First of all, I want to say how much I admire the passion and effort you’ve put into this project. It’s clear that you care deeply about creating something meaningful, and tackling a Christian film with these themes is a bold and exciting goal. I really respect you for pursuing this vision and putting yourself out there. After watching the sizzle, I wanted to share a few thoughts that I hope you’ll find helpful as you refine it. These are just my impressions, so take them for what they’re worth! Pacing: The overall pacing felt a bit slow. My roommate, who watched with me, mentioned she found it hard to stay engaged through the full 12 minutes, especially early on. Tightening up some scenes-maybe by trimming certain shots or speeding up transitions-could really help maintain momentum and hold viewers' attention. A faster pace might be especially important for a sizzle reel, which needs to hook people quickly. Diner Scene: The scene where the preacher is preaching in the diner had some reactions from the other characters-like someone pulling their hood up and another person nodding-but they still felt too subdued. Unless the preacher directly talks to them, it’s as though they’re mannequins. Adding more natural reactions-like curious glances, subtle shifts of discomfort, or someone speaking up-might make the scene feel more dynamic and realistic. Also, the lack of sound during this scene is noticeable. The silence creates an odd atmosphere that seems unnatural for a diner setting. Adding some background noise-like ambient diner chatter or the sounds of cutlery and plates-could make the scene feel more grounded and immersive. Dialogue: Some of the dialogue didn’t feel as natural as it could. For example, when Jesus speaks, his words didn’t seem to carry the authority you’d expect from His character. Body language can make a big difference, too-for instance, when Jesus had his hands crossed low, it came across as protective or uncertain rather than confident. Maybe adjusting his posture and tone could help convey His power and authority more effectively. The second scene with the lady of the night also seemed just quiet. Not a lot of dialogue, no tv, or music was playing so when she was just standing there as the guy put the other women hair behind her ear felt off. Clock Scene: In the scene with the woman’s eye as the clock ticks down, it looked like a still photo rather than a video. Using a video shot, where you can see subtle movements like blinking or slight shifts, would make the moment feel more alive and engaging. Jesus’ Lines: When Jesus says, “When you fell from your original state, I am the one who died for you,” my roommate, who only recently came to the Lord, found it confusing. The phrasing might not connect with viewers who don’t have a strong background in Christian theology. Rewording it in simpler terms, like, “When humanity turned away from God, I came to save you,” might make it clearer and more impactful for a broader audience. Audience: One thing I noticed is that this feels like a movie primarily for Christians who are already familiar with the faith and its teachings. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if that’s your goal! But if you’re aiming to reach non-Christians or those new to the faith, some lines and scenes might need to be made more accessible. For example, theological concepts like “falling from your original state” or the way characters interact with Jesus might need further clarification or context to connect with a broader audience. Bitterness and Behavior: The character who threw coffee on the homeless man stood out as inconsistent. For someone who’s still reading her Bible and praying, that level of bitterness felt a little extreme without more backstory. Adding more context to explain her actions could make her struggle feel more believable and relatable. Overall, I think you’ve got a lot of great ideas here, and I really believe you have the talent to bring this to life. These are just some thoughts that might help make it even stronger and more engaging. Best of luck with everything-you’re doing something amazing here!
@@meminimeusvita the one putting on her hood is a former member of his church, girl nodding has had a rough early life but has accepted Jesus. This as a sizzle reel is meant to raise funds for the feature film where these scenes will be mixed through and have a more enjoyable view. These are just some brief scenes that give the basic idea of each character and the story as a whole. The feature film will expand on this further if we can get the funds.
@ Okay, yeah, I guess my old art student came out in me. (not in film) and I was letting you know how the sizzle is coming across. Sorry if I overstepped.
@meminimeusvita Not at all. I appreciate your thoughts. Each scene in the sizzle reel is just a moment that expresses what the full feature film will expand on. This is just to show what it could look like. It's a video to help raise funds for the feature film.
@@meminimeusvita Also. That is only a brief moment with Jesus. The feature film will expand on that entirely. Falling from our original state means Adam and Eve before the forbidden fruit.. where sin entered the world. Then when Jesus died for our sins on the cross. The full movie will expand on this but first we need the funding for the feature film.
Dear Filmmakers, Your lighting needs a lot of work. Some scenes have blown out walls and windows while other scenes are way too dark. I'd also look at using some fill lighting for people's faces so the contrast isn't so stark. I know you're probably using the darker scenes to set the mood, but when it becomes this noticeable you've overdone it. Good luck in your adventure. I hope you get the funding. Take care of some of these things and I think you'll have a much better chance with that.
@@John-p6d8l I actually think that was done in editing. To create the illusion. Look me up on Facebook, I can share with you the behind the scenes photos from the filming. The first edits were a bit brighter I believe. My name is Aaron Allen on Facebook. I do thank you for your comment and concern. Maybe we can talk about your lighting services.
I actually felt kind of bad about it later because I was thinking that I might have been a little too harsh. I really respect anyone who goes through all the effort that it takes to make a movie so kudos to you for that! I actually haven't used Facebook in years but I'll see if I can dig up my old account somewhere.
@@John-p6d8lDon't feel bad. All reviews are taken into consideration to help make improvements. Some scenes are in a dark moment in the characters life. Do they get out of the dark moment? That's what you will see in the feature film. Please, don't feel bad. You weren't harsh. I appreciate your thoughts and concerns. May I ask besides the lighting, what did you think?
First of all, I want to say how much I admire the passion and effort you’ve put into this project. It’s clear that you care deeply about creating something meaningful, and tackling a Christian film with these themes is a bold and exciting goal. I really respect you for pursuing this vision and putting yourself out there.
After watching the sizzle, I wanted to share a few thoughts that I hope you’ll find helpful as you refine it. These are just my impressions, so take them for what they’re worth!
Pacing: The overall pacing felt a bit slow. My roommate, who watched with me, mentioned she found it hard to stay engaged through the full 12 minutes, especially early on. Tightening up some scenes-maybe by trimming certain shots or speeding up transitions-could really help maintain momentum and hold viewers' attention. A faster pace might be especially important for a sizzle reel, which needs to hook people quickly.
Diner Scene: The scene where the preacher is preaching in the diner had some reactions from the other characters-like someone pulling their hood up and another person nodding-but they still felt too subdued. Unless the preacher directly talks to them, it’s as though they’re mannequins. Adding more natural reactions-like curious glances, subtle shifts of discomfort, or someone speaking up-might make the scene feel more dynamic and realistic. Also, the lack of sound during this scene is noticeable. The silence creates an odd atmosphere that seems unnatural for a diner setting. Adding some background noise-like ambient diner chatter or the sounds of cutlery and plates-could make the scene feel more grounded and immersive.
Dialogue: Some of the dialogue didn’t feel as natural as it could. For example, when Jesus speaks, his words didn’t seem to carry the authority you’d expect from His character. Body language can make a big difference, too-for instance, when Jesus had his hands crossed low, it came across as protective or uncertain rather than confident. Maybe adjusting his posture and tone could help convey His power and authority more effectively.
The second scene with the lady of the night also seemed just quiet. Not a lot of dialogue, no tv, or music was playing so when she was just standing there as the guy put the other women hair behind her ear felt off.
Clock Scene: In the scene with the woman’s eye as the clock ticks down, it looked like a still photo rather than a video. Using a video shot, where you can see subtle movements like blinking or slight shifts, would make the moment feel more alive and engaging.
Jesus’ Lines: When Jesus says, “When you fell from your original state, I am the one who died for you,” my roommate, who only recently came to the Lord, found it confusing. The phrasing might not connect with viewers who don’t have a strong background in Christian theology. Rewording it in simpler terms, like, “When humanity turned away from God, I came to save you,” might make it clearer and more impactful for a broader audience.
Audience: One thing I noticed is that this feels like a movie primarily for Christians who are already familiar with the faith and its teachings. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if that’s your goal! But if you’re aiming to reach non-Christians or those new to the faith, some lines and scenes might need to be made more accessible. For example, theological concepts like “falling from your original state” or the way characters interact with Jesus might need further clarification or context to connect with a broader audience.
Bitterness and Behavior: The character who threw coffee on the homeless man stood out as inconsistent. For someone who’s still reading her Bible and praying, that level of bitterness felt a little extreme without more backstory. Adding more context to explain her actions could make her struggle feel more believable and relatable.
Overall, I think you’ve got a lot of great ideas here, and I really believe you have the talent to bring this to life. These are just some thoughts that might help make it even stronger and more engaging.
Best of luck with everything-you’re doing something amazing here!
@@meminimeusvita the one putting on her hood is a former member of his church, girl nodding has had a rough early life but has accepted Jesus. This as a sizzle reel is meant to raise funds for the feature film where these scenes will be mixed through and have a more enjoyable view. These are just some brief scenes that give the basic idea of each character and the story as a whole. The feature film will expand on this further if we can get the funds.
@ Okay, yeah, I guess my old art student came out in me. (not in film) and I was letting you know how the sizzle is coming across. Sorry if I overstepped.
@meminimeusvita Not at all. I appreciate your thoughts. Each scene in the sizzle reel is just a moment that expresses what the full feature film will expand on. This is just to show what it could look like. It's a video to help raise funds for the feature film.
@@meminimeusvita Also. That is only a brief moment with Jesus. The feature film will expand on that entirely. Falling from our original state means Adam and Eve before the forbidden fruit.. where sin entered the world. Then when Jesus died for our sins on the cross. The full movie will expand on this but first we need the funding for the feature film.
Dear Filmmakers,
Your lighting needs a lot of work. Some scenes have blown out walls and windows while other scenes are way too dark. I'd also look at using some fill lighting for people's faces so the contrast isn't so stark. I know you're probably using the darker scenes to set the mood, but when it becomes this noticeable you've overdone it. Good luck in your adventure. I hope you get the funding. Take care of some of these things and I think you'll have a much better chance with that.
@@John-p6d8l I actually think that was done in editing. To create the illusion. Look me up on Facebook, I can share with you the behind the scenes photos from the filming. The first edits were a bit brighter I believe. My name is Aaron Allen on Facebook. I do thank you for your comment and concern. Maybe we can talk about your lighting services.
I actually felt kind of bad about it later because I was thinking that I might have been a little too harsh. I really respect anyone who goes through all the effort that it takes to make a movie so kudos to you for that! I actually haven't used Facebook in years but I'll see if I can dig up my old account somewhere.
@@John-p6d8lDon't feel bad. All reviews are taken into consideration to help make improvements. Some scenes are in a dark moment in the characters life. Do they get out of the dark moment? That's what you will see in the feature film. Please, don't feel bad. You weren't harsh. I appreciate your thoughts and concerns. May I ask besides the lighting, what did you think?