Taurus Films - Film Discussion

Again, I really loved the humor in Amulet 2!

Continuity, the actress in first amulet she should be in the second. A little more continuity will make the stories better.

I actually liked the second actress better.  She had good comic timing.

Amulet 2

That collarlift was really good when she lifts him so slow off the ground, looks more realistic.
Also how far up she has them in that double throatlift, arms straight up, love it!
Actress was great and delivered her role, keep this up!

Hey Taurus film folks. Have you guys considered branching out a little bit? You have lovely actresses and good production values, but there's an overriding sameness to almost every video you make. I'd love to see you stretch your creative wings a little and offer something different.

We should have a workshop - bearing in mind budget for fx and time limitations. Write a script, with the actresses of your choice, for a 15 minute video.

Not to say Taurus would go ahead and make the film.....but I’m really interested in seeing what people would write.

Goes without saying but Taurus’s videos have been PG.

Might be a fun idea

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We should have a workshop - bearing in mind budget for fx and time limitations. Write a script, with the actresses of your choice, for a 15 minute video.

That would be a cool idea. TKS can setup certain guidelines that the script needs to meet (i.e. no more than 3 people present, no nudity, etc). The script that wins the most votes gets made into the next 15 minute short film. Naturally, TKS can reserve the right to make changes that will more easily fit what he can do as a filmmaker. There would need to be a short legal disclaimer that anyone submitting a script gives up any ownership or rights to the story, scenes, or characters within. The winner gets a free copy of the video. Everyone else has to buy it just as normal.

wrote:

Hey Taurus film folks. Have you guys considered branching out a little bit? You have lovely actresses and good production values, but there's an overriding sameness to almost every video you make. I'd love to see you stretch your creative wings a little and offer something different.

I am curious what your thoughts on branching out include. I would like to see a bit more green screen shots (more flying) and some more special effects. However, they have been slowly branching out with various new props as they can afford. (Breakable bottles are cool but cost money and can't be re-used like bending a rubber crowbar)

Thanks so much for the feedback.

We are always looking at new things to do and new ways to tell the stories. We are very lucky in that out customs do keep us going and in that often people request things they may have seen because they know we can do it or have seen it and enjoy it. We prioritise these over our own Ideas and we’ve bee incredibly lucky to have had a solid stream over the last few months really.

We are hoping to work on a project this summer which we want to experiment a bit with. Our last one “The Ring” parts 1 and 2 was a lot of fun and we were able to try a couple of new things as part of that as well.

We did get hold of a couple of new props and breakables as willow mentioned but yes unfortunately each one costs extra and more often than not for every one you see break on screen there are probably 1 or 2 that are either in unused shots or are broken in rehersals etc.

Hopefully later this year we’ll have some fresher looking things for you

Just a curiosity:

How long do you take to make a movie, since filming until the release?

It depends really. Often it’s with a few weeks of shooting but sometimes we might hold a release if there was something quite similar the release before. Sometimes some movies might not get a general release at all for various reasons.

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We did get hold of a couple of new props and breakables as willow mentioned but yes unfortunately each one costs extra and more often than not for every one you see break on screen there are probably 1 or 2 that are either in unused shots or are broken in rehersals etc.
 

I am sure there is also the problem of experimentation and cost to time ratio factor. One effect that I have thought about would be to take a dummy head, maybe a mannequin or fake head made out of easily crushable material. Put some blood packs inside. Paint it to look like human skin and add a wig. If it is done well, you can then act as if a supergirl is crushing someone's head between her hands or crush the head against a brick wall and supergirl's hand. If the prop is setup right, fake blood pours out with some added sound effects of crunching sounds and someone screaming. If it is done well, it would like incredible. However, I would suspect that the effect would require several rounds of experimentation to get right, which would greatly up the costs of replacement parts. As much as I had digital blood effects, it would be easier and cheaper to insert those into the scene.

Yeah that’s right in terms of experimentation. We don’t mind outlaying a little bit on testing days and resources and that’s how most of the FX we use come about but if the effect itself has a high cost on the day It does come down to the budgets.

example blood packs and prop heads are a direct
cost but also that’s going to make a bit of a mess on location and actors. Will have to be cleaned up and thats additional time on the clock for our available shoot day.

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example blood packs and prop heads are a direct cost but also that’s going to make a bit of a mess on location and actors. Will have to be cleaned up and that's additional time on the clock for our available shoot day.

I can imagine. I remember watching The Awakening film that Mandi Steele and her team did a few years ago. There is a great scene where she flips a van over that appears practical and looks very well done. Of course, the logistics were probably a nightmare to get that few seconds of film. Finding an old van that nobody will care if it is flipped on its side (junk yard purchase?). Emptying out any fluids in the vehicle to ensure you don't cover the street in oil or gasoline. Using heavy chains to hook the van up to a heavy duty truck so you can flip it. Even assuming you get it in the first take, then there is the headache of cleanup. Ironically, the easiest part was probably the super-imposing a separate shot of Mandi outside facing a green screen and acting as if she is pushing the van on its side.

Just thinking about it makes me think it was probably the most expensive effect in the entire film and why the scene is prominently featured in the trailer.

That effect is truly excellent. One of my personal favourite indie superhero FX!

I engaged the 'turbo' button on my 486 DX to ensure a faster download.  A must buy.  That skirt...that body.  Now to actually watch it.  

One of my favorites too!

On the DVD (which I bought all the way back in 2010, I think) there is a 'making of' video called, "Guns, Girls & Clones." The filming of this scene from the opposite side is shown - the van was hooked up to another vehicle with industrial straps wrapped through the roof rack. The other vehicle is out of shot, but the director yells, "HIT IT!" and the van is pulled over. As the van hits the ground, you see Mandi Steele is behind it the whole time - no green screen! 
They also had to park a motor home next to Mandi and get two people to stand on top of it with a large partition so that she would be shaded from the sun. Well done to everybody involved!

Now I need to dig out that DVD and watch this movie again. Its been too long.

Tks is a machine...fantastic job!

wrote:

Thanks so much for the feedback.

We are always looking at new things to do and new ways to tell the stories. We are very lucky in that out customs do keep us going and in that often people request things they may have seen because they know we can do it or have seen it and enjoy it. We prioritise these over our own Ideas and we’ve bee incredibly lucky to have had a solid stream over the last few months really.

We are hoping to work on a project this summer which we want to experiment a bit with. Our last one “The Ring” parts 1 and 2 was a lot of fun and we were able to try a couple of new things as part of that as well.

We did get hold of a couple of new props and breakables as willow mentioned but yes unfortunately each one costs extra and more often than not for every one you see break on screen there are probably 1 or 2 that are either in unused shots or are broken in rehersals etc.

Hopefully later this year we’ll have some fresher looking things for you
 

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realize you did a lot of customs, but that makes sense. I look forward to your releases in the coming months. I'll go back and check The Ring videos in the meantime!

OMG...Amy is Powergirl!!!

As far as I can remember, Amy has now hit the trifecta of superheroines  - WW, Supergirl and Powergirl  

Great vid, loved it

Peace.

/K

And Mary Marvel if I'm not mistaken