The 2012 24-Hour Video Race

Posted by    |    May 5th, 2012 at 9:50 am

The 2012 24-Hour Video Race began at the Dallas Angelika Film Center (Mockingbird Station) Friday, May 4th 2012 at 11:59pm with a theme, prop, location and line of dialogue assignment for the film. The race concludes 24 hours later with a sprint to the finish line back at the Angelika. All of the films that make it by the midnight deadline will be screened and compete for awards & bragging rights. The winning videos will later be screened at the 25th VideoFest in September at the Dallas Museum of Art, and also on Frame of Mind, a KERA television program.

This year, the demented minds that run the race (yes Bart, I am talking about you), came up with the following elements:

Theme: Going Green

Location:  A Closet

Prop:  Fortune Cookie

A line a dialog is:  I don’t know, what do you think?

Once again, YouPlusMedia will be represented at the judges’ table viewing videos from talented content creators primarily from DFW.  We are humbled to be included with a panel of distinguished judges from the film and video community.  The events unfold as follows:

Tuesday- Thursday, May 8-10th 6-10 pm contestant’s screenings Angelika Film Center Dallas

Monday, May 14th Monday 6-10 Race finalist screen-Winners announced

All events take place on the 2nd floor of the Angelika Film Center Dallas at Mockingbird Station

 

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Hipster Critic Reviews YouPlusDallas Short Film, ‘Just In Time For Love’

Posted by    |    February 20th, 2012 at 6:00 am

Here at YouPlusDallas, we love covering the goings on in our city from a cinematic point of view, but sometimes, we just like to tell a story of our own. This Valentine’s Day, we debuted a YouPlusDallas original short film entitled Just In Time For Love, directed by Jun Kang, which has garnered a pretty nice response from the artistic community.

Hipster Critic recently reviewed the YPD original, and dotes on the city as one of the short film’s main characters.

Says the review:

 I think director Jun Kang is a talented artist. The city and the actors looked timeless. Every shot felt deliberate and artistic. When it comes to the story, while I found it fun to watch, it wasn’t particularly memorable. The actors were good enough, but at times their performance felt over done. The main actor, Justin Locklear looks unique and classic all at the same time, but during his performance I couldn’t forget that he was acting and this kept me from getting swept up in the story. Actress Cara Johnston also looked wonderful on screen as the nerdy but pretty-girl-from-down-the-street. Yet, she too, gave me a slightly awkward feeling that sub-par acting can evoke.

Do you agree? View the video above, and tell us what you think.

Click here for the full review

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Touch: Adult Theme

Posted by    |    February 6th, 2012 at 11:55 am

This is not a particularly visual film, but rather uses dialogue and implied visuals to tell a story.

Judging by her style of dress, casual mannerisms and intimate tone of voice, they could be any couple in Dallas having a dinner date on rainy night.  We are drawn into the conversation about what is passionately sexy.  Surprisingly, she was a prostitute and they didn’t know each other.  What might have been the beginning of  a relationship that is turning intimate turns out to be a Q&A about what they “like”.  How many clients actually care enough to ask her those same questions?  The money was the end game, but the director makes sure that we are first taken to a different place in this short film.

 

 

 

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Moving Day: One Surprisingly Sassy Short Film

Posted by    |    November 28th, 2011 at 2:21 pm

Ever watch a film and think it’s going to be one thing, but it totally surprises you and becomes another?  A good example of this was the recent release of the film “Drive” with Hollywood sex symbol Ryan Gosling.  The incredible visuals, the lack of dialogue, and the amazing soundtrack seemed like the perfect storm of cinematic awesomeness.  Then the story takes a dramatically gory turn that you aren’t quite prepared for, and it goes from Oscar contender to a B-list horror film.  (I apologize if you loved “Drive”.  I loved the first quarter of it, but the rest? Bleh.)

What does this have to do with new short film “Moving Day” by Jason Wingrove?  Well, this film has a similar quality in that it delivers the unexpected, all while wrapped up in a cinematic bow.  The angles, the lighting, the effects, and of course, the acting are all brilliantly executed.  So when the premise of a little girl encountering her first moments in the house her family is moving into starts to seem a little slow, this Wingrove packs a punch that snaps you back to attention.  Oh, the eye candy shots of her bathed in sunlight on the staircase or walking through the front door in a clever mirrored shot are enough to keep you interested, but the twist is what keeps you enthralled. (more…)

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Whatever Lola Wants, Dan Blank Makes Happen

Posted by    |    October 18th, 2011 at 11:05 am

Go take a look at this really stylish video, Whatever Lola Wants, produced and directed by Dan Blank.  It features the retro song and dance group called The Satin Dollz that remembers the glory days of the 40′s and 50′s glitz and glamour.  Along for the ride is a Jump-Jive music ensemble from the United Kingdom called The Jive Aces, and the sultry voice of the late Sarah Vaughan.  Forget Madonna, Lola embodies the original Material Girl.

Can you put all this old school talent together with a little modern cutting edge technology and make some magic?  Dan Blank and his team figured out how to do it.  What’s even more incredible, they did it on a 40′s and 50′s sized budget of around $2000!  Shot entirely with a Canon 7D DSLR (and almost entirely using a Canon 35mm 1.4L lens), and post production with liberal use of After Effects, this video has an incredible polished finish to it.  It also seems to perfectly capture the spirit and feel of the days-gone-by portrayed by the Satin Dollz and Jive Aces. (more…)

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Dallas Video Fest 24

Posted by    |    September 15th, 2011 at 1:00 am

Dallas Video Fest 24 will be Sept. 21-25, 2011 at the Angelika Film Center and Texas Theatre in the city of Dallas. The Dallas Video Festival, under the care of Bart Weiss, is one of the oldest video-based festivals in the country.

This year’s festival will present a large selection of films,  panel discussions, workshops and seminars. According to the folks at the Dallas Video Fest, Opening night will feature the film, “Film Socialisme,” the new feature from  director and French New wave pioneer Jean-Luc Godard. They will also present a MMA documentary “Once I Was A Champion,” about the life and struggles of former UFC Champion Evan Tanner. as well as documentary “Connected,” created by the founders of the Webby Awards.

YouPlusDallas and its short film network and gallery will showcase several of the Dallas Video Fest 24 short films over the course of the next few weeks.

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YouPlusDallas Launches Short Films Network

Posted by    |    August 21st, 2011 at 5:00 am

YouPlusDallas is launching YouPlusShortFilms,  a new initiative designed to support Texas-based film makers.  Our friend, Bart Weiss, has been kind enough to experiment with us in this noble effort, and so we inaugurate our new network by showcasing the winners of the tenth annual  24 Hour Video Race.  This event is presented annually by the Video Association of Dallas.

KERA’s Anne Bothwell, photographer/videographer David Leason, D Mag’s Peter Simek, Laura Neitzel, a founder of the 24 Hour Video Race ten years ago and I judged the final entries which were screened on Monday, May 23 at the Angelika Film Center. (more…)

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