Comments Made During the Contest

Aaron Williams (Level 4)

Wow. I am amazed. This was fantastic in so many ways. It really makes my own entry look silly and sets the bar tremendously high. Where do I start? Production value through the roof. I felt like I was watching something out of hollywood. Acting, excellent-- story.. great.. I thought early it might go the way of hostel, but it rose well above while still keeping the thrills there. the tension was great, effects great.
If I could have given this higher than Excellent I would have. No way this is not taking first place...

Amanda Sidorowicz (Level 4)

My first excellent!

This is amazingly well done. I enjoyed every minute of it. I was on-the-edge of my seat the whole entire time.

The use of voice overs was perfect. It actually added something to the story and kept me interested.

The fight scene was the coolest thing ever. It looks pretty close to something I'd see on the big screen. Same goes for all the editing and effects.

Acting was great as well, and the twist was sooooooooo good. I didn't see it coming.

My only problem is the credits flashed too quickly. I had to pause the video to see who I could congratulate for being a part of such a wonderful creation.

Congratulations, everyone. A job well, well, well, done!

Audrey Webb (Level 5)

Wonderful job! Great acting, great music, great shots! If this isn't the winner, I give up!

The only bit that was lacking for me was the ending. I just didn't instantly know whose name he was looking for in the files. And even though I heard his name at the end on the tape, I had to rewind to see that name on the sheet. An audience member in a theater wouldn't have that luxury. Could lead to some confusion. I know it was said at the very beginning of the film, but it didn't mean anything to me then, and it didn't stink in my head, nor did Shannon's name (again, I caught then when I watched the film the second time.)

Brian Wind (Level 5)

SCRIPT: This is one of the few scripts in this contest that was before my time here at MP, but I have watched this film before in one of the dvxuser fests.

PERFORMANCES: Both of the main actors were very high quality. I didn't notice any problems with any of the secondary actors either.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Certainly one of the strong points. Some great shots and I love the risks taken with the lighting.

SOUND: No problems. Everything was leveled just fine.

EDITING: Just fantastic. This is professional quality in every way.

SCORE: Chilling and professional. Bravo.

DIRECTION: I love the intro shot/title screen. Superb. I really love everything about this film from the lighting to the quick edits to the storyline to the score. Really, really great work on this.

OVERALL: I loved all the blood and gore as well as the extremely professional quality of the film as a whole. Just fantastic in every aspect. Congrats, you snagged an Excellent from me. This will be a contender for sure. If I have any complaints here, it's the lack of end credits.

Nice work to all involved.

Caroline Coxon (Mod Emeritus)

SCRIPT:" Very good, even though this sort of mutant horror violence is definitely not something I would choose to read - but you made the characters solid enough to evoke empathy for their plight, and the twist at the end was well-executed.

When the singing of 'you are my sunshine' first happened, I thought it was a master-stroke - but then it went on....and on....Don't they say 'less is more?' I think in this case it would have been!" I shall watch with interest...

PERFORMANCES: Excellent by Cole - tho perhaps would have liked a change from the monotone voice.Excellent by Shannon.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Love the way this was done with the different colour pallettes. Very vivid.

SOUND: Good start! On my machine it just didn't run smoothly which was a shame.

EDITING: yes - jumpy, but realise that was the effect required, held together by the monologue.

SCORE:Very good - because was unobtrusive but added to the atmosphere.

DIRECTION: Excellent. It's funny - I can tell when the direction is excellent and when it's not, but couldn't tell you WHY exactly.

OVERALL: Excellent - didn't find the singing obtrusive!

Charlie Hebert (Mod Emeritus)

Nice work. Impeccably filmed, great sense of urgency and angst. The story was a little difficult to follow, but well told.

Chris Keaton (Level 5)

Don't like the one second credits. But I really loved this in Loss Fest. I was surprised it didn't do better. I don't have much to say, but I liked it. You get my first excellent.

Chris Messineo (Founder)

SCRIPT: Awesome script. Tight, visceral, compelling, a great read. Not all that easy to turn into a powerful film - which makes the film that much more amazing.

PERFORMANCES: The actors are phenomenal. I feel their pain and their fear. They are never over the top.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Perfect. The colors are perfect. The composition is always interesting.

SOUND: Fantastic. The mix here is awesome. So many layers. Never too much though. It all works to create a tapestry of sound that creates a mood and atmosphere.

EDITING: I love the edit. I am studying it. Trying to learn from it. The way you play with time is great. The tempo during the action scenes is awesome.

SCORE: Herman's score is phenomenal. One of my all time favorite.

DIRECTION: So much talent. I'm jealous. You give me something to aspire to.

OVERALL: Perfect!

Clay Blincoe (Level 2)

Great opening title, a great start to a great short film. I thought the background of the characters were very believable and realistic. I thought the main character's tone was perfect throughout the film. The film included perfect flashback sequences, which really drove the film. The suspense of the film was superb throughout leaving the audience anxious and in fear of what lies next. The action sequences were very well set up and well executed.

Dan Lennox (Level 5)

Fantastic!!!

First of all, the cinematography was simply amazing... Every shot, angle, and camera move drew me into the story further and further which each shot. Second, the editing was great. I really liked the white flash transitions throughout the film. It added a dimension of urgency and tension.

The actors also did a super job as well. I thought their performances were authentic and believable which added greatly to the film.

The only thing that I noticed was that the end credits were a bit short (looked like about 10 frames or so)...

Otherwise, not much else to say on this. Super job. This one gets an Excellent!

Dave Kunz (Level 4)

I had to view this film twice and read the script to fully get it. But it was well worth the effort. Every time I went back through the story it paid greater and greater dividends. The storyline of "I'm-looking-for-a-killer-and-the-killer-is-me" is a bit shopworn, but, in this instance, the story is so well crafted that it transcends the familiar.

From a technical standpoint the look of the film was dead on. The photography matched the tone and the style of the story exactly. The editing was flawless and the acting first rate. My only criticism was the sound. I had trouble hearing some of the voice over work, and I wanted to hear it, there was a lot of compelling language in what Kinsella had to say. Loved the final line, btw.

When Kinsella finds the treatment files and figures out that, oh shit, I DIDN'T GET THE PLACEBO -- that was handled extremely well. Very visual, clear and succinct.

Well done. I gave you an excellent.

David Birch (Level 5)

you gave yourself short shrift at the end...barely could see your credits...surprisingly, because the production value for the film was one of the best so far...really liked the fact that you worked in multiple sets, action, and a larger cast than most of the other submissions...the story could have use a more work because it jumps from a homeless guy to the conclusion...just seemed to have a lot of gaps...but everything else was done on a professional level...thanks...

Dawn Calvin (Level 5)

Okay, somebody here is a professional! This was awesome, sound, lighting, effects, action, pace, actors, script.

Hands down, this film/script has it all!
Best of luck.

Don Riemer (Level 4)

Extremely well done. And I have to say I recognized this director's touch immediately. Great script; nice twist at the end; did not see it coming. Very well produced. High marks on all aspects of production. Great audio mix, great overall look. Lots of visual variety for what is essentially a one-location film Fine musical score. Excellent talent. My only negative is very minor: the film-flash transition might be used a bit too much in the first half. Otherwise, A+. Thanks for advancing the cause of short film making... again.

DW Pollard (Level 4)

Quite entertaining; the first short in this contest that I've watched and was actually entertained.

Great filming - good tension, good characterization, great action. Very impressive.

I would have liked to see a little more of resolution or such with the ending, but then it is only a short, so concessions must be made. Definitely seems like there is much more you could do with this in regards to story line and making it a feature length or such.

Overall, definitely worth watching.

Elias Farnum (Level 5)

The script is tight, however the voice over may be much, but I say.. it works. Great title too. Excellent.

The performances were awesome, just.. awesome. What more can I say.. Excellent.

The cinematography. sound, editing, and score - all Excellent. Great way to maintain the mood.

The direction reminds me a bit of 28 days later - is Danny Boyle an influence here?

Overall, this is excellent - even if it reminds me of 28 days/weeks Later. This is one of my favorites for sure.

Faith Friese Nelson (Level 5)

There were times when I had a hard time understanding the main character's voice over. But I enjoyed this film, very much, and rated it EXCELLENT.

Herman Chow (Level 5)

Very nicely done! Loved the atmosphere!

The excellent part is the lighting, the cinematography, and the choreography of the fight scene. Truly gripping. The visuals and the sound are so well done that I have nothing to complain of with the craft.

However, I couldn't follow the story. I think there are actually too many flashbacks that kinda confused me a bit. The flashbacks are a bit too fast. Maybe I am just slow in digesting visual information. And at the end, why did the mutant (or should I say, the control) breaks into the room if the guy is actually normal?

Anyway, the craft is excellent, but the story is a very good.

Jacob Guerra (Level 4)

I'm not too sure what exactly happened, but I do feel the overall tone was very well done. The film had a claustrophobic feel that worked for it, and the production was very well done. I jumped a couple times, which was very good. I just wish I knew exactly what happened.

Jeannie Sconzo (Level 5)

Excellent cinematography! Very good actors! Continues to move along more and more rapidly giving it a great build without ever hitting a plateau. Enjoyed the use of different color lighting to evoke different moods - quite effective. Flawless audio effects.

The only thing I could find that may have been able to be improved is in the stabbing event, there'd be more blood, particularly squirting arteries. He was stabbing multiple times and pretter fervently. An increased amount of gore would have been an appropriate fit for his action.

JeanPierre Chapoteau (Moderator)

I am absolutely in love with the opening title sequence. I can't wait to see what comes next.

I didn't get the ending. Was he crazy? I'm going to have to read the script. Did he just imagine all the zombies and it was actually him killing everyone? This confused me.

I thought you had great dialogue. I am a big fan of V.O.'s so that gave it extra points.

The sound effects were amazing. It really brought me in to the creepiness of the story.

When you stabbed the zombie, I thought that looked pretty fake. I usually wouldn't pick at that because we are amateurs trying to bring our films to life, but you my friend, are far from that, with your blood, and shooting guns, and real actors. SO I thought you could have made that a little more realistic.

This was a zombie film, and I LOVE zombie films so this was a real pleasure. I just wished the ending made more sense to me.

Joel Davis (Level 5)

Holy crap. That was better than most released movies. Great twist, too.

Really just stunning work all around. No suggestions here. Don't forget us little people when you hit the big time.

John Brooke (Level 5)

SCRIPT: You mean their was one for this apparent gratuitousviolence

PERFORMANCES: It was imposible for me to distinguish one character from an other. .

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Crisp and professional.

SOUND: Loud and crude which matched the subject matter, so it must be good..

EDITING: makes this film work for sure. It is everything that is displayed here.

SCORE: perfect for the action

DIRECTION: Invisable

CAST: Hard to determine who is acting. Very docudramtatic.

OVERALL: I shall return when I can figure out how to critique these moving experiences. That's a promise. Well I returned and still didn’t understand a bloody thing that was going on..

Jose Batista (Level 5)

Magnificently done. The main actor played the part very well and took it through all the way to the end with a flawless performance. The female actress at his side was also very convincing in her portrayal of a mindfraked victim and her performance added to the foreboding and despair. Visually stunning and edited with a professional's touch, this film easily rises to the top of the contenders.

The setting was very well used to portray the laboratory facility. The film had a very legit look and feel. Sound effects and special effects were nearly flawless. The ending was the only thing that felt lacking and should have been completed with something as equally as visceral the rest of the movie. However, it was not bad enough to keep me from giving this the excellent it deserves. You and your crew did a truly stupendous job and I applaud your efforts.

Kenneth Hurd (Level 4)

This was a really good short. You were able to grab me right from the start and keep me interested. I really like how the story had it going in one direction, only to give us a nice and shocking twist right at the end. Good job!

Your actors do a pretty good job, and gave us believable performances. Your camerawork was excellent. Everything was lit very stylish and the angles work.

Your editing was good, but I felt that you used the quick cuts a bit too much. It started to pull me out of the film at times, forcing me to focus on the effect. It also looked like you used CG blood during parts of the film. While that can be useful, I think it would have been more effective if you used make-up effects instead. But that's just a personal preference of mine.

Your sound was excellent. Everything was crystal clear and mixed perfectly. The only thing I didn't care for was that last song. When the vocals came in, the music became distracting. Other than that, it was excellent.

I think you've got a really solid short film here. It's entertaining, fast paced, and really fun to watch.

Kevin Carty (Level 4)

I know alot of work went into this but I feel as if there are too many effects and transitions and just made it look like a music video. Also I'm not a fan of zombies, I feel like anything to do with a situation like this is not anything that I haven't seen before. Also I don't like the little twist at the end is really something I just can't possibly accept and seems a bit too easy. I just couldn't get into it maybe because there are too many flashbacks and like I said I've seen this done way too much. The psychological reversal seems to be done alot these days but it just didn't fit because I was thinking then why would he attack them and not the other way around that part didn't gel and messed up my perception of this short. The sound was way too loud and I don't like films like that. It seemed like it was trying to deafen me. The music was fine. The acting was fine. Granted sometimes I felt it was a little over acted. Great job but I just felt like the effects and sound were a little bit too much but I do appreciate all the work put into this.

Khamanna Iskandarova (Level 5)

It's a great movie but I did not understand what's happened in it. I started reading the script, I don't think it's clear as is (for me) but tried to use my logic...(I know it was placed) I guess the doctors used the mutations of the wing A to get rid of the other wing using the mutants.
I wonders if that's true.

I watched another movie with the same actors and while I think that the actors work is great in both movies (especially the male actor), and the reading is exceptional, I'm starting to think that some of the lines are muffled. Not that anything is wrong with the reading (it is indeed exceptional), but movies like this are often hard to understand; understanding and hearing every word is of high importance.

Wonderfully shot though, all the effects were great.

KP Mackie (Level 5)

Terrific opening of the title on stone. Lots of visual appeal. Many action-packed scenes professionally done. Actors were very good. More than one location was interesting. The lighting inside had a cast to it, giving a gritty and somewhat seedy feeling to the scenes with Cole. Poor Shannon. Good ambiance. Like the rapid shots of the "...injection for breakfast, two pills for lunch," and "afternoon of psychological tests."
There was some jumping around a bit that was hard to follow, after Cole's announcement that things inside had changed. Some shots in black and white, a guy with a gun and a fight scene. Not sure of the significance warranting the change from color.
Closeup of the "Rosenthal Institute" paperwork was easy to read. Clear that Cole and Shannon were given "mind-altering" drugs, but wasn't sure why.
Music was fast paced and fit the movie.

Kyle Patrick Johnson (Level 5)

SCRIPT: A great script to begin with. I do wish the names of A Wing and B Wing had been used, so that as he goes through the list at the end, we'd know immediately what had happened without the flashbacks being necessary, but rather just as icing on the knowledge cake.

PERFORMANCES: When you're caked with blood and gore, what performance wouldn't be fantastic?

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Masterful.

SOUND: Masterful.

EDITING: Masterful.

DIRECTION: Masterful.

OVERALL: This film is so thoroughly thought-out, so well executed, it's the best of the bunch, and from script on through, I can't say enough good things about it. Excellent.

Len Ramirez (Level 2)

The director of this film understands that good storytelling is the result of the combination of sight, sound, and plot. Each supporting the other. The sound made for an intense film. The voiceovers complemented the film as did the lighting effects. The camerawork was very well done, creating an air of mystery and tension. I thought the plot was solid - another good idea by Daniel Piatt. There is another future here. This works until the reveal, at which point it ends. The dialogue is solid as is the actors themselves. This is a good example of 'showing' us instead of 'telling' us. We are shown things along the way and then we return to them at the end of the film to explain the reveal and show us that things aren't always what they seem. This film almost comes across as a trailer, but delivers the goods. The only thing I thought could be improved upon was the narration at the beginning was a little difficult to hear - a bit warbled.

Margaret Ricke (Level 5)

Love the opening title sequence.

I'm only a minute into it, but the acting seems professional. Thats a good thing...

Okay... I'm impressed. Very impressed. It's still loading and I'm anxious to see what happens next... I've muted the sound so it can load and not keep grabbing at me, but I'm still anxious. And I want more now...

Now I'm at about four minutes and I'm getting agitated. Why is this taking so long to download? I want it, and I want it now...

Started the film over from scratch while it downloads, and I've got to say a few things...

This guy can act.

The camera angles and cuts are fantastic.

The directing rocks. So does the cinematography and special effects.

And story.

The image is crisp and clear and I love it.

The locations are perfect.

I LOVE the yellow lit shot of the doctor with his icy blue eyes.

The blood looks real...

I'm going to stop reviewing this film and enjoy it. I'd be so proud to have my name attached to this work... Congratulations. I have one more film to watch and rate, and this is one of only two that I'm absolutely rooting for to place first.

Enter this in more contests!

EXCELLENT work!

Marnie Mitchell Lister (Level 5)

SCRIPT: Seriously Martin, you must have peed your pants when you saw this film. I mean it's one thing to have someone like your work enough to film it...but then for it to turn out like this. Holy Crap.

PERFORMANCES: Justin was perfect. His facial expressions were spot on with the Voice Over and the action.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Amazing. Pro quality in my opinion.

OVERALL: I think Daniel did an outstanding job directing and editing this film. I'm serioulsy blown away. It's just in a different class than the rest of the films here. I felt there was so much attention put into every detail, even down to the papers that showed he wasn't taking the placebo...the whole atmosphere felt completely authentic. It just sucked me right into the moment.

Like I said, this is in a totally different class. Beyond excellent.

Martin Jensen (Level 5)

The visual tricks were well placed and really helped tell the important parts of the backstory. The twist was really good.

The hand-held camera was also really good and helped tell the story.

Some of the pen stabs didn't feel as if they had much weight behind them, but that was the only part that didn't feel real.

Excellent.

Matthew Fettig (Level 5)

Very well done all around - writing, acting, camera work, editing, sound, score. It looked like something you would see on TV today with the lighting and edits. The fight scene was very well done, very realistic. I thought this showed a lot of skill at all levels.

Matthew West (Level 2)

Pretty much flawless. It was compelling, well filmed and definitely well acted. The music was a little repetitive but not so much that it affected my enjoyment of the film. I think you did particularly well with the murder scene, although personally I felt the actual pen-stabbing was a little amateur-ish (emphasis on little). I think it would have worked much better if you didn't show the actual contact between the pen and body, but perhaps suggesting that he was being stabbed instead. But other than that, that scene was definitely very good, as was the rest of the short film.

Michael Cornetto (Level 5)

That was excellent. Great script too. Enough said.

Michael Hoffman (Level 4)

Obviously a tremendous amount of time and resources were poured into this entry and it really pays off with a slick and professional short film.

Script- The script is crafted well. It stuffs a lot of story into a short time frame and the narration is definitely the way to go. There are some points in the story that I'm not exactly clear on but the filmmaking is so good it trumps these tiny issues.

Performances- Everyone looks the part and plays their roles very well. A lot is told through actions rather than dialogue.

Cinematography- Excellent. A variety of awesome camera angles, lighting techniques and camera movements make this a pleasure to watch.

Editing- Also excellent. Great fast paced cuts with the action and a few longer takes that build tension. Love all the quick transitions and the color schemes and darkened blacks that stand out as quality work.

Sound- Overall very good. I think he narrator's voice was a bit weak and soft at times but great sound effects and action sounds throughout.

Score- Perfect creepy action score. Well done.

Direction- Excellent. It's obvious the director had a vision in mind for this and was able to execute it well. Many of the effects were pulled off nicely and the quality and care of all the props and details was evident.

Overall excellent work. It's easy to see that this was put together by a great production team from start to finish.

Paul Williams (Level 5)

I haven't read this script before watching the movie, so this one is new to me.

This had a great look to it, very professional. It had the dark tone and atmosphere of "Saw" and "28 Days Later."

Effective use of voice-over, this is how it should work.

Great performances, editing, lighting (or darking I should say), and audio.

My only complaint, and perhaps this is just me and my dimwittedness (word?), is that I didn't fully understand the story upon my first viewing, but I think I did.

Very Good.

Philip Whitcroft (Level 5)

The imagery and editing of this are stunning. The directing tells each visual element of the story very well.

This script obviously uses vast amounts of voice-over and I wonder if that is required. It irritated me partly because with my poor hearing I was straining to catch what was being said. All in all though I'm not sure if he said a whole lot that couldn't have been conveyed visually. As it is the voice-over provides the exposition for the story.

Pia Cook (Level 5)

This was excellent.

I remember this script.

Great acting. Excellent editing and sound.

I don't know what else to say. This looked and felt pro. I'm voting excellent on this.

Rich Keel (Level 4)

AMAZING!!!! I remeber this story from awhile back and I loved it. Wow whoever directed this brought it to the screen correctly!

Nice work. I really don't have anything bad to say at all. Effects were great, sound and special effects.

Acting was great - looks and sounds like a guy from the only other Excellent I handed out this month.

Audio - perfect

Man I would love to be able to do films like these. Nice work!

Rick Hansberry (Moderator)

Great opening. Loved the jumpy cuts. I wished the audio was a bit more distinct. Less muddy. By the middle the jumpy cuts felt more stylistic and mixed well with the longer close ups but I felt the narrative of the film was getting lost in the visual presentation. I was more engaged by the visuals than by the story. Great sound mix on the fighting. Very impressive. The bloody assault at the mid-point could have been edited down. Nice job with the blood and make up. Very professional. The music mix toward the end was well-timed and fit the mood nicely. Lead actor held my attention throughout. Well-played. I'm not sure what stage of production this is in. I saw no credits or indication of the director/writer/actors etc. Still, this showed signs of filmaker who had a clear vision of the type of movie he wanted to make and could deliver on that. I enjoyed it a lot and would rank it the highest of any film I've seen thus far.

Rob Dianora (Level 4)

Visually this looks great. The lighting is fantastic, especially the magic hour stuff at the beginning. Your lead actor is pretty great too.

The story is pretty suspenseful and really solid. I love the V.O. and the actor contributes greatly to the story with that. The ending lost me a little bit and it may have been the weakest part of the story for me.

Technical for me is the strong point of this film the camera work and lighting was excellent.

Editing was great, there was some really cool transistions and sound edits. Parts were a little to stylyzed for me, but that's just my taste. Either way you know what you were doing and did it well.

Robbie Comeau (Level 3)

Excellent production value, sound, camera, acting, editing, everything.

Unique style you added to this film, very creative and it seems like you know what you're doing :)

Robbie

Rustom Irani (Moderator)

The abrupt end seems like a technical issue with the flash of credits.

While the script made me visualize the film as a slow paced horror inside the room your vision as filmmaker has to be lauded.

Another issue that could've worked more for dramatic empathy would be to make the dead mutant/Eddie's identity more concise for the audience.

Acting, camera-work and kinetic pacing, is way above the rest so far.

Fantastic job.

Top-notch short film.

Sally Meyer (Moderator)

Wowzer, this was really really good. The acting was excellent, the cinematography, was really well crafted. I loved your angles, and the way this was shot.

Script.
Well written script that came to life on screen. I thought the story was compelling and entertaining.

Performances
Excellent for all of your actors. Well done in casting good strong actors, who really made the film come alive on screen. Your lead man is amazing!
I like the use of voice over in this. Very effective in telling the story.

Cinematography.
Good work! From the intense opener to the final fade out, this was shot very well, use of angles, lighting etc were really well done. I like the choice of the flashbacks, how it quickly flashed in and out. That kept my interest. Very professional, this looks like a big budget film.

Editing
Evidently someone who knows how to edit, worked on this film. The choice of angles the pacing, were very well done.

Sound
excellent. nothing at all bad to say about the sound.

Direction.
Very well done. You got some excellent performances out of your actors. Your choice of shots and lighting, really good. Fight scenes were believable. I was a bit freaked out, with the violence, but I know others will enjoy it!!

Score
Excellent. It was perfect! It really added to the suspense of the movie.

Overall
A very well written, well directed, short film, with a good story. Compelling, and intense! Great ending. I really think this one will place very high.

Scott Merrow (Level 5)

Pretty good job with this.

STORY / SCRIPT: The story was a little bit confusing. I get it -- he thought he was in the control group and the psychotropic wackos were out to get him. But then he discovers he's one of the psychotropic wackos, and he's apparently been brutally murdering innocent people. But, on the other hand, I don't really get it. If he was in the control group, no one would have told him -- that's how control groups work. Nobody knows who gets the placebo -- or even if there IS a placebo. So, why did he think he was in the control group?

PERFORMANCES: Great! The guy who played Cole was terrific.

CINEMATOGRAPHY / DIRECTING / EDITING: I'm not really fond of movies that race through all the action scenes in a series of lightning-fast cuts and flashing lights (there's probably some high falutin' film school name for this technique) so that you have no idea what's going on while the action is actually happening -- you just hold your breath and wait for the shot to end so you can see the result. There were a few of those in this movie, and I didn't really care for them very much. So, I guess I'm not saying the editing is bad -- what I'm saying is, it's a very good job of doing something that I (personally) don't care for. Other people probably love it, because you see it all the time in big budget action movies. I just personally don't care for it. (So, you can take that comment with a grain of salt.)

OVERALL: I enjoyed it. Good job.

MY SCORE: GOOD.

Tim Westland (Moderator)

If you haven't checked out the new review guide yet, please do.

As always, you are welcome to format your reviews in whatever style works for you. If you are looking for a suggestion though, I am breaking my reviews down as follows:

SCRIPT:
Although the story doesn't really doesn't really tread any new ground. No technical issues and the writing is crisp and clear.

PERFORMANCES:
I think this is probably one of the weaker points of the film. The male lead doesn't act much. Just sort of sits there and stares. The female lead, well, she's almost non-existent. The doctor overacts, as does the 'zombie' guy. His screaming really verged on goofy.

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Beautiful. Professional. Just amazingly shot. Mega Kudos.

SOUND:
A tad tinny. The dialogue seemed far away, which didn't enhance the acting. A shame.

EDITING:
Well, overall the editing was great. Very edgy. Unfortunately, some of the cool editing techniques and cuts and effects were overused and it ended up feeling too choppy and frenetic.

SCORE:
I don't really recall the score. That can't be good.

DIRECTION:
I think the direction was fine. Like the editing, an overall fine job.

OVERALL:
If the acting and sound were better, I think this would have given this an Excellent. However, those areas kind of fall down, so I have to give this a Very Good.

Victor Ojeda (Level 3)

Nice Image quality. Just imagine if while you were showing the main title, the sounds of the people in the initial scene had already started. This is a well filmed short, nice color scheme, good angles and superb editing. I love what u did here.

William Bienes (Mod Emeritus)

An excellent, professional film. This film really captured the essence of the script, a fantastic job.

The direction, cinematography, lighting, sound, acting -- I could go on and on. Suffice to say that every aspect of this film was superb. It's very plain to see that the filmmakers methodically planned this one out.

Loved the vision of this film -- enhancing the psychosis with quick camera shots and other effects, lighting and speed.

What I find that lacks in several short films -- acting. And here, especially the lead, that is not the case. The acting was wonderful. I have seen the lead male in another film entered, "The Small Multiple" and he has been the best lead that I've seen to date in any of the films -- very natural and nuanced.

Great film, from writing to completed work.

Comments Made After the Contest

William Bienes (Mod Emeritus) ~ 1/1/2010 12:07 AM

Congratulations -- top notch all the way.

Kyle Patrick Johnson (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 12:13 AM

Agreed. Phenomonal job to all involved!

Chris Messineo (Founder) ~ 1/1/2010 12:16 AM

Martin and Daniel, Congratulations!

I loved the script and the film.

Herman Chow (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 12:21 AM

Excellent work, congrat!

Chris Keaton (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 12:30 AM

Finally it places where it deserves.

Marnie Mitchell Lister (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 12:43 AM

I'm going to start a Daniel Piatt fan club!!!! Congrats Martin! :)

Sally Meyer (Moderator) ~ 1/1/2010 12:47 AM

Fantastic! I loved this. It was amazing! Congratulations!!

Chris Messineo (Founder) ~ 1/1/2010 12:50 AM

"I'm going to start a Daniel Piatt fan club!"

I'll join.

The really cool thing is, Daniel is a fan of the scripts and writers here and without telling too much, I believe his next film is yet another MoviePoet script.

Margaret Ricke (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 1:03 AM

I think you can tell from my review that I absolutely loved this. Congratulations up one side and down the other.

Caroline Coxon (Mod Emeritus) ~ 1/1/2010 1:51 AM

For the first time ever ever my three excellents (my only three excellents) made the top three! I couldn't have predicted which order they'd come in but - fantastic script, fantastic film.

Brian Wind (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 2:16 AM

Awesome job. Loved it the first time I saw at dvx and I loved the second time I saw it here. Congrats on the well-desrved win!

Elias Farnum (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 2:45 AM

I had a strong feeling that this one would win. Damn awesome job, you need to get paid.

Brian Wind (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 2:50 AM

"I'm going to start a Daniel Piatt fan club!"

"I'll join."

Me too! Damn, where'd this guy come from (and how can I get him to shoot one of my scripts)? Fantastic style.

Matias Caruso (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 10:59 AM

This is what happens when a kickass director picks up a kickass script from a kickass writer.

Congrats! :D

Michael Cornetto (Level 5) ~ 1/1/2010 5:58 PM

This was excellent Martin. Well done on first place.

Chris Keaton (Level 5) ~ 1/2/2010 1:38 AM

"and how can I get him to shoot one of my scripts"

I pursued him. He didn't respond, so I probably ruined it for everyone else. :)

Martin Lancaster (Level 4) ~ 1/3/2010 9:19 AM

Wow, this is a nice surprise and a nice start to the new year. Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Full credit goes to Daniel and his crew. It should be his name on the front page. He's a superb filmmaker and he's been great to work with. I'm happy to see him getting some recogniion in this contest.

Cheers, and happy new year!

Rich Keel (Level 4) ~ 1/4/2010 11:18 AM

Congrats to writer and director. I picked this as my number 1!!!!! well in my head :)


Nice work!

Ray Ortiz (Level 0) ~ 1/14/2010 8:41 PM

Awesome from a technical standpoint, and some really great tension-building.

I think the protagonist-ends-up-being-the-killer bit is kind of cliche, however.
I'm also tired of that hand-held kinetic video style; i wish more directors would have the ca-hones to lock down the camera. Then again, I guess it was appropriate. Doesn't show much of a director's voice, tho. Watch some Kubrick or something.

Still, I'm sure it won't hurt you or your career to keep making super-slick stuff like this.

Kudos.

Charles Bonet (Level 3) ~ 1/22/2010 3:39 PM

Fantastic short!!! Tony Scott (True Romance, Crimson Tide, Domino) is one of my favorite filmmakers and I see much of his intense and visceral style in this film. The visuals were amazing, very creative and extremely effective. The performances were top notch. All I ask from a performance is that it be real and that was accomplished here. This work is better than a lot of the stuff we're getting charged good money to see. Great job!!!

John Padgett (Level 2) ~ 7/11/2010 12:57 AM

Fantastic... Honestly, there were no flaws in this film. A flawless short film on every aspect. But after the film, the credits were a concern. It should be easy to find who to thank for a wonderful film.
P.S. Flawless does not mean you cannot make a better film, but on this project, I can think of no improvements