watch Life's a Drag - Short Film

[Sweetie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjAqcEa5S8w

I hope you like this more than the other short I posted the other day. This one I was only the 1st AD and editor (which was a struggle due to coverage. It turned out decent I thought). It was shot nearly a year ago and three editors later, here is the final product. I hope you like it.

Please let me know what you think, though don't ask me DOP/Directing questions on this one.

Logline: Unlucky in love Jeda, searches for her true love in all the wrong places. Her brother, Reuben, is a victim of a hate crime for being gay in a club. A lighthearted comedy about the trials and tribulations the gay and lesbian community must endure on a daily basis.

Crew:
Directed by Antonio Peluso
Written and Produced by Carolyn Wagner
DOP: Patrick Coe
Editor: Michael Puccini

Starring:
Carolyn Wagner as Jeda
Donovan Wagner as Rueben
Veronica Villareal as Anarosa
Sam Schuur as Elliot
Bobbi-Lea Dionysius at Laura

Notes:
Shot on a 7D (multi-camera in some parts)
I believe Zoom H4N was the recorder and Rode NTG-2 was the microphone.

 

[sfoster]

I wish this went up to at least 480.. 360 looks bad on my big screen hdtv

I liked your editing FWIW, although it really could have used a wider variety of transitions that's not always an option available to the editor. they have to be planned by the director if you want to get fancy transitions

Overall a decent flick

My criticisms:
The sound was pretty bad in some places (e.g. 6:30)
The maid had bad acting in the beginning, but was better in her second scene so I'd place the blame squarely on the director for that one
The bouncer was terrible
Didn't care for the gold makeup in the first party scene.
Bruising makeup was good later on
I thought the transexual should have had his legs crossed on the bar stool, he was sitting like he was a dude. That made me think this guy is just an actor and not experienced with drag.
When the transexual got punched he should have screamed like a chick. It's hilarious when that happened in con air
Also if you're in full drag, you're supposed to use the women's bathroom. I had to learn that the hard way in vegas, caused a huge ruckus with my entrance and I was promptly kicked out of the guys' by the bathroom attendant

 

[Sweetie]

I wish this went up to at least 480.. 360 looks bad on my big screen hdtv

Good to know. I'll post higher resolution versions next time.

it really could have used a wider variety of transitions that's not always an option available to the editor.

Spot on. You have to work with what you have. There was one scene where all the shots (except the only insert) was all shot from the same position. Another scene had 1 take with no coverage. I got noted back from the producer, "Please use shots from other angles and cut better.".... "Pickups are happening when?"... well not those exact words. Don't get me wrong, the producer was great

I had to resort to stock footage for some shots ;( That's what it's there for, right?

The sound was pretty bad in some places (e.g. 6:30)

And in many other places. It's relatively cheap gear, in a rushed situation on a busy road using a club that was open at the time with near on 2 dozen customers. Just didn't work and we learned from it. Not making excuses. You're totally right.

That made me think this guy is just an actor and not experienced with drag.

What's funny is that he's gay and he's very much into the drag (from what I understand). Though he is a stage actor so he's a little over the top.

When the transexual got punched he should have screamed like a chick.

You know, that's a great idea.

Also if you're in full drag, you're supposed to use the women's bathroom.

Yeah, but the joke wouldn't work in the ladies room Gotta shoot the jokes in the script.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Spawn]

How long did it take you to film everything?

 

[Sweetie]

Stretching the memory there. It was over 2 years ago.

I believe it was 2 full days of shooting, 2 half days.

 

[gorillaonabike]

As a simple viewer, I was drawn in initially and then lost interest around the 9 minute mark which isn't bad for me. Just as a viewer, the first bits of acting were wooden and turned me off as well as the sound which screamed 'amateur.'

Wearing my film-makers hat, despite the 360 (seriously, 360???), the DoP was good. Some mistakes here and there but overall a solid DoP and decent editing which raised it. Quality DoPing and impressed with some of the editing.

What lowered it was clearly bad sound, post-makeup and I would also suggest the director's vision.

Keep that DoP's number - shot composition was good.

 

[Sweetie]

Hi Gorilla,

Thanks for the feedback.

It's always a strange feeling when threads from over a year ago get resurrected When I saw this video pop up again on the radar, I had mixed feelings. It was shot over 2 years ago and was my third project I was involved with. I only ended up editing it since the producer and the director hadn't even got the editing started a year after it was shot.

I agree with you on those points. I assume when you're talking 360 you mean the party scene and the clothes line?

I'm a little harsher on the editing than you are. I'm sure if I edited it today, it'd be a different beast. Quicker pacing, stronger story, less worrying about sticking to the script etc.

I also agree, Pat is good.

The funny thing, the sound guy on that shoot has turned into my go to guy as a DOP.

Would you believe that we won best picture with that film at a local film festival last September.