Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm with James about the audio. First off, I would be afraid to re-record all the dialogue and make it fit the actors emotions and intent when it was filmed. Also, sometimes it sounds too clean, IMHO. When I shot TTD, I was horrified when I heard the audio. On the beach, the waves were soooo loud! Not only loud, but not nice wave sounds either. It was a constant crashing sound that was overwhelming. Inside the fort, we had terrible echoing. I was convinced we would have to redo all audio in post. Well, turned out we didn't have too. Main reason was because I have a really great shotgun mic. It's freaking amazing. Pricey, yes, but it's beyond fantastic. Well worth the investment. Because of this mic, the dialogue was still crisp and clear from all actors so all I had to do was trying to figure out how to mask the waves and the echo. I put down a nice soundtrack of waves over the other real waves and it masked the bad waves enough. The echo was a different issue, but was handled by adding other ambient sound like rain and thunder. Also, in regards to this mic. I once filmed a fisherman on his airboat. His airboat used an eight cylinder big block Chevy engine... Talk about loud! Anyway, my trusty mic could still pick up the fisherman's audio. A great shotgun mic is worth its weight in gold.

I bought an NTG2 shotgun mic. It cost me a couple hundred.

I watched this a few days ago. Just getting to reply now.

I enjoyed it. Looked good and having not read the script I really liked the story. Sad, dark and a very good ending.

I see by your comments that you're not the happiest with how it turned out. I only see that as a good thing. Keep striving for better.

Anyway, good job on this. An enjoyable watch.

Quoted from Grandma Bear I'm with James about the audio. First off, I would be afraid to re-record all the dialogue and make it fit the actors emotions and intent when it was filmed. Also, sometimes it sounds too clean, IMHO.)

I believe they call it looping, or ADR. I suppose you call it Miriam, but that would be silly. There's a time and and a place for that type of thing. Maybe later, if you ask me nicely. Don't forget the fudge.

I've been rewatching The Sopranos recently. Good for you, you may think. Never mind that, what are we having for dinner? Yes is it.

Anyways, one of the few flaws of this otherwise masterpiece is the bloody audio dubbing. Every few episodes you can tell when they've added the odd line in post.

The lesson here is be very careful about audio dubbing. Try and get all the actor dialogue at the time of filming. And never forget the fudge.

More speculation after the break. Stay with us.

R

Finally got to watch this one. Good stuff, Dustin. I'm more or less agreed with you on the strengths and weaknesses. Sounds like you've got a good attitude with it though, and it's good to hear that you're already working on the next, so anyway, thanks for the film, and looking forward to more!

I also wanted to throw my vote in with James and Pia and R -- definitely best to avoid ADR at all costs, in my view.

Yeah, those are the same arguments everyone else is telling me too. ADR is for emergencies only. At least it's an option we have, I suppose.

Thanks for the comments, all.

Dustin,

Nice one. Aside from the relatively minor audio issues already addressed, I think you are being a bit too critical of yourself. This was nicely done. Besides, when you get down to it, isn't this all preparation for the big ones we are working on? It is all a learning experience and you take those lessons onto the next project.

I look forward to seeing what else you have coming up.

Ian

Thanks, Ian. Yes this is all preparation for the big one, which hopefully will come next year. I can't help but be hard on myself as there were a lot of mistakes made. I aimed to make a professional product and failed. That doesn't make me feel bad, it makes me want to do it right next time. I do think it was a good effort, considering what I've learned since, I'm actually surprised we did even that well. A wannabe writer and a wannabe actor teaming up and making a short film with no experience whatsoever in actual filmmaking, on paper, doesn't look good... but I think we did well enough where we should continue with it.

We had to use some ADR on No More Tomorrows as the sound was a big problem. I think its turned out quite well in the end but it's a big lesson for next time!

Dustin

First off, congrats on getting this filmed.

I liked the sparse, un-fussy direction here. The use of colour was employed effectively to dictate mood and atmosphere though am I wrong to say the exterior nightclub scenes were filmed during the day? I did like the split screen technique used in the club's interior shots though. The close ups and handheld camera technique helped bring immediacy and claustrophobia which worked well with the tone of the story. The lack of score was appreciated too.

The actors playing Janet and Martin both done a great job but I felt Desmedona was severely lacking and dragged the whole thing down. I hate to point fingers and name names but it really stuck out for me. I don’t know if it was down to the actress who portrayed her or the character she was given, perhaps it’s a bit of both but she took me totally out of the film. Looking back at my comments on the script I see I had the same issue on the page with her scenes with Janet and unfortunately it translated directly to screen.

Being honest I had forgotten the script as it’s been almost two years since I read it so I went into this blindsided yet immediately when she began to speak after the night out I knew she was a projection of Janet’s, her evil alter ego pushing her to do what she deep down wants to do: end Bill’s life thus her responsibility to look after him. Their exchanges are so stilted and pointed that any discerning viewer will draw only one conclusion. It’s a pity this narrative device is so signposted as otherwise you have a potentially interesting scenario here that is unflinching in its depiction. I mean, it doesn’t hold back. If anything it has conviction of purpose, which is a credit to your writing and the performances of Janet and Bill.

I don’t think citing Fellini helps matters though. It reminded me of the uproar at Cannes back in 09 when Von Trier dedicated “Antichrist” to Tarkovsky in the closing credits. One has to tread carefully when invoking the masters

The ironic twist of fate at the end too feels way too on the nose and contrived but we’re all guilty of that from time to time and I guess you needed some drama to cap things off and of course give Janet her comeuppance.

Well done again on getting this to screen.

Col.

Quoted from Colkurtz8 Dustin First off, congrats on getting this filmed. I liked the sparse, un-fussy direction here. The use of colour was employed effectively to dictate mood and atmosphere though am I wrong to say the exterior nightclub scenes were filmed during the day?

Thanks mate. Yes the nightclub scene was filmed during the day.

Quoted Text I did like the split screen technique used in the club's interior shots though. The close ups and handheld camera technique helped bring immediacy and claustrophobia which worked well with the tone of the story. The lack of score was appreciated too.

Originally the split screen was security camera footage from a camcorder but the fps were messed up and therefore out of synch. The editor did a decent rescue job.

Quoted Text The actors playing Janet and Martin both done a great job but I felt Desmedona was severely lacking and dragged the whole thing down. I hate to point fingers and name names but it really stuck out for me. I don’t know if it was down to the actress who portrayed her or the character she was given, perhaps it’s a bit of both but she took me totally out of the film. Looking back at my comments on the script I see I had the same issue on the page with her scenes with Janet and unfortunately it translated directly to screen.

I can't blame the actress... we asked her to use an accent. Originally we were going to do it both ways, but didn't get time... so we were left with the accent. Plus the director should really have stepped in and coached her performance better. There's unfussy directing and not directing at all.

Quoted Text Being honest I had forgotten the script as it’s been almost two years since I read it so I went into this blindsided yet immediately when she began to speak after the night out I knew she was a projection of Janet’s, her evil alter ego pushing her to do what she deep down wants to do: end Bill’s life thus her responsibility to look after him. Their exchanges are so stilted and pointed that any discerning viewer will draw only one conclusion. It’s a pity this narrative device is so signposted as otherwise you have a potentially interesting scenario here that is unflinching in its depiction. I mean, it doesn’t hold back. If anything it has conviction of purpose, which is a credit to your writing and the performances of Janet and Bill.

You're right. If I wrote this again today I would get rid of the Des character and simply have Janet arrive at the end of her tether with having to care for him all the time.

Quoted Text I don’t think citing Fellini helps matters though. It reminded me of the uproar at Cannes back in 09 when Von Trier dedicated “Antichrist” to Tarkovsky in the closing credits. One has to tread carefully when invoking the masters

It was a last minute quote without much thought put in.

Quoted Text The ironic twist of fate at the end too feels way too on the nose and contrived but we’re all guilty of that from time to time and I guess you needed some drama to cap things off and of course give Janet her comeuppance.

The ending was something I struggled with and am still not happy with.

Quoted Text Well done again on getting this to screen.

Thanks mate. I should have a few more done this year and not all written by me.