StrikeEmStudios (23rd Aug 2010 11:26)

if you’re going to criticize the costume then the most ridiculous thing would be the trousers not fitting and only coming up to his shins (i just picked up any camo gear I had in the prop wardrobe, the sizes were mixed up). The sunglasses were not my idea, I told him to lose them but he wanted to go along with them and the scarf is fine, besides it all hides his identity which isn't important and adds a certain amount of mystery to him. i probably could have made a small story out of it but I didn't have much time to shoot and just wanted to shoot some brainless action to test out my camera and lens. At the end of the day the footage and film were exactly what I wanted, a short action piece that is an entertaining test for both my camera and for some visual effects (i have uploaded a few other shots on the net with improved VFX that were finished after this). If there’s any future questions about the title here’s the thought behind it. we call the guy who’s in the video 'snowy', a special forces operative would have a call sign (I guess anyway) and having a proper title for the video is more interesting than 'action camera test in woods'. but thanks for watching and keeps the 'tips' and critiques coming, their always helpful to both me and others.

FXhomer32915 (23rd Aug 2010 03:56)

Well, you did acknowledge you have no story, but you could have told a bit of a story with your direction of your shots. Every scene, like the story, has a beginning, middle and an end. You could have very well used this as a beginning, or “inciting incident” for a story. You could move slowly through the woods as you show your opening title credits. As the credits draw to a close, the camera settles on an area good for cover as faint gunfire can be heard and the sound of someone running. The sounds get louder and louder until a camouflaged soldier leaps over the backdrop and into the cover. Huffing and puffing and obviously scared to death (which you show with his eyes so lose the ridiculous glasses and the netting over his face. Use camo face paint.), he frantically tries to unjam his weapon as the sound of the gunfire and the men chasing him is obviously approaching. Finally, in a last desperate attempt to salvage his mission, he throws away his weapon, pulls out a grenade, pulls the pin and holds it with both hands as the guerillas approach and gather around him with guns drawn. He lets go of the spoon, which we see fly from the grenade, cut to wide shot of the wooded area and BOOM! From here, you have many options, say, a botched D.E.A. raid on an opium farm where we later learn his whole team was slaughtered because someone back in the states tipped off the drug lord about the raid. Now, his brother, a veteran F.B.I. agent, knowing how agencies lie to cover their butts, decides to do his own investigation to avenge his brother’s death. Bear in mind, the story is the corruption, NOT the drug trade. By the way, soldiers don’t wear sneakers, especially not white ones.

StrikeEmStudios (20th Aug 2010 10:50)

thanks for watching and commenting. the lens i used was a 50mm Super Takumar, which really gives a great look to everything. To add some further info on the production in case you think there was a story. There is no story, think of this as a camera test, this was shot the first day i could go out and shoot some proper footage on the camera, so i wanted to try out various styles and locations to see what results i could get; this short was thought up in about 5 mins, pretty much, 'let go down the woods, i have some camo gear with me' and the shoot took no more than 15 mins. there is some potential for a story in this but i doubt i'll go back to it since i have made about 3 war themed films in this wood, i need a new location. i'll post the war film i made before this (made in december 09, which has a story and is about 7mins long) and again thanks for watching