Nick Handel, a succesfull producer/director in the BBC and author of News kids on the Net was able to provide feedback on Gaia's Army after I re-established contact with him over email. The following is his feedback;
'Hi Ben,
Thanks for sending me the link. A really impressive piece of work. If you want my professional feedback, I`ll give it to you. This is what I`d say if a professional director shot it for me at the BBC: Beginning needs more pace and some of the dialogue is a little unnatural (nobody would say “Did you hear that?” after a massive gunshot). Suggest cut straight from your establishing shot (which is excellent) to the gunshot (losing the rather phony conversation about “Warhorse”). Then cut straight to the fair guy`s turn back then cut to “That was a gunshot”. The dialogue between the two guys in the tunnel doesn`t cut well because the eyelines are wrong. If one character`s eyeline is left/right the other one must be right/left (learn about `crossing the line`). Both your actors are looking left to right (which is a mistake). The chase to the victim is v. effective and atmospheric as is the scene that follows. Nicely lit, too – full of suspense. Take out the line “We need to go now” it`s really hammy and unnatural. The final sequence is good and I like your opening title. Hope this helps – and please understand that I`m judging it by the highest professional standards. Keep me posted. All the best,
Nick'
With time agaisnt us and Gaia's Army due for tommorow, I sent on the feedback to Louis as the project file is on his personal Macbook.