"Learning to Prey" - a Nelson / Double Decher Productions

[Horncastle]

This was a professionally produced piece - great lighting, camera moves, ramping, etc. Apart from a few small acting flaws already mentioned it all works OK, but... it just feels a little bit flat and unsurprising. When it comes down to it, I think I don't really feel this film is "yours" in the same way as Aetas and Ossian - it feels as though you are making what you think you ought to be making rather than really having your heart in it.

What you say here seems to confirm this:

Originally Posted by Shawn Philip Nelson

I appreciate that you like Aetas and Ossian better, as that's ultimately more 'me', but it seems more people like this one better, go figure. It's a continual sore spot with me how poorly received Aetas and Ossian were, hence why I wont do another one like that on here, ever.

I scratched my head a little when I read this. I actually went back to look at the threads of both of them: Aetas was a finalist (in my personal top 5 I believe) and both had lots of really good reviews - so I would hardly say they were poorly received. They were both beautiful (and to my mind more personal) films, although Aetas was perhaps rather an epic trying to be a short while Ossian was a "small" film, a single scene really (nothing wrong with that, it worked really well, but it probably put it at a disadvantage in the scoring). And I'm sure your heart was in them both. So I think and hope that sooner or later you will go back to making Aetases and Ossians (and, as an aside, they will probably be all the better for your experience making films like Learning to Prey).

[Sprocketboy]

There is a lot of nice work in this short. DP work, as usual in all your films, is great. The ADR is still noticeable even though you did a damn good job hiding it under the music. Nate's ADR is not working too well and made his performance sub par to the actors around him. The only other thing I will point out that I didn't care much for... is the reaction of the vampire's apprentice in the closet during the attack scene. Its too cute. Overall, the editing is tight and paces nicely throughout. A big thumbs up on the music and sound design work. Your actresses come across confident and convincing. A job well done.