'Shooting Death' on a Flip Mino

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Jul5

Shooting Death on a Mino

Posted at 4:22 PM • View Comments

This is Part 1 of a Movie shot entirely on a Flip Mino HD – nothing nasty in this Part but as the film is a murder mystery I suggest you don’t watch alongside your kids! I chose Part 1 because I ddn’t want to give too much away. You can see more of the Flip footage by clicking on the link at the end of this post!

Shooting Death is a $300 movie shot on the Flip Mino HD. Director Rich Scheirmann tells the story to My Flip.

1. Tell us who you are and about your movie?

My name is Rich Scheirmnann and I’ve been making videos and short films since the age of nine. Over the last (almost) thirty years, I’ve watched film and video become more accessible to the average consumer. Our film was designed around these advances by utilizing digital video and online distribution. I think we are the first video blogged feature film and one of the first films shot on a Flip.

2. Tell us where the idea for the movie came from?

What if, one evening, you accidentally videotaped a horrific event… a murder? Subsequently, you take it to the police, route the footage through proper channels and still no one will listen. There is, however, one person who does believe you – the killer. How do you protect the ones you love when no one else cares? As clichéd as it may sound, the idea came to me in a dream. This dream centered on the idea of using social media to vindicate oneself and it haunted me. It remained in my subconscious until it slowly morphed into a couscous story. After a couple of days at the keyboard, it became our movie.

3. How did you cast the film?

This was a reality based movie and when you’re not paying your actors… you’re at the mercy of, “who will show up.” We asked friends and family if they knew anyone with great acting skills. We didn’t want the film to feel like a “scripted reality show”, so we needed some talent. You never truly know if the actors can deliver when the camera rolls. Let me tell you, this cast was everything we hoped for.

4. Why did you choose to shoot on the Flip Mino?

We decided on the Flip Mino because of its’ size, affordability and track record. We needed a camera that was small enough to attach to a laptop (the blogged videos) and had versatility during filming. During shooting, we created a Styrofoam mount that held the Flip and a wide angle lens. This mount helped with scenes that involved motion or tight areas.

5. What were the ups and downs of using the Flip?

We loved the ease of shoot, plug-in and capture. We previewed all the video on a laptop prior to moving on to the next scene. However, the Flip Mino only shoots in mono and therefore stereo sounds were created in post production. It also has difficulty (like most consumer cameras) in low light.

6. What do you hope to achieve with this movie?

This film was an experiment within the blogging medium. The idea lent to a more realistic, gritty story. Right Now, we’re just happy if people watch. We’d love to one day see the film, in its’ entirety, on Netflix or Hulu. For now, we’ll settle for the views we’re receiving.

7. What tips would you give Flip owners planning a movie?

In the end, big budgets don’t breed creativity. Truth is… the lack of money does. Focus on your concept and draft a compelling story. Making a low budget film look good is an art form and I hope we came close. I love this stuff and with today’s technology it’s becoming easier and easier to find an audience. I don’t understand why more film artisans aren’t distributing via the internet. Granted, you’re not going to make millions putting your work on YouTube, but at least people will see it.

shootingdeathmovie.com

See more about the Flip Video range including the Mino HD