UFO HUNTER?

A new episode has been made and upped today! Why? Well, I got my shiny new camera battery delivered to my door this morning, so I took it down the YouYangs Mountains to test it out!

The plot is a "free adaptation" (very loose, in other words!) of two ideas from Robert Russell ( some may remember who he is from the Anorak Zone!). It's a mock-documentary which is meant to be looking back on Damon's disappearance, the one which led to him joining in with the cosmic war. But it's interpreted as he was a nutter who went missing after shooting people he believed were possessed by aliens.

So far it seems to have outraged people on YouTube who really do believe in aliens and UFOs!!!

This is it! ENJOY!!!



Although scripted as a "mock docmentary", I was so inspired by the seeing the one I did with Wayne Monk again (The Beginning 1993) I kind of did the "re-enactment" in "action adventure" mode! I think it gives it some "punch!"

As I said...GREAT!
You need only to left that ugly "Windows Movie Maker"...the subtitles are ever not in the right place (too much in the middle!) and are ugly! FIND THE PINNNAAAAACLE!

I really enjoyed that one Ade, the best you've done for ages IMO.

Great outside shots which reminded me of that first DD from the early 90's you posted up a few weeks ago. Great direction again, I'd lose the tracksuit though (Put something else on naturally) it's not very flattering. Good work though mate

Thanks guys! Appreciate the feedback and glad this one's gone down well! I think seeing the first one I ever did from 1993 again, recently, definitely had an impact on me. It made me stop and think two things: first, it made me want to put back the dynamism and energy I was so blown away by in the "Timelash" episode of UFO which inspired me to create the show...and secondly, it made me realise something even more valuable. See, I had this idea in my head that "I don't have the time/money/resources now to make a proper Damon Dark", so I guess I was just doing it with the idea that *if* I got the chance *someday* in the future to do a *proper* Damon Dark, then great, but in the meantime I was just *practising*. Seeing that one from 1993 made me realise, the *real* Damon Dark film had never happened and all I had to show for myself, 16 years later, was the practise one!

So I kicked myself because I realised, the film I wanted to make, the proper one, is what I should've made with what I had.

I realised "the film I make today is the one I will be judged on in the future. I can only be a great film maker now, where I am and with what I got, because one day never comes. What we *are* today dictates what we will we see, do and have in the future."

So, I ordered the new battery and made the decision to *be* the best film maker I can be, right now, today. Not someday.

And then I went down the mountains with the new battery and banged out that "UFO Hunter?" film in an hour or so! To my amazement, it's had over 300 views on YouTube in its first 24 hours and took me up to the top 25 Aussie directors, which is the highest my channel's ever been since I joined in 2006!

Well, that was a curious episode - impressive and annoying in equal measures.

The great outside is a godsend and natural lighting probably improved the overall slickness of the visuals. The cuts to Garry were effective and DD in a car shouldn't get me excited but it did - but that may also go hand-in-hand with frustration that such shots are a revelation rather than the norm after all this time. But I'm probably being too spiky and disingenuous - it is there after all.

I had a problem with the camper because I never got the impression that anyone else was there other than Ade. Although actually seeing another actor during the phone convo is always a refreshing sight, I couldn't suspend my disbelief in the woods. A few more camera tricks and editing needed for the illusion, perhaps.

Ditch the tracksuit. It's as ill-suited as watching Shatner running around as TJ Hooker.

Another problem was that a huge chunk of this mirrored "The Zombie Visitation" and "From Out of the Shadows" with Damon slowly wandering from one end of a garage/office/woods to the other end of the garage/office/woods, staring around gingerly before wandering slowly back. The tracksuit not helping.

I like the overall structure but it could do with some trimming again, although a neat experiment with nice ideas. The music suits it very well indeed and didn't seem overly repetitive. And a big up for Ade's acting in this - some of his best yet.

One of the better DDs of 2009 but not up to the rejigged Gas Mask "Crash" conclusion or VK's latest efforts, but Heaven's videos don't tend to slouch in the pacing and seem much crisper and assured as productions. Ade and Chris should collaborate more and share general ideas about these aspects.

I'd give this a 6/10 but a re-edit and tidy-up would help IMO. Although I can understand why it's comparatively popular, it could be even better received with a nip/tuck.

Oh if you want to do also a review of my episode...you're welcome.

Hey Ade, I was off the forum for a few days so I commented on your video before reading this thread.. if I had of read this before I would have been up to speed.. but good job on the episode!! I kind of agree about the track suit though I think that Damon needs a wardrobe change.. I do like the trenchcoat though so maybe just some different pants

So, if Damon is delusional...is Vincent Kosmos a figment of Damon's imagination? Find out...



Thanks for making Damon Dark's channel the number 89 most-viewed this week in the Directors (Australia) category!

Mate...LOL...well...I AM THE COMEDIAN!

HAHA! Well....comedians exist in real life, Mate...but...people from the planet Meta Andromeda who can travel in time with a red door? Maybe Damon is crazy and imagining that kind of friend?

Well... I can kill u for less...))
Mate u have a PM!

Okay, a double review - one significantly more satisfied than the other:




Tone... Not sure what to make of that.

It was bloody funny, I'll grant you that! The first Kanga scene is awkward - it was a good idea, just that the pacing, body language and even the usually reliable music seemed to conspire to make this bizarre beyond words, yet it still tested my patience. Like I've moaned before, a bit of trimming would work wonders. And was the punchline riffing Pertwee from "Carnival Of Monsters"? Anyway, like I said, I cracked up.

Thank God the tracksuit is junked but you still seem somehow uncomfortable in the new outfit - more a predator than an investigator? Perhaps it's the mannered body language, which has never been as effective as your vocal acting which always seems much more natural in comparison. Which is why I'd like to see you directed by someone else - Chris? - on occasion for that useful second-opinion advantage.

Then the whole ep seems to kick into another gear with some impressive location shots (have you been watching "Quatermass II" recently?), some nice dialogue exchanges in the car before a rather stilted call to Garry which could do with some smoothing-out.

Anyway, I have no idea how to rate this since it was such a peculiar mish-mash that dangerously swings into Ed Wood territory at times when George A Romero would be a better muse. But it made me laugh ike like a crack-pipe-toting hyena, so have a 6/10.

-------------------------------

Okay, that was THEN, a few days ago...and NOW for a nice surprise:



That hit the target for me. Well done Tone, I was hooked for the whole running time, the dreamlike quality reeling me in and Crap Cat a nice reward for loyal DD followers and skeptics alike. Particularly good was the VK section with the image of an old enemy having the feel of one of those Cold War spy thrillers in which slides are shown within a darkened smoke-filled room. And gotta cherish Crap Cat's contribution to that dream, which was a cool opening to an episode that finally kickstarts the whole "UFO Hunter?" concept.

And keep these credits, Tone - minimal, slick and to the point.

The editing and direction was the best I've seen so far and - it has to be said - I'm really looking forward to the next ep. I'd say that was Mission Accomplished.

9/10. (and I didn't even know how much was recycled or not, but no matter)

thetimethief wrote:Oh if you want to do also a review of my episode...you're welcome.

Hi Chris - I'll get round to it, mate. I've always enjoyed following VK's adventures.

And now that DD is back out in the open world again, I think you've got some serious rivalvry, Chris!

UFO HUNTER 4. "UFO MADNESS".

Straker wrote:UFO HUNTER 4. "UFO MADNESS".

The opening car journey with the accompanying cool music was very effective. I did wonder whether you were gonna take the night-filming idea on board and flog the bastard to death for 7 mins, but you cut away to a new scene *JUST* in time!

The VK/psychiatrist section intrigued me although I never got the feeling DD was in the room with him - which could be helped by DD's voice being louder, clearer and more intimate, especially since the viewer is taking his POV.

Tone - ever thought of a UFO "Mindwarp" -style episode in which the filming of a DD episode merges with the fiction itself? You could even do the ultimate in-jokey piss-take by filming DD trying to play all the roles, with his antics diagnosed by Chris's Doc as a serious schizophrenic condition.

You know it makes sense. You can even wear the tracksuit!

7/10 - intriguing.

There's a strong sense of adventure and mystery with this set of stories. I'm getting an impression that other events are taking place that we haven't explored yet, and we're also questioning what Damon's experienced previously.

I like the way the doctor part is done seperately because it makes me wonder whether it's real or not. It's a really effective, surprising turn of events too.

Thanks for the nice feedback guys, it's true that Damon's reality and past are coming into question. Now with the latest installment we get some insights into his background and the motivations that drive him and perhaps start to see a dark Mr. Dark!

Great performance there, Straker. It felt really natural and gripping at the same time.

This ongoing twist is keeping me guessing. There's the question of what will happen to Damon... the suggestion that the past may not have been what it originally appeared to be (even though that's an unlikely outcome it's still a great tease)... the suggestion that all may not be what it seems now, but also may be exactly what it seems too... hmm. Then there's the question of how Damon's old adversary fits into this and what it will all lead to.

I think you're cooking with the gas on high lately.

LOL! That's what I like to hear!!!

Yes, I am in a new phase...not only my thinking has changed but...I watched some old ones and felt like "I can do better". I wanted to do something longer, more involved, something edgier and less predictable...in this story arc Damon has real humor (talking to the horse!) and real pain (his memory of the anger and hurt of being rejected as a "weirdo" as a teenager) and things are both big (the conspiracy) and perplexing (Vincent seems to be not Vincent but a psycho-therapist! Damon appears to be a nutter and maybe a murderer!).

I feel I've got a raging bull by the horns and it's exciting, so I'm going to keep hold of it for as long as possible! That's the plan...when you find something good, work it, work it, work it!

Damon sinks deeper and deeper into the darkness!

Straker wrote:LOL! That's what I like to hear!!!

Yes, I am in a new phase...not only my thinking has changed but...I watched some old ones and felt like "I can do better". I wanted to do something longer, more involved, something edgier and less predictable...in this story arc Damon has real humor (talking to the horse!) and real pain (his memory of the anger and hurt of being rejected as a "weirdo" as a teenager) and things are both big (the conspiracy) and perplexing (Vincent seems to be not Vincent but a psycho-therapist! Damon appears to be a nutter and maybe a murderer!).

I feel I've got a raging bull by the horns and it's exciting, so I'm going to keep hold of it for as long as possible! That's the plan...when you find something good, work it, work it, work it!

Well...ehm...I think both Lansing and Kosmos hope this will end ASAP or DD could not be guest in our episodes:)))

So does that mean you liked it or not?

The real question is...is this just a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare?

Straker wrote:So does that mean you liked it or not?

The real question is...is this just a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare?

This is a nice question...I like the idea...I like what u made...but only if it's a dream or something. The idea of a negative psychotic character is not exactly what I like in a series like DD. But it's me. The same for the death of Superman, the death of Kirk (KIRK IS NOT DEAD!!!) and Frank Black in asylum in X-Files episode.
But...as I said..it's me.

Please remember, this is a ten part story and we're up to part six....this is like not wanting the Doctor to be possessed half way through "42" when the sun light got inside him! It's not overr yet!