archived-videos Racing Stripes

cheeseandachallenge

cheeseandachallenge

Racing Stripes (One Minute Short)

Hey gang,

thought I'd share my first short since getting my own camera and getting out of high school (i've done bits and pieces, but this was the first that wasn't improvised on the day).

It's for a "One Minute Movie Massive" and my university. Shot in the same week that the idea was conceived (we were only together in the same town for 4 days), so there wasn't any real opportunity for script-rewrites or reshoots (and there are things I would change, particularly about the ending). But I think it came out ok, let me know what you think. I'm aware of a number of flaws in it, but critique would be awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0J54aZZueE
aaand the vimeo link for those who prefer vimeo (I do)
https://vimeo.com/jpmines/racingstripes

Music by and Indietalker - https://soundcloud.com/marc-vd-meulen
 
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Ending felt a bit weak, compared to the excellent pacing of the first three-quarters.

Overall, I dig it. Quirky, different, straight into it.

:)
 
Thanks for the feedback Steve!

Yeah, I didn't like the ending either. I had to leave it in for the competition (the theme was too far too fast, and I don't think it would've been apparent that this conformed with the theme otherwise).

I had planned to do an alternate and slightly extended edit with the ending removed (instead ending on his crash). But I've decided my time is better spent moving onto new things, instead of going over prior mistakes :)
 
Thematically:
I enjoyed the quick cuts.
I liked the failed attempt followed by the "magical solution!"
Would've liked to see more of the "vehicle", especially in action.
Loved the paper flames out the exhaust!
Nice CGI effect shot.
I liked the humor very much.

The ending punchline did not match the set up and wasn't designed or crafted well.

Technically:
That burring (if you intended it) didn't look too good.
The slow shutter speed relative to the frame rate is what causes that.
If your camera allows manual control over aperture and/or shutter speed - lock the shutter speed to twice the frame rate: 24/25FPS = 1/50 shutterspeed, 50FPS = 1/100 or thereabouts.

Surely your camera provides for some white balance; either auto, select, or (God willing) manual.
That.

Does your NLE have color correction capabilities?
That.

And what was up with the decision to have the cinemascope bars close in @ 0:22?
 
Thanks Ray and Richy :)

Yeah, I didn't actually notice the blurring until today. As I said it was my first time using that camera properly, but I swear I has the shutter speed set correctly (though I may have just neglected it somehow). I also think I might have chosen a weird export setting accidentally, who knows (I will have a look into that, but I guess it's more likely I just forgot to think about shutter speed when considering everything else).

As for white balance; yeah you're right. I had figured out how to set white balance a few days earlier, then when we got to shooting, just went completely over my head. As for colour correction-I've never done it before, but I did watch some tutorials for this and try to fix the white balance, but I just couldn't get it right :/ any suggestions? (It's too late to change now, but it'd be useful to know in future).

Heh, yeah the cinema bars were meant to add to the parody, though in hindsight I guess they don't work so well.
 
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