Video - Countdown: 60 People Mega Epic Action Film By Schoo Kids

[BaconLettuceTomatoes]

Hey Everyone!

I just registered so what's a better to intro myself than showcase one of my latest vids I did in August. Basically, Hobbes/David, MalcolmOng and I have been working on this 30 minute film, Countdown, for the past 3 months. Shot with a wide spectrum of random handycams and an XL2, DVX100B and a PD-170, Countdown is essentially a huge 60-70 people production. Organizing everyone was admittedly rather difficult to carry out because we only had one and a half days to shoot everything due to location constraints. We used about 14 hours in total to shoot this film and a record 15 MiniDV Tapes.

Anyway, I shall quit blabbering and let the production speak for itself. I've been told that actings a bit under par and the animations are a bit the lame... But I think its the best we could do as 16/17 year olds in Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).

So here goes the Synopsis. Do enjoy it!

Synopsis:
A cop desperately trying to hide a dark secret, an opportunistic mob boss, and a seemingly innocent office worker victimized by circumstance: Each of them driven by their own selfish motivations. Little do they know that when their paths collide in a complex chain of unprecedented events, their actions would ultimately lead to their inevitable demise ten minutes later.

In one of the largest and most epic films ever attempted by the finalists of Project Pilot and the Canon Film Festival with a cast and crew of over seventy people, Countdown is a fast-paced, intricately-spun and twisted action-thriller about the trappings of wanton greed, unavoidable causality, and most of all, ironic twists of fate.

10 Minutes. 3 People. 1 Destiny.

The links are as follows:

Countdown Trailer
Google Video (This might be a little laggy)
Google Video (Bloopers: REALLY FUNNY)

Download Site of Extremely Compressed Video

Here are some posters and unedited screen grabs:

Please do enjoy the film and let me know if you have any comments, criticisms, feedback, suggestions, opinions, or hate - Anything goes. I wont take it personally so please do take the time to comment honestly. We would really appreciate it. Being only 16, we're looking forward to improving ourselves with your comments so fire away! Thanks. Oh and if you want a free DVD let us know and we'll send it to you free of charge!

Btw, as you probably realized, not all of our music is original so I am currently looking for composers before I send this around the festival circuit. Do feel free to contact me if you're interested. Thanks! Have fun and laugh lots watching!

 

[MalcolmOng]

Great that its finally posted. A few more points to add would be the following:

#1: I'm listed as the Director of Photography, but the only photographic existence of my being on set was of me with a handphone camera (in the bloopers), and me slacking in an aircon booth.

#2: I was actually supposed to contribute 10 bucks to the making of fund, but i forgot. To this day I haven't paid....

#3: I told no one about #2 until BLT moved to America

 

[sgvideoman]

Cool man! From the poster and screenshots it looks very impressive. Did you guys use Panasonic AG-DVX102B? What settings did you use when moving around, into and out of shades, while filming?

I am gonna watch the videos later.

 

[sgvideoman]

Sigh I am 28 years old and I can't produce the work of 16/17 year olds. :cry: :cry:

If you have a future project like this, please count me in!

 

[BaconLettuceTomatoes]

Sigh I am 280 years old and I can't produce the work of 16/17 year olds.

Lol you're so old ah? What's it like being immortal?

Haha thanks man. You gotta let me know what you think after you're done watch it alrighty?

Yep we did use the Panasonic DVX102B - 100b is actually the official name. 102 is just for Asia haha. Anyway, yeah it was one of our other cameras apart from the XL2 and PD170.

I would've loved to work with ya but I'm living in LA now. Let me know when you're in the neighborhood. I'm sure Hobbes and MalcolmOng would wanna hook up with you though

 

[Hobbes00]

HI BLT and MAL... come here to kope my bizzness huh!
Anyways BLT and MAL r my goooooood friends....

We directed this short together

Have a great new year ahead everyone, and yes we are STILL gonna make much more movies like this... please do pm any of us so we can count you in the next one..

Cheers.
David

 

[samvision]

HI BLT and MAL... come here to kope my bizzness huh!
Anyways BLT and MAL r my goooooood friends....

We directed this short together

Have a great new year ahead everyone, and yes we are STILL gonna make much more movies like this... please do pm any of us so we can count you in the next one..

Cheers.
David

Execellent job guys. I am inspire.
Where did you get the cool guns and attire?

 

[Youhong]

I think I've seen similar design before somewhere...

Great effort in the production of the film! :thumbsup:

Here's what I think:
1) The starting is good, keeps audiences wondering until the ending.

2) While I understand that you want to let your audience see the actors starring in the film, I guess you've forgotten that those Special Task Forces usually masked their faces. Hence abit weird.

3) I do like some of the visual and sound effects there... Especially the "fire in the hole" at time 19:33 of the video... Not forgetting the "MCP-7" LIVE reporting at time 16:10 of the video. :bsmilie:

4) Some of the SWAT movements are alittle too unrealistic, I'm sure you guys play CS before right? Also, At time 19:51 of the video, can see the laser pointing at the captain's face. SWAT don't anyhow point their guns.

5) Some nice captures such as the bullet shells dropping on the ground and the roof entry with the sunset setting. :thumbsup:

6) No "real blood" on the dead bodies, only the visual effects one.

7) Can see the BB uniform too clearly.

8) How did the guy manage to "escape"? There are snipers and supposely more police and also media outside (only see 3 personals there). But I like the broken car plate though... ;P

Generally, good film. Just that there's some minor things you guys might have missed out only.

 

[Hobbes00]

Hi youhong, thanks for your comments!! Really glad you enjoyed it...
Boy Brigade assault squad..

 

[Youhong]

Hi youhong, thanks for your comments!! Really glad you enjoyed it...
Boy Brigade assault squad..

Any part II to the film? :bsmilie:

 

[MalcolmOng]

There was supposed to be a part 0.5 which hobbes was in charge of. cough cough.

 

[anakin0618]

I like the flow of the story and no distracting transistion.

Look forward to see more of your production.

 

[SolBadGuy]

i've yet to watch this film as i do not have the time yet to download n watch it... actually would prefer if u guys could send a piece of the dvd to me.. then i can show my fellow film classmates n get their feedback as well... from the screen caps n poster, it does look promising though.

will comment again when i've watched it.

 

[BaconLettuceTomatoes]

Glad you liked it man. Guns and props are now with David and were mostly illegal. Unfortunately, in Singapore even airsoft guns are illegal like chewing gum.

Really.

Its amazing the things you can do in the Singapore black market with... Enough money... ^_^

 

[BaconLettuceTomatoes]

Sure thing. Pass your address to David and he'll send you a DVD. Right Hobbes? Unfortunately, I can't because I'm in America right now... Oh and yeah we did do a prequel to this film but halfway kena busted by cops

We only managed to take one pic cuz they took the rest of our cameras and forced us to delete footage.

 

[Hobbes00]

Ahh!! that picture!! Don't remind me please.
The quest to glory isnt a straight and easy road

But one thing's for sure, we arent giving up yet..

 

[anakin0618]

Sure thing. Pass your address to David and he'll send you a DVD. Right Hobbes? Unfortunately, I can't because I'm in America right now... Oh and yeah we did do a prequel to this film but halfway kena busted by cops

What happen? Why does the police get involved? The location you shoot seen okay with me. It does not have any sensitive area shown there.

Too bad you have to delete all the footage. What a waste.

 

[MalcolmOng]

Jealous that our guns were bigger than theirs..

 

[sgvideoman]

Hey how do those guys at Hollywood make Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, Windtalkers, Flags of our Fathers, Independence Day, Deep Impact, Armageddon, Glory, Gettysburg, Gods and Generals, Hamburger Hill, A Bridge too Far, Band of Brothers, Species, Brotherhood (Korean), Joint Security Area (Korean), Godzilla (Japan), Patriot, Tears of the Sun, Thirteen Days, etc?

Lots of computer animation???

Can we make this type of movies?

I've never watched HK, Taiwan, and China movies at Cinemas because most of these movies always revolve around cops, gangsters, gambling, pugilists (Wu Xia), etc. I've watched enough of these on Television until I get very tired of watching this type of shows. It seems that HK, Taiwan and China can never make movies other than cops, gangsters, gambling, pugilists, etc. Can't they make movies like Hollywood?

Want to collaborate on the above movies???

 

[MalcolmOng]

Its a hot topic there, and it generally requires less resources. The epics produced in china and hong kong are generally kung fu ones. I'm sure its possible to do a saving private ryan type of show, but the resources required are massive - saving private ryan had a 70 million dollar usd budget.