watch BGC: 'Spaces' (2004) - chiller

DIRECT LINKS:

Windows Media Player (small): http://www.boygotcaught.net/files/spaces-limbo.wmv

FILE SIZE: 5.97mb

DURATION: 9:49

We've only just finished post-production on this short and I thought it would be great if I could get some feedback from the IndieTalk group. I'll give it a longer and better write up in a moment, just haven't got the time right now. I hope not too much is lost through the compression.

Hi Ross,

I watched the short and have a couple of comments.

The clip dimensions make it difficult to catch a lot of what's going on. I know, the trade-off between movie dimension and file size is tricky, but from what I saw I'd be willing to take a longer download to see the short.

It may be attributable to the size, but the whole thing was very dark. Dark to the point that I couldn't make out some of the shots. The blue filter effect, if that's what it is, adds a lot to the feeling of suspense. Again, it looks like another trade-off between mood and viewability.

The shots were creative and worked really well. The music really worked, too.

Maybe it's just me - and my short attention span - but it looked as if the short started with a delicious suspenseful feeling, but the conflict didn't take shape until almost 4:30 into the short - with the elevator. Again, with my short attention span, it was difficult to wait that long for the action to get interesting.

Once that was established, I enjoyed the rest. Although I hate to say it... with the movie dimensions being what they are, I couldn't read the note, and ended up completely befuddled at the ending.

Okay, what I've said sounds negative and I don't mean it to be. I like the short. I want to see it in larger dimensions, hopefully a little brighter so I can see everything that's going on. I want to read the note so I can understand the ending. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't care.

Call it a teaser - I want to see it again !

Thanks, SP.

I've managed to recompress the film. It is now 320 x 240 with a much better quality of picture and better sound.

Real and Quicktime versions will be available next week as we're putting it up on TriggerStreet.

The film is a success as much as it is a failure. The three of us are just film degree students so we didn't have any money. It was shot on Mini DV over 4 nights in the lower level of a car park in Cambridge. The final day was filmed on a beach near Hunstanton. While there are many things wrong with it I hope that it manages some innovation.

The major flaws are in the story and one could argue that they significantly detract from the overall success of the piece. While the specifics of how the space operates can and probably should be left ambiguous, its motivation for devouring the man should be expressed a little more clearly. Additional exposition would have been beneficial to the piece as the protagonist and the plot seem rather one dimensional. Little is shown about the man’s character, let alone why he is there or what he has done to deserve certain torture and imprisonment. This does not allow the viewer to identify with the character, thus are unable to sympathise and, therefore problematizes the film’s ability to frighten. Conversely, the lack of an obligatory clichéd prologue – perhaps consisting of fragmented shots of a car crash – assists in leaving the piece open for interpretation and discussion rather than fixing its meaning.

You're right about it taking a while to get going, I'd have liked it to give it a kick in arse to get it going sooner. But after spending many days slaving over it in different edit suites we decided that it's done now and we're moving on. It's for the best. We'll just know what to do and what not to do next time.

Hey, I thought it was great. I love the eerieness of parking garges at night. There's an underground garage I used to have to park in frequently that had lot's of gooey looking insulation hanging from the ceilings. I always wondered what it would be like to be alone in that sucker after dark. Scary.

I thought the blue only enhanced the "eerieness" of the short (of course I'm the guy who shot "Sometimes They Come Loose" completley in orange to enhance the "other-worldliness"). I enjoyed the in camera FX of him running off screen then coming on screen from another spot, very inventive and fun. The graffiti on the door (I'm sure it was already there, you wouldn't deface public or private property for your art would you?) added a nice touch of surrealism - how did the guy who made the graffiti get out; or did he get stuck there too, leaving the graffiti behind as a warning?

The opening shots of him driving through the upper levels without finding a spot could be cut down a bit as well as the entry into the empty level in order to get the elevator turning point quicker. That is important, to long of an opening can keep those with short attention spans from watching the rest of it, as SPaul noted.

Good job overall. I enjoyed it immensely.

Poke

Thanks for the lengthy breakdown, Poke. As always, you moderators come through for the struggling.

The upper levels do need to cut down. It is a main problem with the piece.

The graffiti we cannot take credit for, I'm afraid. When we initially scouted the area the walls had just been painted white, giving the room a totally sterile and anonymous aesthetic. But when returned the following week some very dyslexic kids had sprayed some very amateur tags and throw-ups on the wall. The silver paint on the door was about the only graffiti we liked, due to the shimmering, rune-like quality you mentioned.

The two best / worst bits of graffiti actually sneak into frame a couple times: The stick man with the bubble 'Fred's not dead' and (my personal favourite) 'Sally's my bitch'.

Fantastic. You have a lot of talent and it shows. If you take what is wrong (which you seem to have a pretty good grip on) and improve on the next one, it should be a masterpiece. The blue filter is a very nice touch, as were your titles and credits. I did feel wanting more at the end though. Either he needed to be there permanently, explained by the story, or figure out the puzzle.

Thanks, Wide. We've decided to go back and take another look at the film on Monday and tweak some areas.

It's also now available for viewing in High and Low Resolution versions in both Quicktime and Real formats on http://www.triggerstreet.com

Just search for the film title or our profile: boygotcaught

Ross--I'm a big fan of the surreal...and of unanswered questions. You provide both here, and you do it well. Unfortunately for me, I see some (slight) similarities between this film and a project being developed by our team. Hopefully there will be room for both our interpretations.

As for your pacing, I would not be so quick to change what you have. Suspense works when it builds over time. It may cause the viewer to get impatient, but then the payoff is just that much sweeter when you deliver. A brilliant example of this is Audition by Takashi Miike. Don't be afraid to take your time. Its only a 10 minute movie after all!

Thanks, John. We'll keep an eye out for your film. Hope ours hasn't popped your bubble before it's been blown. Will it be on the Bophe website when you're done? Send us a link when it is.

Ross--thanks, and not to worry...we are moving full steam ahead with our project. As I said, the similarities are slight. The stories are actually quite different, but the underlying theme is similar. And besides, there have been plenty before us to tackle the same subject.

To answer you question, the movie will be posted in full on our website when done. Production starts next month, targeting completion for April-May 2005. I'll be sure to post a link for it on the IndieTalk Screening Room when it is ready.

Again, I think you have a great movie here. And since you are a true independent, there is no reason NOT to stay true to your vision!