Finishes and Thank You's

Shoot finishsed. Day 3 shoot done and dusted.

We've bagged plenty of great footage over the past 3 weeks. Long days but worth it in the end, the rushes look superb.

Massive thank you to everyone who worked and helped out on the shoot. It wouldn't have been possible without you all and I'll always be grateful for it.

Thanks to:
Rachelle Shaw, Ryan Meehan, Julia Bisby, Rob Harris, Ed Cartledge, Mel Lampro, Braver Than Fiction (the rest of the band), The Rutland Arms, the staff, and The Film Pool.

Follow these people:
@braverthan
@film_pool
@dwarfmaiden

Now... The hard graft starts here.

See ya on the flip side - Danny

Shoot Day #2

Test

New Project Teaser...

Cahiers du Short Flick Review

Hey again!  Bet you never saw this one coming.

We've been hit by our first review folks.

The blog SHORTS AND SHIRTS reviews shorts on a regular basis.

Lee Hamilton watches a LOT of shorts and gives brief, sweet, and honest reviews by request. This time he gave his once over on Another Film in the Woods.

What did it say? Well, head HERE to read it in full with the film embedded into the blog.

Skipping to the end...he gave it a respectable 3 stars out of 5. Basically hit that Michael Bay/Paul WS Anderson benchmark they get from your mainstream critics. And with that comparison it would probably be a 2 star review if it were from the Guardian or troll movie website.  Tee-hee.

Anyway, as for its content...well, its very honest. As me and Chris knew, it notes the technical downfalls mainly from the sound recording of the dialogue. Personally, it seems fine but I'm that attached to it I can't separate myself from it. I know every line, so when a line is quiet I hear it clearer that normal (if that makes any sense). I think its more down to the fact its not clean enough than being decipherable.

It gives Amber Brookes a good overall review. It says she's very natural but notes her "lack of confidence on screen". For her first ever short film, its pretty good and she takes positives from it. She's already mentioned to me that she was nervous etc and takes the review on board. End of the day, this was my fault as there are only so many hats me and Chris could wear. We regret not taken more time with her and the other actresses more but the fact the acting overall is very good, this is a testament to how good they are themselves. The fact they stepped up, understood the characters, the direction and the rush for time - I can't thank them enough.

The biggest part I took from it was just clarity of the story. There's a fine line between very exposition centric, on the nose, or very subtle to explain plot points. I think I went too subtle. The review says the audio didn't help it, which can distract viewers, but I think that the big plot points aren't focused enough when presented.

Case in point from the review is why Mandy end's up in the woods and is chased. The reason was that she cheated on her fiancé. Its her sin. It's not on the nose, its a brief one line in her dialogue. This should have been focussed on, clarified more. Maybe a few more lines or dialogue to give it emphasis before she hits the woods.

The other point was how Mandy gets back home. Well, she begs forgiveness and says she's sorry. Repenting gets you home it seems. There's too big a gap from when she says this to when she gets back home. I think the Vicar character could've explained a theory about wanting forgiveness but they have to mean it (which the Vicar can't). That would've just added to the plot more.

Overall, for its faults he seemed to enjoy it. I take encouragement from that. I see it more like loving The Evil Dead. You can slate that film for its continuity, FX, etc some big technical basics but the film is great because its an experience - its fun, outlandish, and something different.

I tried to make our film fun, something from left field in terms of style (a dance music fuelled, 90's European tongue in cheek horror), as well as a change from dark, moody, horror/thriller's I tend to make. There was some ambition. 1 day shoot, 90+ shots, actions scenes, 2 man crew etc so with it came pitfalls. But also learning curves for next time.

And with that...some reminders.

-MERRIN- and the music video HENRY KANE.is going to get a screening at the SUPERNORMAL FESTIVAL the 9th - 11th August (clicky the link) in Oxfordshire.  Keep your mince-pies open drop us a message if you're going.

And don't forget you can still vote for the online festival that its currently doing the rounds here at the Shorts Non Stop Online Festival. Click the link, skip to the end, and click VOTE. Helpful tip...do it twice. Once over your phone data and once on your internet connection (it'll recognise your IP but not from your phone). Pass it on for others to vote and give it a push online via Twitter or Bookface.

Till next time. See ya on the flip side

Festival Season kicking off...

Heyo folks.  Hitting you with a quick update faster than a Jim Kelly (RIP) pimp roundhouse.

While I nurse a badly sprained ankle and float about high on painkillers, my good buddy Chris Purdie dropped some great news about his band -MERRIN- and the music video HENRY KANE.

The video is going to get a screening at the SUPERNORMAL FESTIVAL the 9th - 11th August (clicky the link) in Oxfordshire.

A breakdown of the programme is on the link. Below is a brief of the fest...

Supernormal is a festival like no other, providing a powerful antidote to the current malaise of festivals-as-big-business. Blurring the boundaries between art and music, performer and audience, it champions the iconoclastic and the experimental, allowing risks to be taken and leaps of imagination to occur. Somewhere in spirit between the original Glastonbury Fayre and an eccentric village fete, Supernormal is the alternative's alternative.

Pretty chuffed but slightly gutted as I know Chris has been trying to play that festival for a few years rather than screen a music video.

So, if you're out and about in toff-land or going the festival anyway, drop us a message and let me know what you think.
HENRY KANE by -M E R R I N- from Danny Naylor on Vimeo.

See ya on the flip side

Cushion for the Pushin'

Easy now, rude-boys (and girls).

The weather seems to be about as reliable as George Michael behind the wheel of a vehicle in old Blighty. Cracking sun one minute, drizzle of rain the next as though mother nature decided to spit down from the sky like a piss-head after too many Lambrini's.

Away from the bantrix and attempts at "wit", here's a few updates for your consideration and interest if you are that way inclined.

First up - Festival bashing. As you know I've been hitting the short ANOTHER FILM IN THE WOODS to a few festivals. The hitting is still ongoing and the wait for responses will still take its time. I'm sure there will be some hits and misses (more likely misses) but at least I'm trying.

Anyway, there is an online festival that its currently doing the rounds on here at the Shorts Non Stop Online Festival. Please feel free to vote on it, it would put a big old smile on my face and hopefully push it on further. The last winner had around 30 odd votes but I believe the judgement isn't around the votes. But either way, vote and pass it on for others to vote and give it a push online via Twitter or Bookface.

Next up - As that is a work in progress, what came and went last month for the Kino Shorts Experimental Short and Music Video night. A read of which you can find HERE. Below you'll see a excerpt of the interview QnA that took place last night with Jason Wingard. A top bloke who cleared house at the Virgin Media Shorts competition in 2011. A few chuckles and personally speaking I don't come across as a complete arsehole. A whinging arsehole, maybe, but not a complete one. Enjoy.

 

 More updates will get spat at cha'yall soon.

 See ya on the flip side. Danny.