ashman (21st Apr 2009 15:19)

As some people were interested in seeing a high quality version of the short I've just submitted the file. It should be up shortly. Hope you enjoy. Best, Ash.

DittoProductions (11th Mar 2009 23:45)

The Acting and special effects were really good but the narrator did't really make what he was saying mean something It was like i was listening to this bored tired person and his voice was a little quiet and not strong enough

Sollthar (22nd Feb 2009 12:09)

I thought I had already commented on this, seems I was wrong. I really really digged that flashback scene! It had incredible cinematography, perfect editing, superb acting, brilliant effects and was highly tense and emotional, in a powerful, both subtle and in-your-face way. That part I just really, really liked. The rest was a lot weaker for me. The poem itself was good and I really liked the old mans acting and casting. He was a perfect choice. He just has that certain thing that fits the mood of the poem so incredibly well. But I do have a few reservations why, apart from the flashback sequence, this doesn't quite get there in my view. First, the technical stuff: I didn't like the cinematography in the opening too much. It looked a bit amateurish for my tastes - especially compared to the flashback sequence - and did little to support the poem. While the cinematography got better outside, it's still not there for me. The actor who reads the poem just doesn't 100% gets there for me. I found him okay, but not as good as he should have been in order for me to get emotional by what he says. And for emotions to work when someone says a text, I need to feel the emotion by the one who tells it. And I didn't in his case. So the face of the poem works, the voice doesn't for me. But the main thing that makes this less then it could have been for me, are some of the directing choices. For me, it's played way too straight forward. He talks about medals, you show medals. He talks about autumn breese, you show that. He talks about the cardboard thing around his neck, you show that. And so on. I feel the film itself added little to the poem. I just retells it visually. But in all, it could have done with more directorial vision. More of "Ashman's personal view of things". I felt the flashback scene had that. It had nuances and details that didn't come off the text, but of you. The rest doesn't have that in my view and that makes it lack in that area, the most important area to me. The strength of this film is the poem itself, not as much the film. (again, with the exception of the flashback sequence) There's little to disagree on with this. It does what it does like following a textbook of rules. While that makes it good, it also makes it somewhat artistically flat - It misses a personality of it's own. If you know what I mean. I have similar issues with Hard Days Knight and the recent showreel you published. Had it all been like the flashback scene, this would be my definate 5 star choice and my "awesomest work" choice. But it's definately a solid short film all through and something to be proud of!