THE RED BOX (Best Picture Winner)

[moorefilms]

Western Kentucky Film Festival winner: BEST PICTURE, BEST SCORE, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD.

Here is a short that I produced, wrote, co-directed, and edited. It was shot with a Canon 5D Markii. Let me know what you think?

It is also tentatively scheduled to show at the International Louisville Film Festival in October.

[STUDIO32MID]

I thought it was well done. my death blow was the last shot of the rose bushes- thought that was cool and very symbolic-thanks i learnt a lot.

Western Kentucky Film Festival winner: BEST PICTURE, BEST SCORE, BEST SCREENPLAY, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD.

Here is a short that I produced, wrote, co-directed, and edited. It was shot with a Canon 5D Markii. Let me know what you think?

It is also tentatively scheduled to show at the International Louisville Film Festival in October.

[moorefilms]

Thanks! Can't tell if you were being sarcastic about the last shot. I realize it was a little cheesy but hahah what can you do, so is the whole short, in a way. Thanks for watching!!

[moorefilms]

I've looked around the forum but haven't found much... Does anyone know of any good online resources where one can promote, get reviewed, or just get there shorts out there and seen?

I've exploited facebook, tumblr, and twitter all I can hahaa.
Let me know if you all know any cool short film hosting sites or anything really.

[FCRabbath]

I think you need to work on the lighting, which took me a while to be honest, but lighting will give you a much better professional outcome. Outside of that good work on getting in the fest, you have a lot of potential.

[moorefilms]

I appreciate that! Any specific lighting setups you saw that you thought needed work?

[FCRabbath]

I appreciate that! Any specific lighting setups you saw that you thought needed work?

I would recommend watching some youtube videos. Learn about fill, key lighting. It's very important and a GREAT investment.

[moorefilms]

hahaa I'm pretty sure I understand the concept of 3 point light. Key, fill, backlight. I was not the Director of Photography for this short also.

I agree that the basics of lighting are very important. Thanks for watching!!

[moorefilms]

http://shortoftheweek.uservoice.com/...ter=new&page=2

If you like "The Red Box" please vote for it to get on Short of the Week!!!

[HueyNRolf]

What the heck is going on?
No zombies, no teenage gangsters or FBI agents, no guns or SFX?

I loved it. It's a good little story, nice production and the talents did a fine job.

Very well done indeed, Max. Keep 'em coming.

BTW, is that DVD machine (the red box) your invention? Very cool and the DVDs in the opening titles was a great touch.

[moorefilms]

Thanks HueyNRolf! I appreciate your feedback and you watching

[Almohada]

What are you smoking? The lighting was pretty dynamic. If anything, it had major sound issues

[HueyNRolf]

What are you smoking? The lighting was pretty dynamic. If anything, it had major sound issues

Really?
I thought the scene with the girlfriend in the locker room was a little too roomy, but not worth mentioning. Apart from that, I didn't notice anything badly wrong. Maybe I was taken in by the story and didn't notice.

What major issues did you find?

[azmyth]

I really liked this.

[moorefilms]

What are you smoking? The lighting was pretty dynamic. If anything, it had major sound issues

Everyone is entitled to their opinion..

but what "major" sound issues did you find? The locker room scene was very hard to capture audio in and had a lot of hum in it from the room lights above, I admit that was a little distracting. Other than that I can't hear any other problems.

Also, the dramatic lighting was a stylistic choice to fit the fun and quirky vib of the short. But again, art doesn't always fit people's interests.

Thanks for watching!!!

[Almohada]

Also, the dramatic lighting was a stylistic choice to fit the fun and quirky vib of the short. But again, art doesn't always fit people's interests.

I'm not the one who bashed your lighting. Read it again. I really liked what you did. That is my style.


Yeah I would count that scene's audio as a major issue... it really killed it.

[cgbier]

Beautiful acting!
The only sound problem I heard was the hum in the gym which could be filtered out.

The "yes?" when she opened the door was great. I get the same at home some now and then... a sure sign I'm in trouble. Very well done!

[moorefilms]

Awesome. Thanks cgbier!

[baseballer34]

Max, keep up the GREAT work. That was a great story that was very nicely done. I hope you keep making film. Super Job

[Gillvane]

I really liked your shot list. It wasn't anything incredibly fancy, but it worked really well and was very solid without being gimmicky. Just some nice touches in there with the camera moves used appropriately, not just because you can do them.

I didn't see any problems with the lighting and I liked the actors performances.

Really well done.

[Jim E]

Is it just me or is the quality of films offered here going waaay up lately?

That was really good. I didn't think I was going to like it at first, teenage films not being my cup of tea. But within a minute the story got me in. Not to mention the quality of the acting. Your characters are genuinely appealing and your actors nailed the emotions of their scenes perfectly. Some nice subtle acting among the comedy there!

I liked the lightning, myself. Didn't see a problem with it at all. Nothing was obscured that should have been revealed, and vice versa. Maybe your make-up guy could have obscured the lead guy's zits, but that's a minor quibble.

Special mention to the lass. Definite talent there, and it doesn't hurt that she's a lovely girl as well! And the guy carried off his "quirky" role extremely well, and he had a bit more to do, too. Two future comedy actors in the making.

Easy to see why you won those awards!!

[drapeama]

I think you need to work on the lighting [...] I would recommend watching some youtube videos. Learn about fill, key lighting. It's very important and a GREAT investment.

Well, I really don't want to be harsh in any way, but watching your shorts, which are heavily over-graded, and reading about "how lighting is important" from you...I'm surprised. I know it's one of the most important aspect of cinematography and I like you referencing it, but just watching 2 of your videos: Locked and Millitant, and I'm still looking for the basic 3-point lighting technique in it. Looks more "ambient lighting used" to me. Anyway, it was good for you to put some light on it, as it's a very important part in cinematography.

I, personally, thought that the lighting was well done Max. I know you're not the DP, but it was evident that a certain amount of work was put together in most shots. So I wouldn't bother with FC's comment.

I loved it. It's a good little story, nice production and the talents did a fine job.[..] Very cool and the DVDs in the opening titles was a great touch.

Yeah! It's refreshing to see how a simple story can turn out that good.
I enjoyed the DVDs intro as well. Original and it was announcing the mood of the short!

What are you smoking? The lighting was pretty dynamic. If anything, it had major sound issues

I totally agree with that. The lighting was well done, some shots had a nice touch (3500k vs 6500k color difference, which I like a lot!) and I think it was quite well mastered. Even some shot during the day (which obviously used a deflector) like when he talks to the Video store manager, was well done. It shows some basic techniques and some skills that I haven't seen in many shorts posted. Good job to your DP.

Really? I thought the scene with the girlfriend in the locker room was a little too roomy, but not worth mentioning. [..] What major issues did you find?

1) It was a little roomy, but if I personally didn't had hard times understanding it (not being english native) then it wasn't that bad nor worth mentioning like you said. I think, it was a nice touch to leave it roomy, as it usually sound like that in real life. Perfectly clean audio would have sound strange to me in that scene.
2) Maybe some soft focus in 1-2 scenes...nothing worth mentioning except that.

The locker room scene was very hard to capture audio in and had a lot of hum in it from the room lights above, I admit that was a little distracting. [...] Also, the dramatic lighting was a stylistic choice to fit the fun and quirky vib of the short.

1) Don't admit it, unless it wasn't intended. I liked it, I thought it was realistic in a sense.
2) The lighting, as I said, was quite well done. If you intended it that way, then it's an artistic or aesthetic choice and you're 100% right about it. You're the creator, you have that right.

I really liked what you did. That is my style. [..] Yeah I would count that scene's audio as a major issue... it really killed it.

1) I thought it was a refreshing little short. It was well done and I especially enjoyed the lighting (color difference= warm and cold).
2) Just like I did. As I said, it was realistic to me. A lav would have done an amazing job, but without some reverb/roomy ambience, it would have sound a little too "sterile", like the french dubs on TV shows.

All in all, great work Max! You should try to enter our summer festival contest! I'd like to see "moore" of your work!

Is it just me or is the quality of films offered here going waaay up lately? [..] That was really good. I didn't think I was going to like it at first, teenage films not being my cup of tea. [..] Not to mention the quality of the acting. [..] I liked the lightning, myself.

1) Yeah, dramatically!
2) Same here. Usually, I kind of hate it as it's like teen doing adult things...doesn't work for me. But this short really did it right!
3) It was quite surprising! They were really good at it! Maybe they weren't acting!
4) It was well done. I don't know why it became a discussion subject at all. I've seen worst in many other.

[Jim E]

Yes, I thought the same thing about FC's remarks, Drapes. I don't want to be too harsh on him, either, but I thought he was a tad picky. I haven't enjoyed any of his films as much as I enjoyed this one. And as you point out, his own approach to lighting isn't so wonderful that he should criticise anyone else's.

Maybe he's just nervous that new people as good as Moore films are coming along to challenge him.

[drapeama]

Yes, I thought the same thing about FC's remarks, Drapes. [..] I haven't enjoyed any of his films as much as I enjoyed this one. And as you point out, his own approach to lighting isn't so wonderful that he should criticise anyone else's.
Maybe he's just nervous that new people as good as Moore films are coming along to challenge him.

1) At least I'm not alone.
2) True Story.
3) Yeah, his own lighting in his short (the 2 that I've checked before posting any comments) weren't oscar winning lit.
4) That could explains it! All in all, Max Moore did a solid job!

[Bertzie]

I was a bit skeptical going in to it, but over all I enjoyed it. The ending was really sweet.