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Could have been done with reversing the characters- pick a different song though.
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#43 Street Modified (SM) Class SCCA Hawaii Region
2005-2008 Solo Run Off Champion (Hawaii)
2006-2009 Solo Points Champion (Hawaii), 2nd 2006
2005-2008 Overall PAX: 8th 2006, 7th 2007, 10th 2008. http://www.sccahawaii.org/pics2008/s.../img_38944.jpg
Yeah, that is how I feel when my wife gets home with the MINI. My first new car. Hers just died, so it's now our ONLY car. BIG transition. I had to teach her how to do things like wrap a napkin around the gas nozzle when filling up to keep from dripping on the paint. When she gets home, I just want to run out and do a walk around! Not that she isn't careful, of course. She's just used to having a beater.
She humors me very well. But I DID cringe when she said "I have to get used to not running over things!" I already told her how irrational I would be if anyhting ever happened to "The Baby."
Hello fellow motorers...it has been a long, long time since I've been around this way so thanks to Tuls for posting this and bringing me back. I didn't know anybody really knew about it yet, since we just posted it. It's now also on our company site at www.bigbrainpictures.com/sunshine
Hafid, being the efficient producer that he is got the whole ball rolling when I put the word out for the convertible and that's where Tammi's little blue one came from.... THANKS TULS (I don't think I ever got to thank you...I'm not sure I knew it was your contact).
Anyway, we shot the commercial without the sanction of MINI, since it's really for our company reel. We were also tyring to see who we could find in the Phoenix area in the way of crew and we were using our new Panasonic DVX 100A and breaking in a new final cut pro editing system. For those film-types, we shot using the 24p frame rate to give it a bit more of a film look.
I hope you all enjoyed it and please send it around to as many enthusiasts as you can think of...you never know where something like this might lead...we, of course, would like to get gigs. Knowing BMW we might just get sued instead
Thanks again for the support and it's good to see some familiar faces...uh, avatars, etc.
Jason
PS-Feel free to give any positive or negative feedback.
PS-Feel free to give any positive or negative feedback.
I know some will like that very last shot, but I just didn't like the where the camera angle was tilting down while the MINI sped away, somehow to me, the tilting down just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the flik.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to take a look at the shot, but it's not actually a tilting shot. However, it's interesting that you would say that because in retrospect it doesn't really fit with the scale of most of the other shots, but unfortunately we had to stay kind of low and then dolly towards the curb as the car drives off. I stayed low because we didn't have the money to control the traffic and what was being seen donw the street. So it's probably the odd lowness that you're responding to.
Now, i'm going to want to do reshoots, because what I should have done was started with a low shot of the car and Blanche's feet walking into frame and then craned up as the car pulled away. That would have been much glossier and fit more with the rest of the shoot. Damn, you should have been reviewing my storyboards before I shot the thing.
I guess I'll never be done learning so thanks again Dominic, this has been a great bit of feedback and something for me to think about.
Also, if you're ever out in Gold Canyon look me up and swing by. I'm sure there are at least a few cruises that go by my house.
Great spot that's well executed! It looks high $$$ with great lighting and some awesome post production. Even the soundtrack is perfect.
IMHO, and no offense (I am not an actor or talent agent so my opinion has no ground to stand on), but your actors are a little weak. I'm not buying the guy's "puppy dog" emotion. Is he upset or constipated? Whatever it is, it looks too forced. The girl, as hot as she is, acts like she's a reject from a Mentos spot. I get the feeling that these folks were some friends that volunteered with the project.
One thing that needs to be realized, and I've been there, done that is that for a demo reel, that indeed IS what normally happens.
You don't have much money to spend, and most of what you do is for trade. You find some unknown talent---from local acting schools, or friends, or sometimes through agencies you can get lucky. But unfortunately in most cases you gotta take what you can get.
I think the guy was alright, the only thing I didn't like was the "kiss" the Hottie was doing--looked more like a frown before she opened her eyes-or maybe she's one of those lousy kissers and that's why he was more drawn to the MINI.
I'll be making my own 2cent post in a second.
Richard
Quote:
Originally Posted by dickdavid
Great spot that's well executed! It looks high $$$ with great lighting and some awesome post production. Even the soundtrack is perfect.
IMHO, and no offense (I am not an actor or talent agent so my opinion has no ground to stand on), but your actors are a little weak. I'm not buying the guy's "puppy dog" emotion. Is he upset or constipated? Whatever it is, it looks too forced. The girl, as hot as she is, acts like she's a reject from a Mentos spot. I get the feeling that these folks were some friends that volunteered with the project.
First off great job FLKMKR. I come from the production business and know how difficult it is to pull off something that looks high budget on a shoe string--of course I'm making that assumption of you as well.
Technical:
Great job on the lighting, exposure levels, contrast, sound track choice and editing! It doesn't have a hint of "video". Of course it's harder to tell in the smaller QT movie, but from what I can tell it looks great. I'm familiar with the DVX-100a. The crane and dolly moves were executed very well. I laughed at the "well placed" branch at the beginning. I don't see a single extended branch anywhere on that street. Of course, I know "why" you did it--crane shots need foreground in order to convey the sense of motion. Still it was done well.
The next transition--person revealing camera wasn't as convincing to me. Again, we're on a deserted street, not a person in sight, and out of nowhere you have someone walking by to reveal the MINI in the next shot? I can appreciate this technique, but I would have preferred it to be something solid like the post the guy is sitting next to. The problem is that if you watch it frame by frame, the moving object is curved at the top and they seem to take forever to move across the frame. This technique works well when you have lots of people or objects in the frame. This is used all the time on TV and in films and of course it doesn't always make sense, but it happens fast enough that you don't realize it. I think what bugged me about this scene is that person takes too long to do the reveal and the MINI just zips into frame.
I loved the slow motion you did on the "hottie". The Phoebe Cates shot of Fast Times.
Having watched this clip a number of times, I don't think the talent is that bad, nor is the last shot something that doesn't fit. I like seeing her feet at the curb, and watching the MINI drive off into the "sunset".
I think my quips have more to do with editing, and even that is relatively minor. I love what you did, and great job!
Would you might sharing some more details about your shoot?
How big was your crew?
How long did it take you to shoot?
What kind of lighting control did you use on the guy at the steps?
What crane/jib did you use?
Thanks everybody for the interest and feedback! I am taking everything to heart...believe me. To me criticism is good as long as it's constructive. the only thing I don't like is when criticism goes from criticism to dogging people out like saying somebody is a "reject from a Mentos commercial" instead of just saying you didn't like the acting. However, the Mentos thing is funny and I get the point you're trying to make, so it's all good.
Keep it coming because I appreciate the community here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
First off great job FLKMKR. I come from the production business and know how difficult it is to pull off something that looks high budget on a shoe string--of course I'm making that assumption of you as well.
Your assumption is correct. A little over a thousand dollars, because we paid people and had to hire the car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
Technical: I laughed at the "well placed" branch at the beginning. I don't see a single extended branch anywhere on that street. Of course, I know "why" you did it--crane shots need foreground in order to convey the sense of motion. Still it was done well.
That's funny, you spotted the Branchasaurus We're still laughing about that. We talked about exactly the fact that it didn't fit, but it looked good. That was even a brown and crusty branch to boot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
The next transition--person revealing camera wasn't as convincing to me. Again, we're on a deserted street, not a person in sight, and out of nowhere you have someone walking by to reveal the MINI in the next shot? I can appreciate this technique, but I would have preferred it to be something solid like the post the guy is sitting next to. The problem is that if you watch it frame by frame, the moving object is curved at the top and they seem to take forever to move across the frame. This technique works well when you have lots of people or objects in the frame. This is used all the time on TV and in films and of course it doesn't always make sense, but it happens fast enough that you don't realize it. I think what bugged me about this scene is that person takes too long to do the reveal and the MINI just zips into frame..
I kind of see what you're saying. The shot is actually a dolly out from behind the back of the guy, but it may play a bit awkward and it may be as you say the car then zipping into frame that makes it feel funny. Again, good things were learned doing this and this kind of talk helps out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
I loved the slow motion you did on the "hottie". The Phoebe Cates shot of Fast Times.
That was obviously intentional and Fast Times came up as well
Having watched this clip a number of times, I don't think the talent is that bad, nor is the last shot something that doesn't fit. I like seeing her feet at the curb, and watching the MINI drive off into the "sunset".
She's got talented feet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
I think my quips have more to do with editing, and even that is relatively minor. I love what you did, and great job!.
Thank you for the long and thoughtful post. It's always good to hear "good job" rather than "you suck".
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
Would you might sharing some more details about your shoot?
How big was your crew?
Well we had a few people running around the set and craft services and such, but as far as technical crew we ended up light. We had a DP who ended up not being able bring the camera crew so we used two PA's as grips and a future investor as our crew. So we had a crew of four people to shoot the thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
How long did it take you to shoot?
One day. We got a two hour delay and so we shot from about 10am until 4 pm when it switched from perfectly sunny day to light sprinkles.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
What kind of lighting control did you use on the guy at the steps?
An 8x8 with plastic sheeting. Indie all the way
Quote:
Originally Posted by OctaneGuy
What crane/jib did you use?
We have a Cobra Crane 2 Plus. This was our first time using any of the equipment, but even without balancing it properly the Cobra was awesome.
Last edited by OctaneGuy : 03-16-2005 at 10:58 AM.
That's cool! I've got a Mega Crane which was the precursor to the Cobra Crane. The inventor of that product, Eric Ortlieb is a buddy of mine. I'll have to forward your clip so he knows what people are using his tools for. :smile:
Actually if we had seen this earlier, he would have loved to shown it off at a local user group meeting last week where the focus was on cranes and jibs.
Anyhow, great job on the demo--esp. for $1K! If I wasn't told, I would have thought it was something that MINIUSA had produced for a lot more.
Btw, I love simple ideas executed very well. No need for an elaborate location or props. Just a door step and a curb. LOL.
Richard
Quote:
Originally Posted by flkmkr
What crane/jib did you use?
We have a Cobra Crane 2 Plus. This was our first time using any of the equipment, but even without balancing it properly the Cobra was awesome.
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