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macgeek2005 · Jun 28, 2007, 11:49 PM

I know I didn't even start a thread here when I decided to make a movie, but I thought it wasn't necessary. But now that principal photography is done, I decided i'd come to share my accomplishment with you guys.

I wrote the first draft of the script about 3 weeks ago, and within a week, I revised it continuously, until I reached the 8th draft. I had to revise based on my own desires as well as my actors. When your family is your cast and crew for the film, you have to accommodate what they are willing to act.

Last week I shot for about 5 hours, over tuesday, wednesday, and thursday, yielding about 3 and a half hours of footage. This week I filmed again on tuesday, wednesday, and thursday, yielding 3 hours of footage from 6 and a half hours of filming time.

The plot synopsis goes like this: "A man has a dream that an angel tells him that if he kills his family, their souls will be sent to heaven. He decides what to do, and does it."

If any of you are interested in seeing the finished product, let me know, so I can post another thread here when I finish it. I'll be editing it in Final Cut Pro 6. I'm having this guy come up to my house to teach it to me, by editing my movie. I'll be the one editing it, but he'll be teaching me how to do different things as we go along.

I'm just really happy that photography is finished. It was really stressful, trying to coordinate the lives of 3 very busy people (my dad, my mom, and my older brother). They all made major sacrifices such as not going to work, not eating when they desire to, and so on and so forth.

Anyways, I just wanted to share. It's an exciting thing for me, as an aspiring film maker, to have finished shooting my first film.

Oh by the way, the film is gonna be about 5 or 6 minutes long, I think.

ink · Jun 28, 2007, 11:59 PM

That sounds very interesting; I'd love to see it (having grown up in a fundamental religion and such).

stwain2003 · Jun 29, 2007, 12:08 AM

Tell us as soon as you're done. Sounds very interesting!

irunat2am · Jun 29, 2007, 02:29 AM

I'm just getting interested in video editing. Show us when you're done. I'd love to take a look.

Paco500 · Jun 29, 2007, 09:00 AM

Do you have a title? May I suggest "Secret Garden II: Secreter Garden"?

RAILhead · Jun 29, 2007, 10:12 AM

5 or 6 minutes -- isn't that more like a short? A film? Ah well.

IceEnclosure · Jun 29, 2007, 10:38 AM

5-6 minutes? you shot 6 hrs of film?? Family didn't eat?? WTFBBQ????

let you know if we're interested?? because THEN you'll post the completed movie? Yeah, like you wouldn't post it otherwise.

Awesome!

Dakarʒ · Jun 29, 2007, 10:42 AM

My girlfriend and I made a 5-6 minute movie as well. Not a whole lot of dialogue, but the story line is good. Wanna see it?

Doofy · Jun 29, 2007, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

My girlfriend and I made a 5-6 minute movie as well.

But what's it gonna be like after editing the 4.5 minutes of smoking out?

RAILhead · Jun 29, 2007, 11:38 AM

Zing!11!

Dakarʒ · Jun 29, 2007, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

But what's it gonna be like after editing the 4.5 minutes of smoking out?

Nice try. I don't smoke.

The ending credits last two minutes.

macgeek2005 · Jun 29, 2007, 12:51 PM

Hah.. okay, my family ate. It's just, there were scenarios when my dad would come home from work early, to do a shoot, and he was starving, and I would tell him that we don't have time for him to eat, and i'd throw a boom pole in his hands and make him be quiet. I was a real asshole throughout the making of this film, but I had to be, because I had exactly 5 days to shoot what I could've spent alot more time on. My family is so busy, it was so hard to find times to shoot.

Anyways, yes, it's gonna be a 5 or 6 minute "short film," but it looks like I might not start seriously editing it until august, due to guests and stuff.

RAILhead · Jun 29, 2007, 01:17 PM

Put it on a server and I promise we can help edit it down to 5 minutes WAAAAY before August.

CollinG3G4 · Jun 29, 2007, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Paco500

Do you have a title? May I suggest "Secret Garden II: Secreter Garden"?

That made me laugh.

macgeek2005 · Jun 29, 2007, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by RAILhead

Put it on a server and I promise we can help edit it down to 5 minutes WAAAAY before August.

I don't want anyone but me to edit it. It's my movie, and I want it to look the way I originally envisioned it. Thanks for the offer though.

KeriVit · Jun 29, 2007, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure

5-6 minutes? you shot 6 hrs of film??

Actually, I've shot hours of film for a 30 second tv commercial, so that's not surprising. You need alternatives and different angles and such.

olePigeon · Jun 29, 2007, 02:10 PM

Did you have an epic sword fight?

Dakarʒ · Jun 29, 2007, 02:13 PM

Yes, but not the kind of sword you're thinking of.

Dakarʒ · Jun 29, 2007, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Ha! Triumph for my magic steel!

Mine is +1 against blondes.

Doofy · Jun 29, 2007, 02:41 PM

Ha! Triumph for my magic steel!

MOTHERWELL · Jun 29, 2007, 04:05 PM

Now that you are a director, don't use the term 'movie.' You are a filmmaker - you make films.

And in this care you made a short film. Congrats, post a link when you get it online. And please use quicktime. There is nothing worse than having to watch on youtube.

olePigeon · Jun 29, 2007, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by MOTHERWELL

There is nothing worse than having to watch on youtube.

Watching on RealPlayer?

macgeek2005 · Jun 29, 2007, 08:56 PM

Well, when I told someone I was making a film, they said "It's 5 minute long video and you're calling it a film?"

But anyways, yeah, i'll call my creations "films" from now on.

I'm gonna be capturing all my footage into FCP 6 over the weekend, and on Monday, that guy is coming over to help me learn to use the program!

MOTHERWELL · Jun 29, 2007, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by MOTHERWELL

There is nothing worse than having to watch on youtube.

I take that back.

Youtube looks pretty nice on the iphone.

macgeek2005 · Jun 30, 2007, 02:39 AM

My mom just ordered Final Cut Studio 2 for me! I'm so psyched! I was using a downloaded copy of FCP 6 until now, and the serial number wouldn't work with the 6.0.1 update, so I asked her to buy it for me!

badidea · Jun 30, 2007, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ

My girlfriend and I made a 5-6 minute movie as well. Not a whole lot of dialogue, but the story line is good. Wanna see it?

You have to work on your endurance!

CollinG3G4 · Jun 30, 2007, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

My mom just ordered Final Cut Studio 2 for me! I'm so psyched! I was using a downloaded copy of FCP 6 until now, and the serial number wouldn't work with the 6.0.1 update, so I asked her to buy it for me!

Nice. I think i'll call my mom now and ask for Logic Pro.

IceEnclosure · Jun 30, 2007, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

My mom just ordered Final Cut Studio 2 for me! I'm so psyched! I was using a downloaded copy of FCP 6 until now, and the serial number wouldn't work with the 6.0.1 update, so I asked her to buy it for me!

KeriVit · Jun 30, 2007, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

My mom just ordered Final Cut Studio 2 for me! I'm so psyched! I was using a downloaded copy of FCP 6 until now, and the serial number wouldn't work with the 6.0.1 update, so I asked her to buy it for me!

Are you trying to make people hate you by perpetuating your spoiled brat image?

I woulda just kept my mouth shut.

zro · Jun 30, 2007, 01:36 PM

One day he'll come to truly appreciate the encouragement and indulgence lavished on him by his parents. Hopefully.

macgeek2005 · Jun 30, 2007, 02:25 PM

So, instead of having fun in life, we should learn that everything has to be hard, and that we can't get what we want? That's a pretty screwed up way of thinking.

My parents support me and my brothers. They pay thousands of dollars for my younger brother's cello lessons, they spend thousands on my older brother's college, and they spend thousands on my computer and video equipment. Due to the support of my parents, I have what it takes to learn what I need to know, to succeed in the world of film. And before you guys go yapping on and on about how computers and software don't make a good film maker, yes, I happen to be aware of that. A talented guy with a G3 iMac and iMovie, will get more recognition at a film festival than an untalented guy with a Quad G5 and Final Cut Studio.

I think I have talent, and I also happened to need that software. Everyone I know who makes movies has it. And my mom decided that was something she was willing to buy me. She thought it was worth it, and that it was neccesary.

Good day people.

besson3c · Jun 30, 2007, 02:32 PM

Macgeek: I think it would be a good prank to go tell your Mom that you intend to shoot pornos with Final Cut Studio.

KeriVit · Jun 30, 2007, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

So, instead of having fun in life, we should learn that everything has to be hard, and that we can't get what we want? That's a pretty screwed up way of thinking.

My parents support me and my brothers. They pay thousands of dollars for my younger brother's cello lessons, they spend thousands on my older brother's college, and they spend thousands on my computer and video equipment. Due to the support of my parents, I have what it takes to learn what I need to know, to succeed in the world of film. And before you guys go yapping on and on about how computers and software don't make a good film maker, yes, I happen to be aware of that. A talented guy with a G3 iMac and iMovie, will get more recognition at a film festival than an untalented guy with a Quad G5 and Final Cut Studio.

I think I have talent, and I also happened to need that software. Everyone I know who makes movies has it. And my mom decided that was something she was willing to buy me. She thought it was worth it, and that it was neccesary.

Good day people.

No... that's not what I was saying. I think it's great your parents feel you have talent and if they can, by all means they should support your efforts. That's how the parent/child relationship works.

However! I feel that sharing such information in a public place where you already have a reputation of being pompous will not help your case. Amongst friends, support vs jealousy is the proper reaction. Yet, in this anonymous forum, it only makes you seem more spoiled. By keeping the info to yourself, you do not get a negative reaction.

For many people life is hard and many people struggle for the chance to share their skills and talents. By sharing your privelaged lifestyle, you create animosity as MOST people do not have such opportunities handed to them regardless of their ability and/or potential. There are millions of actors and filmakers praying for just a few more dollars to help them and work hard every day in pursuit of their goals.

IMO, I just feel humility is best.

And good day to you. I wish you the best of luck.

Chuckit · Jun 30, 2007, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

So, instead of having fun in life, we should learn that everything has to be hard, and that we can't get what we want? That's a pretty screwed up way of thinking.

Indeed. Let them eat cake!