Tentboy

Fingercuff · #1 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 02:34 PM

Hey everyone, just wanted to share a short film a made recently and see what you think. Its kind of an urban fairy tale about a guy who lives in a tent:

YouTube - Tentboy

Cheers!

Onra · #2 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 08:07 PM

Great stuff!!!

Fingercuff · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 08:20 PM

Cheers! Glad you liked it

Onra · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2008, 09:21 PM

I enjoyed it because there was a story that unfolded and had several twists and a definite and somewhat mysterious end. It was also a nice story(no violence) strange and yet believable.
There was no effort to explain things, which is something I like: there is a guy who puts up a tent and one day disappears again.

It looks to me quite an project.
Did you(i assume you are part of it) write out the story beforehand?
Like with a storyboard?
Or did you first shoot a lot of film and then made a coherent story afterwards?
Or both?

Just out of curiosity. In the story the tent boy is said to be there for a year. So I was expecting the tent be be snowed in a scene, just to show that the seasons changed. What where you thoughts on this?

Sorry I am talking to much.

Fingercuff · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 07:36 AM

The film was completely scripted and shot planned (I wrote & directed). A few things were added along the way here and there but all in all it remained very close to what was already written. I really like the snow idea. Using the seasons to show the time transition would have been a nice touch and probably got the passage of time across much better. I tried to use the character of the jogger to get this across but I think this idea was only semi-successful. Thanks for the comments!

rollingstock · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008, 10:06 PM

Excellent, such a joy to see a film with a beginning / middle / end, all the boxes are ticked.

And crane shots...not overused, just right, lovely composition.

A rare gem in a ocean of mass video.

Sucked me right into the story, I am sure wherever this film goes it will do well, great use of simple themes, and complex social issues.

Did make me think of the people who have set up homes in public places, the man in constant transit in Paris airport is one, the Aborigional tents outside the Australian Parliment House is another.

Proof that (some) people living in public places get noticed, reality is most don't.

Where did tent boy crap.....that had me thinking, hope it goes well on youtube, it will be difficult grabbing the long attention span needed.

Again well done.

The Mad Bomber.

rollingstock · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2008, 10:16 PM

The seasonal change could have been pulled off by using wide tent / park stills, dressed up in Photoshop to the different seasons, and voice over covering the action.

or..

close ups video of tent boy poking his head out in this series of shots

one with a watering can over him, no sun

another with him sweating, no clothes, sunny

another with icing sugar on his face, and tentboy shivering

another with wind blowing his tent, tentboy zipping up his tent, the tent
is being shaked by people outside frame, and throw in some leaves
dropping in.

seasonal changes are tricky to relate by costume alone, easy to pull off in as close ups and some good acting.

The Mad Bomber.

Fingercuff · #8 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 08:49 AM

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Thanks for the feedback, some really great ideas there! The crane was a new ‘toy’ at the time and I really had to hold myself back on how much it was used. As for the crapping theories, well, I think I’ll just leave that slightly ambiguous… Ok, here’s a clue. It involves park tramps…

[/FONT][/COLOR]

rollingstock · #9 (**permalink**) 10-21-2008, 12:32 PM

Now every poop I see in a park I will think is it a dog....or tentboy.

Don't laugh, people make art of this stuff, no crap!

rollingstock · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2008, 12:25 PM

I believe this video deserves a 5 star rating.