The Vietcong (my Vietnam film) Restoration Project

[SgtPadrino]

Well, up until recently me (including everyone that was in the movie), didn't take our Vietnam film all too seriously, which is why the quality of it was so bad when I released it on here. However, due to a recent personal tragedy involving someone who was in the film, we all began to take a much more serious approach to it. So, I went over the film, practically frame by frame, removing every mistake, adding filters that give it an incredibly vibrant new look, as well as new music that heightens the action an incredible amount. It seems that the amount of work I put into it paid off; it received a standing ovation when I screened it at school, and people just keep saying how great it was. I'm debating whether or not to try and find a place to upload it to show you guys, but in the mean time, here's a trailer that I put together that I think conveys the new attitude we took towards the whole project.

Vietcong Trailer

[maj_barnes]

The only thing I didn't like about it, was how it was so random. Also you seem to reuse alot of the same shots.

[U.S.Amateurfilmaker]

I liked it. The music was effective, and the slow motion shots were well placed. There were a few editing/sound errors and some awkward moments (same shots twice, the flag randomly appearing in the background), but it was good overall.

[SgtPadrino]

Hmm, for some reason I didn't catch the same shot being used twice. But I guess this is more of a montage than a trailer anyway.

[foxwood]

not bad, I am sick to death of that song though.

[tallman_house_pictures]

I liked it. I mean, it was a better mood than the previous one. (is this the 3rd version?)

What personal tradgedy occured?

[SgtPadrino]

The brother of one of the actors in the film was a Marine stationed in Iraq - he got us some military gear as well as the rocket launcher. And, well, he got killed in action. That's about as simple as I can make it without going into a very personal subject.

[tallman_house_pictures]

Sad, sad.
My condolences.

[SgtPadrino]

Thanks for the concern, THP.

I've decided to release it online after all, but there's a few bugs in the sound I need to work out first. In the mean time I want to generate as much interest in the movie as I can, so I created a new trailer, as well as put up the new one. In addition I also uploaded a small scene directly from the movie.

Old Trailer

New Trailer

Scene from the movie

[SgtPadrino]

Christ man, if you watch it, say something about it!

[crb]

sorry to anyone who had heard the music before, I hadn't though it reminds of a Hans Zimmer sound. I like his music, real gut wrenching sound. The reused shot is that one kid looking at the camera. It wouldn't be bad if it was a pivitol shot like the main charecter looking at the camera in the begining and then at the end or something like it. Liked the shots, gave it professional look. The filters added well.

[SgtPadrino]

It wasn't really a pivotal shot - just a shot that I really liked, but didn't realize that I was using it so many times. Otherwise thanks for the feedback.

[foxwood]

I watched the sequence, it has the same shaky cam prob that I said before, and if I didn't know that it was a movie about nam I wouldn't think that is where they were because of the very african sounding Black Hawk Down music. That and I nearly killed my ears becuase I had media players sound and my headphones set to full for some stupid resion.

[SgtPadrino]

About the song, I was trying to find an epic, yet fast paced battle song, but right now all I've got is that, so if I don't find another one soon I'm just going to stay with that. Nobody's complained about it, so I think it's alright.

[justin!butcher]

Wow, i watched both all three of the clips you had posted and i personally like the first one the best. It had a vietnam feel, but
some of the shots were a little "awkward".
Where did you get the m-16?! that was nice!

[crb]

Personally I liked the shaky cam if it is done right.

[Matt]

Very good. If I had to comment of potential improvements I would say :

1) Some of the shots showing the whole squad appeared to have cars or towers in the background which broke the wilderness atmosphere slightly
2) It was a bit too long
3) In the intro narration I think you should lose the line after "... they were brothers." It is a bit un-necessary I thought it flows better without it.

[SgtPadrino]

Yeah, the radio tower and traffic really bugged the hell out of me when I was editing it. Unfortunately I couldn't reshoot it because the location and all of the actors live clear across the state. I'll try the narration without the "they were brothers" line, but keep in mind it was something I improved at 3:00 in the morning

And the M-16 is an airsoft gun I got at www.plyconsarmory.com. Remember though that this film costed us nothing to make, because we used only what we already had.

[Matt]

Its the line *after* the "they were brothers" line I thought you should drop. The brothers line is a good point to stop the narration I thought. The next line is something about getting out alive.

[SgtPadrino]

I thought that the last part sounded a little wierd too, it was just that a lot of things I've read in firsthand accounts of the war were about the soldiers focusing on just trying to make it out of the war alive, so I wanted to try and include that in the narration.