About Directoroli

12 Comments

• parconus

  This entry seemed to me to be a entry of two parts. The first two and half minutes (and isn't the whole short supposed to be that length?) run as the opening scenes of a much longer work whilst the last minute is more of a trailer - snippets of dialogue and sequences again from a longer work.
  
  Basically this did not work for me as a short in it's own right.
  
  The framing of some of the shots also seemed odd – although perhaps this is a cinematographic technique that you've used deliberately, however I feel that the lack of stability in most of the shots is distracting even though audiences are used to seeing this kind of thing in TV programs like “24”. There has to always be a motivation and reason for using them – for example during the zombie sections during the backend they would be fine, but their use during the bicycle ride in the intro or the pan across London I’m not so convinced about. Buy a decent fluid head tripod, or indeed any tripod! I occasionally zoom in by 5% and then frame by frame manually stabilise/smooth shots if required (like when shooting from a car in the intro) – although it takes hours even for a short shot!
  
  I could also discuss the acting and the green screen section but maybe I should just stop here. I’m sorry about the negativity of these comments but I hope you take them in the way that they are intended and use them to improve any future work.

  May 16, 2008

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• qwerty

  hey man that a bit harsh, its really good better than that night walking i think this should win

  May 16, 2008

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• NoNameFace

  excuse me, but this is meant to be amature films not bloody blockbuster. Seriously mate take a chill pill. all that negativity, i thought it was pretty good actually, for a student you're not bad! I was impressed by the switch of the mood.
  Whatever you do, DON'T change the style of your films because the amature style goes well with the Zombie theme (Save the money on the tripod).
  Critisism is only good when it is CONSTRUCITVE! Welldone and keep up the good work!

  May 16, 2008

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• kcbabe

  This is very clever! cant wait!
  guy at the top, constructive criticism is helpful but that was just negative and a waste of time i hope you know :p
  x

  May 16, 2008

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• parconus

  I am saddened by the response that my comments have caused as I felt that I was making constructive criticisms. For example, I liked the tracking shot of the protagonist on the bicycle in the introduction, but why use a take which is bouncing around and which therefore results in the protagonist’s head leaving frame?
  
  I have previously heard of Hollingdale when he was searching for a DoP / cinematographer for a zombie feature. I assume that the search goes on?
  
  I still stand by my previous comment that this is NOT a short in its own right, but merely a trailer for his longer work in progress. Exactly how does this tell a complete story? Where is the resolution or indeed any form of character development?
  
  It is always difficult to re-edit a longer piece down to the constraints of a short film competition, but using the full 2.5 minutes on the set-up does not make cinematic sense, especially as the entry then overruns by a large margin which will surely disqualify it anyway. Edit this again- to time! - and I feel that it could make a stronger entry – keep the set-up short and then show us the whole story – don’t make it a trailer – This is not the Empire 60 second competition in which Hollingdale entered so successfully this year.
  

  May 17, 2008

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• Third Life

  Not sure what parconus is on about with the shots, but yep the pacing is wrong. I was bored in the begining! Loved the music for it tho. Very 28 days. Is it copyright free or do you have a guy on the team that rights stuff for you? If it's free on the net please let me know!

  May 17, 2008

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• jamie101

  hey dude leave him alone i thought it was pretty cool little slow at beggining but quite cool otherwise better than that nightjog or walk what ever it is :P

  May 17, 2008

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• luke

  wow this was a bit slow but was still great nice one dude good luck

  May 20, 2008

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• LosPenguine

  not bad for an 18 year old.. very good in fact, but it didn't blow me away I'm afraid.
  Some nice cinematography, but I agree, it didn't work as a self contained short film.
  Look forward to seeing this chap develop

  May 22, 2008

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• Snailhouse

  This doesn't work as a short film for me either - it felt like the opening scene of a longer film bolted onto a rough-cut trailer of a different one (a bit like parconus said). More like a showreel, I suppose.
  That said, some nice ideas in there and clearly made with passion (and a tiny budget), so keep up the good work.

  May 22, 2008

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• luke

  guysa what the hell is wrong with you this is fantastic i assume it is an intro and a trailer together and the comp is for people to continue there current pro=jectsso they have to show them what they want to continue so leave out all of you its good

  June 4, 2008

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• Necromancer

  Hey dude that was realy cool Teh zombes looked awsmoe

  September 26, 2008

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