Thomas Chaser
Tribune
Chaser: I explained a bit of this in the message I sent you. I'm not sure if it's the autofocus getting spoofed by Alex walking past the camera, or if its just a technical issue with one particular camera, but it pops up from time to time. When I edit the raw footage, I usually go to an alternate camera angle to cover the action that's blurry with that camera. It always seems to be the camera I want to use, at the time I want to use it, that craps out!
Chaser: Same issue as above, and it is EXTREMELY frustrating for me. Alex has his own editor person and he/she/they usually do a good job, but sometimes things slip past the goalie. Since I'm not profiting from the footage and don't have a website to update, I can take my time and just cut to a different camera. But I definitely feel your pain.
Chaser: I really like this idea. Like, really REALLY like this idea. I might do a Dr. Squalus TED Talk with the "volunteer" telling the audience how it feels to be crucified as she is tortured on the cross. The volunteer could look at the camera like she is pleading to an audience for mercy. Maybe do it as a fund-raiser; "we will torture this girl with crucifixion until we meet our financial goals". And then have the girl look at the camera as the host marks the contribution board. Here in the US we used to have a "Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon" to raise money for muscular dsytrophy. So maybe I could write a story similar to that. The host would need to be a good actor, though.
Chaser: I didn't notice her smiling. I saw it more as grimacing in pain. I'll have to watch the video again.
Chaser: Thank you! I introduced that idea to Alex in one of my earlier crucifixion videos, to show that the victim was very much near death, as a way to end the video short of a death scene (some outlets frown on torture-to-death motifs). Now I feel obligated to include it in certain crux stories since he went to the trouble to build the SF/X device for it. In this video, the urine scene is integral to the story. It's the victim's offering as a gift to the gods for a good harvest.
Chaser: That's one of the reasons I had her start out in a loincloth (plus, I know Baracus likes that). I wanted a certain amount of humiliation in the story. Starting out in full street clothes is a good idea that I'll be sure to ask about in an upcoming crucifixion story. I like stories with a good dramatic build-up.
Chaser: I'm not much into death scenes as much as the drama of being pushed almost to the point of death. Plus, I know Alex would have trouble with outlets if he posted a torture-death / semi-snuff film unless it was obviously set up as a fantasy; like a human sacrifice offered to a dragon or something.
Chaser: I've never seen Alex do it, but I have seen other studios. It's a very hard effect to pull off realistically, and a very easy effect to look silly. Given the low budget and technical limitations of Alex's studios, I'm not confidant that he can do it in a believable manner, so I never include it that way. Ropes are good enough for me.
Chaser: I leave masturbation up to the actors. White Rose suggested it one time; Dr. Squalus could masturbate as CRY was electrocuted. I laughed at the idea and then said, "Wait a minute... that would work well with her sadistic doctor character" and let her put it in the script. I may do that in the next video.
Sent you a message with the link to the video I promised. Also included some inside information that you might find enlightening. I'll do a search for your film and see if I can get some ideas from it. Thanks!
In fact, give me some time and I'll provide better footage from a different camera for the parts that are blurry.
