Just Follow My Lead - ID# 497

Lake Forest
Dramatic Narrative
Entry Description

Excerpt

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

  • 4/15 12:22 pm - Your storytelling in this is top notch. Excellent dialogue and very strong performances. There were issues with ISO and digital quality, but I understand it is challenging filming in the dark at night. It's possible that the pixelation issues at 1:54 may be tied to YouTube's compression, perhaps you exported at too low of a resolution, or you may have had too much shadow and black in the color grade. The dialogue didn't always match up with their lips, but I'm sure you are aware of that and did your best to remedy it. The audio mix was a bit all over the place. I applaud you for playing with the Left and Right Stereo channels and attempting something dynamic, but it was at times distracting. A bit more attention could be given to the framing (for instance at 1:37, the framing is a bit awkward). However, all of that critical feedback aside, there are some genuine moments in here – such as the conversation by the fire. On one hand, film is all about creating memorable moments, but that can be so difficult in the medium of a short film. You did it! Truly impressive job telling and successfully executing a heartfelt, dynamic, family story in only 5 minutes.
  • 3/13 3:01 pm - Fun story! It's very clear, and the characters are relatable. Strong camera work, with a lot of depth to your shots (for example, placing the fire in the foreground of the night shots). Filming at night is hard, but you did a great job lighting this scene so that we can see the characters very clearly. Nice work. I am impressed by the clarity of the audio! To really elevate this project's quality, I would love to have more sound design - add in some more outdoor ambience so your audience feels like they are out there in the wilderness with these siblings.
  • 2/27 2:57 pm - I love the quick introduction to the conflict. It has a super clear three-act story structure. The clearing of the air between the siblings works, and the resolution is cute. I love that you did not use music until almost the end. The sound is well recorded. I love the over-the-shoulder dialogue—well done. However, I wish you had played a little more with focal lengths.
Judge 1

Positives: I like how grounded this film feels. It's a really great story to tell about sibling dynamics, and it's nice to see a high level of awareness about that in this piece. Also, having there be a heart to heart scene where the conflict we've been seeing manifest between the two characters in various ways leading up to this moment makes it feel earned. It feels conclusive and like the characters were able to change by reaching an understanding with each other and have a way to now move forward together. There are also a lot of great visuals, props, location choices, and meaningful dialogue exchanges. Great work.

Improvements: Using the description, it would seem that these are excerpts from a larger piece of work. So, that does mess with the pacing and editing flow. Even still, there are some areas for improvement. It's tough to keep up in the beginning because there isn't a lot explained to the audience and it feels clunky. We have to assume a lot of character motivations since they aren't expressed to us on the screen. The set-up of why they're being dropped in the woods isn't clear. Also, is this a normal experience for them to get dropped off in the woods and have to find their way back, or their first time? This also shows up through the challenges they encounter. A lot of the disagreements that the brother initiates feel manufactured and unnatural. His flaw is being overprotective of her, and that doesn't always have to manifest in him shutting her down by screaming at her, there are other ways to show this conflict through the sibling dynamic that I would invite you to explore.

Judge 2

Positives: The framing of the shots was really well done, it looked great. The camera movements were also done well. I enjoyed the overall storyline.

Improvements: The lighting was a little undersaturated through the film and some of the nighttime shots could have used a little more light. The audio sounds a little muffled, make sure when editing to keep the audio balanced.

Judge 3

Positives: Very well-written and heartfelt story. I'd be interested in seeing the entire project. The ending ties things up nicely and really shows how both of the main characters have gained respect for one another in a believable way. The overall pacing keeps the story moving along and by doing that you created a very interesting and captivating story.

Improvements: One thing to work on deals with the lighting of the night scenes. Using natural light flattens out the look and takes away from the emotional impact of the acting. The fire light helps, but it would be more effective to have a light source that creates a low key-light look. That would still keep the feel of a night setting, but with some highlights as well as shadows. On a practical level, you probably won’t be able to bring a generator, but there are some battery-powered movie light or even strong flashlights that would solve that problem.

Judge 4

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Judge 5

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