Looking back to learn lessons from the past…
As part of 50 Kisses, we invited filmmakers to act on feedback from the community.
One filmmaking team, Sweet Home Films in LA, made their film over 20% shorter, fixed some audio problems and overall radically improved their work. Watch the first submitted edit below…
Above is the first cut which, like so many filmmakers also did, they submitted to 50 Kisses as their final edit – with the feedback and the time to reflect, they recut their film and improved it.
The lesson here for us all is to seek credible feedback BEFORE we complete – and for Impact50 filmmakers, almost every film we have seen could be improved.
You have gone so far already, you should go the distance right?
OK, if you have not already done so, watch the first cut above now… Than read the notes below…
Have you watched the film yet? Go on, it’s worth it, really – watch BEFORE reading the notes to see if you feel the way I did.
OK, here were my notes on the edit that I left after the closing deadline and in the recut month of grace…
- Lovely performances building on a very personal script.
- Could be 25% shorter, look at what chunks of dialogue you could drop.
- Long shot looking into bathroom is awkward edit at 1:07
- Can you change dialogue audio perspective when camera in hallway, make if feel more authentic again at 1:07
- Flashback too long and self indulgent
- Trim, trim…trim!
- Repeat dialogue from start but at end to echo the endless nature of her condition
And here is the recut…
Can you see just how much better it has become, tighter, more fluid, how you don’t miss those trimmed 50 seconds? Consider this when cutting your films, they can almost always be tighter and will be better for it.
Remember, filmmaking is the art of saying the most with the least.
And if you are interested, below is the Directors Commentary that we produced for the DVD release of 50 Kisses, with Evan discussing how he made the film. This film also won the Best Film Award in 50 Kisses too.
Onwards and upwards!
Chris Jones
Want to get a little bit more Impact? Here's some related posts...
Impact50 Video Update… The Edit Has Begun (but you can still make a film) 
Impact50… The Final Two Months 
And so it begins… Digital Armageddon to match Impact50 Armageddon! 
How to leave edit notes on the Impact50 Films 
What next for Impact50? As the deadline looms, what should we do next? Have your say…