Bagpipes by the Bridge - 5min.

[Flicker Pictures]

Had to dangle a carrot for myself so I can get this one done. Working on the voiceover.

Nothing fancy, just a short profile piece. Went B&W b/c the colors were washed out and blah.

* no snails will be featured in this one!

[JoshL]

No snails? At all?

Though I love bagpipes, so you've got my interest already!

[Flicker Pictures]

Hmmm... maybe I need to start a "Sponsor a Snail" campaign to help fund future projects? Like when people make donations and get their names engraved on theater chairs or park benches. A hundred bucks gets you a snail with your name on its shell. Will look into it!

[Cracker Funk]

You dangle the carrot and I'll brandish the stick.

GET TO WORK!!! I THOUGHT I RESPECTED YOU!!! FINISH THE DAMN FILM ALREADY!!! WTF?!!!

[Flicker Pictures]

Carrot dangled! Stick brandished! Anus punched!

.... er... wait, that's another thread... sorry...

[rayw]

Originally Posted by Flicker Pictures

Carrot dangled! Stick brandished! Anus punched!

.... er... wait, that's another thread... sorry...

Hmm... I think I can get a monkey plush toy at the Dollar Tree.

How would a story about a "Monkey Punch to the Anus" go I wonder... ?

Hmm...

[Ernest Worthing]

Originally Posted by Flicker Pictures

Carrot dangled! Stick brandished! Anus punched!

.... er... wait, that's another thread... sorry...

... on another forum.

Appealing poster. I look forward to watching it.

[rayw]

Originally Posted by rayw

Hmm... I think I can get a monkey plush toy at the Dollar Tree.

How would a story about a "Monkey Punch to the Anus" go I wonder... ?

Hmm...

Got the monkey - and a donkey!

Now... about that story... Hmm...

[Flicker Pictures]

All right you monkeys, anuses and asses. Brandish this!

Here's a draft on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/41536480
Password: russpipes

It's really not what I set out to or hoped to produce. First off I wanted it in color. Sadly the colors were washed out and dull. Oh well. I also wanted to get more of an interview since what little I did record was unusable. Buuuut... I didn't want the footage to remain trapped in the miniDV tapes forever either. Would rather let this one see the light of day than shovel it into a shallow grave. If it's for anyone, I suppose it's for Russ.

Was on the fence with my voiceover and script, feeling it didn't contribute much to the tone of the piece, then eventually realized I'd rather not introduce my voice at all and only include Russ's piping, the train and whatever audio collage there was to be had which would create the sound. That's when adding info as text started to make more sense.

It's certainly not the scope of Sheryl's Keyosk and that's fine. Sometimes ya just gotta get 'er done and put a frame around it.

And please don't hesitate to offer any suggestions that might help clarify or improve the wording and syntax that runs throughout. Sometimes I can get word-tied. If the shoe fits I'll make what changes I can!

Thanks for taking a peek.

Jeff

* will be adding a thanks to Kosh for the tapes.

[Zensteve]

THat's a great little short.

It doesn't need a v/o. Skillfully done with the text. Love it.

[Flicker Pictures]

Thanks Zen, glad it worked for you.

[rayw]

Very nice, JBP.
A thoughtful vignette.

I agree that the decision for no VO is a good one.
The text is fine, though I'd select a visually "easier" serifed font - which I acknowledge is tricky because they tend to be thinner and thus blend in or muddled by the background - and I'd fade them in and out of scenes.

Their content verbiage is fine.

Another idea - and this is really sticking my nose in your artistic style - is that since the story is about a "unique" character that has obviously geographically moved on to some other locale (La Hola) but his flavorful memory has left an impression that should not be forgotten on that particular landscape then the focus of attention should be on his haunting (favorably) bagpipe tunes amid the regular sounds of trains passing by long after he's gone.

For the next few decades when YOU walk beneath that overpass will you not think of him & his music, brief as the encounter was?
Of course you will.

Thus, keep the text story pretty much "as is", shove most of his on screen time to the front 2/3 of the piece, then linger his music onto the last third when he's gone and your B-roll runs.

Result: His impressionable music haunts the landscape where his unique character has long left.

It's just a rearrangement of the material you have.



Technical note: very ballsy of you to expose your sensor to the setting evening sun!! DAREDEVIL!!

[Flicker Pictures]

rayw, that's a fantastic idea, rearranging the shots to have the piping under the empty landscapes.

Let me put that grist into the grist mill, duplicate the sequence and see if I can move shots around enough to make it work. It's worth trying. Thanks!

I'll scan the fonts and see if there is something along the lines of what you suggest.

Jeffrey B. Palmer

* B for Ballsy

[Flicker Pictures]

Final export on YouTube.

Ray, I did try a slightly serifed font, but you were correct, the thin bits didn't quite hold up in some of the shots, so I stuck with what I had.

I faded in and out on the text where it felt right, keeping some hard cuts in place.

And while your shot placement switcharoo suggestion made thematic sense and I really liked the sentiment behind it, the more I noodled with the shots the more I realized I was spending far too much time on the piece and felt I needed to put a frame around it, call it done and let the cat out.

Anecdotally, aside from footage I've already captured for Sheryl's Keyosk, this may very well be the last HDV short I produce. From here on out it's top down and full speed ahead on the GH2 Highway.

Thanks for watching and have a great weekend!

[Flicker Pictures]

Vimeo link
https://vimeo.com/43321488

* not sure why the HD version is still being encoded...