Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Hello

I have made a horror film, GNR feature on the end credits this can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m6za4DWZo8

And a short animation about Nuclear war, which can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOAtHVOPEQA

These are college projects.

I would love some feedback please.

Thanks

Okay I believe in honesty so here goes:

Horror film, I got bored.? It was obvious and cliched.? My hats off to the victim for sitting through it.? Knife over the crutch thing seemed a bit pervy!? The opening scene of knives looked suitably frightening, (I just thought they could do with a good wash, all those germs!!!? Sorry but it didnt impress me.? I'm sure other people will love it but it's not my cup of tea.

Nuclear short film

I loved this!? I loved the simplicity of it.? It was well done, simple and direct.? I loved the narratory bonhomie that made it all sound so non-scary while delivering a scary as shit message.? Loved this.? Nice one.

Thanks for taking the time out to view my work, it means a lot.

Anyone else care to comment?

Yeah I will.

I think the torture effects in the first one were very realistic and well put together.? Obviously it's not a complete horror film but you've got a good knack for shock and suspense and I thought it was great that you never got to see the killer's face.? The timing was spot on, the music was suitable (although personally I prefer less music in horror films - I think silence is a lot scarier).? My main criticism is the actress - I didn't think you got enough out of her.? She was being tortured horribly but I didn't see any fear or pain in her eyes, so if Prettytiedup got bored I imagine that was why.? Also there wasn't much of a plot but that's very understandable when you've gotta keep the film short.

I actually shot a murder scene this year for my media course but yours was much better than mine (i'm in my first year, I dunno about you).? I had the same problem in getting the actors to actually act - I think it takes a lot of persuasion to get someone to really play the role properly.? Was this a group project?? If so you've done very well indeed.? As I said, you pulled off the torture effects really well. : ok:



The second one was pretty funny.? I did like the simplicity of it but I also felt like i'd seen it all before.? Entertaining but not original. :-\

I'm in my first year; I take multimedia so I make films as well as games and flash animations etc.

Yeah the horror film and the animation were done solely by me, neither were group projects. I agree it is difficult finding the right actor for the part and getting them to act as you want.

Thanks for your kind words.

It was fun doing the torture effects, lighting is key to making them look realistic, I lit everything as dark as possible to allow for the viewer to interpret the scenes themselves and to make up for what they weren't seeing.

One of the problems with any amateur film is that, if you purposely try to break convention, it is likely that you are going to achieve little more than coming across as not knowing what you're doing. I wasn't sure if the jump cuts were intentional, and even if they were I think that you could have done without them.

The only real problem that I thought there was with the film was the music. It was almost as if you had set your mind on the music (bit o' the old rock n' roll) as you decided on the film. It distracted from what was actually a competently edited torture schmango by making it seem generic and typical of our age group (... Unless you're a mature student of course..........). While parts of it were good, like the opening, after a while the solo just became annoying and, as a score, added absoloutely nothing to the atmosphere. I wouldn't necesarily suggest cutting it completely, if that's your thing, but maybe changing the levels a bit for one thing. I found it too overbearing, and to some extent it took over the film.

If you were insistent on using music like that, then I probably would have suggested switching from a shot of the outside, with the music loud and her screaming muffled, using varying shots throughout the film, to the same shots of the inside but with the music muffled and her screams (... Well, whatever she could get out of her mouth....) much louder a number of times. It would help highlight her helplessness as well as ensuring that the music wasn't at the forefront to such an extent. Maybe you could even have some rockers in a field next door, partying it up with the music blasting from a stereo, who can't hear that poor little bitch because of the music! You know, to add a bit more of the distress factor.

Rock!

Oh, and on that note, seriously, fire that actor! Or at least, don't ever use her again! Forgetting for a minute that she started laughing at one point, the main problem with her was that she didn't seem to give a shit that her face was being sliced into! Part of our innate instinct as humans is survival; regardless of whatever mess you are in, when faced with death you are always going to fight to an extent. She didn't even struggle, it was as if she was just going through the motions. What was it, tenth take?  ;)

Oh, and I was going to suggest an establishing shot.......

... And then, when I watched it the third time, I noticed that you had one.....................

  ;D

Oh, and your killer needed more conviction!

Seriously though, not bad. It's better than the mess that I made last year.

Seriously.

Not too shabby.


Though the girl just sitting their like she was just relaxing while her faces gets cut did kinda ruin it .

well i enjoyed it i could see where you was trying to go and what you was trying to do the music was god at first but then was too much the actress didnt act but your actual filming seemed good to me

and i like the dig yourself a hole bit in the nuclear video and the guy chucking a tv at the other one but i am easily pleased

well done keep it up hope you make something outof it in the end 

horror wasn my thing, i generally get bored with them but animation thing was amusing