanted a 21 century retelling of Frankenstein, a female artificial being who would like to be human, and because she is not human, she sees the best and the worse traits humans have more clearly than a human because she is looking in from the outside. And, I wanted to examine the nature humans have of destroying themselves.
Some people are locked into big screen fantasies when they set out to make a movie that is bigger than their wallet. I'm small screen, thinking of TV as my format model. I, Creator was fashioned after a low budget sci-fi TV movie. Their budgets are closer to what I have to work with than a Hollywood blockbuster.
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The sound in my short VERY SPECIAL AGENTS is better because we used a cable shotgun mic from start to finish.
We can save that short for another thread. It's on both Vimeo and Youtube. That is a 10 minute production made for $50K. So, the production values are better.
I'll never use wireless lapels again for anything serious.
I'm looking to get a zoom recorded with a new shotgun mic, if we can make a sequel. I have a friend who offered to help me get investors. The budget will hopefully be better, which will allow better production values, and a better story with more action.
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Friends come over to my house, and we watch a movie that someone brings.
Sometimes great; sometimes terrible. No vetting in advance.
Good times.
Sounds GREAT. It's a shame I'm out in New York.
Whether you asked for it or not, they gave it, and you took it. You did exactly what they told you to do. That's one problem -- you consulted the wrong people for advice. Before your next production, spend some time hanging out on this forum -- you'll receive a whole ton of advice that is better than what you followed.
I happen to be working with a crew that I'm spending a whopping $1,000 on. If you're spending such a small amount of money, you shouldn't be looking to the crew to make any creative decisions for you -- you should be prepared to wear a ton of different hats.
And there's a lot you can do with $0. It's all about the story.
I'm glad you're happy with what you made. I just think you might benefit if you listen to some of the critiques you're receiving here, before you get started on your next production.
Cheers.
You don't need a budget for a better story. And you'd probably benefit by decreasing the amount of action to a minimum.
So they say. However, science fiction does cost money to achieve the right look to reach out to the science fiction fans around the globe.
Bread and butter, girls in tight pleather has a big audience. Zentai is big in Asia.
I found ways of getting the costumes and props made VERY cheaply.
For a sequel, I'm introducing the goddess, Artemis and some wrestlers as more action will attract the video game generation more. More money spent with stuff like that adds value to the production.
I was surprised at the screening party for I, Creator of the wide demographics that like I, Creator.
I got some good comments from filmmakers that they like my action scenes and they think I should add more to future productions.
The story of I, Creator could have been better. Limited locations and resources took away from ways I wanted to develop the characters. However, the 4 minute preview does highlight ways that were used to develop Angela's character.
I am working on a treatment for a sequel. The new characters I'm introducing will show us new sides to some of the characters introduced in the original. It will further explore humans and their idols. Here is a smattering of what I am planning to do: http://www.sffworld.com/forums/blog.php?b=509
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