Let me preface this by saying that I have an upmost respect for film and students, foremost, and that it why I feel it neccessary to share my concerns (not out of spite for this site).

That being said, since I discovered this site a year ago I have been avidly trying to convince myself that this is indeed a great site. It does many things correct, including offer these forums, the ability to review/be reviewed, and of course post your films.

However, I have submitted to films and both have been uploaded significantly below an acceptable standard. My first film had obnoxious beeping, while my second's film beautiful HD look was annihalated by this site. Of course I'm not expecting to stream my film on the internet in HD, but it seemed to look fine on YouTube and my website, where here the color was to dark, or to bright/intense. Why and how are beyond me. As if that wasn't enough the audio is a second off! This is simply not acceptable. And was definetly not like that on my submitted DVD. I followed on the instructions, submitted in the correct format. Mpeg-2 DVD NTSC. But this site just got it wrong.

While YouTube, you'd think, wouldn't offer productive reviews like an honest site like this, I havn't received my $10 worth of reviews. One review? After I plead for one in a forum? It just doesn't seem worth the trouble. Everyone is too lazy to review the films, or just not visiting it anymore.

I would be perfectly willing to abandon such mainstream (and free) sites as YouTube or Google Video for a website that offerrs quality. But it just doesn't.

All that's left are the forums, and even there no one really says anything that productive or interesting.

Will I give up on this site? Unlikely. Like I said, I just want to believe that this site can get it right, because it was pre-YouTube, pre-Google Video, pre-Myspace video, pre-Facebook video.

Here's to hoping that Christ Wright makes that changes to save this site from being sucked into bankrupcy.

I watched your film Heart Attack probably the first or second day it was on the sight but I didn't review it because I felt I couldn't add a lot of constructive criticism. It was ok, I enjoyed, but I guess I would have had to put a lot into reviewing something when it would be more the type of film I would make. Sorry, I guess I should have just doen my best anyways. It did seem a bit like the type of tone Nicholas Gurewitch film which I thought was cool but could have been executed a little better. Had about the right length, but just needed a little work on the narration and a few small other changes could have put it in that top league. Plus, I specifically remember the sound being sychronized when I saw it when it first came up. Are you sure it ahs been off the whole time? I watched it again and was surprised by how noticable the sound was off and glitches there were. Maybe I'm wrong, but when I watched it again just now I couldn't believe how bad the sound was and I really can't remember it being like that. It is something you should ask Chris, but email him directly to get a better and faster response.

Although I agree with you on the "no one really says anything that productive or interesting." You really would have been lucky to discover this site 4 years ago (but maybe it is sadder to see what it has become first hand).

Let me know when Black Shadow Films has a new release out, on this site or elsewhere, and I'd love to see it simply to watch how another filmmaker's work progresses and gets better. Good luck!

I'm re-encoding the film now to see about those problems. I'm usually extremely quick about fixing any problems with your film if you e-mail me about them.

The best way to submit to the site is via a QuickTime on a DVD and not as a set-top MPEG DVD (although that's still workable).

I appreciate your concerns and I'm well aware that the video part of the site is "behind the times" and we're working on getting it back to where it should be.

Uploading new QTs now. They should be up in five minutes or so.

The sync is fixed and I think I got the picture to look better. I did notice some odd artifacts in the encode - I'm re-encoding now using Sorenson instead of H.264 to see if that is what was causing the problem.

In the future if you have any issues - please e-mail me and I'll fix it as quickly as possible.

Also, the out of sync was somehow being added by the DVD ripping software which is strange. I e-mailed the company about it but I was able to fix the sync with my editing program. It's strange because I haven't seen that happen before.

I think in the FAQ I have a QuickTime on a DVD as the most preferable way to submit a film to the site - if this isn't clear let me know.

A settop DVD is the next best thing - but it has the compression and recompression issues of burning an MPEG DVD on your end and then me ripping it on my end - but for longer films it is really the only option. For short films such as yours a QT would work better.

Let me know if it's better. Also, re the other film and the "beeping" did you ever e-mail me about that? I'll try and track down the disc you sent it on to see if I can fix it. It may take a little longer though as I need to find the disc.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Studentfilms.com,

About the ratings, I did notice that ratings are a bit low on the site but I guess you cant compare SF to youtube. We need more critics...

Besides that I still like the fact that SF concentrates on student film makers.

Ok - new version is up using Sorenson instead of H.264 which seems to have gotten rid of those glitches - and it appears to be in sync.

In the future please e-mail me as soon as you notice a problem and I'll fix it ASAP.

Re the reviews - I'm not sure why there aren't more reviews - people are certainly watching the films. I've tried a "Review Me" list but that really didn't work.

I'm not sure what else to try to get more people to review films.

I think the old saying if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all aplies here.

Look at the top rated films, they are overflowing with reviews. The cut-rate ones? Not so much.

I would however love to see "official" critics maybe 3 or four members who would write reviews for all new films. These would have to be trusted individuals, with site cred, similar to forum monitors who could constructively criticize yet give an honest appraisal of the films. Maybe this would add value to the site, plus the other members could talk shizz about the official critics!

I've been checking this site out, long before I actually signed up and it was great what I saw; hence the reason I signed up. I think its good that this thread came up and simply because it was a pretty straightforward critique and not a complete bashing.

I can wholeheartedly say that I, for one know that Chris is trying to make the site the best it can possibly be. Yes, it is hard to compete with Google video, YouTube, Facebook video etc, but this site is also a wealth of information.

If you would take a few minutes to look around, you'll find a great deal of information relating to life, as well as film. There are a lot of repeat posts and idiot posters more recently, but thats what happens when a site hits its peak...there's nowhere to really go, but downhill.

I think the site is salvageable, but I think we as a community need to do something. Chris can't do everything himself and I remember he's tried to see what the members wanted and asked what we could do to make the site better.

I also remember we got some half-thought out answers and I won't lie; I'm guilty of that myself. The site needs more than a face-lift, it needs something that can breathe new life into its old pages. I think we should, as a community try to figure something out, before its too late.

-Kegan

P.S - That ending line was way too dramatic for its own good.

"I would however love to see "official" critics maybe 3 or four members who would write reviews for all new films. These would have to be trusted individuals, with site cred, similar to forum monitors who could constructively criticize yet give an honest appraisal of the films. Maybe this would add value to the site, plus the other members could talk shizz about the official critics!"

yes this was the idea of doing our HW, cause we'd all be forced to crituque...but we're all horrible ****S

Thanks so much to Chris and to everyone who replied to this thread.

First of all, I really appreciate you fixing the problems on my film. I guess it's my fault for not emailing you when I noticed the issues.

As for the other stuff, I think that having professional critics to review would be great (but expensive). Maybe Chris could, if he's not too busy.

I definetly think this sight is salvegable, I'm just not sure what the right path is.

Thanks again

David

YouTube has a "review rating" system where users can give a thumbs up or thumbs down to reviews on videos. Maybe a similar function could serve well here, allowing users to give better, more thorough reviews more "kudos" and allowing those who post them to perhaps earn "street cred" which can be used for obtaining merchandise, entering into contests, posting their films for a reduced price, higher quality or simply having the honor?

Just shooting the breeze. With a shotgun.

quote:

Originally posted by Kyle Johnson:
yes this was the idea of doing our HW, cause we'd all be forced to crituque...but we're all horrible ****S

Huh? Clarity takes effort.

We don't need professional critics just a few respected users like,.. well, Kyle, TD and Funkbomb come to mind. Just something small to add value, Plus it wouldn't involve any super techy makeover.

I like the idea of respected users doing reviews. The problem is the practicallity and motivation to get said respected users to do so. Giving some form of credit (as previously mentioned) might be a possibility...

Chris?

Limiting who can review a film is only going to limit the amount of traffic to this site and the number of films contributed. Both are bad ramifications.

Instead, why not simply regulate the reviews better? First off, since Chris Wright has to read every review review before it is published, he could simply be more discerning.

However, I don't like that option, it's too ambiguous. Instead, why not add a categorized comments box under the star reviews, where the reviewer must respond in each category to be posted?

For example, in place of the current "Comments" box, break it up into "Qualities of the Film" and "Areas for Imporvement." That way, one must put at least a minimum amount of effort into giving constructive criticism.

Beyond that, we might just have to put up unfounded criticisms and poor critiques, unless we want the site to become closed and isolated.