archived-videos The Thickness of Delirium

C

Cam Smith

As a way of introducing myself here's the trailer for Brian James McGuires latest film The Thickness of Delirium a full length feature shot for about $8,000 last year. We've shown the rough cut to a couple of audiences and seeing where we go from here. Brian and the third member of our team Dan Wilson are both University of Wisconsin Film grads with several films to their credit. I'm the new guy on the team and looking forward to figuring which comes first the business plan or the film.

http://www.thethicknessofdelirium.com/index2.html

Shawn has been tormented for years knowing that his father doesn’t want to be a part of his life. When his mother dies and his father doesn’t come to the funeral, he reaches his breaking point and drives from his home in Wisconsin to his childhood home in Utah where his father still lives...to kill him. After a snow storm forces Shawn to spend the night in a motel, he meets Ronnie, a carefree and adventurous woman who is heading west to reach her dream of becoming a country western singer. The two find a connection that may force Shawn to rethink his mission.

Comments on whether the trailer is engaging and makes you want to see the film are appreciated.

Cam Smith
http://www.thethicknessofdelirium.com
http://www.thoughimhappiernow.com
 
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It looks very interesting. Although, I'll be honest and say that my interested is piqued mainly because you say it was shot for $8,000. I'd be very interested in knowing how you accomplished that. I'm looking for more GOOD movies to be made for less than ten thousand.

I also am interested to see why he wants to kill his father. Is it simply because he didn't show up at the funeral or are there deeper reasons?
 
What's the one-line? You should be able to describe the basic story in far fewer words.

Example: A tormented youth returns to his hometown to murder his estranged father but is sidetracked along the way into a whirlwind romance that forces him to reconsider.

The concept (if what I described in the one-line example is, indeed, your story) is intriguing. The way you describe it, though, and the slowness of the trailer (it may be a bit too long), as Pinky alluded, I'm finding difficulty in understanding his motivation. I mean, he wants to kill someone just because he doesn't pay any attention to him? Now if Dad actually killed mom and got away with it, then that could be primal motivation that anyone could understand. Without this primal motivation, if he has this much animosity and deep seeded anger, then perhaps the trailer could show it with quick cuts, dynamic music, metaphorically portraying his mental instability, and then soften in tone and pace as his girl comes into the picture. Don't know.

Bottom line, for me (and this is just opinion, please don't take this as gospel) it is difficult to equate your description of the story with the trailer as executed. But, that might just be the thickness of MY delirium. ;)

EDIT: Visualizing your plot actually brought another film to mind: Something Wild. Although not the same story and protagonist motivation, it has a similar "getting sidetracked by a wild, free spirit" undertone.
 
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Assistance Appreciated

Thanks for the feedback gentleman! I understand what you are getting at and just need to figure out what we need to do. Brian the writer/director and I have discussed the need to recut the trailer/create additional trailers which is why I am asking for opinions. Similarly the artwork is being reworked this week to bring more of the film out. I'll leave it to Brian to decide if your comments go deeper into the film itself.

Pink Guy I thought I thought I read somewhere on IndieTalk (need to find it again) that you will review features and provide more detailed comments. If so I'd appreciate you confirming availability and pointing me back to the page with directions. I can be contacted directly at the email below if thats more appropriate.

Again I really appreciate the time and comments!

Cam Smith
Cam@thoughimhappiernow.com
http://www.thethicknessofdelirium.com
http://www.thoughimhappiernow.com
 
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