Hey, everyone. Thank you all so much for your comments!! I wish I was around more this weekend to see them, but other forces were against me...
I had wanted to say that this film was made after I had made a real serious, professional project. That film bombed. Big time. After that I just wanted to make a fun comedy in the spirit of crappy movies I subject myself to watch. This film went over much better. Plus, it was shown in a theater room at CCC on the BIG screen. That was AWESOME!
This short is being used at the moment for two things. The first is that I'll be shooting a feature film version of it beginning in the summer. I've been using this short to get a real cast and crew to sign up. It really has helped enormously. We'll also be using a digital camera on the feature (I forget the model number, but it's what Soderbergh used to shoot "Full Frontal").
For the second, I've been developing the premise as a possible TV show in the spirit/satire of Xena, Hercules, and those other fantasy shows in the 90s. I've been writting a ton of TV spec scripts lately and it's nice to have the short in the portfolio as a sort of mini-pilot (sans a budget/crew).
| Rycona wrote: |
| I have no clue upon what movie this is based, but I still found this entertaining. |
The film isn't really based on any one film, it really was inspired by a few movies. "Abraxis: Guardian of the Universe" (starring Jesse Ventura) was a model to satirize. The bad camera work, ridiculous script, horrible fight choreography, and outdoor filming all came primarily from that film - not to mention the title. However, the plot of a fantasy world colliding with a real world came from movies like "Masters of the Universe" and "Return to Oz". "Krull" was a film I was watching a lot when I was writing it, though I don't see an obvious connections. Video games like "Zelda" and "Mortal Kombat" are also nodded too. Oh, and the whole "this movie is only a prequel to a BIGGER movie" ending came from "Nemesis III: Time Lapse" and "The Sword and the Sorcerer".
| Rycona wrote: |
| I'm hoping the princess turns out to be ugly. ^_^ |
Actually, she's only 12 years old.
But you'll have to see the feature to see what becomes of that.
| DarkMaze wrote: |
| Incidentally, you shot on FILM?! |
Yep, I shot on good ole 16mm... in the rain... without sun... On the plus side, we had consistant weather all three days we shot.
| DarkMaze wrote: |
| Did you edit it the old fashioned way, or digitize it first? Loved all the tricks you used to avoid having your actors speak on camera. |
I didn't razorblade this film (THANK GOD); it was digitized. It was originally being cut in a lab on Avid, but my time ran out, so I took it to the home studio and Final Cut it.
And just for those who didn't know, this is a "post synch sound" film, which means I was not allowed to record sound during filming. Everything had to be added in post. That's why characters wear masks, talk when not facing the camera, hold cups up to their faces, etc.
| Tishwitch wrote: |
| Can I get your autograph now? Because one day, when you're out making million dollar motion pictures, I'll be like "I knew that Robert Iwataki!" |
Sure, but it'll cost you a million dollars. I'll take Canadian dollars though.
| Tishwitch wrote: |
| And I saw that you composed some of the music too... you've got talent boy! |
I composed much more music than I used in this cut. I had to deliver two cuts: one director's cut (which is full of copyrighted music and sounds) and one real cut where I couldn't use audio I don't own the rights to. That "other" cut also features more music from Paper Bullets (a Chicago band I got to license me some songs) and music by the film's two leads Rich and Leeper. I was putting together a soundtrack album for promotional purposes, but who knows when I'll finish that.
| Valdronius wrote: |
| A copy of my resume is on the way! |
I'll be waiting.
| JEW wrote: |
| what was with "I just died in your arms tonight"? what made you pick that song? |
I had heard in my head synth beats like in "The Show Must Go On". I was experimenting with music to try and get it to sound decent, but I kept hearing the beats of "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight" over the footage. Eventually, I just stuck that in.
| jonnymorgue wrote: |
| Was there a hint of "The Final Sacrifice" in there, via the guy in the hockey mask with the coat collar the size of a landing pad? |
God, I wish it was. I forgot about that film until you mentioned it. Maybe it was unconsciously
