Stream of consciousness review:

Dexter opening, tight shots - nothing out of place, awesome sound quality, awesome picture quality, Dayzaweoh download?, Ak-47 reference on the PSP a comment on violence in Africa?, how did you open/shut the doors?, smallest hint of color (red in the heater element) when you make toast for the second time, how did you film this yourself?, shirtwalker is really creepy - also very lovable.

Stephen thought this on October 31, 2008 at 8:55 am

Bravo Justin!
We miss you here, but we know what you are doing is important, and of substance.

Brett thought this on October 31, 2008 at 10:30 am

Awesome man! It’s been a while since a Justin Edwards film has graced my eyes. It was satisfying.
Come back to BG and let’s make some shorts.

Dan thought this on October 31, 2008 at 12:13 pm

I love that you have a machete in a dresser drawer.

The sound effects were very well done. I’m guessing you recorded a lot of the sound separately; am I right? Impressive job being the one-man-band for everything in this short! I did wonder what happened to the first two pieces of toast.

I want to hear more Dayzaweoh.

Joel thought this on October 31, 2008 at 12:19 pm

Some Production Notes: (SPOILERS?)

Dayzahweoh = nonsense - 4 sounds that came out of my mouth when trying to come up with what the thing would say.

But since he talks backwards, it sounds more like he’s saying, “Who was it?” - like - “Who took the toast?” That was lucky!

Oh but when he first appears he says, “Drink the juice” backwards.

What’s that about? Well it was the tag for my foley recording from when I recorded myself drinking juice so I could paste the sound in to me standing by the fridge, drinking juice.

Dayzaweoh walking is the sound of water running sped up a lot, mixed with some of me brushing my teeth.

The heavy breathing of Dayzaweoh is actually the freezer in the room where he lives, slowed down and turned up a lot.

This is about the duality of man. The side that everyone sees, and the hidden, opposite. I am tall, brush my teeth a lot, forget my toast. Dayzaweoh, also me, is short, never bathes, eats my scraps, steals my forgotten toast, and his room is a mirror image of mine.

That last paragraph is total BS.

I shot this with the Canon Vixia HF10 - HD in the palm of your hand!

I edited with Final Cut Pro.

I recorded foley with the Fostex FR2 Field Recorder and a Shure SM 57.

For live camera sound, I used the Sennheiser G2 wireless lavalier mic, which often accidentally ended up in shots, whoops!

Lighting was about 5 different lamps I placed around the room or didn’t. Once I used my big reflector disc thing, the shot of me shaking my head in the kitchen before meeting Dayzaweoh.

I’m not very good at Metal Gear Acid 2, but am pretty good at guitar, despite the evidence here.

This website was a one-column design for WordPress that I adapted.

Any questions from the audience?

Justin Edwards thought this on October 31, 2008 at 12:26 pm

@Dan Okaaaay….?! Have you started a tailoring business I wasn’t aware of?

@Joel Asante. Of course, if you go back to my first ever short, Evil Dead in the Basement back when I was 13, you’ll see I’ve just been making the same movie over and over again.

@Brett This is not the Bowling Green Brett, but rather, the surfer LA Brett. Thanks for your comments! Yes, much substance going on here in Malindi.

@Stephen I’ll consider putting up the song for dLoad. Yes, the toaster is the only color because it is what calls Dayzaweoh from the 9th ring of his wayward time parabola!

Justin Edwards thought this on October 31, 2008 at 12:50 pm

Loved it. Awesome camera work, wonderful sound, can’t believe you made it solo. Simultaneously heartwarming and slightly eerie.

If I were to really psychoanalyze (acting as an analyzer/therapist, or “analrapist”), I’d have to say this short is about the personification of your isolation and loneliness coupled with frustration brought on by delays in work and monotony. I AM SO EFFING DEEP OMG.

Miss you, Justin. Hope you’re doing well, brother.

Maz thought this on October 31, 2008 at 2:34 pm

Is that some M. Knight influence when it’s outdoors and the hanging towels are framing the shot like curtains? Reminds me of Unbreakable.

Michael thought this on October 31, 2008 at 2:52 pm

@Michael Yeah, by way of Alfred Hitchcock of course.

@Maz I’ve met the personification of my isolation and loneliness and he is nothing like Dayzaweoh. He’s kinda like Kate Hudson & Anne Hathaway in the new surefire hit, Bride Wars, especially when she screams, “The terrorists win!” in the preview! You can bet that had me and my follow Kenyan moviegoers cracking up! I couldn’t believe that, referencing something made relevant to people in 2001, and turning it around 7 years later and making a joke out of the terrorists winning! Pure genius! I bet that phrase will be a hit one-liner joke for sitcoms and trendsetters for years to come. Those writers were really on top of things. I for one cannot wait for Bride Wars. You in America should get your tickets in advance. I hope it is still playing when I get home!

Justin Edwards thought this on October 31, 2008 at 3:47 pm

Then if we’re going Hitchcock, I have to mention Psycho. I mean, you’ve even got a shot of you and a shower.

Michael thought this on October 31, 2008 at 4:04 pm

@Michael And of course you’ve looked closely at what book I’m reading. I made this movie because of AH and what he told me in that book.

Justin Edwards thought this on October 31, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Just debuted in Willow on the Casemare Sony 26 in set thru my wonderful MacAir. The crowd (mom, Case. Sebo, Mary) sat in rapt attention. Mom said she was scared. Sebo said he was hungry. Casey did not speak. Mary laughed. And we all wanted a copy of the song, especially now that we know it is nonsense. I definitely was the first to say “Dexter,” ’cause no body but me saw it minutes after you made it available on my computer! And, since we have lived and ate and cooked and slept there, we can vouch for both its authenticity, and the creepiness of sounds. And abandoned Toast.

Bruse in Willow thought this on October 31, 2008 at 4:41 pm

I thought you were singing “Today is all we owe.”

Didn’t want the last shot to be the toaster spitting out the just heated toast?

Michael thought this on October 31, 2008 at 5:38 pm

See my review (at) http://www.pseudobook.com/bruce/?p=915

Sebo thought this on October 31, 2008 at 6:17 pm

How come my name is not in Yellow?

Sebo thought this on October 31, 2008 at 6:18 pm

I get it–cause it’s not clickable. Sigh. Whisper. Cry.

Sebo thought this on October 31, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Bravo. Very well done and I will admit it creeped me out. Could be my fear of forgotten toast or short fat things crawling out of my cupboards or just well done suspense coupled with great sound and tight shots. How did you “create” Dayzaweoh? Would love to see the sequel.

Allen thought this on October 31, 2008 at 9:41 pm

@Michael If you listen close, the 2nd set of toast *POPS* during the climactic build-up-courage scene, as Dayzaweoh is on his way to get it.

When Dayzaweoh realized I was still around, he feels caught, “Oh crap I shouldn’t have stolen this guys first toast.” So that’s why he returns it.

@Sebo Thanks for the review, Sebo! When you fill in your name, make sure to change the previous commenter so it doesn’t fill it in wrong for you! And you name can be yellow if you put in a website where it says “Website?”

@Allen Ha thanks man. Did you (or anyone else) check out my Post Viewing Thoughts video (after the PS)? That serves as the sequel - Dayzaweoh and I are buddies now, roommates, etc.

Justin Edwards thought this on November 1, 2008 at 4:58 am

Maybe you can put Dayzaweoh to work. Like he can do all the mundane tasks around the house while you’re doing other stuff. He’s really close to the ground so I’d imagine he could clean it pretty well, although cleaning the windows might pose a problem.

Nice job.

Patrick thought this on November 1, 2008 at 10:26 am

delightfully photographed, beautifully lit, elegantly framed, brilliantly paced, subtle set-ups, unexpected payoffs, & I’m serious about wanting to download the hit song in the middle. My kids are about to watch for the third time. We’ll call it a surefire hit for the whole family…

Redbaerd thought this on November 1, 2008 at 11:51 am

@Patrick Yeah I tried. He’s pretty lazy. Tells me he stays up all night playing Wii Zelda, that never-ending cave at the end of the game or something. I swear, if he leaves any more trails of crumbs from the Pro-Players guide (which he eats as he finishes each subsequent level so the current cave is always the front page), I’m going to smack him back to…wherever it is he…came from?

@Redbaerd You mean as surefire as Bride Wars? Impossible! But I appreciate even being described with the same adjective as that illustrious film.

Justin Edwards thought this on November 1, 2008 at 3:46 pm

I loved the camera work and editing! Very impressive!

Yadneb thought this on November 2, 2008 at 3:06 pm

saw this movie! forget hitcock and m Night, this is an awesome JUSTIN EDWARD’S MOVIE. I love the quirkiness with a mixed blend of creepiness. an adorable nightmare! I am so pumped to make movies with you Justin! Though my latest feature isn’t really my cup of tea and I’ve worked on it for so long, it’s no where near what I really want to do. Hopefully we can start making an epidemic of awesome films this YEAR! no joke! I saw what you did by yourself! I’m into whatever you got brewing Justin! Whether it be acting, 2nd unit, or editor I’m all here! Seriously I’m making time for you when you get back here! None of that “Yeah we should totally do that, but never really do it B.S.” Great movie! great MOVIE!!! Looks like I’m a little late on this comment bandwagon! BUT THIS FILM WAS VERY JUSTIN EDWARDS! Still waiting for that second “adventures…” script!

JER thought this on November 2, 2008 at 5:48 pm

Stop making the toast…haha. Seriously great job on this. Very creepy and cool.

Benji thought this on November 2, 2008 at 9:44 pm

@Yadneb Thanks mate. I love my HD cam with the wide angle lens.

@JER You’re awesome! I can’t wait for Holy Crap! I’m going to Kibera this week and will meet the poorest filmmakers in the world (I know, you thought you were, right?). They have literally nothing but the clothes on their back and the stories in their heart. Maybe that’s what we need to do. Making movies isn’t what we want to do, it’s what we HAVE to do. There’s no other option.

@Benji You hit the nail on the head. But I love toast! I’ve since learned to make 2 sets every time, one I eat as fast as I can, and the other I leave in there for DZW. Lately he loves toasting stuff so much that he even asks me to toast the toast.

Justin Edwards thought this on November 3, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Justin -

Hi, I love the Dayzaweoh. Great movie, very entertaining and beautiful. Thinking about you a lot lately. Hope all things are going and going and moving and good. Do you have time to read a letter if I were to write you one? Also, your photos are incredible.

Pulu thought this on November 4, 2008 at 11:54 am

I’m not too surprised, but the whole notion of encountering strange creatures with closets involved - obviously a subconscious Narnia connection.

But moreso, a Time Bandits infusion into my imagination’s history. I must have watch it 3 dozen times growing up. Dayzaweoh, certainly the little person visiting through the closet, is referred to in the Post Viewing Thoughts as being called from the “9th ring of his wayward time parabola.” This made it (painfully?) obvious to me.

But I did not knowingly pull all that out of my hat. In fact, Dayzaweoh was initially going to be my fan, which has wheels (Kenya is hilarious), and I was going to drag it around and garbage mat myself out.

It’s always interesting to see influences come out in your work when you don’t plan for them. I didn’t realize any of this until this morning, when I looked at my closets here at the hostel in Nairobi and wondered if I could fit in them to play Dayzaweoh again.

I’m not surprised the TB rip hasn’t been mentioned, though, mostly because I know very few people who have actually seen Time Bandits. What a shame…

Justin Edwards thought this on November 8, 2008 at 2:17 am

Hello !
I saw your film and I really liked it ! Very strange, the end is so… I don’t know how to say, because my english is very bad (I’m a french girl, and if you’re asking yourself “how did she to find me?” I’ll answer that it was on one of my google search, I tape on the navigator “helter skelter” because I wanted to watch a film which talk about the killer charles manson, and I click on your website…

That’s funny. Why did you choose this title? You can answer me on my website, or add me on msn messenger. But I don’t read any email because this is not my professionnal adress.

So, have a good day, wherever you are !
Me, I’m in Paris.
What do you do in your life? (studies, job, travels…)
Me, I study communication and I do the press relations for a music band. (And I do photography for my pleasure)
So sorry for my english !!

Z°

Zombitch thought this on January 18, 2009 at 8:25 am