The Darkness Before the Dawn

[Killroy]

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6765/jacobandkat2ux2.jpg

The Darkness Before the Dawn

Director: Sean Mesler
Screenwriter: Sean Mesler
Starring: Melanie Minichino, Ace Marrero, Stacey Mesler, Allan Todd, Alex D.
Genre: Horror

Plot Summary:
When a young couple's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere they seek the help of a brother and sister with family troubles of their own.

Some of you from Bloody-Disgusting.com (http://www.bloody-disgusting.com) know him as N2NOther, while some of us remember him as RedDevilSuit, but either way, he has just announced his second short is up at iFilm (http://www.ifilm.com).

Click the link below and then let him know what you think.

The Darkness Before the Dawn (http://www.ifilm.com/video/2852507)

[Killroy]

Did anybody get a chance to check out the film? I got a chance to watch it today and after a couple viewings, my initial thoughts are that I like it.

First off, some may fault the story as being un-original, but to me that actually works in its favor. Seriously, why invent the wheel? If I had a couple grand, a camera and a couple decent actors, I would probably do something similar.

Anyway, the story is about a couple whose car breaks down on a deserted road and decide to go looking for help. They come across a creepy brother\sister duo in a remote house in the woods who invite them to stay the night so they can be driven to town in the morning. Before the night is over, the couple discovers that the siblings have a fairly nasty secret.

Some of the good things about the short is the acting. Melanie does a great job and is pretty convincing throughout. Nothing bad to say about Ace Marrero either and even in the short running time, they were convincing as a couple, especially in the long scene filmed from behind as they walk away from the car. The brother sister team didn't fair as well, with the only noticeable portion that seemed a bit too much like acting coming from Stacey Mesler as Elaina. Allan Todd came off as pretty creepy, even in the glasses. The reason these two may have stood out more to me was that they were acting beside Melanie and Ace, who seemed more believable in their roles.

The camera work is pretty good and the film was shot on a Canon XL2. A couple lighting issues inside the house, but the outside shots were handled extremely well even during the night scenes. Some noticeable hand-held moments, but not the shaky kind, it may have been on purpose for the "you are there" feeling, and it worked in some scenes, especially the semi POV shots, but a couple others could have stood to use a fixed camera. For example, around the 5:16 mark, there is an exterior shot of the house that I thought could have worked better had it been a little longer, fixed, while the sister was talking. But the goal may have been to create the feeling that someone was watching. There were also some interesting nods to other films horror fans may notice such as the fade-to-white and in the trunk shots.

But all-in-all, I thought it was pretty good. In fact, I am a bit jealous that I still have not done anything like this and I tip my hat off to Sean and crew for creating a short I would definitely be proud of showing around. Especially only being his second. Looking forward to see what you end up doing next, as it does seem you are getting the hang of things.

Also had to add, you actually got a jump scare out of me. Good job.

[McVain]

Also had to add, you actually got a jump scare out of me. Good job.
Haha me too. I agree with you on pretty much all points. Though it's not an entirely original idea, he did make it his own. That is definitely commendable. Big budget film makers fail to do that every day.

Great progression from the last one. The acting was pretty damn good surprisingly. Good work. I really liked the camera work by the way.

[N2NOther]

Thanks for hooking me up here! You hit the nail on the head when you said "Seriously, why invent the wheel? If I had a couple grand, a camera and a couple decent actors, I would probably do something similar".

That's exactly why this was made...And I said to someone who complained about it...You need to learn to walk before you can run.

I'm really glad everyone is enjoying the acting...Casting is so important to me to sell and idea...Think about this...I got good actors to work hard for a copy of the movie...Why the fuck are there so many bad performances in horror movies in which the actors get paid?

I'm kicking around ideas for my next film....I'll keep you posted.

[I am Legend]

not too shabby i must say!

one good jump scare got me i must admit. i liked the music in it (not the end credit score though, i hate it to end a horror with heavy metal music, it takes away from the mood i think).

the only problem i have with it is that N2N bashes so many movies for being derivative and such and yet.................well you know, not like this is some new idea in horror.

for what it is though, very well done. tops for me being the atmosphere music in it, very nice old school horror feel to it.

[Killroy]

the only problem i have with it is that N2N bashes so many movies for being derivative and such and yet.................well you know, not like this is some new idea in horror.

I wondered why no one has brought this up on any of the other forums N2N posts at, as it really is an honest question.

When I judge a short like this, had I placed it up against Saving Private Ryan, then of course it would rank so far in the negative, it would b comical.

But this is an armature film, with an armature filmmaker probably performing guerrilla filming tactics on a budget that was less than the cost of the one camera he was filming on. Keeping that in mind, I am judging the short on those merits, against other films of equal caliber. I would think had N2N been reviewing another short film such as his, he wouldn't turn such a critical eye on a generic, paint-by-numbers storyline. A seasoned horror director? No doubt he would rip it to shreds.

But I am putting words in his mouth.

[swivel]

Thanks for hooking me up here! You hit the nail on the head when you said "Seriously, why invent the wheel? If I had a couple grand, a camera and a couple decent actors, I would probably do something similar".

That's exactly why this was made...And I said to someone who complained about it...You need to learn to walk before you can run.

I'm really glad everyone is enjoying the acting...Casting is so important to me to sell and idea...Think about this...I got good actors to work hard for a copy of the movie...Why the fuck are there so many bad performances in horror movies in which the actors get paid?

I'm kicking around ideas for my next film....I'll keep you posted.

I've got a great Idea for you. Find some students, put some 8mm cameras in their hands, tell them to go out in the woods and get some footage. Now... edit that shit together and start up a website where you claim that all of this really took place. Seriously, dude. No start-up costs and I think you could really make some dough for future projects. Call me.

[N2NOther]

not too shabby i must say!

one good jump scare got me i must admit. i liked the music in it (not the end credit score though, i hate it to end a horror with heavy metal music, it takes away from the mood i think).

I actually wanted to use AC/DC's Problem Child because I thought it would be a funny music pun...But you know, rights and stuff...I used that song because the bulk of my interiors (foyer, living room, hallway and basement) were shot at my friends' house and they're in that band...I basically rented it with the use of their song in my film)...

the only problem i have with it is that N2N bashes so many movies for being derivative and such and yet.................well you know, not like this is some new idea in horror.

I bash films for being derivative yes...There is a difference between derivative and generic...There are plenty of films I like which fall into a generic template such as Wrong Turn and the first 4 Friday the 13ths, but derivative to me, means it doesn't have any original ideas...I don't think my story is original (stranded in the woods, running afoul of an inbred family)...It wasn't about that...It was about working within those conventions and trying to offer something slightly different....TO put my own spin on it...And it was much more of a technical excercise...

for what it is though, very well done. tops for me being the atmosphere music in it, very nice old school horror feel to it.

Thanks...

[AnalBreeze]

I liked it! Great Job, N2N. Nothing new but definately yours! and yes, I jumped too! :D

[McVain]

and yes, I jumped too! :D
It's unanimous then. We are all girlie men. That's great though. Most of the time people use the Surround tracks to get their jump scares. It's got to be cool knowing there are people watching your short film and it's making them jump.

[N2NOther]

At work I had my portable DVD player going and made people watch the movie during their lunch breaks...It was a lot of fun watching people jump...At one point there were 6 of us watching someone watch it...We laughed every time someone jumped...But yeah, it does make me feel good...I'm not into cheap jump scares unless it comes from the actual threat...I hope to avoid people sneaking up on people and cats jumping through windows for the whole of my career...

[I am Legend]

the thing about that jump scare was that i totally didnt expect it, it was right out of left field.

very well done on that one. and yeah, most are cheap, but that one wasnt, it was actually how a jump scene should be, no buildup or forwarning at all, just an all-of-a-sudden FUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!

good shit.

[AnalBreeze]

Yeah, when I heard you all talkin' about a jump scene, I was thinkin' it was comin'
after they leave the "Crackheads" house and are standing in the dark in the woods!
I figured Junior would jump out with a chainsaw or something!

"Hey! Hey, I have a bar!" FUCK! :eek:

[N2NOther]

Tricks of the trade: When you have a falling out with your monster, and need to do reshoots in which his character is needed, frame it in such a way that no one can tell that it's you wearing a wig attacking him...

I tackled Ace, and any close up of Ace during that scene is me... ;)

[AnalBreeze]

How do you have a falling out with your monster?
Did he feel that he would be type cast?
Did he want his own trailer?
Did he want more money?

Anyway, you can't tell it's 2 different people, Good job!

[N2NOther]

How do you have a falling out with your monster?
Did he feel that he would be type cast?
Did he want his own trailer?
Did he want more money?

Anyway, you can't tell it's 2 different people, Good job!


He's a filmmaker as well and we have distinctly different styles of directing but similar temperments...I apologized but he wanted none of it...The last time I saw him he nodded his head and that was it...He has very thin skin if he wants to be in this business but I wish him no ill will...

[Killroy]

N2N, you may have answered this on one of the other forums, but I don't remember reading it...how long was the filming as opposed to the post-production stuff?

[N2NOther]

N2N, you may have answered this on one of the other forums, but I don't remember reading it...how long was the filming as opposed to the post-production stuff?

Filming was done over the course of a Friday and Saturday in late August for principle photography and one afternoon-early morning reshoot in late September...

Post is harder to pin down because I was working like hell and then got discouraged by not being happy with it...You really have no idea how much better the footage looks after color correction and filtering and how much better it plays with music...Once I did the score (three weeks ago) I tightened it up to where I was happy and then I did the color correction...