My next film: A promotional E30 video with M-Tech II's. HELP ME MAKE IT!

[DG films]

What's good brodies...It's about that time I put together another film. The "M5 BEAST" movie is on hold because the owner of the M5 has moved to SoCal...continued filming TBA. Thus, in the interim I want to put together another film to keep the ball rolling with representing BMW cars.

The next film will have my BrilliantRot M-Tech II vert, bmracer19's bagged Alpinweis II M-tech vert and maybe others but our two cars will be the main focus. I will have at least 1 or 2 female caucasian models for sure, and will also integrate narration from a friend of mine that is from Austria. She has a really strong german accent and speaks german fluently. I was thinking I can have her alternate from speaking german and english through out the film and have subtitles.

So why am I posting this? Based on the criticism and feedback I received from the teaser trailer, I would like to get your input on what you guys want to see in this film based on all of the factors I have mentioned so far. We are not limited to whats mentioned, and I am very opened to recommendations.

My goal is to make an official E30 M-Tech II video that will blast around the world and everyone in the BMW and other car communities will recognize and remember. I got the inspiration from the outcome of the M5 BEAST trailer. It's time to step it up a notch...and since the R3V community will be contributing :D I will def make reference to this board in the video...(maybe have one of the models browsing the forum using an Ipad hehe...)


1. What do you think would make for an interesting e30 film?
2. What do you guys want to see in this film?
3. Recommendations on Soundtracks?
4. Production and composition recommendations?


Anyways, hope to hear all of your SERIOUS input on this (keep the sarcasm minimal please hehe..)Thanks in advance!

[Massive Lee]

Write a simple scenario that can be resumed in one short sentence. The car is the center of the story but not 100% of the story. Use pretexts to showcase the car, but within the storytelling. Per exemple, a dude prepares himself for a Saturday night cruise. Drives along the boulevard, meets people (especially a nice chick), romance begins, the car is part of it. Showcase the car on its best angle. Would be great to do night shots.

[DG films]

Write a simple scenario that can be resumed in one short sentence. The car is the center of the story but not 100% of the story. Use pretexts to showcase the car, but within the storytelling. Per exemple, a dude prepares himself for a Saturday night cruise. Drives along the boulevard, meets people (especially a nice chick), romance begins, the car is part of it. Showcase the car on its best angle. Would be great to do night shots.

Thanks for the input, that sounds great so far. Let's see what the consensus is on implementing male figures into the film. Neither I nor the other owner plan to be in this. But def going to make the cars the focus...


keep it coming :D

[IminDiegoTriick]

I like Lee's Idea. I would like to see real drifting & a chase scene. Needs DubStep.. & or West Coast hip hop

[DG films]

I like Lee's Idea. I would like to see real drifting & a chase scene. Needs DubStep.. & or West Coast hip hop

Sounds good...the drift scenes may be difficult since we have autotragics, but I'm sure we can get creative :mrgreen:

[Massive Lee]

There may be a human presence (male and female) without resorting to show fully body. Just a few hints of humanity. Shoes, hands, shoulders, cleavage... It can be very intriguing too. No sountrack to begin within. Just the sound of soles on the ground with the camera a few inches off the ground following the main character, doors opening showing the side moulding, door closing while hearing a deep and solid thump. Engine starts. Dude connects his iPod. Track selection. Music begins. Car starts rolling, camera on the side of the car. Close-up shots of the wheels turning left and right, intercut with the hands on the steering wheel, etc.

All done with elegant yet powerfull camera framing.

Just draw a clear description of all shots. Discuss them before starting the shooting. I have created many TV commercials. When you are shooting, it is too late to change anything. Therefore spend more time before. Improvising will look... improvised.

[DG films]

There may be a human presence (male and female) without resorting to show fully body. Just a few hints of humanity. Shoes, hands, shoulders, cleavage... It can be very intriguing too. No sountrack to begin within. Just the sound of soles on the ground with the camera a few inches off the ground following the main character, doors opening showing the side moulding, door closing while hearing a deep and solid thump. Engine starts. Dude connects his iPod. Track selection. Music begins. Car starts rolling, camera on the side of the car. Close-up shots of the wheels turning left and right, intercut with the hands on the steering wheel, etc.

All done with elegant yet powerfull camera framing.

Just draw a clear description of all shots. Discuss them before starting the shooting. I have created many TV commercials. When you are shooting, it is too late to change anything. Therefore spend more time before. Improvising will look... improvised.

Lee, thank you very much for this valuable input! I really like the reveal/suspense feel to what you have recommended (i.e. no soundtrack, close ups of details and not necessarily revealing everything). I was thinking of using a movie soundtrack with strings, suspense, cresendos and climaxes, but it's not written in stone. Very open to the idea of using songs as well. It will be shot in 24fps, with most if not all scenes in slow motion.

I will be using a track and dolly, crane jib and table top slider for most of the panning. Definitely fast lenses for shallow depth of field and wide angle lenses too. Keep the ideas coming guys..I love how this is giving me direction! :o

[Massive Lee]

While the dude is cruising, don't hesitate to highlight some nice places that you know. 1950s diner, driving by a Ferrari dealership (dude couldn't careless, he drives an M Tech2), drives by a Suicide Girl who gives him the look, he very smoothly smiles. Just insert some insights of coolness. Why not a bunch of dudes jumping a flight of stairs on skateboards while he drives by? Mix some real time and slow motion. Build a tension. Don't show too much all at once. Yu need a build-up. Keep people on the edge of their seat, wanting for some more. And get that special sequence or shot that everyone will talk about.

Could well be the naked girl on top of her boyfriend, looking out the window and noticing the car (which might well be what she needs to climax ;-) ). Create relations/links between the caracters. Don't be shy to create a surprise at the end.

[BMWerke]

i am doin an E30 short film as well, it will be called "Shwarz Tage" which means "Black Days". I should start filming around christmas, cause my uncle in VA just picked up a vert and since I am goin there for christmas i wanna get a couple shots of it. but i hope ur video turns out well, this is the first vid ive mad since high skool so it might be little rough.

[DG films]

While the dude is cruising, don't hesitate to highlight some nice places that you know. 1950s diner, driving by a Ferrari dealership (dude couldn't careless, he drives an M Tech2), drives by a Suicide Girl who gives him the look, he very smoothly smiles. Just insert some insights of coolness. Why not a bunch of dudes jumping a flight of stairs on skateboards while he drives by? Mix some real time and slow motion. Build a tension. Don't show too much all at once. Yu need a build-up. Keep people on the edge of their seat, wanting for some more. And get that special sequence or shot that everyone will talk about.

Could well be the naked girl on top of her boyfriend, looking out the window and noticing the car (which might well be what she needs to climax ;-) ). Create relations/links between the caracters. Don't be shy to create a surprise at the end.

I love it...I love it!!! Yes def will keep the suspense building and hard climaxes in mind. LOL..not sure if I can find a model whos up to shooting nude without coming out of the pocket, but I like the idea hehe...I really like the idea of wide outside shots of the car driving by landmarks and really cool scenery. The skateboarders idea is great also!

BTW this film will be between 2-5 minutes long just so everyone is aware of how much content we can put in. :D

[DG films]

i am doin an E30 short film as well, it will be called "Shwarz Tage" which means "Black Days". I should start filming around christmas, cause my uncle in VA just picked up a vert and since I am goin there for christmas i wanna get a couple shots of it. but i hope ur video turns out well, this is the first vid ive mad since high skool so it might be little rough.

BMWerke..that sounds awesome! Thanks and hope to see your vid as soon as it becomes available...:)

[Massive Lee]

5 minutes is long. And as a music track is usually betwen 4 and 5 minutes, then it's perfect if the beginning is silent.

BTW A detailed storyboard will be your friend. Time every single shot in advance. Then decide if you need to cut or extend. I used to work with a storyboard artist who would make precise drawing in order to fill-in. Then from the drawings you can make a little QuickTime movie. This will be basically your end result. Just shoot to get better images...

[DG films]

5 minutes is long. And as a music track is usually betwen 4 and 5 minutes, then it's perfect if the beginning is silent.

BTW A detailed storyboard will be your friend. Time every single shot in advance. Then decide if you need to cut or extend. I used to work with a storyboard artist who would make precise drawing in order to fill-in. Then from the drawings you can make a little QuickTime movie. This will be basically your end result. Just shoot to get better images...

I hear ya..I'm told that the storyboard is the key. I don't have much experience with doing it. I do know how I want to compose each scene so maybe its time for me to learn hehe...and I reall like the idea of making a mock video of using it. Looks like I'm going be putting in a lot more time and effort then any of my previous work...but I know I'll get out what I put in. This is great Lee...I really appreciate the valuable tips and info. Keept it coming :o

[reelizmpro]

Whatever you do just make sure the tops are down and the driver is wearing 80's Oakley's sunglasses with a sweater tied around his neck. No socks, preferably with the ///M driving gloves.

[DG films]

Whatever you do just make sure the tops are down and the driver is wearing 80's Oakley's sunglasses with a sweater tied around his neck. No socks, preferably with the ///M driving gloves.

You got it! I'll be sure to have his hair neatly parted to the side, blonde with a striped polo and boat shoes to go with that sweater and no socks LOL :)