My brothers decided to make this video with their friends and it turned out pretty decent being they have absolutly no technology to work with. I gave them all the advice i can give on how to make it better but could you give me some info i might of missed out on so I can help them improve their films. I just started producing some of their new films because I think they have great potential. Here is the link
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1573368771
Thanks, Jack
To be honest, I didn't really go for the comedy of the piece at all... I felt right away that these two hitmen were gay and sure enough...
I felt the acting was a little stiff with some parts of it that were acceptable but I assume these were non professionals so that's to be expected... However, with more experience, I think the two actors could easily improve.
The comedy didn't play for me because for one, the two actors were too young and that took me right out of the story. Perhaps, if their age had somehow been used in the story, it would have been more convincing for me...
The other problem I had were the weapons... I would have at least gotten some black paint OR something to cover up the orange safety tips at the end of the barrels... That too, took me right out of the story.
I felt the scenes on the couch were too static and went way too long and seemed a little too improvised. Improvisation is great when it comes off naturally.
A lot of the shots were pretty much the same i.e., both actors side by side without too much change of angle or movement however, when the camera moved, the action was a lot more engaging for me.
On top of that, some of the editing could have been tighter.
All in all, it just didn't have that polished feel to it...
Having said that...
I could SENSE that everyone involved wanted to be there and was having fun. I felt some energy as well as some filmmaking passion and that's gotta count for something.
I also want to say that I think you could probably get rid of everything UP TO the song where the action turns black and white. I enjoyed the film from there on... The song and the slow motion really worked for me.
I would have rather seen some kind of set up for THAT hit instead of the mockumentary style therapy session on the couch. If these two characters would have set up the hit i.e., discussed the already laid out plan prior to the song, action, hit, and getaway, I think you would have a pretty cool little film although the entire film FELT like it was shot at the one house.
Maybe if the hit during the song had taken place at an outside coffee shop or something along these lines...
1) Set up the two actors as part of a gang that has to go make a hit to be initiated.
2) Have the two QUICKLY go over the already planned hit.
3) Now go into the song, slow motion, and the hit at a different location (coffee shop could work).
Again, the comedy didn't work for me... Not saying it couldn't work if it was tweaked and polished but the end slomo black and white sequence with the song didn't seem to fit with all the comedy at the beginning. Consider getting rid of that altogether and go for a more serious, dark, edgy film instead and I think you'd have a winner.
It's very cool to see people this young making films... Stick with it and in 5 years, YOU NEVER KNOW.
Good luck with it!
filmy
