Indie Shorts

I can't see Harrison Ford in shorts...it just doesn't compute in my head. He's not a short man....more of a pantman. And now I have the 60s Batman theme in my head which makes me think of today's XKCD strip. This post needs to start charging for it's association and get to the point.

After a discussion with Barb about the useful merits of dialog writing exercises, I have decided to forgo the matter entirely. Okay, that's a lie for which I feel shame. Her point, which was well made, is that I should be spending my time writing the damn script (which I shall henceforth abbreviate WTDS) 'cause any time not doing that is *not* WTDS, which, y'know doesn't help anyone, least of all the TDS. I do like the concept of a writing warm up that will have the effect of weaning me off the crap dialog of which I now spew and moving me more towards the Little-better-than-crap-dialog which will hopefully improve every day....except today when I didn't get home until "it's how late?!" that's okay...I make lamb.

Yesterday the following links popped up on many a site across the interwebs, but I gacked them both from Metafilter. Both films have a consistent look and feel so I think they both achieve their objective, whether or not viewers find that style to their liking. I also find both entertaining in their own ways. They were produced on the cheep and it's amazing what the filmmakers did with their limited resources. It's good to be reminded that making a film isn't a herculean task. It's hard and I have no doubt these filmmakers worked a lot, but they turned out decent films based on their own vision.... and the sweat and tears of their friends. When no one is getting paid, the only reason to do this is because it's a work of love, and I think that comes across in both films.

Lazy Teenage Superheroes - By Michael Ashton (dir, co-writer, prod, FX, etc)
This has the feel of a bunch of kids in the barn putting on a movie....except it has a quirky comic book feel and fantastic effect that feel natural and work withing the film world they construct.


This next piece started off as a fan-film in the Half-Life world which was then cross pollinated with Left4Dead. I was enjoying it on one level and then...wait, is that a bile jar? The whole film was consistent stylistically, has great pacing and high production values for the price of a 92 Buick.
Beyond Black Mesa - Director: Brian Curtain

Link to filmmakers
Beyond Black Mesa from Brian Curtin on Vimeo.