"One of the coolest concepts put onto DVD in quite some time."
-- JOEBLO.COM
"Film School in a Box offers its users 15 hours worth of unedited footage from 'The Confession,' a suspense drama that was shot in one take from 11 different cameras. Using the completed film as a point of comparison, users can construct their own version."
-- NEW YORK TIMES (Feb 11, 2007)
"Because 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books were a great idea, and we might as well do the same thing with movies and get a reel out of it…"
-- FILM THREAT
"This movie has a really cool aspect to it. Definitely check this one out."
-- ROGUE CINEMA
"THE CONFESSION is a film that you may see other films paying homage to years down the road."
"The Confession is a dialog driven suspense film with an entertaining story and good character development with unique presentation and clever execution…"
“Astonishing low-budget wonder by David Kebo and Rudi Liden. Wonderful idea gets the absolutely right treatment in "The Confession," which is a low-budget masterpiece – to say the least!”
-- EMVG
(EXTRAORDINARY MOVIE & VIDEO GUIDE)
"The Confession is a solidly entertaining independent film. The ability to watch the film from whatever angle you want is a great gimmick. Riveting stuff…"
-- DVD SNAPSHOT
"The Confession is a high concept film in the vein of 'My Little Eye,' and 'In Memorium' -- a rather fascinating neo-noir… tense and chaotic with an ending that shows you can create a gruesome and somewhat disturbing finale with a small budget and a lot of creativity…"
"Film School in a Box provides you with all the assets you need to edit your own version of the movie 'The Confession' in Final Cut Pro… I really like that this lets you concentrate more on the creative side of editing instead of the technical click-here-to-do-something tutorial stuff…"
-- DV Guru
FILM THREAT
EVERYONE CAN DIRECT A FILM
--
Because "Choose Your Own Adventure" books were a great idea, and we might as well do the same thing with movies and get a reel out of it:
Film School in a Box (FSB), a company made up of a team of filmmakers with decades of experience producing, writing, directing and editing movies, is launching a unique new product that allows anyone to create their own feature film. Shot in real time and on multiple cameras, the gripping footage is an unfolding thriller waiting to be shaped.
Every aspiring filmmaker has the desire to tell a story his or her own way. Now, FSB provides everyone with the opportunity to assemble, manipulate and tweak a raw film. Shot on 11 security cameras, the
voyeuristic 'neo-noir' thriller unfolds a whodunit mystery surrounding the murder of a young girl. And since the movie can be edited into as many unique films as there are filmmakers who lay their hands on it, the film you choose to make will ultimately be your own.
The plot is captivating: Five people arrive at a party with no host, in a home with no residents, only to discover that they are all connected by the murder of their friend, Julie Vander. When their mysterious host arrives, he is revealed to be Julie's ex-boyfriend, the man recently acquitted of the crime. And he comes armed with a revelation: One of them is the real killer. What begins as an orderly search for truth soon disintegrates into a chaotic battle for survival.
The unique product is the first to enable endless editing possibilities and gives unprecedented access to an otherwise exclusive industry:
"For the first time, you can get a great looking and sounding movie, without spending millions of dollars. The result is, filmmaking is becoming much more democratic. For the first time ever, resources are not a limitation," says Director Jake Kasdan (Orange County, Freaks & Geeks, Zero Effect).
"This program is great not only for students trying to learn the technique of editing but also for established editors sharpening their skills", says Peter Devaney, Editor (Mimic, Dracula 2000).
Film School in a Box provides a shooting script and over 15 hours of original, dramatic footage, from which any filmmaker can build tension, create mood, shape characters and make a story come to life.
Most of all, it enables film aficionados to build their confidence and careers.
As Editor T.J.Rozsa (The Game: Documentary, 50 Cent: Get Rich or Die Trying DVD) says, "You can't compete in this industry without a reel. 'Film School in a Box' is a great and legitimate way to start, or add to, a successful reel and launch a career."
The idea for Film School in a Box was born out of the filmmakers' own desire to create the tools that they wished they'd had when they were starting out. They are intent on demystifying and democratizing the filmmaking process. Or as they say about their motives: "The only way to learn how to make a feature film, is to actually edit one."
Producer Scott Ross (Secondhand Lions, Titanic, The Day After Tomorrow, Terminator 2) echoes this sentiment when he says "If 'Film School in a Box' was around when I was coming up, I would be Spielberg now and not just another visual effects geek!"
You can visit FSB and glimpse their products at www.filmschoolinabox.net
ROGUE CINEMA
The Confession (2006) -- Five people are invited to a party, but upon arriving, they learn that they are the only guests and that the host has yet to appear. They settle in to drink and mingle, and it is soon evident that they are all connected in some way. The person behind the party finally arrives and the group realizes that each one of them knew a recently murdered woman named Julie, as their mysterious host is her ex-boyfriend. More than that, he is the man that was recently acquitted of the crime of murdering her. He now lays a bombshell on those assembled: one of them is the real killer and he plans to expose that person before the night is over. What follows next is a twisting road to uncover the truth where accusations fly, lies are exposed and in desperation, each person does their best to make it through the night and escape the party with their life.
This movie has a really cool aspect to it. The entire film takes place in one house and most of the action occurs in a single room. This room is covered by several cameras, providing coverage of the proceedings from multiple angles. Since the film was shot in a single take – by no means an easy feat in itself, and conveying the feeling that the audience is attending a theatrical play – this means the entire narrative has been captured from each of these angles. In turn, this means that on the DVD, the viewer has the option of alternating between any camera at any time, making each time one watches the movie a completely new viewing experience. This approach has also been incorporated into the film’s story itself, as it is demonstrated that one character is wearing one of the cameras with the conclusion being that he set up the others as well. The footage captured during the evening’s events eventually finds its way to the courtroom, where it is used in a case against the true murderer.
The film starts off a little slow as each character arrives at the party and interacts with the other guests, but that’s necessary in order to properly set up the premise. This slower pace, coupled with often fuzzy black and white images, might turn some people off, but my advice is to stick with it. Once the search for the truth begins in earnest, the film takes a quick turn and pulls the viewer along on a wild ride that culminates in a violent showdown. To say any more might give things away, so suffice it to say that during the course of this film, every one of the guests will seem to have ample evidence stacked against them to implicate them as the killer. When the truth is revealed, you may or may not be surprised. I know I sure was. Additionally, kudos must be given to the cast for not only pulling off the entire film in one take, but much more importantly, for their believable performances and instilling each of their characters with his or her own unique personality. This is a credit to both their acting chops as well as the carefully planned and executed directing job by David Kebo and Rudi Liden. Definitely check this one out.
To learn more about the film, visit www.filmschoolinabox.net
-Timothy Martinez
CINEPHELIA.COM
I often wonder how many indie films are produced every year. There has to be thousands, a shit load. The sad fact is that the majority of them never get seen. To me this happens for a couple of reasons. The first is that the film holds no substance. It could be a re-hashed idea that has plagued the screen for years. Or the film could just be bland with no tricks, no smarts or, for lack of a better word, no gimmick that makes the film stand out. Come to think of it, I don’t think a gimmick would be a bad idea for an indie director. With a good gimmick, a new trick on the old trade, a young director could possibly produce a film of interest. A film that by simply mentioning it’s name would make the film stand out among others in the great abyss of a film fan’s knowledge. This is what I experience whenever I hear the words “The Confession”.
I have waited a long time to receive a screener for “The Confession”. I remember watching the trailer for the film on MySpace and having my interest peaked. Not so much for the story, but more how the film was filmed. Multi-camera baby! Not just one, not just two…but eleven total cameras were used to make this indie feature. The cinema madness doesn’t stop there, each camera filmed the movie in its entirety so at anytime you can watch the film from the angle of your choice. This is great since “The Confession” is a deep, tension fueled drama where an answer to the question at hand could be given away by a characters physical movements. See my film friend “The Confession” takes place in a living room where five friends, well acquaintances, are invited to a secret meeting with the purpose of setting the record straight on who killed Julie. These are all party people, hard party people. If you have ever met people who hold the club as their life then you also know that these can be shady people as well. Five club people to me equals five people who like sex, drugs and fast living. “The Confession” portrayed these characters perfectly.
Julie’s boyfriend has been acquitted on the charge of murdering Julie. Sill though her friends don’t believe it. When he invites them all to an abandoned house for his own trial his plan flips and the case at hand becomes about who stole the drugs. Every actor in “The Confession” nails their role. At times through a combination of the security camera film stock and the superb delivery I actually felt like I was prying into someone else’s life. Film School In A Box magnified their limited to budget to something as equally special as Jesus feeding the masses with only a few fish and couple of loafs. “The Confession” kept me interested, made me focus and when the film had ended I felt like I had just attended a clinic. The film's run time was at times a little exhausting, but the film is far from boring. Embracing what Kebo and Liden were accomplishing added the magic to look past the slow moments. Again, I hate to use the word gimmick when describing this film. It isn’t a gimmick at all really. What it is, is a young directing team, using their brains to give birth to something genuine. “The Confession” is a film that you may see other films paying homage to years down the road.
For more information on “The Confession” please visit the official MySpace page for the film.
FILM APOCALYPSE
"THE CONFESSION" is a dialog driven suspense film with an entertaining story and good character development. Although "The Confession" is not an action or horror film and although it doesn't have gore or skin, it fits in with other Film Apocalypse movies simply because it is and independent film with such a unique presentation and clever execution.
The premise of the movie is as follows: an unknown host invites five people to a party. Some of the people know each other. Some have never met before, but the one thing tying them all together is the death of a mutual friend. Early on, we learn that the host of the party is the ex-boyfriend of the dead woman. He was just recently acquitted on murder charges and let out of jail. He is convinced that one of the five people in the house killed his ex-girlfriend, so he has brought them together to discover the identity of the real murderer.
The aspect of the movie that impressed me the most was the ingenious use of security cameras to film the entire movie! This avoided the expense of shooting on film, but still delivers a product that doesn't look low budget! I also thought the story was clever and kept me involved up to the end. Many low budget and no budget films fall short in this area, but "The Confession" actually does keep the viewer entertained throughout the film.
There were a couple of minor technical issues that kept the film from looking truly big budget, but overall, these issues pale in comparison to the ingenuity of the basic idea behind the film. Some of the dialog is difficult, if not impossible, to understand due to overlapping lines and screams that made the microphone levels peak and distort. However, this just adds to the realism of the security camera idea and comes off as a stylistic decision rather than a technical flaw.
With all of this said, the big marketing push of the film isn't the story or the clever use of security cameras, it is another feature which I have yet to mention. The first 30 minutes of the film can be watched from any of the security camera angles; thus giving the viewer access to multiple angles for each shot. The footage is also available as a separate product called FILM SCHOOL IN A BOX which is basically the raw footage from each camera. The purchaser then has the option of editing his or her own film from the footage provided. To be honest, this feature didn't interest me very much, but I can understand that without a gimmick it's tough to stand out in the film market these days. I was simply more interested in the final edited product. Part of the reason the film worked for me was the clever use of security cameras as a way of avoiding film. Since it would be somewhat redundant to use that idea again, I'm very curious to see what these guys come up with for their next project!
EMVG
Astonishing low-budget wonder by David Kebo and Rudi Liden. The Confession is filmed with 11 security cameras, has a great mystery script and scary real feel.
Damon Baker has been found not guilty of murdering his girlfriend Julie. But he wants to know who killed her. Now Damon has invited five of Julie's friends in one house, has set up 11 hidden security cameras - and records all that happens that night.
Wonderful idea gets the absolutely right treatment in "THE CONFESSION," which is a low-budget masterpiece – to say the least! The directors David Kebo and Rudi Liden really know what they are doing with limited budget, unknown actors/actresses and a script that gets the grip on the viewer almost right away. At first, the use of 11 camera angles seems just a trick, but after awhile you realize that the possibilities are just awesome. Too bad the screener copy didn't have more than the 30 minute multi-angle feature (because of DVD limitations, final copies contain full-lengh multi-angle feature), since now someone has found a real use for it.
The picture quality of security cameras works fine in this context, since they bring the real, "Big Brother"-like atmosphere to this movie and make things look somewhat disturbingly realistic.
When the idea of security camera views in film might be new, the script itself brings to mind a lot of classic thrillers of Agatha Christie or films of Hitchcock. Maybe this film reminds also "Blair Witch Project", but The Confession does a terrific job on its own.
"The Confession" is a part of the larger project called Film School In A Box - take a look at www.filmschoolinabox.net
-Esa Linna
DVD SNAPSHOT
"THE CONFESSION" is an interesting independent film that relies on a central gimmick (the story is told entirely via "hidden camera" footage, with a multi-angle feature that allows users to control what angle they watch) that at first screams style-over-substance. What's odd to me is that usually a gimmick like that is an indicator that the film itself isn't very good. But that's not the case with "The Confession."
A good old-fashioned mystery, "The Confession" sees six people trying to figure out which one of them committed murder. It's fairly riveting stuff, and by the end, I was engaged enough to wish it had actually been filmed in a more traditional manner. I understand that the "hidden camera" angle probably worked for an independent film from a budgetary standpoint, and the ability to watch the film from whatever angle you want (there is a master Director's Cut that is fully edited) is a great gimmick that will probably draw attention to the DVD. But ultimately, the film is interesting and fairly well-acted, so it stands on its own merits.
"The Confession" on DVD includes a few cool extra features:
* Multi Angle Feature - You can watch the film as edited by the directors, or you can switch between numerous angles and watch it however you want.
* The Verdict News Clip - A "news report" that sets up the film.
* Pre-Confession - One of the characters provides a videotaped statement. "
The Confessio"n is a solidly entertaining independent film (with a neat gimmick), but most importantly, it shows a lot of promise from the filmmakers. Here's hoping their next film is allowed to just be a terrific movie in its own right.
Overall Picture:
Movie: B+
DVD: Additional scenes, multi-angle feature, trailers, weblinks.
- Mike Spring
CINEMA CRAZED
Independent films made on very tight budgets tend to subscribe to the "Blair Witch" method, in which they set their films up in the reality setting. This allows for a more guerilla style of filmmaking, plus it’s eye-catching. The rest relies on the actors. "THE CONFESSION" is a high concept film in the vein of "My Little Eye," and "In Memorium" that catches a film in the midst of events taking place in a house that all lead to grisly murders that sets the on-screen drama in motion. Curiously enough, the directors behind this are very ambitious that they allow the audience to view the film from seven different camera angles.
Beyond the concept, "The Confession" is a rather fascinating neo-noir that pits a group of shady characters in a lavish living room to confront a murder mystery that one of them could be responsible for. Kebo and Liden create a "12 Angry Men" aura in which the group is forced not only to confront their past misdeeds but also face the truths about their friend who was killed by a mysterious person, one their intent on discovering in that room.
"The Confession" is very devoted to its attempted sense of realism, as cameras view from the floor, and up high, people sit in front of the camera, and the lens malfunctions on occasion. The effect provides a memorable sense of crucial evidence in a stoic setting that will show who murdered whom. "The Confession" is a tense and chaotic bit of murder mystery with an ending that shows you can create a gruesome and somewhat disturbing finale with a small budget and a lot of creativity.
The ability to view a murder mystery from many angles is a very eye-catching gimmick that will keep audiences watching. While it’s far from a perfect film, it’s a competent and ambitious piece of work.
-Felix Vasquez
DV GURU
Now here's a way to learn how to edit. FILM SCHOOL IN A BOX provides you with all the assets you need to edit your own version of the movie "The Confession" in Final Cut Pro. You don't have to worry about scripts, shooting, importing footage or any other details, they've done all the work for you. You receive your project on an external hard drive, all organized with 11 different camera angles to work with, the shooting script and camera reference map. Two versions are available, the Gold Edition for $279 and the Platinum Edition for $449 (this pricing only good through Christmas). The differences in the editions can be found here and you can also get a Preview Edition for $19.95 if you want to see what its all about before dropping the larger bills.
It took a lot of work to shoot all the footage and organize everything in a FCP project so all you have to do is sit down and start editing, so the pricing is not bad at all and you're getting a hard drive in the deal too. I really like that this lets you concentrate more on the creative side of editing instead of the technical click-here-to-do-something tutorial stuff.
-Sheila Ward
