watch Zombie Love - a teenage tradegy love story - my directorial debut (REPOST/reshoot?)

Hi guys, I'm thinking of reshooting this short film, I now have better sound equipment and another light stand, plus more importantly I have more experience with directing. I really love this story and believe I can much more.

I will not be in the reshoot (I played the dad) so I can see more of what is going on and give more direction. My question to you is, what should I do differently? I will use actors instead of my son's friends that may help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R0Z8J5sBQE
The story: The zombie outbreak is drawing to a close. A cure has been found, though it will be weeks or months before it is available across the US. Meanwhile, the sport of zombie hunting has taken off, and dozens of young boys and their fathers are taking to the streets to hunt and torture the unfortunate victims. All of this is terribly worrisome to Julie, whose boyfriend, Joey, was turned a few weeks before. She has hidden him in a secluded wood, bringing him raw meat and photographs of their former life. It seems to be working; Joey is docile and even shows glimpses of his former self. But it won’t be long before their secret is discovered and a showdown seems inevitable…

Shot with a Canon hf m300

Thanks,
Bruce
http://www.facebook.com/mile29films

Looks like you guys had fun. Keep it up.

Thanks. Any advice on the reshoot?

The lighting of the interior scenes up to 2:50 is a little harsh. I think you were going for a "the power is out

so we only have light from outside" look and that's fine. I would diffuse the light in some way to make it a

little softer on the actors faces. If you are going for that look, @ 3:13 the refridgerator light is on. If not

don't worry about it. But I would soften the light either way. Also, the light color doesn't match between

interior and exterior. I don't know what you are using to light with, but you can buy "daylight" gels

relatively cheap @ B&H Photo. Then, when you color correct, if you color correct, you can develop a "feel"

for the movie. I really like the shot at 4:20. The way you cut off the top of the house, and the wall to the

right, makes everything feel bigger, looming over the girl. I would try and find more shots like this that

would fit into the context of the movie. The beating of the chick needs some off speed stuff. I dont know

what your fame rate was, but maybe 60 FPS would do the trick, slow some parts down. @ 4:36 The girl

goes from her driveway, to the middle of the woods. You might add some transition "bike riding", or not,

could just be me. I like the shot at 5:03, I think if you had something in the mid-ground of frame right, that

would make it that much nicer. Where they are following her, having a shot where we see her and the car,

in frame, following her, might add a little something. @8:40 We can see the zombie in the backgground.

You might have them walk right up on her, while she's still seated. That way you don't have to get back to

the zombie. Youre already there. @ around 8:56 All of these sets feel like,"okay we are starting here now

everyone move this way." They don't flow like a natural continuation of each other. This is probably more

the edit than anything else.The whole,"her getting shot sequence didn't feel right. We didn't really see

what happened. She just kinda stepped and he shot. Not very dramatic for the most dramatic scene in the

film. I dig the song at the end. The over all color of the film feels off. I hate to sound stereotypical but a

lot of zombie movies have a green tint to them. Might try that??




I understand these guys probably aren't actors, but they have to act. The whole thing feels wooden.

Example: at 3:00 "Freaking sweet dude." He says the line OK, but his whole persona says,"Who gives an

F". Look at his eyes, they look bored. Most excited folks get bug-eyed. The whole ending lacks the

emotional gravity of the situation. They are chasing down the guy. They should be huffing and puffing,

angry, nervous, emotional. I like the sequence starting at 3:30. I think it would have more effect if the guys

showed some malice toward the chick-zombie. @ 7:20 This is all exposition. Why not film the brother

seeing sister put the meat in her bag, create tension.



I think that's about it. I wasn't trying to nit pick, and someone else might tell you just the opposit of what I

did. So take what you want a leave the rest. An all is in the spirit of trying to help.