watch Looking for feedback...merci

If you go to www.youtube.com/crosbylanding

I have one video posted there that I actually posted a while ago...but went on holiday before I had a chance to post its info on here.

I tried to experiment with everything...sound effects/v.o./sound/lighting ect. I had the biggest issue with lighting because I have no clue where to place them.

The biggest problem I have with youtube is it freezing all the time...oh well.

I thought it was fun. It has its share of learning curve imperfections to be addressed and worked on of course, but ultimately I think what you seemed to be striving for shows some instinct and vision to create a world of story, and it’s what counts most to me here.

I like the use to story of the ext. location, the props and making a simple corner into another location.

Keep at it.

-Thanks-

Thanks for the time....can you be specific?
I was trying to do something with a little of everything involved ... that included vo/telephone conversation and so on.

Its a learning short for me....so if you can just point out a few or more things that are crap (for lack of a better word at 0600hours),

Thanks.

I don't think you've challenged yourself. Write and shoot something that involves numerous actors, who are out and about, doing stuff. It's good that you're experimenting with different stuff, but you need to learn to shoot and edit a proper scene, one that involves something other than people just talking on the phone.

Cracker Funk said:

I don't think you've challenged yourself. Write and shoot something that involves numerous actors, who are out and about, doing stuff. It's good that you're experimenting with different stuff, but you need to learn to shoot and edit a proper scene, one that involves something other than people just talking on the phone.

Click to expand...

Well my ultimate goal would be to do that but in this I was really experimenting with something very small because I was really trying to learn how to edit. I haven't edited anything before aside from something I did for local tv that was about the local towns here...

Now I don't know what you mean by shoot and edit a proper scene because I have no idea what a proper scene is...

I have ideas of what to do but first need to get my feet on the ground...so can you be specific? - on this.

Yeah, sorry if my advice was confusing. If you want to learn to edit, it's more than just understanding what keys to press on the computer. In other words, editing is more than learning software. And as an indie filmmaker, you'll probably be doing both the shooting and editing yourself, so you also need to learn how to shoot something that you'll be able to successfully edit.

Here's what I meant by "proper" scene (in retrospect, yeah, that was kind of vague on my part). It's pretty rare for a short to involve just one person in a room, with another person on the other end of a phone. In this case, cutting between the two people is just about the easiest edit possible, as there are no possible issues with continuity.

Put two people in a room, and have them talk to each other, and have them move around while talking to each other, and you'll find the editing process considerably more difficult. You want to cut from the wide shot to the medium close of John Doe, but in the first shot, Mr. Doe's head is facing forward, while in the second shot, it's slightly tilted to the left. They don't fit, so you need to look for an alternative. In this way, your editing process is often like putting together a puzzle, figuring out not just which shots you like, but how you're going to make them fit together.

And your editing process will be considerably aided by whether or not you shot enough coverage. And that is what I'd recommend you do, before practicing editing. Do some searching for what it means to get coverage, and the shots that people will typically include in their basic coverage. We had a great conversation about it here:

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=26553

A few other things you should learn, besides what it means to get coverage: the 180 degree rule, the 30 degree rule, and cutting on action (even though cutting on action is an editing technique, you need to keep it in mind while shooting).

Before any of that, though, my first piece of advice is to work on your shot composition. Look into the principles of photography. My favorite place to start -- the rule of thirds.

Here's my favorite book to recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/Bare-Bones-Camera-Course-Video/dp/0960371818