Full Version: Wellington Reviews & Audience Faves 2009
Lets put all the reviews into one thread as there are so many heats this year.
Not really a review, but The 10th Anniversary from heat 1 was hilarious, congratulations to everyone on that team. Parallel world movie was also really good, and the musical. I'm a bit disappointed at how grainy ours turned out, not really anything we could do about it, but it was surprising how it was crystal clear on a decent tv and so blurry on the big screen.
QUOTE(1234567890 @ May 12 2009, 08:08 PM) 
Not really a review, but The 10th Anniversary from heat 1 was hilarious, congratulations to everyone on that team.
Cheerio.
My highlights would have been that hypnotist that opened the heat and 'Call Me Al.' Surprised at all the young school age entrants, made me feel old.
EARDRUM SPLITTING SESSIONS!
I am not a sound expert. But I've just watched 2 heats in Wellington at the Reading Cinemas that were very loud.
My guess is that the sound system is set up for professional Dolby Digital Film Mixes that probably peak at a lower Db than the unbalanced audio that most 48h films will have.
I found it really uncomfortable in some films. Even hard to hear the dialogue... Is there some way to manage the sound better?
Did anyone else notice this or is it just me?
Leo
I am not a sound expert. But I've just watched 2 heats in Wellington at the Reading Cinemas that were very loud.
My guess is that the sound system is set up for professional Dolby Digital Film Mixes that probably peak at a lower Db than the unbalanced audio that most 48h films will have.
I found it really uncomfortable in some films. Even hard to hear the dialogue... Is there some way to manage the sound better?
Did anyone else notice this or is it just me?
Leo
QUOTE(Leonardo @ May 13 2009, 01:38 AM)
EARDRUM SPLITTING SESSIONS!
I am not a sound expert. But I've just watched 2 heats in Wellington at the Reading Cinemas that were very loud.
My guess is that the sound system is set up for professional Dolby Digital Film Mixes that probably peak at a lower Db than the unbalanced audio that most 48h films will have.
I found it really uncomfortable in some films. Even hard to hear the dialogue... Is there some way to manage the sound better?
Did anyone else notice this or is it just me?
Leo
I am not a sound expert. But I've just watched 2 heats in Wellington at the Reading Cinemas that were very loud.
My guess is that the sound system is set up for professional Dolby Digital Film Mixes that probably peak at a lower Db than the unbalanced audio that most 48h films will have.
I found it really uncomfortable in some films. Even hard to hear the dialogue... Is there some way to manage the sound better?
Did anyone else notice this or is it just me?
Leo
Just you. Sound levels were really good tbh.
WELLINGTON HEAT 1:
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Team Name: …then on Sunday we rested / Genre: Educational / “Blink of the Mind”
Really good start to the heats, where we were given a warning, that the following film may be disturbing for some of the audience. Essentially a one-shot film with a couple of subliminal images (including a rock I am told) as ‘professional actor Frank Edwards’ gave a spiel about hypnosis. It had some nice, darkly comic moments. Well lit, shot and acted given its minimalist nature.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: 24 Reasons to Die / Genre: Romance / “The 10th Anniversary” [Disqualified]
I love what this team brings to the competition each year with their incredibly strange sense of humour that epitomises the competition. Shame they were late.
A couple drinking wine over an intimate 10th anniversary dinner have several flashbacks about their relationship, each more zany than the last, with the guy waving plant arms around on top of a giant boulder top of the list. Mystical experiences, crazy neighbours and a literal Alex (the) Puddle, who the lead actress may swum in rounded things off nicely.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: 2RhAB (Two Redheads…) / Genre: Parallel World / “Lost and Found”
Exactly what I was hoping for out of the parallel world genre, with a triple split screen film, once the main character has set out their recycling. They find a wallet and each screen shows a different course of action. On one screen we get him being a bum playing Sega Megadrive and taking a couple of extremely long pisses in the toilet. On another he returns the wallet to Alex Puddle and has a charming date. On the third he uses the wallet to try and finance an activity with some seemingly shady characters. It left the audience gasping.
Story: 5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: 400 Stinkin Feet / Genre: Conspiracy / “Finding Faith” [Disqualified]
This team had a cool logo. After the main character is disappointed in one church on the advice of a couple of door to door bible-bashers, he joins a more underground one based on giving, but which includes financial giving. Whilst the conspiracy of the film wasn’t all that great, the larger-than-life preacher with an afro was well-played and it did raise a couple of important questions on teleological ethics and faith.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Alchemists / Genre: Horror / “Strive for Perfection” [Disqualified]
A v-drinking class left alone by their teacher is stalked by their brutal classmate who has voices in their head driving them to chop to the top. It seemed to take clear inspiration from the likes of Blair Witch and Scream, some potential for the future from this young team but a lack of any real tension in a film that played it almost entirely straight.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 1.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: A Trick With A Knife / Genre: Musical / “Call Me Al”
Some great singing by the two leads in this. I’m guessing they’ve had musical theatre experience? Because if not I’d be shocked. Two thirty-somethings chat online and yearn for love; he, equipped with a decent sized waist and mullet describes himself as looking like Matt Damon’s brother (or at least his mum says so) and being a gym regular. She expresses her simple desires on a beach with a LOT of rocks hehe. Just a girl and a man looking for love, with a man with a piano tie jazzing it up in the finale.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4
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Team Name: Clown Baby / Genre: Real Time / “The Beautiful Country”
A tour group highlighted by an Asian finding the country beautiful is held hostage by a pirate who will have their timbers shivered. But then the pirates’ right hand man Duane (yes, a rock) is lost and so they have four minutes to find him. If they run, so will their blood whilst the pirate has a few flashbacks. Had a slow-mo sword cutting cheek shot.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Abby Normal / Genre: Big Twist / “Know Where To Go”
Seemed to have a theme song and was about a couple who went on a holiday to Transylvania. Whilst the guy is worried about freaks and weirdoes, the girl is confident the pounamu around her neck will protect them. The team looked like they got the use of the actual inside of an airplane before the film started owing a lot to Eli Roth’s Hostel. It was really well shot and had a fantastic score, but I got more a feeling of dread leading up to the twist than any reaction to the twist itself.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Abusement Park / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Under the InFLUence”
An epidemic is turning everyone into cops (pigs, geddit?). This caused a lot of yelling from those who didn’t want to catch the virus, and led to a flashback or two and couple of jokes. As the two leads are surrounded by cops, ideas of resolution are put forward whilst the tone almost veers off towards sexuality, before reverting back to crass jokes and gore.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Coughing Tablecloth Productions / Genre: Revenge / “Rodney”
Some painstakingly long shots here before the film got going. Although this allowed the exaggerated nature of Alex to realllly come through. Another pet rock starred here, as a mean-spirited young band looked for a reason to piss off the nerd who lives in the house next door. I liked the montage with the rock on the beach, bath and in the backyard, the actor playing Alex actually seemed to care. However the overly long setup meant that the revenge aspect of the film was weak.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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WELLINGTON HEAT 2:
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Team Name: Archimedes / Genre: Horror / “Date of the Dead”
ANOTHER F…actually nah, I’m going to take it a bit easy on this team because whilst they did do a Mockumentary it had zombies and there were a couple of killer laughs for me. The makeup for the zombie was also fantastic, reminiscent of the opening flesh-eater with their jaw ripped off in Romero’s Day of the Dead. Basically Gigi the lead girl meets a zombie through an online dating site. However whilst Gigi's friend Alex Puddle thinks the relationship was meant to be, ‘Z’ giving the girl crap presents and having poor hygiene poses a few difficulties.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Asylum Productions / Genre: Conspiracy / “Lead Lined Fedora” [Disqualified]
An interesting film stylistically; essentially a black and white film noir with a modern Wellington vibe. A broad goes to an investigator, wanting him to find her rock. He then goes to Jimmy Quick before the shit hits the fan in a car chase complete with tappa-tappa-ting jazz drums and then a showdown fight.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Bad Itch Productions / Genre: Big Twist / “A Long Way Home”
The entire film centres on a guy waiting at a bus stop as various soon to be passengers or pedestrians cross his path. Where is his bus going? Only time will tell. The glittered up Alex Puddle catching her ‘limo’ at the bus stop was well played.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Banjaxxed / Genre: Romance / “Bromancing The Stone”
Three guys vow to not end up like their friend who announces he is getting married at a new years’ eve party. Instead they agree to try and hook up with as many women as possible. Whilst two of the guys adopt a bottom trawling approach, casting their net far and wide, one of them is a church-goer and having reluctantly agreed to enter their macho contest in the first place decides to concentrate all his attentions on one girl. Constant wit and clever jokes abound in this gem.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Best Damn Pram Team / Genre: Dance / “A Rock in a Special Place”
The Breakfast Club meets Save The Last Dance with Alex Puddle constantly giving one-liners and a very flamboyant Dance teacher talking about the passion of the medium. When the supposed misfits discover that they may not have been in detention of their own accord, they plot a way to get to the important dance audition being held at the same time. I would have loved to have seen a lot more of the guy who did a backflip and a handstand plant. As it was, the guy playing Alex got a bit annoying.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Big Apple Swedish Leprechaun / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Rock and a Hard Place”
Despite a few people in the audience snickering, this absolutely nailed its genre actually. After a rock crashes into the earth, animals gather round it like a zoo. The wind then picks up to extreme levels requiring characters caught in the city (all constructed out of cardboard/paper and toys), to be assisted by the military who had someone do a fantastic Ahnold accent. A giant bowling pin stands to topple and destroy everything if they don’t get out in time.
Story: 4 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Black Widow Studios / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Puddles of Blood” [Disqualified]
A Mockumentary that incorporated both genre elements the team were given on ‘Satanism in the Modern World’ as one satanic domestic family got interviewed. However the arsonist and cannibal antics of the kids and the jabs at the school/tax system didn’t get too many laughs. Probably too based in interviews than it could have been.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: Blind Vision Studios / Genre: ? / Currently M.I.A, but will be rescheduled
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Team Name: Blindside / Genre: Family / “Granddad Rocks”
Hmm bordering on whether this was wholesome entertainment like the genre intended or not, but the main disappointment was that it dropped frames and was jerky, as there was a good story here. A kid who complains about spending time with his grandfather is shown the error of his ways through a story of how his elder used a magical rock when he was once a prisoner of war. Looked to have huge numbers at the heat, will not be surprised to see this get audience favourite.
Story: 4 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: An Uplifting Rash / Genre: Real Time / “Justin Gets The Flu” [Animated]
Apparently 30 million have died in NZ of swine flu a guy is told by a newsreader, a disease which turns you into a zombie. And it is spreading impossibly fast. Meanwhile a guy is walking down the street sneezing on people. Said watcher of the news needs to leave the house and watch out for that disease, but there are other problems. The animation itself was ok.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Hunter and the Gatherers / Genre: Revenge / “Estranged”
A fairly intense film, as a father has a conversation with his son who has driven hours to see him for the first time in ages. Over a stiff drink the true reason for bringing his son there are revealed and does not produce nice consequences. Another film with big numbers in attendance at the heat.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4
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WELLINGTON HEAT 3:
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Team Name: aelusive productions / Genre: Musical / “Sleep: The Musical”
A barista and a dentist (?) can only find solace in sleep, their only escape. She rides around on a bus all day on Sundays whilst he vigorously brushes his teeth onscreen. They are united in a dream where the team showcases some high quality singing and avoids dubbing issues by having lots of shots of forests and fields whilst the singing occurs. There were some very cool Neil Young/Hendrix-style guitar riffs in here, whilst the woman uniting the two in the dream played a sultry temptress very well and there was a nice twist at the end.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: B COOL / Genre: Real Time / “Cold Calling” [Disqualified]
This was well-edited to give the real time illusion so well done on that front. The girl did well as an outgoing caller for a supplement programme company, but the reflection between the great stuff she espoused about her product she was selling and her dingy life, and the reflection shown in a mirror at the start of the film was a bit too drawn out. It could have really done with at least another acting character but gets points for ambition.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 2 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Blowfish / Genre: Conspiracy / “Wednesday”
The ‘Conspiracy Initiative Agency’ deals with a conspiracy of its own as proposals are denied, agendas are hidden and discovered while some jokes are made. We actually get introduced albeit briefly to the four main characters, before a couple of things go missing and a proposal gets stolen. Characters verge the thing line between creepy and humorous. That could have been a good thing, but I found the pacing uneven and a bit awkward. Big numbers at the heat.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Team Burton / Genre: Big Twist / “Existed” [Disqualified]
A painter is given a drink, then falls over and blood goes on their painting. From here his girlfriend constantly goes to a dodgy pawn broker to get money for something important. The twist is a bit obvious, and the ending brutal…or is it? (no, seriously, the thing after the credits did my head in a bit :s)
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: but wait there’s mor / Genre: Educational / “A.R.O.C.K. A Public Health Educational Video”
Alex Puddle showcases the disease which came from Makra’s dinosaur faecal matter and kills people by turning them into rocks. Disclaimers showing that she is exaggerating and the final reading off a page of information at the end of the film add weight to the films’ understanding of the genre, but the cure for the disease was fucking weak. One of the sick patients however had truly magnificent looking rock hands.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Cake Tin Films / Genre: Horror / “Puddles of Blood”
A guy picks up a girl at the bar based on his experience in the movie industry such as convincing Peter Jackson to do Lord of the Rings. They go back to her place only for him to be confronted by a vampire when she falls asleep. This had some unsettling music.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Captain Milk and the Froth / Genre: Family / “The Mundane Escapade, by Master Puddley, age 8” [Disqualified]
Narrated entirely in nursery rhyme we enter the imagination of a young boy living in an inner-city apartment. He broods but only until he needs to eat, for example and watches out for his mother the witch cooking in the kitchen and his father’s feet which smell like death. Weird animation with distorted music that sounded akin to Animal Collective made this quite an oddity in the family genre, as there were not many uplifting moments.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Catme95 / Genre: Religious / “Five Graves Down”
Really original idea had a mother coming at different time periods to place flowers on the grave of her son. Only thing is we can still see him lying there on top of the grave, the only thing he can do being to talk to other dead people/ghosts lying on top of other graves next to him; his mother can’t hear him. Her being unable to see him any more tears her up and leads to her questioning the idea of God. Superbly shot.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 5 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: Chain Gang / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Chip – An Actor’s Actor”
Chip wishes people would acknowledge him like they do other actors in Lord of the Rings, as he appeared in most significant scenes with Treebeard. Therefore he is upset when he has to play third wheel in a romantic film, gets drunk at 2 in the afternoon, and furious at other motorists when he is late for an audition.
Some amazing makeup, this was a very subversive take on the genre but the audience loved it, and I thought it picked up great in the second half plus the end credit sequence was stunning.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 4
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Team Name: Change The Channel / Genre: Romance / “Paper, Scissors, Love”
The main guy bases his whole life on the game of paper, scissors, rock. This leads the emo checkout operator to wonder what the fuck he is on and him to supposedly be set with a ditzy blonde through speed dating. However having met another girl at speed dating his whole notion of life is thrown out of balance, so he visits psychiatrist Alex Puddle to see how he can change things. This really had potential but played it largely safe apart from a couple of good lines of dialogue.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: …then on Sunday we rested / Genre: Educational / “Blink of the Mind”
Really good start to the heats, where we were given a warning, that the following film may be disturbing for some of the audience. Essentially a one-shot film with a couple of subliminal images (including a rock I am told) as ‘professional actor Frank Edwards’ gave a spiel about hypnosis. It had some nice, darkly comic moments. Well lit, shot and acted given its minimalist nature.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: 24 Reasons to Die / Genre: Romance / “The 10th Anniversary” [Disqualified]
I love what this team brings to the competition each year with their incredibly strange sense of humour that epitomises the competition. Shame they were late.
A couple drinking wine over an intimate 10th anniversary dinner have several flashbacks about their relationship, each more zany than the last, with the guy waving plant arms around on top of a giant boulder top of the list. Mystical experiences, crazy neighbours and a literal Alex (the) Puddle, who the lead actress may swum in rounded things off nicely.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: 2RhAB (Two Redheads…) / Genre: Parallel World / “Lost and Found”
Exactly what I was hoping for out of the parallel world genre, with a triple split screen film, once the main character has set out their recycling. They find a wallet and each screen shows a different course of action. On one screen we get him being a bum playing Sega Megadrive and taking a couple of extremely long pisses in the toilet. On another he returns the wallet to Alex Puddle and has a charming date. On the third he uses the wallet to try and finance an activity with some seemingly shady characters. It left the audience gasping.
Story: 5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: 400 Stinkin Feet / Genre: Conspiracy / “Finding Faith” [Disqualified]
This team had a cool logo. After the main character is disappointed in one church on the advice of a couple of door to door bible-bashers, he joins a more underground one based on giving, but which includes financial giving. Whilst the conspiracy of the film wasn’t all that great, the larger-than-life preacher with an afro was well-played and it did raise a couple of important questions on teleological ethics and faith.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Alchemists / Genre: Horror / “Strive for Perfection” [Disqualified]
A v-drinking class left alone by their teacher is stalked by their brutal classmate who has voices in their head driving them to chop to the top. It seemed to take clear inspiration from the likes of Blair Witch and Scream, some potential for the future from this young team but a lack of any real tension in a film that played it almost entirely straight.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 1.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: A Trick With A Knife / Genre: Musical / “Call Me Al”
Some great singing by the two leads in this. I’m guessing they’ve had musical theatre experience? Because if not I’d be shocked. Two thirty-somethings chat online and yearn for love; he, equipped with a decent sized waist and mullet describes himself as looking like Matt Damon’s brother (or at least his mum says so) and being a gym regular. She expresses her simple desires on a beach with a LOT of rocks hehe. Just a girl and a man looking for love, with a man with a piano tie jazzing it up in the finale.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4
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Team Name: Clown Baby / Genre: Real Time / “The Beautiful Country”
A tour group highlighted by an Asian finding the country beautiful is held hostage by a pirate who will have their timbers shivered. But then the pirates’ right hand man Duane (yes, a rock) is lost and so they have four minutes to find him. If they run, so will their blood whilst the pirate has a few flashbacks. Had a slow-mo sword cutting cheek shot.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Abby Normal / Genre: Big Twist / “Know Where To Go”
Seemed to have a theme song and was about a couple who went on a holiday to Transylvania. Whilst the guy is worried about freaks and weirdoes, the girl is confident the pounamu around her neck will protect them. The team looked like they got the use of the actual inside of an airplane before the film started owing a lot to Eli Roth’s Hostel. It was really well shot and had a fantastic score, but I got more a feeling of dread leading up to the twist than any reaction to the twist itself.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Abusement Park / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Under the InFLUence”
An epidemic is turning everyone into cops (pigs, geddit?). This caused a lot of yelling from those who didn’t want to catch the virus, and led to a flashback or two and couple of jokes. As the two leads are surrounded by cops, ideas of resolution are put forward whilst the tone almost veers off towards sexuality, before reverting back to crass jokes and gore.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Coughing Tablecloth Productions / Genre: Revenge / “Rodney”
Some painstakingly long shots here before the film got going. Although this allowed the exaggerated nature of Alex to realllly come through. Another pet rock starred here, as a mean-spirited young band looked for a reason to piss off the nerd who lives in the house next door. I liked the montage with the rock on the beach, bath and in the backyard, the actor playing Alex actually seemed to care. However the overly long setup meant that the revenge aspect of the film was weak.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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WELLINGTON HEAT 2:
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Team Name: Archimedes / Genre: Horror / “Date of the Dead”
ANOTHER F…actually nah, I’m going to take it a bit easy on this team because whilst they did do a Mockumentary it had zombies and there were a couple of killer laughs for me. The makeup for the zombie was also fantastic, reminiscent of the opening flesh-eater with their jaw ripped off in Romero’s Day of the Dead. Basically Gigi the lead girl meets a zombie through an online dating site. However whilst Gigi's friend Alex Puddle thinks the relationship was meant to be, ‘Z’ giving the girl crap presents and having poor hygiene poses a few difficulties.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Asylum Productions / Genre: Conspiracy / “Lead Lined Fedora” [Disqualified]
An interesting film stylistically; essentially a black and white film noir with a modern Wellington vibe. A broad goes to an investigator, wanting him to find her rock. He then goes to Jimmy Quick before the shit hits the fan in a car chase complete with tappa-tappa-ting jazz drums and then a showdown fight.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Bad Itch Productions / Genre: Big Twist / “A Long Way Home”
The entire film centres on a guy waiting at a bus stop as various soon to be passengers or pedestrians cross his path. Where is his bus going? Only time will tell. The glittered up Alex Puddle catching her ‘limo’ at the bus stop was well played.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Banjaxxed / Genre: Romance / “Bromancing The Stone”
Three guys vow to not end up like their friend who announces he is getting married at a new years’ eve party. Instead they agree to try and hook up with as many women as possible. Whilst two of the guys adopt a bottom trawling approach, casting their net far and wide, one of them is a church-goer and having reluctantly agreed to enter their macho contest in the first place decides to concentrate all his attentions on one girl. Constant wit and clever jokes abound in this gem.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Best Damn Pram Team / Genre: Dance / “A Rock in a Special Place”
The Breakfast Club meets Save The Last Dance with Alex Puddle constantly giving one-liners and a very flamboyant Dance teacher talking about the passion of the medium. When the supposed misfits discover that they may not have been in detention of their own accord, they plot a way to get to the important dance audition being held at the same time. I would have loved to have seen a lot more of the guy who did a backflip and a handstand plant. As it was, the guy playing Alex got a bit annoying.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Big Apple Swedish Leprechaun / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Rock and a Hard Place”
Despite a few people in the audience snickering, this absolutely nailed its genre actually. After a rock crashes into the earth, animals gather round it like a zoo. The wind then picks up to extreme levels requiring characters caught in the city (all constructed out of cardboard/paper and toys), to be assisted by the military who had someone do a fantastic Ahnold accent. A giant bowling pin stands to topple and destroy everything if they don’t get out in time.
Story: 4 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Black Widow Studios / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Puddles of Blood” [Disqualified]
A Mockumentary that incorporated both genre elements the team were given on ‘Satanism in the Modern World’ as one satanic domestic family got interviewed. However the arsonist and cannibal antics of the kids and the jabs at the school/tax system didn’t get too many laughs. Probably too based in interviews than it could have been.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: Blind Vision Studios / Genre: ? / Currently M.I.A, but will be rescheduled
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Team Name: Blindside / Genre: Family / “Granddad Rocks”
Hmm bordering on whether this was wholesome entertainment like the genre intended or not, but the main disappointment was that it dropped frames and was jerky, as there was a good story here. A kid who complains about spending time with his grandfather is shown the error of his ways through a story of how his elder used a magical rock when he was once a prisoner of war. Looked to have huge numbers at the heat, will not be surprised to see this get audience favourite.
Story: 4 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: An Uplifting Rash / Genre: Real Time / “Justin Gets The Flu” [Animated]
Apparently 30 million have died in NZ of swine flu a guy is told by a newsreader, a disease which turns you into a zombie. And it is spreading impossibly fast. Meanwhile a guy is walking down the street sneezing on people. Said watcher of the news needs to leave the house and watch out for that disease, but there are other problems. The animation itself was ok.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Hunter and the Gatherers / Genre: Revenge / “Estranged”
A fairly intense film, as a father has a conversation with his son who has driven hours to see him for the first time in ages. Over a stiff drink the true reason for bringing his son there are revealed and does not produce nice consequences. Another film with big numbers in attendance at the heat.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4
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WELLINGTON HEAT 3:
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Team Name: aelusive productions / Genre: Musical / “Sleep: The Musical”
A barista and a dentist (?) can only find solace in sleep, their only escape. She rides around on a bus all day on Sundays whilst he vigorously brushes his teeth onscreen. They are united in a dream where the team showcases some high quality singing and avoids dubbing issues by having lots of shots of forests and fields whilst the singing occurs. There were some very cool Neil Young/Hendrix-style guitar riffs in here, whilst the woman uniting the two in the dream played a sultry temptress very well and there was a nice twist at the end.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: B COOL / Genre: Real Time / “Cold Calling” [Disqualified]
This was well-edited to give the real time illusion so well done on that front. The girl did well as an outgoing caller for a supplement programme company, but the reflection between the great stuff she espoused about her product she was selling and her dingy life, and the reflection shown in a mirror at the start of the film was a bit too drawn out. It could have really done with at least another acting character but gets points for ambition.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 2 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Blowfish / Genre: Conspiracy / “Wednesday”
The ‘Conspiracy Initiative Agency’ deals with a conspiracy of its own as proposals are denied, agendas are hidden and discovered while some jokes are made. We actually get introduced albeit briefly to the four main characters, before a couple of things go missing and a proposal gets stolen. Characters verge the thing line between creepy and humorous. That could have been a good thing, but I found the pacing uneven and a bit awkward. Big numbers at the heat.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Team Burton / Genre: Big Twist / “Existed” [Disqualified]
A painter is given a drink, then falls over and blood goes on their painting. From here his girlfriend constantly goes to a dodgy pawn broker to get money for something important. The twist is a bit obvious, and the ending brutal…or is it? (no, seriously, the thing after the credits did my head in a bit :s)
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: but wait there’s mor / Genre: Educational / “A.R.O.C.K. A Public Health Educational Video”
Alex Puddle showcases the disease which came from Makra’s dinosaur faecal matter and kills people by turning them into rocks. Disclaimers showing that she is exaggerating and the final reading off a page of information at the end of the film add weight to the films’ understanding of the genre, but the cure for the disease was fucking weak. One of the sick patients however had truly magnificent looking rock hands.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Cake Tin Films / Genre: Horror / “Puddles of Blood”
A guy picks up a girl at the bar based on his experience in the movie industry such as convincing Peter Jackson to do Lord of the Rings. They go back to her place only for him to be confronted by a vampire when she falls asleep. This had some unsettling music.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Captain Milk and the Froth / Genre: Family / “The Mundane Escapade, by Master Puddley, age 8” [Disqualified]
Narrated entirely in nursery rhyme we enter the imagination of a young boy living in an inner-city apartment. He broods but only until he needs to eat, for example and watches out for his mother the witch cooking in the kitchen and his father’s feet which smell like death. Weird animation with distorted music that sounded akin to Animal Collective made this quite an oddity in the family genre, as there were not many uplifting moments.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Catme95 / Genre: Religious / “Five Graves Down”
Really original idea had a mother coming at different time periods to place flowers on the grave of her son. Only thing is we can still see him lying there on top of the grave, the only thing he can do being to talk to other dead people/ghosts lying on top of other graves next to him; his mother can’t hear him. Her being unable to see him any more tears her up and leads to her questioning the idea of God. Superbly shot.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 5 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: Chain Gang / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Chip – An Actor’s Actor”
Chip wishes people would acknowledge him like they do other actors in Lord of the Rings, as he appeared in most significant scenes with Treebeard. Therefore he is upset when he has to play third wheel in a romantic film, gets drunk at 2 in the afternoon, and furious at other motorists when he is late for an audition.
Some amazing makeup, this was a very subversive take on the genre but the audience loved it, and I thought it picked up great in the second half plus the end credit sequence was stunning.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 4
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Team Name: Change The Channel / Genre: Romance / “Paper, Scissors, Love”
The main guy bases his whole life on the game of paper, scissors, rock. This leads the emo checkout operator to wonder what the fuck he is on and him to supposedly be set with a ditzy blonde through speed dating. However having met another girl at speed dating his whole notion of life is thrown out of balance, so he visits psychiatrist Alex Puddle to see how he can change things. This really had potential but played it largely safe apart from a couple of good lines of dialogue.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2.5
Team Name: Catme95 / Genre: Religious / “Five Graves Down”
That premise sounds outstanding. Want to see NOW.
That premise sounds outstanding. Want to see NOW.
thanks a lot Dave, excellent summary of the first night. I know many teams will be very appreciative.
I will have a go at heat 2:
Team Name: Archimedes / Genre: Horror / “Date of the Dead”
A documentary following the results of internet dating, this one is about a girl who meats a zombie online and they fall in love, unfortunately the little things that he does (like eating her parents, and being a slob) drives them apart.
Brilliant makeup, good acting, however some of the characters were a little annoying. I am not a fan of the whole mockumentary genre, it lack's imagination in my book, however this one was very well done.
3.5
Team Name: Asylum Productions / Genre: Conspiracy / “Lead Lined Fedora” [Disqualified]
My film, nothing more to say
Team Name: Bad Itch Productions / Genre: Big Twist / “A Long Way Home”
A man is waiting in a bus stop, but if not for a bus, then what?
This one was a good attempt at a very hard genre, however it was a little small time for my liking. Tried to get laughs with randomness. But overall well executed. Like the first one, not to my taste but it worked.
3.5
Team Name: Banjaxxed / Genre: Romance / “Bromancing The Stone”
Three mates make a pact to never settle down and to score as much as possible. An American frat comedy rip off.
I suppose it was a good attempt, an optimistic film in a genre that is hard to pull off. Unfortunately for me (and most people that I talked to, obviously Dave is of a different opinion) it didn't work.
2.5
Team Name: Best Damn Pram Team / Genre: Dance / “A Rock in a Special Place”
A group of teens are in detention and will miss out on the big audition for the schools dance production, but was it a setup?
I find it hard to come down on teen teams, and I think they did a good job in a hard genre, some things I am sure that they thought were hilarious but didn't play well with the audience. Pretty much comes down to a film that was a whole lot of silliness and not much beyond. The actors committed themselves to their roles, and the dance teacher needs a bit of kudos.
2.5
Team Name: Big Apple Swedish Leprechaun / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Rock and a Hard Place”
A mysterious rock appears in town, and animals start to gather around it, the wind starts to pickup and the military is called in.
A pretty interesting film, and considering the film consisted of paper over cardboard boxes, toy soldiers, and finger puppets it was surprisingly effective, believable and well executed.
3.5
Team Name: Black Widow Studios / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Puddles of Blood” [Disqualified]
A family of satanists are interviewed about their choice of lifestyle, throughout we ask the question, where's dad.
I am sure this movie was allot of fun to make, and fun for the family and friends to watch, unfortunately it was not so entertaining for the audience. It could have been a little shorter, the jokes got tired reasonable quickly. I am sure that the competition wasn't the point, and having some fun time with the family was.
2
Team Name: Blindside / Genre: Family / “Granddad Rocks”
A boy doesn't want to spend time with his grandfather, but is stunned to learn that his grandfather was in a prison, no wait, a dungeon.
This film was really good, good acting, lighting, directing, story, etc. The scenes in the dungeon are worth seeing, overall it was a big undertaking that was executed well. Unfortunately they had severe issues with frames dropping, which may prevent them from being considered for the finals. That was a pretty cool basement.
4
Team Name: An Uplifting Rash / Genre: Real Time / “Justin Gets The Flu” [Animated]
An animated film about the flu pandemic. A guy is at home watching the news warning people to stay inside - he decides to go outside anyway. Meanwhile another guy (who looks pretty much the same as the first) is going around sneezing on people which turns them green.
Animation is always pretty impressive at the 48 hours, however I thought this one was a little below par. The news reader was pretty good, otherwise the rest of the story didn't make sense.
2.5
Team Name: Hunter and the Gatherers / Genre: Revenge / “Estranged”
A father and son are united after years of separation, the son is naturally suspicious of his dad and generally resents him. The revenge is severe and intense.
Not the sort of film that most people would want to end the night on, as it was a real downer. Saying that I like it when someone tries to throw a curve ball and go down the dramatic route in the 48 hours, it's hard to achieve, and they certainly did that. The acting was brilliant although the son looked to young for his role. One of the best films of the night.
4
Overall the heat was reasonably solid, not many films that were actually hard to sit through, but no real stunners either, I wouldn't be surprised if none of the films gets through into the top 12.
Team Name: Archimedes / Genre: Horror / “Date of the Dead”
A documentary following the results of internet dating, this one is about a girl who meats a zombie online and they fall in love, unfortunately the little things that he does (like eating her parents, and being a slob) drives them apart.
Brilliant makeup, good acting, however some of the characters were a little annoying. I am not a fan of the whole mockumentary genre, it lack's imagination in my book, however this one was very well done.
3.5
Team Name: Asylum Productions / Genre: Conspiracy / “Lead Lined Fedora” [Disqualified]
My film, nothing more to say
Team Name: Bad Itch Productions / Genre: Big Twist / “A Long Way Home”
A man is waiting in a bus stop, but if not for a bus, then what?
This one was a good attempt at a very hard genre, however it was a little small time for my liking. Tried to get laughs with randomness. But overall well executed. Like the first one, not to my taste but it worked.
3.5
Team Name: Banjaxxed / Genre: Romance / “Bromancing The Stone”
Three mates make a pact to never settle down and to score as much as possible. An American frat comedy rip off.
I suppose it was a good attempt, an optimistic film in a genre that is hard to pull off. Unfortunately for me (and most people that I talked to, obviously Dave is of a different opinion) it didn't work.
2.5
Team Name: Best Damn Pram Team / Genre: Dance / “A Rock in a Special Place”
A group of teens are in detention and will miss out on the big audition for the schools dance production, but was it a setup?
I find it hard to come down on teen teams, and I think they did a good job in a hard genre, some things I am sure that they thought were hilarious but didn't play well with the audience. Pretty much comes down to a film that was a whole lot of silliness and not much beyond. The actors committed themselves to their roles, and the dance teacher needs a bit of kudos.
2.5
Team Name: Big Apple Swedish Leprechaun / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Rock and a Hard Place”
A mysterious rock appears in town, and animals start to gather around it, the wind starts to pickup and the military is called in.
A pretty interesting film, and considering the film consisted of paper over cardboard boxes, toy soldiers, and finger puppets it was surprisingly effective, believable and well executed.
3.5
Team Name: Black Widow Studios / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Puddles of Blood” [Disqualified]
A family of satanists are interviewed about their choice of lifestyle, throughout we ask the question, where's dad.
I am sure this movie was allot of fun to make, and fun for the family and friends to watch, unfortunately it was not so entertaining for the audience. It could have been a little shorter, the jokes got tired reasonable quickly. I am sure that the competition wasn't the point, and having some fun time with the family was.
2
Team Name: Blindside / Genre: Family / “Granddad Rocks”
A boy doesn't want to spend time with his grandfather, but is stunned to learn that his grandfather was in a prison, no wait, a dungeon.
This film was really good, good acting, lighting, directing, story, etc. The scenes in the dungeon are worth seeing, overall it was a big undertaking that was executed well. Unfortunately they had severe issues with frames dropping, which may prevent them from being considered for the finals. That was a pretty cool basement.
4
Team Name: An Uplifting Rash / Genre: Real Time / “Justin Gets The Flu” [Animated]
An animated film about the flu pandemic. A guy is at home watching the news warning people to stay inside - he decides to go outside anyway. Meanwhile another guy (who looks pretty much the same as the first) is going around sneezing on people which turns them green.
Animation is always pretty impressive at the 48 hours, however I thought this one was a little below par. The news reader was pretty good, otherwise the rest of the story didn't make sense.
2.5
Team Name: Hunter and the Gatherers / Genre: Revenge / “Estranged”
A father and son are united after years of separation, the son is naturally suspicious of his dad and generally resents him. The revenge is severe and intense.
Not the sort of film that most people would want to end the night on, as it was a real downer. Saying that I like it when someone tries to throw a curve ball and go down the dramatic route in the 48 hours, it's hard to achieve, and they certainly did that. The acting was brilliant although the son looked to young for his role. One of the best films of the night.
4
Overall the heat was reasonably solid, not many films that were actually hard to sit through, but no real stunners either, I wouldn't be surprised if none of the films gets through into the top 12.
Yeah The Bromance film possibly didn't nail its genre too well, I just liked what it worked towards.
Thanks very much for the reviews, Steelpotato, always a good read. You seem to be mellowing out about the mockumentaries though!
You championed our animated short in 2008 and we appreciated it - our first attempt at proper animation. This year, our problems outweighed our successes (missing key members, software issues) but we got an animation in before the deadline, so time will tell.
You championed our animated short in 2008 and we appreciated it - our first attempt at proper animation. This year, our problems outweighed our successes (missing key members, software issues) but we got an animation in before the deadline, so time will tell.
QUOTE(Slapstick Surgery @ May 13 2009, 10:40 AM)
Thanks very much for the reviews, Steelpotato, always a good read. You seem to be mellowing out about the mockumentaries though!
You championed our animated short in 2008 and we appreciated it - our first attempt at proper animation. This year, our problems outweighed our successes (missing key members, software issues) but we got an animation in before the deadline, so time will tell.
You championed our animated short in 2008 and we appreciated it - our first attempt at proper animation. This year, our problems outweighed our successes (missing key members, software issues) but we got an animation in before the deadline, so time will tell.
Well, the one about the disease turning people into rocks was educational, so kinda hard to slam them for mockumentary there and I just have a special place in my heart for zombies
(wish that one had been at least a little scary or creepy though..)
pretty interesting having the heats at reading, there's something strange about being told by teenage emos that that heat's are sold out...
also, i'm with you on the sound thing Leo, i found it really lou.
dont mean to whinge though. thanks for putting reviews up!
also, i'm with you on the sound thing Leo, i found it really lou.
dont mean to whinge though. thanks for putting reviews up!
tonight's heat reviews will be up tomorrow hopefully by midday. i have to get up at 6.30 (whereas today i got to sleep in as have nothing to do until 2) 
QUOTE(Melissa Pentecost @ May 13 2009, 12:48 PM)
pretty interesting having the heats at reading, there's something strange about being told by teenage emos that that heat's are sold out...
also, i'm with you on the sound thing Leo, i found it really lou.
dont mean to whinge though. thanks for putting reviews up!
also, i'm with you on the sound thing Leo, i found it really lou.
dont mean to whinge though. thanks for putting reviews up!
I'm really happy with the technical side of things - big screen, great sound (although I take your point about volume - we'll see whether we can't drop the peaks a bit). And Readings assign three people to clean the cinema between heats which the Paramount never did.
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
i'm available some nights if extra vote counters / reviewers are needed
QUOTE(Dan Slevin @ May 13 2009, 01:06 PM)
I'm really happy with the technical side of things - big screen, great sound (although I take your point about volume - we'll see whether we can't drop the peaks a bit). And Readings assign three people to clean the cinema between heats which the Paramount never did.
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
Thanks Dan, the screenings went pretty well, very organised. Pretty cool that heats are selling out and lots of people are watching our little "masterpieces"...
Good on you for 16:9 this year too, go Wellington!
And thanks for writing the reviews steelpotato. I agree with you, there are never enough Zombies...
Actually just heard they are moving 48 into bigger welly screen.
And kicking Jonas Bros to the curb.
And kicking Jonas Bros to the curb.
Dropping in to say thanks to the organizers of the Wellington event. I'd read some horror stories regarding Readings ticket policy but everything worked out just great for us. Great screen too! Cannot wait for the reviews!
QUOTE(Ant Timpson @ May 13 2009, 05:37 PM)
Actually just heard they are moving 48 into bigger welly screen.
And kicking Jonas Bros to the curb.
And kicking Jonas Bros to the curb.
So does this mean that the 25 per team might be more like 30?
Is it possible to do a 'super screening' of them again at a later date? Combine 2 or 3 heats into one and then sell tickets for like $5 so that all the whanau and friends can see it on the big screen?
It would be great to see more than just your heat and take the pressure off when you have mates saying 'Can I come?'
thoughts?
QUOTE(dramamike @ May 13 2009, 08:20 PM)
So does this mean that the 25 per team might be more like 30?
Is it possible to do a 'super screening' of them again at a later date? Combine 2 or 3 heats into one and then sell tickets for like $5 so that all the whanau and friends can see it on the big screen?
It would be great to see more than just your heat and take the pressure off when you have mates saying 'Can I come?'
thoughts?
Is it possible to do a 'super screening' of them again at a later date? Combine 2 or 3 heats into one and then sell tickets for like $5 so that all the whanau and friends can see it on the big screen?
It would be great to see more than just your heat and take the pressure off when you have mates saying 'Can I come?'
thoughts?
Poor organisers never seem to do enough eh?
On reflection, have bumped Call Me Al to 4 and Bromancing The Stone down to 3.5
Tonight was a looong night of heat watching. Many young teams. A bit stumped how some misinterpreted their genres but oh well, there were also some really good films. Like I said, hopefully get my thoughts on here in full by midday tomorrow but I need sleep now
Tonight was a looong night of heat watching. Many young teams. A bit stumped how some misinterpreted their genres but oh well, there were also some really good films. Like I said, hopefully get my thoughts on here in full by midday tomorrow but I need sleep now
QUOTE(tequilah @ May 13 2009, 05:02 PM)
i'm available some nights if extra vote counters / reviewers are needed
Txt me - my number is 021 442 989.
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
WELLINGTON HEAT 4:
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Team Name: Cow Milkers of DOOM / Genre: Horror / “Mind Games”
Mislabelled as ‘The Mist’ on the voting form, the first of many Upper Hutt College entries went for the mindfuck horror film. A big discussion happened on a swirling hell-like background whilst an evil woman talked to a guy in the depths of his mind. Had a hanging and death by knife but struggled to be coherent.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Chess Club / Genre: Family / “Alex, His Kids and Miracle World”
Really good family adventure akin to The Goonies via Shrek, as a bunch of kids dropped off by their mum at their dad’s get told a magical tale. The story is of a witch taking a princess captive and so brave adventurers and a zebra set off to rescue her. Spells, witty jokes, dragons and a montage abound in the fast-paced tale with a terrific resolution. Made people smile.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 4.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: Floranges of DOOM / Genre: Nature Runs Amok / “Grant The Ant”
A girl crushes an ant with a rock only for a giant human-sized one to chase her. The ant’s appearance on the scene causes widespread kafuffle amongst the media before settling in to become a day in the life tale of Grant. Chastised by his workmates and denied entry at a nightclub, the ant gets angry.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Team Cupcake Go! 6.6 / Genre: Revenge / “Insert the Turtle” [Disqualified]
Locked in a closet for a very long time, and unable to escape without it being opened from the outside, we see a man get desperate at his situation and forges weapons for his release. Mostly serious in tone, the main actor was very good. Ironically and sadly they were late because art imitated life with a door handle breaking on them.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Gingers of DOOM / Genre: Politically Incorrect / “The Chariot”
Hilarious team logo with somebody having their head set on fire. Basically this was about a guy who faked needing a wheelchair, and took advantage of others because of it. Racist, inconsiderate and a thief the asshole in the chair had terrific screen presence. Also the gym coach touched a boy. Wrong on so many levels, but totally right for the genre.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Cinesoma / Genre: Romance / “Lilith”
Simone meets Re-Animator as a scientist tries to bring a gorgeous body to life for himself. However Lilith does not respond too well to his inputted computer functions (shown with a neat shot from the cpu’s point of view). In fact, she responds better when she is helped perform the inputted functions by his assistant. The scientist grows increasingly frustrated and so tries to terminate the project.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Lemon Lollipop Lickers / Genre: Big Twist / “Comply”
More Upper Hutt College action has a girl wake up, gossip to her friend on the way to school and then notice a strange looking woman out the window in class. The next day she does pretty much the same, only for the shit to hit the fan…had more than one twist.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: CUDDL / Genre: Musical / “Feel the Beat”
This team filmed the screen, so well done for getting it handed in on time, but it made it a painful watch to hear a musical with such garbled sound. A guy and a girl walk through opposite parts of town probably heading to the same point and encounter several buskers and rappers. Had a Gary Numan-esque song at some point and another beach with lots of rocks.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 1 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: Monkey’s Fingers / Genre: Real Time / “CTRL-Z”
A team races to the 48 hours hand-in (during the day in Upper Hutt, but I digress…) arguing about what they should have/shouldn’t have done. However they have car problems and media wanting to interview them when all they want to do is get their envelope in.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
Heats 5 and 6 to come later today.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Cow Milkers of DOOM / Genre: Horror / “Mind Games”
Mislabelled as ‘The Mist’ on the voting form, the first of many Upper Hutt College entries went for the mindfuck horror film. A big discussion happened on a swirling hell-like background whilst an evil woman talked to a guy in the depths of his mind. Had a hanging and death by knife but struggled to be coherent.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Chess Club / Genre: Family / “Alex, His Kids and Miracle World”
Really good family adventure akin to The Goonies via Shrek, as a bunch of kids dropped off by their mum at their dad’s get told a magical tale. The story is of a witch taking a princess captive and so brave adventurers and a zebra set off to rescue her. Spells, witty jokes, dragons and a montage abound in the fast-paced tale with a terrific resolution. Made people smile.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 4.5 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 4.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Floranges of DOOM / Genre: Nature Runs Amok / “Grant The Ant”
A girl crushes an ant with a rock only for a giant human-sized one to chase her. The ant’s appearance on the scene causes widespread kafuffle amongst the media before settling in to become a day in the life tale of Grant. Chastised by his workmates and denied entry at a nightclub, the ant gets angry.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Team Cupcake Go! 6.6 / Genre: Revenge / “Insert the Turtle” [Disqualified]
Locked in a closet for a very long time, and unable to escape without it being opened from the outside, we see a man get desperate at his situation and forges weapons for his release. Mostly serious in tone, the main actor was very good. Ironically and sadly they were late because art imitated life with a door handle breaking on them.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Gingers of DOOM / Genre: Politically Incorrect / “The Chariot”
Hilarious team logo with somebody having their head set on fire. Basically this was about a guy who faked needing a wheelchair, and took advantage of others because of it. Racist, inconsiderate and a thief the asshole in the chair had terrific screen presence. Also the gym coach touched a boy. Wrong on so many levels, but totally right for the genre.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Cinesoma / Genre: Romance / “Lilith”
Simone meets Re-Animator as a scientist tries to bring a gorgeous body to life for himself. However Lilith does not respond too well to his inputted computer functions (shown with a neat shot from the cpu’s point of view). In fact, she responds better when she is helped perform the inputted functions by his assistant. The scientist grows increasingly frustrated and so tries to terminate the project.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Lemon Lollipop Lickers / Genre: Big Twist / “Comply”
More Upper Hutt College action has a girl wake up, gossip to her friend on the way to school and then notice a strange looking woman out the window in class. The next day she does pretty much the same, only for the shit to hit the fan…had more than one twist.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: CUDDL / Genre: Musical / “Feel the Beat”
This team filmed the screen, so well done for getting it handed in on time, but it made it a painful watch to hear a musical with such garbled sound. A guy and a girl walk through opposite parts of town probably heading to the same point and encounter several buskers and rappers. Had a Gary Numan-esque song at some point and another beach with lots of rocks.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 1 / Overall: 1.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Monkey’s Fingers / Genre: Real Time / “CTRL-Z”
A team races to the 48 hours hand-in (during the day in Upper Hutt, but I digress…) arguing about what they should have/shouldn’t have done. However they have car problems and media wanting to interview them when all they want to do is get their envelope in.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
Heats 5 and 6 to come later today.
Yup, Chess Club's film was brilliant, I'll be surprised if it's not a WN finalist.
Wow, how many teams did Upper Hutt College have? Is film making a compulsory subject there?
The ticket collection process still seems messy, but I understand the need to give the current heat's team members priority. I don't have a solution for this - I personally loved last year's setup at the Paramount where I could simply turn up and see any heat without worrying about boring trivia like tickets, but obviously that's only possible with a big theatre.
Dan, your microphone volume made my ears bleed. Otherwise, no technical screening glitches - the 'copy all the tapes to a screening DVD' process seems to work well. Looking forward to my heat on Sunday.
Wow, how many teams did Upper Hutt College have? Is film making a compulsory subject there?
The ticket collection process still seems messy, but I understand the need to give the current heat's team members priority. I don't have a solution for this - I personally loved last year's setup at the Paramount where I could simply turn up and see any heat without worrying about boring trivia like tickets, but obviously that's only possible with a big theatre.
Dan, your microphone volume made my ears bleed.
Otherwise, no technical screening glitches - the 'copy all the tapes to a screening DVD' process seems to work well. Looking forward to my heat on Sunday.
QUOTE(steelpotato @ May 14 2009, 08:53 AM)
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Team Name: Team Cupcake Go! 6.6 / Genre: Revenge / “Insert the Turtle” [Disqualified]
Locked in a closet for a very long time, and unable to escape without it being opened from the outside, we see a man get desperate at his situation and forges weapons for his release. Mostly serious in tone, the main actor was very good. Ironically and sadly they were late because art imitated life with a door handle breaking on them.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Team Cupcake Go! 6.6 / Genre: Revenge / “Insert the Turtle” [Disqualified]
Locked in a closet for a very long time, and unable to escape without it being opened from the outside, we see a man get desperate at his situation and forges weapons for his release. Mostly serious in tone, the main actor was very good. Ironically and sadly they were late because art imitated life with a door handle breaking on them.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 4.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
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This review makes the disappoint of not getting it in on time go away
The length of time that Alex was in the closet (lolz, in the closet) was supposed to be short, very short, the last line was supposed to be words to the effect of "Calm down Alex, its only been 5 minutes" but the rendition of the line - both recorded on the night, and one in post production - was too quiet and too clean respectively. This would have made his activities within the closet more exaggerated, and his actions at the end seem over the top. But we didn't have the line in, so sweet as I am proud of what we made.My favourite part was the last "boyep", the final solitary drip after the pissing scene
Yay! Go Chess Club!!!
and 2RhAB !
and 2RhAB !
WELLINGTON HEAT 5:
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Team Name: Danny Tanner Fan Club / Genre: Horror / “Harm Farm”
Grotesque TV show hosted by one guy in a very cool helmet and his extremely animated partner with skull mask who had an electronically-altered ‘Powerthirst’ style voice. A ginga gets impaled for having no friends and we are shown the murder event ‘The Spear’ with copious amounts of blood. Relentless energy, top notch gore effects and just overall fucking insane.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Oligarchs of DOOM / Genre: Romance / “Just the Two of Us”
Upper Hutt strikes again and gets a huge crowd reaction with sexual innuendo in overabundance. Some jive talking and plenty of homoerotic stuff between two buddies, one who clearly likes the other but always hides his true feelings. Soap gets dropped in the shower for the films big reveal to come around. Clever, fresh and sleazy but editing needed polish.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Dee Mick See / Genre: Family / “Alex the Kid in Troll Land” [Animated]
One man animated effort – fucking huge props! A couple of goat brothers hate the troll that lives around the bridge that they frequent. Of course if their dad finds out that they have been near a troll, they will be in huge trouble. So Alex formulates a plan to trick the troll which involves wearing a costume. However they struggle to deal with the problem on their own. Comic timing was good, but what sounded like a constantly slurping river got annoying. Animation was basic but bright and colourful like a family movie should be.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Public Masticators / Genre: Educational / “Successful Interaction with Humans”
The Upper Hutt teams all had so much energy which I love, but most of them really need to drop the American accents of their Kiwi actors; this one in particular was a bad offender on that count.
Several social outcasts are shown and then told how to be more human and we see their outcomes, the best being the constantly ‘smiling’ (gritting teeth) girl.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Dentist Paul / Genre: Conspiracy / Missing In Action
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Team Name: Raging Rhynos / Genre: Real Time / “Come What May”
Alex trips up the steps of a library, and encounters a mean woman with magic powers who is there to take his life away. However he will be spared if he goes and captures the soul of a guy she can’t get (in a V can) in 4 minutes whatever. The guy grunted/yelled all his lines before he went off to get the soul. This then led to a big fight and chase which had characters leap-frogging each other. Editing was really not good.
Story: 2 / Acting: 1.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 1.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: Zork’s Zorks / Genre: Musical/Dance / “Rock Hard”
A barbershop crew and a deaf fluro krumping crew jostle for the new girl in school to join them. The guy with the enormous moustache was jaw-droppingly over the top in a film that showed no restraint whatsoever and looked like it would have been a hell of a lot of fun to make.
Story: 2 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Dog Films / Genre: Revenge / “Extraction”
Intense, serious revenge film made the audience squirm with its high production values and good effects (such as a missing body part). A guy bound and gagged in a dentist chair in a basement is tormented by a man in a surgeon’s mask over the course of a few days. The tormenter knows what they are doing and there seems to be absolutely no chance of escape which made it hard to watch. To say anything about motivation would spoil it, so well done. Reminded me of the torture stuff in Save The Green Planet.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 5 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: The Bearded Yoddlers of DOOM / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “James Christ” [Disqualified]
James Christ is the left alone evil twin of Jesus, and hates him so plans various ways to kill him eg, through poison and crucifixion. Some good jokes and the guy playing James was manic, but the attempt to do both genres may not have been the best idea in terms of focus.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Danny Tanner Fan Club / Genre: Horror / “Harm Farm”
Grotesque TV show hosted by one guy in a very cool helmet and his extremely animated partner with skull mask who had an electronically-altered ‘Powerthirst’ style voice. A ginga gets impaled for having no friends and we are shown the murder event ‘The Spear’ with copious amounts of blood. Relentless energy, top notch gore effects and just overall fucking insane.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Oligarchs of DOOM / Genre: Romance / “Just the Two of Us”
Upper Hutt strikes again and gets a huge crowd reaction with sexual innuendo in overabundance. Some jive talking and plenty of homoerotic stuff between two buddies, one who clearly likes the other but always hides his true feelings. Soap gets dropped in the shower for the films big reveal to come around. Clever, fresh and sleazy but editing needed polish.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Dee Mick See / Genre: Family / “Alex the Kid in Troll Land” [Animated]
One man animated effort – fucking huge props! A couple of goat brothers hate the troll that lives around the bridge that they frequent. Of course if their dad finds out that they have been near a troll, they will be in huge trouble. So Alex formulates a plan to trick the troll which involves wearing a costume. However they struggle to deal with the problem on their own. Comic timing was good, but what sounded like a constantly slurping river got annoying. Animation was basic but bright and colourful like a family movie should be.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Public Masticators / Genre: Educational / “Successful Interaction with Humans”
The Upper Hutt teams all had so much energy which I love, but most of them really need to drop the American accents of their Kiwi actors; this one in particular was a bad offender on that count.
Several social outcasts are shown and then told how to be more human and we see their outcomes, the best being the constantly ‘smiling’ (gritting teeth) girl.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: Dentist Paul / Genre: Conspiracy / Missing In Action
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Raging Rhynos / Genre: Real Time / “Come What May”
Alex trips up the steps of a library, and encounters a mean woman with magic powers who is there to take his life away. However he will be spared if he goes and captures the soul of a guy she can’t get (in a V can) in 4 minutes whatever. The guy grunted/yelled all his lines before he went off to get the soul. This then led to a big fight and chase which had characters leap-frogging each other. Editing was really not good.
Story: 2 / Acting: 1.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 1.5 / Overall: 1.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Zork’s Zorks / Genre: Musical/Dance / “Rock Hard”
A barbershop crew and a deaf fluro krumping crew jostle for the new girl in school to join them. The guy with the enormous moustache was jaw-droppingly over the top in a film that showed no restraint whatsoever and looked like it would have been a hell of a lot of fun to make.
Story: 2 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Dog Films / Genre: Revenge / “Extraction”
Intense, serious revenge film made the audience squirm with its high production values and good effects (such as a missing body part). A guy bound and gagged in a dentist chair in a basement is tormented by a man in a surgeon’s mask over the course of a few days. The tormenter knows what they are doing and there seems to be absolutely no chance of escape which made it hard to watch. To say anything about motivation would spoil it, so well done. Reminded me of the torture stuff in Save The Green Planet.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 5 / Overall: 4.5
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Team Name: The Bearded Yoddlers of DOOM / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “James Christ” [Disqualified]
James Christ is the left alone evil twin of Jesus, and hates him so plans various ways to kill him eg, through poison and crucifixion. Some good jokes and the guy playing James was manic, but the attempt to do both genres may not have been the best idea in terms of focus.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
Thanks heaps for your review, SteelPotato! Much appreciated.
I really wish CUDDL had re-recorded their film with the camera locked of on a tripod or something, they had clearly made a lot of effort but that all went out the window when you started seeing the borders of Premiere creep into frame. Half way through I thought it was maybe intentional and the camera would whip around and there would be a story evolve within the editing room. It's too bad I guess.
I really wish CUDDL had re-recorded their film with the camera locked of on a tripod or something, they had clearly made a lot of effort but that all went out the window when you started seeing the borders of Premiere creep into frame. Half way through I thought it was maybe intentional and the camera would whip around and there would be a story evolve within the editing room. It's too bad I guess.
WELLINGTON HEAT 6:
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We were given a disclaimer before the two dull yell films screened that they were made in the name of art, as love is all around us, that they were made by some of last year’s finalists (think much of yourself?) and with a quote by Fellini at the end; a man notorious for bullshitting directly whenever interviewed in the media. Oh, and Grayson Gilmour did his best Elliot Smith impression on the soundtracks. Oh and that they would be winning lots of money through a grant if they somehow managed to make the Wellington final through their endeavour. Shame they were both disqualified…
Team Name: dull yell one / Genre: Romance / “Dull Yell One” [Disqualified]
A dad swings his kid around lovingly, a dad hurts himself on a skateboard. Lots more footage of the family. Experimental film techniques abound. Guy wearing double denim and showing annoyance at bailing on his skateboard (where they shoved the elements in) were the highlights. Grayson’s soundtrack was good though.
No rating.
Team Name: DULL YELL TWO / Genre: Family / “Dull Yell Two” [Disqualified]
Guy in red jersey with blue jeans walks around his backyard as cool lighting shots and grainy footage is shown. More Grayson Gilmour soundtrack for the audience to enjoy.
No rating.
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Team Name: Eat Kitteo / Genre: Parallel World / “Poultry Pounder 3”
Fucking awesome; short, sweet, to the point and a little sick. A guy comes across a rare videogame at a garage sale and is told to remember to “choose rock”. He goes home excited about his rare find, only to be told by his wife to watch the baby because she is going out. Baby gets stolen into another world by a giant chicken and he has to engage in a janken match to get the baby back. Damn entertaining.
Story: 4.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 4.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 5
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Team Name: Electric Pink Company / Genre: Dance / “The Electric Pink Company”
Came to the screening in their outfits from the film – nice work! Having been a secretary, our lead actually wants to be a dancer as she finds the power of dance electrifying and so joins the Electric Pink Company for some dancing on a boat. The boat has problems and the dancing continues on rocks by the shore. Splits, body-flops and backspins were impressive.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Engine Films / Genre: Real Time / “Rock and a Hard Place”
Filmed the screen; looked and sounded horrific and was almost impossible to tell what was going on other than it being a big Saw rip-off. The characters did not know where they were and the room was filling was gas, but only two could survive through oxygen tanks. Had a twist and got ironically funny when they said people were watching them on camera; cam of filtered cam – almost made my head spin.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2 / Technical: 1 / Overall: 1
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Team Name: EXPERIMENTIA PRODUCTIONS / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Garden of Eden”
A former strap-on infomercial star and a bible basher get harassed in a café by an annoying fan who wants to buy some drugs. The actor is having relationship problems at home because he’s cheating on his girl – maybe money from selling drugs can solve the problem? The deal however does not go down well, as guns come out blazing.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Team Facial / Genre: Educational / Missing In Action
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Team Name: Feathersmoke / Genre: Revenge / “Angry Women on Ice” [Disqualified]
Set in the Antarctic amongst a village of penguins (bottles were the model used but the team did a good job) and spoken pretty much entirely in rhyme. The female penguins are upset at the mayor for not taking action against the other birds (complete with awesome string flying effect) who keep stealing their eggs, and they want revenge. They then set out for revenge. Lots of charm from this entry by an older team, although quite slow paced.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Fergus and Andrew / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “The Thin Green Screen”
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: FilmFriend / Genre: Big Twist / “The Twisterning”
Oh my, they literally took the “M Night Big Twist” genre literally; but instead of having a twist let’s just say lots of characters from the hack director’s films made it on screen talking to a girl at a speed dating night, and the ‘twist’ was absolutely not what you’d expect. Someone even wore an M Night mask. Wow.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We were given a disclaimer before the two dull yell films screened that they were made in the name of art, as love is all around us, that they were made by some of last year’s finalists (think much of yourself?) and with a quote by Fellini at the end; a man notorious for bullshitting directly whenever interviewed in the media. Oh, and Grayson Gilmour did his best Elliot Smith impression on the soundtracks. Oh and that they would be winning lots of money through a grant if they somehow managed to make the Wellington final through their endeavour. Shame they were both disqualified…
Team Name: dull yell one / Genre: Romance / “Dull Yell One” [Disqualified]
A dad swings his kid around lovingly, a dad hurts himself on a skateboard. Lots more footage of the family. Experimental film techniques abound. Guy wearing double denim and showing annoyance at bailing on his skateboard (where they shoved the elements in) were the highlights. Grayson’s soundtrack was good though.
No rating.
Team Name: DULL YELL TWO / Genre: Family / “Dull Yell Two” [Disqualified]
Guy in red jersey with blue jeans walks around his backyard as cool lighting shots and grainy footage is shown. More Grayson Gilmour soundtrack for the audience to enjoy.
No rating.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Eat Kitteo / Genre: Parallel World / “Poultry Pounder 3”
Fucking awesome; short, sweet, to the point and a little sick. A guy comes across a rare videogame at a garage sale and is told to remember to “choose rock”. He goes home excited about his rare find, only to be told by his wife to watch the baby because she is going out. Baby gets stolen into another world by a giant chicken and he has to engage in a janken match to get the baby back. Damn entertaining.
Story: 4.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 4.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Electric Pink Company / Genre: Dance / “The Electric Pink Company”
Came to the screening in their outfits from the film – nice work! Having been a secretary, our lead actually wants to be a dancer as she finds the power of dance electrifying and so joins the Electric Pink Company for some dancing on a boat. The boat has problems and the dancing continues on rocks by the shore. Splits, body-flops and backspins were impressive.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Engine Films / Genre: Real Time / “Rock and a Hard Place”
Filmed the screen; looked and sounded horrific and was almost impossible to tell what was going on other than it being a big Saw rip-off. The characters did not know where they were and the room was filling was gas, but only two could survive through oxygen tanks. Had a twist and got ironically funny when they said people were watching them on camera; cam of filtered cam – almost made my head spin.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 2 / Technical: 1 / Overall: 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: EXPERIMENTIA PRODUCTIONS / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “Garden of Eden”
A former strap-on infomercial star and a bible basher get harassed in a café by an annoying fan who wants to buy some drugs. The actor is having relationship problems at home because he’s cheating on his girl – maybe money from selling drugs can solve the problem? The deal however does not go down well, as guns come out blazing.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Team Facial / Genre: Educational / Missing In Action
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Feathersmoke / Genre: Revenge / “Angry Women on Ice” [Disqualified]
Set in the Antarctic amongst a village of penguins (bottles were the model used but the team did a good job) and spoken pretty much entirely in rhyme. The female penguins are upset at the mayor for not taking action against the other birds (complete with awesome string flying effect) who keep stealing their eggs, and they want revenge. They then set out for revenge. Lots of charm from this entry by an older team, although quite slow paced.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Fergus and Andrew / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “The Thin Green Screen”
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: FilmFriend / Genre: Big Twist / “The Twisterning”
Oh my, they literally took the “M Night Big Twist” genre literally; but instead of having a twist let’s just say lots of characters from the hack director’s films made it on screen talking to a girl at a speed dating night, and the ‘twist’ was absolutely not what you’d expect. Someone even wore an M Night mask. Wow.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2
Thanks for the big Up's SteelPotato. We are really stoked with your review!
Our only quibble on the night was that the aspect ratio of the projector was set to 4:3, it was a 16:9 movie! Bugger.
Cheers once again.
Glenn Miers
Producer
Dog Films
Our only quibble on the night was that the aspect ratio of the projector was set to 4:3, it was a 16:9 movie! Bugger.
Cheers once again.
Glenn Miers
Producer
Dog Films
QUOTE(Glenn Miers @ May 14 2009, 11:57 AM)
Thanks for the big Up's SteelPotato. We are really stoked with your review!
Our only quibble on the night was that the aspect ratio of the projector was set to 4:3, it was a 16:9 movie! Bugger.
Cheers once again.
Glenn Miers
Producer
Dog Films
Our only quibble on the night was that the aspect ratio of the projector was set to 4:3, it was a 16:9 movie! Bugger.
Cheers once again.
Glenn Miers
Producer
Dog Films
Your film was awesome. Shame about the aspect thing, fingers crossed you get 16:9 glory at the Embassy hey
Oh Yes! If the 48 Hours Gods are smiling, we can only but hope! 
Team Name: Fergus and Andrew / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “The Thin Green Screen”
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
In defense of Fergus and Andrew... the film was only 4 minutes and not all of it was jokes.. some of it was deadly serious... haha glad we made you laugh a couple of times!
And the green screen! He was the star of the show! How could you suggest we just key him out!
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
In defense of Fergus and Andrew... the film was only 4 minutes and not all of it was jokes.. some of it was deadly serious... haha glad we made you laugh a couple of times!
And the green screen! He was the star of the show! How could you suggest we just key him out!
ps.
Loved the computer game and the penguins.
Loved the computer game and the penguins.
QUOTE(Andrew Simpson @ May 14 2009, 12:12 PM)
Team Name: Fergus and Andrew / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “The Thin Green Screen”
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
In defense of Fergus and Andrew... the film was only 4 minutes and not all of it was jokes.. some of it was deadly serious... haha glad we made you laugh a couple of times!
And the green screen! He was the star of the show! How could you suggest we just key him out!
Nature is running amok in America, and so the military films a propaganda film against a green screen. Good setup, but 5-6 minutes of filming jokes against the green screen got old pretty quickly. Not sure if they had technical problems? Bit of a shame to not actually use the green screen but whatever, I laughed a couple of times.
Story: 1 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
In defense of Fergus and Andrew... the film was only 4 minutes and not all of it was jokes.. some of it was deadly serious... haha glad we made you laugh a couple of times!
And the green screen! He was the star of the show! How could you suggest we just key him out!
if the green screen was actually used it might have had more of a nature run amok feel than propoganda; i know 'nature running amok in america' was the catalyst for the film, i just think showing something to back that up could have been good
CHOOSE ROCK!!!, thanks for review
QUOTE(Ant Timpson @ May 12 2009, 03:47 PM)
Lets put all the reviews into one thread as there are so many heats this year.
Audience Faves for Heats 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6:
HEAT ONE
1. (2RhAB) Two Redheads and a Blonde - Lost and Found - Parallel World
2. Trick With a Knife - Call Me Al - Musical / Dance
3. Abby Normal - Know Where To Go - M Night Shyamalan Twist
HEAT TWO
1. Archimedes - Date of the Dead - Horror
2. Bad Itch - A Long Way Home - M Night Shyamalan Twist
3. Blindside - Granddad Rocks - Family
HEAT THREE
1. Chain Gang - Chip: an Actor's Actor - Nature Run Amok
2. Catme95 - Five Graves Down - Politically Incorrect / Religious
3. But wait there's mor - A.R.O.C.K. A Public Health Educational Video - Education
HEAT FOUR
1. Chess Club - Alex, His Kids and Miracle World - Family
2. Gingers of DOOM - The Chariot - Politically Incorrect
3. Cinesoma - Lilith - Romance
HEAT FIVE
1. Oligarchs of DOOM - Just the Two of Us - Romance
2. Dog Films - Extraction - Revenge
3. Danny Tanner Fan Club - Harm Farm - Horror
HEAT SIX
1. Eat Kitteo - Poultry Pounder 3 - Parallel World
2. Electric Pink Company - The Electric Pink Company - Dance
3. FilmFriend - The Twisterning - Twist
We're up to date now. More news as it comes to hand. Thanks to the volunteers who did the counting.
DS
--
Doesn't look like vote rigging this year, good work everyone!
QUOTE(steelpotato @ May 14 2009, 12:22 PM)
if the green screen was actually used it might have had more of a nature run amok feel than propoganda; i know 'nature running amok in america' was the catalyst for the film, i just think showing something to back that up could have been good
Haha yeah, of course!
Thanks for the review
Hey Steel Potato, as usual thanks for the review! Almost like being there - compulsively checking the forum from Auckland to vicariously experience our heat!
No vote rigging? 70% of the audience at our heat was from the same school! Still, we came 2nd so probably shouldnt bitch too much!
(Heat 5)
(Heat 5)
QUOTE(Glenn Miers @ May 14 2009, 02:22 PM)
No vote rigging? 70% of the audience at our heat was from the same school! Still, we came 2nd so probably shouldnt bitch too much!
(Heat 5)
(Heat 5)
But their votes were split across five films. It evens out
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
Cheers for the smooth heat Dan everything seemed to be sweet as.
Thanks for the review Dave glad you enjoyed the film and keep them coming they are a fine read.
And yay Audience Favorite haven't won that one in a while
Thanks for the review Dave glad you enjoyed the film and keep them coming they are a fine read.
And yay Audience Favorite haven't won that one in a while
QUOTE(Dan Slevin @ May 14 2009, 02:45 PM)
But their votes were split across five films. It evens out
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
DS
--
Wgtn Mgr
I agreee with Glenn ha! They where from the same school, a vote for themselves, 2nd and 3rd for one of their fellow school teams. It doesn't spread out at all, just gives some teams default votes. A handicap if you will. All good though! Heaps of fun.
QUOTE(steelpotato @ May 14 2009, 11:51 AM)
WELLINGTON HEAT 6:
Team Name: Eat Kitteo / Genre: Parallel World / “Poultry Pounder 3”
Fucking awesome; short, sweet, to the point and a little sick. A guy comes across a rare videogame at a garage sale and is told to remember to “choose rock”. He goes home excited about his rare find, only to be told by his wife to watch the baby because she is going out. Baby gets stolen into another world by a giant chicken and he has to engage in a janken match to get the baby back. Damn entertaining.
Team Name: Eat Kitteo / Genre: Parallel World / “Poultry Pounder 3”
Fucking awesome; short, sweet, to the point and a little sick. A guy comes across a rare videogame at a garage sale and is told to remember to “choose rock”. He goes home excited about his rare find, only to be told by his wife to watch the baby because she is going out. Baby gets stolen into another world by a giant chicken and he has to engage in a janken match to get the baby back. Damn entertaining.
Couldn't agree more, really hope it's the audience fave - definitely my pick of the heat.
QUOTE(steelpotato @ May 14 2009, 11:51 AM)
Team Name: Engine Films / Genre: Real Time / “Rock and a Hard Place”
Filmed the screen; looked and sounded horrific and was almost impossible to tell what was going on other than it being a big Saw rip-off. The characters did not know where they were and the room was filling was gas, but only two could survive through oxygen tanks. Had a twist and got ironically funny when they said people were watching them on camera; cam of filtered cam – almost made my head spin.
Filmed the screen; looked and sounded horrific and was almost impossible to tell what was going on other than it being a big Saw rip-off. The characters did not know where they were and the room was filling was gas, but only two could survive through oxygen tanks. Had a twist and got ironically funny when they said people were watching them on camera; cam of filtered cam – almost made my head spin.
Oh the shame, the ignominy... ha ha, well deserved. Still a personal first for me - filming a laptop occasionally playing out the film of a laptop playing out filming... arrrrrrrrrrgh!
Cheers for all the review effortz!
QUOTE(1337n00bPwnr @ May 14 2009, 10:41 PM)
I agreee with Glenn ha! They where from the same school, a vote for themselves, 2nd and 3rd for one of their fellow school teams. It doesn't spread out at all, just gives some teams default votes. A handicap if you will. All good though! Heaps of fun.
Nah. I counted the votes for the two heats the school teams were in and there was no sign of a voting block.
The number of votes that "Alex, His Kids and Miracle World" (first in heat 4) and "Extraction" (second in heat 5) got to come in those places would absolutely not have been possible without shitloads of votes from the school teams.
WELLINGTON HEAT 7:
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Team Name: Flock of Monkeys / Genre: Real Time / “Honest to God True Story”
Clearly a team that had all the technical gear and equipment set-up to do some pretty fancy stuff like pictures in pictures, but this genre was not a great fit for them. An Irishman tells us the story of his Grandfather and his adventures going from Dublin all around the world, where he took lions back from Africa. Never a dull moment but some jokes fell flat.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Fluffy Cat Dolls ft. Tala & Mi / Genre: Parallel World / “A Slice of Time”
Really weirdly colour-timed for the most part, but I was entertained by the guy who looked like Elton John and did not drop his enormous grin for one frame that he was on screen. Having experimented with a lot of toast, Alex tells Flora how he is able to go through parallel worlds with his trans-dimensional rock. She however does not want him to electrocute himself alive and so tries to stop him. It got a bit confusing towards the end.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Gargantuan / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Pace of Life”
Had some nice time-lapse effects as killer snails joined the ridiculous pantheons of the genre like frogs and rabbits; the film could also have fit into revenge with an underlying message that life is short.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Glowing Squirrel / Genre: Horror / “The Abandoned” [Disqualified]
Having driven an hour to visit his friend, the main character is disappointed that it was to be shown footage of what looks like the wind rustling plants, but which his friend is adamant is something else. Knew and showed that it knew the genre conventions of horror really well which provided a few laughs, but payoffs were relatively weak…bar one scene in a bathroom with a lot of blood which got a terrific audience reaction.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Golden Carrot Films / Genre: Romance / “I Love You This Much”
Essentially three short stories of people looking for love. A girl amputee, a guy amputee and a Japanese couple pretty much deliver the same lines but garner different reactions. I think it could have been better to settle down on one romance, such as the amputee guy; when the girl he was interested in entered to saucy music and some nice camera work the audience went nuts.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Growler Box / Genre: Conspiracy / “Raising Cane”
Starting off in a bar where a woman avoided her co-workers sleazy advances and hears the outcries of a drunken Fijian when she goes to get a drink to get away, this was an excellent conspiracy film. The Government was embroiled in some pretty serious stuff, and it had a great paranoid Paralax View/Conversation-type feel to it. Well shot and well acted with some grit and drops of black humour.
Story: 4.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 4
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Team Name: Grucy and Co. / Genre: Musical / “The Wrangler” [Disqualified]
Shame it was late as this was good fun; mainly black and white detective jazz opera with each character having a distinctive singing style and not afraid to break the fourth wall. The detective is onto the case of a dead woman having found the murder weapon. A woman tells him it was the slinking Wrangler. We then meet the Wrangler and lots of three-way singing ensues.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Hammer Time Productions / Genre: Educational / “How to be an Original New Zealand Gangster”
This team used the LOOP music available to good effect, as we were shown several steps to becoming a gangster, such as having good threads, a posse (who follow you everywhere, literally) and a sweet ride. Fast-paced and funny, unfortunately their final gag after the credits had the sound turned off.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: Happy Puppy Productions / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “The Last Supper”
A preacher welcomes his Kapiti communion for celebrating Jesus’ last days. Through flashback we are shown the last supper and how somebody betrayed him by stealing his last cupcake and threw in a couple of bad taste jokes. This allows the preacher to deliver a life lesson for all.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
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Team Name: Donnie and the Darkos / Genre: Family / “Uncle Alfie and the Puddles”
Some kids are down in the dumps after their parents just died, only for their incredibly fast talking ‘Allo, allo’ uncle Alfie to suddenly appear on the scene. He does his best to cheer them up by taking them to the playground and buying them a lot of ice-cream. However from the start something doesn’t seem quite right about him but he’s family, right?
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Flock of Monkeys / Genre: Real Time / “Honest to God True Story”
Clearly a team that had all the technical gear and equipment set-up to do some pretty fancy stuff like pictures in pictures, but this genre was not a great fit for them. An Irishman tells us the story of his Grandfather and his adventures going from Dublin all around the world, where he took lions back from Africa. Never a dull moment but some jokes fell flat.
Story: 3 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Fluffy Cat Dolls ft. Tala & Mi / Genre: Parallel World / “A Slice of Time”
Really weirdly colour-timed for the most part, but I was entertained by the guy who looked like Elton John and did not drop his enormous grin for one frame that he was on screen. Having experimented with a lot of toast, Alex tells Flora how he is able to go through parallel worlds with his trans-dimensional rock. She however does not want him to electrocute himself alive and so tries to stop him. It got a bit confusing towards the end.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Gargantuan / Genre: Nature Run Amok / “Pace of Life”
Had some nice time-lapse effects as killer snails joined the ridiculous pantheons of the genre like frogs and rabbits; the film could also have fit into revenge with an underlying message that life is short.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Glowing Squirrel / Genre: Horror / “The Abandoned” [Disqualified]
Having driven an hour to visit his friend, the main character is disappointed that it was to be shown footage of what looks like the wind rustling plants, but which his friend is adamant is something else. Knew and showed that it knew the genre conventions of horror really well which provided a few laughs, but payoffs were relatively weak…bar one scene in a bathroom with a lot of blood which got a terrific audience reaction.
Story: 1.5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Golden Carrot Films / Genre: Romance / “I Love You This Much”
Essentially three short stories of people looking for love. A girl amputee, a guy amputee and a Japanese couple pretty much deliver the same lines but garner different reactions. I think it could have been better to settle down on one romance, such as the amputee guy; when the girl he was interested in entered to saucy music and some nice camera work the audience went nuts.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Growler Box / Genre: Conspiracy / “Raising Cane”
Starting off in a bar where a woman avoided her co-workers sleazy advances and hears the outcries of a drunken Fijian when she goes to get a drink to get away, this was an excellent conspiracy film. The Government was embroiled in some pretty serious stuff, and it had a great paranoid Paralax View/Conversation-type feel to it. Well shot and well acted with some grit and drops of black humour.
Story: 4.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Grucy and Co. / Genre: Musical / “The Wrangler” [Disqualified]
Shame it was late as this was good fun; mainly black and white detective jazz opera with each character having a distinctive singing style and not afraid to break the fourth wall. The detective is onto the case of a dead woman having found the murder weapon. A woman tells him it was the slinking Wrangler. We then meet the Wrangler and lots of three-way singing ensues.
Story: 3 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Hammer Time Productions / Genre: Educational / “How to be an Original New Zealand Gangster”
This team used the LOOP music available to good effect, as we were shown several steps to becoming a gangster, such as having good threads, a posse (who follow you everywhere, literally) and a sweet ride. Fast-paced and funny, unfortunately their final gag after the credits had the sound turned off.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Happy Puppy Productions / Genre: Politically Incorrect/Religious / “The Last Supper”
A preacher welcomes his Kapiti communion for celebrating Jesus’ last days. Through flashback we are shown the last supper and how somebody betrayed him by stealing his last cupcake and threw in a couple of bad taste jokes. This allows the preacher to deliver a life lesson for all.
Story: 2 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 2.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Donnie and the Darkos / Genre: Family / “Uncle Alfie and the Puddles”
Some kids are down in the dumps after their parents just died, only for their incredibly fast talking ‘Allo, allo’ uncle Alfie to suddenly appear on the scene. He does his best to cheer them up by taking them to the playground and buying them a lot of ice-cream. However from the start something doesn’t seem quite right about him but he’s family, right?
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
WELLINGTON HEAT 8:
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Team Name: By Another Verified Idiot / Genre: Educational / “Murder 101”
The team didn’t turn up to this heat, so it was also played at the end of heat 9.
We are given demonstrations in murder technique by the best students at ‘Dharmer’ Academy of Slayers. Kill Bill chick, black dude, goth girl, emo guy with blonde streak and others all showed what they had on a secure victim and being stamped with grades. Most killing occurred off-screen, possibly due to a lack of budget but the enthusiasm was there from this young team.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2
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Team Name: He who likes boats / Genre: Real Time / “You Are My Rock”
Lots of running up some stairs starting at 8.50am intercut with flashbacks between the main running guy, and a girl he clearly used to be with. The time updates (8.53-8.54-8.55 in 5 seconds, for example) were pretty comical although this seemed like it was supposed to be serious, nobody turned up from the team.
Story: 1 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 1.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 1.5
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Team Name: Head on a Stick / Genre: Nature Runs Amok / “Arborgeddon”
Possibly a similar road to what I would have gone down myself if I had got this genre, so props for that. Inspired by The Happening and The Ruins it seemed, but set in an office. Some technical wizardry in an extremely long opening shot and a plant fully taking over someone was impressive. The line of dialogue was actually delivered really well here and the fully detailed plan that was given to defeat the plants was amazing.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Helen and the Cockroaches / Genre: Parallel World / “Pun’s Labyrinth”
Our main guy goes through his daily routine and then heads to work, where he see that he doesn’t have the ability to act on his yearning for the beautiful coffee girl with the ability to deliver witty puns on anything. Luckily for him with the help of a Duane Johnson toy figure and a witch he gets whisked away to Pun World, where he can develop his linguistic wit. Once trained up he has the problem of getting through Pun’s Labyrinth before he can win the coffee girl’s heart. Possibly a few too many sit-around jokes, good fun for the most part though and well shot.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Hi-Deaf / Genre: Conspiracy / “Blink: and You’ll Miss” [Disqualified]
Well I really don’t hope I blinked and missed what I was supposed to, but from what I could gather this was a conspiracy about the usage or spreading of nuclear power that a blogger found out about, and was then silenced. Possibly critiquing mass media, I’m not quite sure.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
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Team Na-me: HMS Awesome / Genre: Family / “The Brothers Cage”
Just thinking about the premise of this ‘family’ film I’m cracking up. OK guys, Friday night…family movie…hmm – let’s make our main actor the long lost brother of Nicholas Cage! Hahaha amazing. Well anyway our lead only actually gets told they are his bro when they turn 30, but we are shown that Nic doesn’t really want anything to do with them and doesn’t invite them to his weddings, for example. Of course if he ever came to Wellington, he would see that he has a second family of love.
Story: 5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: icwProductions / Genre: Romance / “Notes” [Disqualified]
A social introvert writer hammers away at his work as his mate, ‘The Pud’ constantly tries to get him laid through blind dates and his female neighbour constantly leaves him notes by his door. He doesn’t however communicate very well in the real world, only on the written page and so this causes problems. The actor playing the writer was very good.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
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Team Name: ID TEN Ts / Genre: Big Twist / “so many reasons” [Animated]
Very much akin to the opening scene of Sin City, a guy tries to stop a girl from jumping off a bridge because of all the things that she would be leaving behind. He recommends she go to Europe and help her brother. The question is whether it is enough to stop her.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
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Team Name: Jato unit / Genre: Horror / “Faith in Recession”
After a suicide, an angel and a demon fight over his soul. Normally you see this would be a gimme for down bellow but times are tough with the recession and all and the angel has yet to make their quota this week. Rather than a fight to the death however they engage in a game of chess to determine the winner. I have here in my notes that this was extremely well lit and had some cool effects but lacked any scares or tension which I would say are fundamental to the genre.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Jenni’s Angels / Genre: Revenge / “Dedication”
At first we are introduced to a pulp detective having to suffer the death of a loved one, but as his ‘noooo’ scream continues we realise that he is the figment of imagination of a writer. Somehow the writer ends up in the book instead of the character, and finds out just how much pulp fiction characters have to go through, getting beaten, tortured and having no control of destiny.
Story: 4 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
Heat 9 to come tomorrow morning with report on the team that shot with a red camera and had a high profile star in their film ooh dun dun dun haha...I'm exhausted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: By Another Verified Idiot / Genre: Educational / “Murder 101”
The team didn’t turn up to this heat, so it was also played at the end of heat 9.
We are given demonstrations in murder technique by the best students at ‘Dharmer’ Academy of Slayers. Kill Bill chick, black dude, goth girl, emo guy with blonde streak and others all showed what they had on a secure victim and being stamped with grades. Most killing occurred off-screen, possibly due to a lack of budget but the enthusiasm was there from this young team.
Story: 2 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 2 / Overall: 2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: He who likes boats / Genre: Real Time / “You Are My Rock”
Lots of running up some stairs starting at 8.50am intercut with flashbacks between the main running guy, and a girl he clearly used to be with. The time updates (8.53-8.54-8.55 in 5 seconds, for example) were pretty comical although this seemed like it was supposed to be serious, nobody turned up from the team.
Story: 1 / Acting: 2 / Elements: 1.5 / Technical: 2.5 / Overall: 1.5
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Head on a Stick / Genre: Nature Runs Amok / “Arborgeddon”
Possibly a similar road to what I would have gone down myself if I had got this genre, so props for that. Inspired by The Happening and The Ruins it seemed, but set in an office. Some technical wizardry in an extremely long opening shot and a plant fully taking over someone was impressive. The line of dialogue was actually delivered really well here and the fully detailed plan that was given to defeat the plants was amazing.
Story: 4 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 4 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Helen and the Cockroaches / Genre: Parallel World / “Pun’s Labyrinth”
Our main guy goes through his daily routine and then heads to work, where he see that he doesn’t have the ability to act on his yearning for the beautiful coffee girl with the ability to deliver witty puns on anything. Luckily for him with the help of a Duane Johnson toy figure and a witch he gets whisked away to Pun World, where he can develop his linguistic wit. Once trained up he has the problem of getting through Pun’s Labyrinth before he can win the coffee girl’s heart. Possibly a few too many sit-around jokes, good fun for the most part though and well shot.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Hi-Deaf / Genre: Conspiracy / “Blink: and You’ll Miss” [Disqualified]
Well I really don’t hope I blinked and missed what I was supposed to, but from what I could gather this was a conspiracy about the usage or spreading of nuclear power that a blogger found out about, and was then silenced. Possibly critiquing mass media, I’m not quite sure.
Story: 3 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Na-me: HMS Awesome / Genre: Family / “The Brothers Cage”
Just thinking about the premise of this ‘family’ film I’m cracking up. OK guys, Friday night…family movie…hmm – let’s make our main actor the long lost brother of Nicholas Cage! Hahaha amazing. Well anyway our lead only actually gets told they are his bro when they turn 30, but we are shown that Nic doesn’t really want anything to do with them and doesn’t invite them to his weddings, for example. Of course if he ever came to Wellington, he would see that he has a second family of love.
Story: 5 / Acting: 2.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: icwProductions / Genre: Romance / “Notes” [Disqualified]
A social introvert writer hammers away at his work as his mate, ‘The Pud’ constantly tries to get him laid through blind dates and his female neighbour constantly leaves him notes by his door. He doesn’t however communicate very well in the real world, only on the written page and so this causes problems. The actor playing the writer was very good.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 4 / Elements: 3.5 / Technical: 3 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: ID TEN Ts / Genre: Big Twist / “so many reasons” [Animated]
Very much akin to the opening scene of Sin City, a guy tries to stop a girl from jumping off a bridge because of all the things that she would be leaving behind. He recommends she go to Europe and help her brother. The question is whether it is enough to stop her.
Story: 2.5 / Acting: 3 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 3.5 / Overall: 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Jato unit / Genre: Horror / “Faith in Recession”
After a suicide, an angel and a demon fight over his soul. Normally you see this would be a gimme for down bellow but times are tough with the recession and all and the angel has yet to make their quota this week. Rather than a fight to the death however they engage in a game of chess to determine the winner. I have here in my notes that this was extremely well lit and had some cool effects but lacked any scares or tension which I would say are fundamental to the genre.
Story: 3.5 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4.5 / Overall: 3.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Team Name: Jenni’s Angels / Genre: Revenge / “Dedication”
At first we are introduced to a pulp detective having to suffer the death of a loved one, but as his ‘noooo’ scream continues we realise that he is the figment of imagination of a writer. Somehow the writer ends up in the book instead of the character, and finds out just how much pulp fiction characters have to go through, getting beaten, tortured and having no control of destiny.
Story: 4 / Acting: 3.5 / Elements: 3 / Technical: 4 / Overall: 3.5
Heat 9 to come tomorrow morning with report on the team that shot with a red camera and had a high profile star in their film ooh dun dun dun haha...I'm exhausted
QUOTE(steelpotato @ May 14 2009, 11:08 AM)
.......
just overall fucking insane.
just overall fucking insane.
Someone needs to use this on a promo poster.
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