"Scene 34b" - Written by Fig, Shot by Rico, Starring Adam

Alright, kids, howabout a movie? Sit down, please, crossed legs. Okay, not that close...everyone stand up, good, and take one big step back. Good! Now sit down. Let's watch a movie about teh b00bies.

A while back I did this thing where I would ask people who wanted to shoot a movie what their resources were. How many actors they had, where they could shoot, how long of a project they wanted to do, what genre, etc.. I ended up writing six or seven scripts, and here is the first one to be completed, called Scene 34b.

Rico wanted a really short comedy that could be shot in New York, using Bertocci, so I got to writing, and what we ended up with was essentially an awkward-piece. As in, let's see how awkward we can make Adam in this film. I think we did alright.

[image=http://static.flickr.com/52/131024684_4ded8c84e8.jpg]
[image=http://static.flickr.com/45/131024686_b83fa0e7e5.jpg]

So, let's get to it. It's a little over 60 megs, downrezzed from HD to 620x480. This is my buddy Jon's server, and he's a hero for letting me use his space, especially for big files like this, so everyone check out his music site and drool over how awesome of a composer you don't have, and I do.

Scene 34b - 61 megs, QT

 

Wow, that was fast... Downloading, but it's not going fast enough!!!

Edit: Just watched, I liked it. Nice little film. Perfect length for what it was with a funny gag at the end. You all get an A from me.

I guess the only thing I can nitpick is the location. It was never really clear to me where they were. I had read the script before hand so I knew what it was supposed to be, but it was kinda akward in motion. It might have helped if there were a couple more people at Rico's table talking over coffee or something. Again, nothing big.

Also, Rico's camera is nice....

 

Nice to see the script go from words to images. Great job. Could've used an establishing shot to let us know where this was taking place... coffee shop, chop shop, Fig's House of Pleasure, whichever. But still a good scene nonetheless.

Was Adam talking at about half his normal speed?

Also, which music piece was that at the end? Its catchy.

 

From what I understand, that's a piece that Ricooooooo (as I call him, and you all should do the same) doesn't have the rights to, and has to change before sending this off to festivals and stuff.

 

Not a bad scene, but as a short film? Not much to speak of. That said Adam is a pretty good actor.

 

Except he itches a lot. Did he pop a Vicodin before shooting? Hehehe

 

You'd have to ask him, I guess. Glad you guys are digging it.

As an aside, I don't understand when a "fun scene" became inadmissable as a "short film." If I was going to write a long screenplay, with a story, and an arc, and a plot, and a killer resolution, I'd write a long screenplay. A short scene allows for an introduction to characters, a fun situation to watch unfold, how the characters handle the situation, and a few laughs, and you're out of there. No need to make a big hairy deal out of it, all of the exposition you need is there (save for an establishing shot, d00d) and you can just enjoy a little pre-wrapped comedy.

This doesn't aim to be a "short film," if you take those words literally, it's more of a "funny little scene." But even using the colloquialized definiton of "short film," I still like this movie. I enjoy writing these sort of things more than longform scripts, and I think Rico enjoys shooting short projects, and Adam acting in them, and people watching them, and so on. Just an excuse to make something, but not to make a big something.

Keep it comin.'

 

Completely agree. The thing about short films, or even short "scenes" like this, is that you either get it or you don't. There's no time for 30 minutes of 'understanding' and character building - it hits the ground running. It seems that people are more receptive of shorts like this, both in front and behind the camera.

This one works great - it pretty much has its beginning, middle, and end; all in the space of one scene, which I could see as part of a larger script.

I would LOVE to see more minis like this. Where are those other guys you wrote scripts for? I want to see them all. hehe

 

I enjoyed this a lot. Good job all around.

And I agree with Fig, this isn't a "short film", it's a "funny scene".

 

Well, let's see. Of the scripts I wrote for that, four are left to be shot, all of which are unusual, but tailor-suited for their respective directors. (Some have profanity.) Here's my post from back in the day.

 

I personally never thought things like "story" and "character development" could be ignored just because it's a short film. But since it isn't even a short film, if the humor had gone the extra mile, beyond just saying **** then it'd be more acceptable.

 

Good job guys. I loved Rico's cameo, twas good.

Adam did a spectacular job. Fig did a good job writing. Rico did a great job filming.

My only gripe, Adam's sudden change from serious to "whoohoo!" should have had a cut that showed that transition in his face. Like a spark going off in his head about it.

 

**** is what I would hope to be one of many laughs throughout the film, and I may be biased, but I think we develop at least one pretty solid character in Adam. I'd even say there's a story here. Maybe not a plot...

 

That said Adam is a pretty good actor.

Well thank you

Except he itches a lot.

Our director thinks it's hilarious when I scratch or rub or whatever. I don't get it myself, but hey.

Adam did a spectacular job.

Oh, now stop! You guys are just trying to make good with the mod now! (blushes)



Anyway, I really got a kick out of doing this, and I hope it can get into a fest or two before it's all over, once proper ending music is picked.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Okay, downloading now. Can't wait to see this, I've been looking forward to it since Adam talked about it a couple times And I'll get to see more than just a still photo of him, which I don't know if it will be better or worse.

<.<

^.^'

 

It's not as bad as Khalor's picture of him on Skype.

 

mine

 

Well, I'd never heard you claim ownership to it, nor has Nick. It's always been his avatar of choice and he never claimed you to be the original Photoshopper.

 

Okay, first off, he has a deeper voice than I imagined.

Not the type of humor I'm usually interested in... but it was a fun watch, anyways.

...

WOW.

Nice punchline That struck me from nowhere. *laughs fairly uncontrollably*

Cool film Nice to see Adam being Adam, since I don't know what, visually and aurally, consists of... being Adam.

 

Sorry mate, every time I download it (tried 3 times) it says it's not a valid movie file. Weird!

Aaron.

 

Quicktime did that for me, too, so I used VLC. It opens any video/audio filetype and codec.

Anyways, this was bloody hilarious. Adam is amazing at making me feel the awkwardness he is at the proposition of nudity, and the last line hit me out of nowhere and was just brilliant. Great scene/short film/supercalafragilisticexpialadocious.

 

Interesting story. Pretty good acting--Adam, you kinda remind me of one of the managers where I work, you both have dark eye sockets and it kinda looks like you're depressed all the time even if you're not---random thought but oh well. This movie makes me think---Adam, get away from your keyboard sometime...

 

I didn't like it all that much. The dialogue seemed in many cases like the kind of filler one might write just to get something on the page waiting for inspiration to strike.

I can't tell if Adam was performing or just being himself. I could see him being that creepy IRL. If that's not his actual demeanor, then it's actually an outstanding performance, because it's very real and I can't tell.

I don't think the punchline is as powerful as it could be, because to me it was obvious all along. Part of it was Adam's demeanor, which made him seem like he was close to blurting it out pretty much the whole time. I think it would have been much stronger if Adam had actually worked at persuading her (and by extension, me) that it really was for the sake of artistry and it was going to be done very tastefully and for strong reasons. Like if he had made a case that would have convinced anyone. Then the end would have been much more jarring, and thus funnier to me. As it was, she almost seemed to agree just to spite her friends.

No real complaints on the directing. The lighting and image quality was decent, composition was good if a little plain in terms of just being standard coverage. The ending shot was lovely.

What'd you use, a Z1U? Don't make me kill myself with jealousy by saying an HVX.

Sound editing could have been smoother, I think. Vocal levels changed from person to person and I think the transitions between sound elements could have been cleaner -- did you utilize room tone at all?

Didn't like the music. Didn't mesh with the scene at all for me.

Gotta give respect for the quick turnaround. Nicely done there.

M. Scott

 

Glad to see you more or less didn't hate it, Mike, and a good review, too.

I will say this, though; people who don't like this film because they think the film is about tit-jokes, are missing the actual humor.

 

I think it's F'ing hilarious. Don't ask me either.

As Fig said, I do really enjoy doing these short shorts. Much more so than the longer, 20-pager type shorts. In the near future, these'll be my fun little projects to post on the web in-between features.

Mike... Of COURSE it's an HVX. What would I want that Sony piece of crap for? Anyway, what would you have wanted in terms of composition that you didn't get? I think the real reason you didn't enjoy it is because the boobies have no power over you.

Keep it comin', folks!


- Rico