The Hun: World War I Short Film 

Hi guys, and thank you for watching. In order to avoid repeating myself in the comments in answering questions, I'd like to explain several points that have drawn questions or criticism. And this is not to say that I don't welcome criticism, as I am always looking to improve. But anyway, most people need to remember two main points. 1. This is a student film and 2. Filmmaking is expensive. As a veteran (US Marine Corps) myself, as well as a huge history buff, I ALWAYS strive to represent veterans in the utmost respect and that includes doing my absolute best to attaining as much historical accuracy as possible. I did years worth of research for this project. Hundreds of hours of reading and learning all I could to get as much as I could right. But with that, I do not have the resources and seemingly unlimited budget that filmmakers and studios have in Hollywood productions. This project was done on a very small budget. I raised $23,800 for this myself on Kickstarter ($21,600 of it I was actually able to use after they took their fee out), and you have to understand in trying to make a quality film, production equipment is very expensive to rent. In between the film/lighting equipment, costumes, props, set design, logistics, etc. you have to balance a budget and make tough creative choices by making sure the money gets used where it is absolutely needed. In doing this, I had to take a few liberties, as well as some creative stands in order to tell a story (a fictional one at that.) Here are my answers in regards to some of your criticisms/questions: Gas masks: I did not put a specific date aside from the year to when this story takes place. I consider it early into 1918, while the AEF was still using the French M2 gas masks before they permanently started using the British SBR. Cigarettes: I knew from the get go that filters were not around during the war. My actors are not natural smokers. I tried to find the best available option that would look decent, while respecting their choice to not use tobacco, and went with cocoa cigarettes without tobacco or nicotine. During the purchase, I had hoped that since they are white filtered, it wouldn't stick out as much, but it is clearly difficult to hide to an observant eye with close ups on a 4K camera. It is ultimately a creative choice that I am okay with. Rifles: One of the most expensive items/props were firearms. Looking for authentic 1903A1 or 1917 Enfields is both difficult as well as extremely expensive. There was no plausible way with our budget to purchase a number of these, so my next best option was realistic looking 1903A3 airsoft models. There is 1 authentic 1903A1 in the film, carried by the lone reenactor we had on set. It was his own weapon. Not a lot of soldiers on screen: With our budget, we had 7 American uniforms to work with. My plan all along had been to cast 15-20 reenactors (all with their own uniforms and gear) to fill the scene, especially to make a longer and more intense battle scene, but only one guy showed up. My contact from the reenactment group did not come through in getting those guys to set, and with only 3 days of production (and equipment rental), we had to make do with what we had. Music: The song in the introduction is a popular recruitment song of the era, "Over There", that I had edited to sound distorted and dreamlike, and all other music in the film is original and made specifically for this film. The ending song is called Dear Dove, and is created by a friend of mine using the lyrics to a poem I wrote specifically for this project. The soundtrack is available for purchase here: mendelfilms.bandcamp.com/album/the-hun-film-soundtrack Again, thank you for watching and I still love to read your comments and questions!

Considering the budget, this was pretty good.

My grandfather lost a lung from a gas attack. Came back home worked hard physical work until he was about 75. I saw him often . I never heard him speak one word about this war or any war.What I knew came from my mother. He was a huge guy with great shoulders and huge hands. The size and power of those huge hands is what impressed me most. As a teenager I worked with him mixing mortar in a wheel barrow and shoveling it up to him on a scaffold where he laid heavy cement block. " More mud" he'd yell wheezing spitting chewy tobacco in a very gruff tone, but i knew he was laughing to himself. "Mud" is slang for mortar. "Those fists" i'd see them thinking to myself that getting hit by one of those fists would be like getting kicked by a horse. He was one tough bastard . I understand that for years he was rough drinking brawler type. He could read a little having left school in the third grade. By the time I came along the drinking and brawling had passed . He was very jovial in a rough sort of way. I worked with him often in my father's little business doing heavy physical work. I still remember his hard wheezing when there was heavy tough work. He about 75 and I say about 18. He was stronger than me and had more one lung endurance. I grew up easy. He grew up hard. He died at the age of 99 years. Now I am about 75. He was the KINDEST man I have ever met. And now with a tear in myeyes, I wonder if suffering is the crucible in which kindness is forged.

My grandfather was shot and left for dead. A French woman found him, saved his life, and he rejoined his company. She's the reason I'm here.

time traveller from 21st century arrives Time traveller: “what year Is it?” Ww1 soldier: “1916” Time traveller: “oh you mean the middle of World War 1?” Ww1 soldier: “world war what now??? “

My Great Grandfather fought in WW1. He was in the Pennsylvania National Guard and they became part of the AEF. He was a Sgt in a Trench Mortar unit. He lost a lung during an artillery bombardment during the Final Offensive in the fall of 1918. I have his Purple Heart medal.

The ghost of the German soldier offering him his hand to escort him to the afterlife was very poignant.

“There is no enemy. There is no victory. Only boys who lost their lives in the sand” (Cliffs of Gallipoli by Sabaton).

My great Granda fought in ww2 he got shot in the neck and it came out his shoulder he survived but I sadly never met him ,thank you Granda I hope I meet you in the future .

I'm glad this was in my recommended

The German soldier is representing the futility of war, all human / different uniforms

It's been 100 year's since ww1 ended. Sadly, I'm not sure if i can say that we've learned much from the past.

Good job recreating the trenches. I was in Vietnam where we actually defended some fire bases with trenches. They weren’t as deep as the WWI variant. Usually they were muddy, especially in clay soils. In many ways WWI was the worst war ever for soldiers but Vietnam was no picnic.

and when he gets to heaven, to saint peter he will tell: "Just another soldier reporting, sir I've served my time in hell."

“I am the enemy you killed, my friend. I knew you in this dark: for so you frowned Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed. I parried; but my hands were loath and cold. Let us sleep now. . . .” Wilfred Owen.

Just saying, the German soldier who looked so weird at the end symbolized the grim reaper sort of.

Actually, you did remarkably well for such a small budget, excellent student film. The trench boarding was realistic, the grittiness of the trench scenes were realistic. The rifles were not a major issue in my opinion, you found a practical solution to avoid a costly purchase of Enfield's, a costly rifle these days. The use of blood spatter without the need to show the round impact was excellent. Keep working, I think you have talent for this.

For the relatively short time America was actively involved in the First World War, they saw some of the worst and most intense action in all of American military history. Around 150,000 men killed in a few short months. Only 58,000 Americans were killed in Vietnam for comparison. An American soldier was more likely to be killed in action in WWI than in the Civil War. That statistic is staggering.

This was really good I thoroughly enjoyed it the ending was impressive in the manner in which it was done. These 15-20 minute short films that I'm seeing on RU-vid are far better than the big Hollywood war movies

I am a re-enactor, and also a Film Extra with a large Agency. What I see here is actually a damn good representation of a `slice` of trench life from WW1 done on a low budget, with limited actors. Its not the how many, but what one can do with the how few, and i have to hand it to you, you did a good job. You found ways to overcome barriers to deliver the film. Well done.

Now imagine if this guy had a few million dollars, he would’ve made an even more badass film

''Feels like, no matter what happens, no matter if I make it out of here or not, I'm always going to be in this trench, y''know?' That line perfectly captures the horrible things and the scars of war.

better than the Hollywood shit

My grand-grand father was in the Italian Army during WW1. He was shoot twice at the legs near river Piave. He recovered well. He had great respect of any soldier regardless country.

I'm a New Zealander, my great uncle fell at Paschendale. May those from both sides rest in eternal peace. Lest we forget.

My Great Grandfather was a Medic in WW1, Australian like me so he was an ANZAC he fought in Gallipoli against the Ottoman empire. He lived thankfully. I have massive respect for all the soldiers in WW1. Regardless of the country

Reminds me of the ending of the first mission in Battlefield 1. They push, we push.

Grim reaper really rocking that 1980s new romantic/cure look

The end shows how no matter what uniform your wearing were still the human species staring at the mist waiting for all of it to be over

My great great grandfather fought in the Somme on the first day but did not survive but made a french friend who was called Sinclair . Every one of my family who has been born has been called Sinclair including me. But this film is amazing

The German soldier at the end is death

Quite excellent. People who have never made a film do not know how much blood sweat and tears goes into the process. People who focus on cigarette filters and correct gas masks are missing the point. Pointing out n it picky details is not criticism. Great effort and hope you keep it up.

the dead German at the end: "come! we are peace here"

The acting and special effects are believable. Trench warfare was such a waste. Both sides eventually invented ways to defeat the protection that the trench afforded. The mass charges against machine guns were futility at its most gruesome.

Incredible film, really hits hard

This was a great short film, but I didn't see any Eurasian steppe nomads pillaging villages.

'Either way if I do or don't make it out, I'll still be stuck in this trench'. I'm sure every person that did make it out still had a part of them stuck there. It was God awful. Respect to all of those who bravely served in what was perhaps the world's worst conflict. Salutations🌤️

If this was a student work, I expect to see great things from the students in years to come. Thank you for giving me a moment with the grandfather I never knew, who was wounded twice in what was then called the Great War.

"Friend and foe will meet again Those who died at Paschendale" Paschendale by Iron Maiden

O MY GOSH, THIS WAS AMAZING. I NEED MORE OF THIS; CORRECTION, EVERYONE NEEDS MORE OF THIS.

My grandfather was an American Doctor, who was assigned to open all the French Field Hospitals in WW I. I have his discharge papers. He fell in love with a French field nurse, her parents refused their marriage, she died in his arms from typhoid. He never talked about his life experiences, never showed any emotion to his grandchildren. He was a true hero, but emotionally died in France. Peace and Light to your spirit Dr. Norman James Quinn, Sr. You are finally reunited with Marianne❤️🇫🇷❤️

Near hollywood quality, well done!

Grandfather of my grandfather fought for ottoman empire in ww1 he captured by russians in the sarikamish offensive he came back after bolshevik revulation

A very moving film. My Grandfather was a runner in the trenches in WW1.British East Lancashire Regiment. He rarely spoke of it, but did feel sorry for the horses. British runners wore stripped down kit and carried no weapon. He was chosen because he was small and very fast. The survival rate of runners was very low. Grandad survived to marry, become a baker and produce my Mother. Another famous runner in the WW1 trenches was Adolf Hitler.

Excellent work overall. Don't mind the rivet-counters and nitpickers- they come with the territory. You worked with the budget and resources available and produced a decent work. Congratulations!

"War that will end all war", sadly it wasnt. 😞

I think I watched about 10 times already..Very powerful and very well made Tyler. So realistic! great job! I am just so proud of you. I love you.

Great film.....one thing that is not mentioned in any ww1 films, that really did happen is the moral dilema soldiers had when killing german soldiers.....there was a lot of struggle for the militaries of the allied side, i believe German as well, at the time......i wish more war pictures are lile yours, where war is shown for its ugly truth...not some romantized version, Hollywood tends to make to appease the masses

Excellent! Great to see small independent films of this quality. Well done!

Very good.I've always been captivated about the immense human drama that is W.W.1.Ever since I met Mr.Smith a Welsh Army vet that told me stories of his 4 yrs in the trenches on the Western Front,I have studied all I could find on the subject.I was a very young boy and we somehow formed a bond and he said he'd never spoke of these things to anyone and I've always felt honored by this.Though gone for almost 50 years now I think of him to this day.

Pretty good. Looks like they could have used some more Extras at Casting Call. Well, it's Almost October 2018. 100 years ago, more people will die from the Flu Pandemic in this one month than the entire War combined. No wonder people back then thought it was the end of the World...

This film is EXTREMELY underrated. Although I do have my critques, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Keep up the good work!

you realize that the Huns were an asian tribe and the germanic tribes actually fleed from the Huns?

Hi guys! I'm starting to see a larger influx of viewers and I'd love to know where you're all coming from/finding the film! And I also love to read the comments and feedback from you all!

Good film, I like the minimalist style and the direction you went with the Hun. The song at the end was absolutely fantastic as well.

The German soldier representing death at the end just remind me of Alan Seeger’s poem, “ I have a rendevouz with death”, specifically the verses : “and maybe he shaw take my hand and lead me into his dark land...”. By the way, great job bro! Keep the grind 💪🏼, independent cinema, that’s a hard art to play, that’s why it’s GOOD!

Damnnn, that was great. I really liked how in the Roman soldier story, some of the soldiers would walk away to meet death "formally", and then at the end the American soldier shook death's hand. Blew my mind

Very good film and I enjoyed it. Thank you for posting.

It about time they made an American WW1 film

This is a beautiful film, and so sad. I wouldn't recognize historical accuracy if I saw it, and for me the props were beside the point. The story you told is spellbinding.

This was awesome. It seemed a bit amateur but I'm sure you guys did the best with what you had.

Your friend just received orders that he probably ain't coming back from, and thats the story you decide to tell him? Not exactly a great pep talk bud. 1:50

This is the history that should now and always be taught in schools in the uk. These young men and the sacrifices they made are far to easily overlooked by today’s millennial generation. Lest we forget, who will be left to honour the memories of the young and the brave. May they all rest in eternal peace.

Brilliant film mate, I’m from England, and must have seen every WW1 film made, this is poignant and compelling.

Hello all! My new film, In Between the White Space, which is about veteran suicide is out now! Please check it out! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KU9zWTCCDIk.html

We should all be living in fear of this happening again.

An OK video with what there was to work with. A thumbs up .

Remembering 2nd Lieutenant Edward Archibald Beauchamp of the Coldstream Guards, died at Givenchy on December 21st, 1914. Never Forgotten.

This was a really stupid war fought by old empires trying to keep their empires

Quite well done. If you look past the very small inconsistencies, it is a poignant reminder of the tragedy and futility of war. Humans killing other humans, orchestrated by those that will never see the battlefield

That was an extraordinary bit of filmmaking. You should be proud!

Watching the film again ; I found the ending just got better with each viewing (I kept rewinding many times) without wishing to state the obvious, its Gothic horror aesthetic was very captivating - the almost giant German reaper taking the dead soldier’s hand with a sensitivity and compassion; an excellent scene and a conclusion to a film that I will always remember 👍

wonderful that's how soldiers are at the lull talking about who was there before - Assyrians , Greeks , Romans , British empire

Considering the limitations and budget restraints as you explained, this was a great short film. Keep up the good work!

Great job! Read your pinned comment, as an indiefilmmaker I'm with you all the way on the budget and details. The average viewer has no clue how challenging biting off a "real" movie is, much less a period piece, and war film too! Great work. Of course there's always more to learn and things to look back on. Bravo!

Props to you, this was absolutely amazing!

Excellently done especially for a "student film". The Great War is so interesting to me. My grandfather and his 3 brothers served in the XXX Division of the AEF. My grandfather was the only surviver of the 3. I remember my grandfather very clearly. He was a member of the 1st Separate Machine Gun Squadron, 1st North Carolina Cavalry. He is the best man I have ever known.

Hun treachery? it wasn’t the Hun who started the war!

That was a cool story about Genghis and all, but its tactically fallible. The huns were able to conquer the world because of one thing. Mounted horse archers. If anything the romans would be the ones in the trees to help protect against the mongul arrows.

WOW! I just stumbled upon this GREAT short film. Thank you for your service, first!!!! My favorite war of wars. sounds a bit off, but, I love learning about it. It hits deep in my heart, AMAZING job!!

I had tears running down my face towards the end. Especially when The German held hands with the American Soldier

Good plot. Good acting. Needed more dirt being splattered every 10 seconds due to the mine explosions. His white collar was way too clean at the end.

Only a soldier can understand another soldier's dilemma .

For some reason I'm not buying the fact that these actors are from WW1 era

Two of my great grandpas fought in ww2 and a couple in ww1 and even civil war I have there meatls

This film was better than terrific it was brilliant. Despite the nit picking. It was to show us what the men went through. Not the clothes they wore or the guns they used. And if they can't see that well it's obvious they can't see the real meaning or the men who suffered. This included my pop. God rest his soul.

Dude I love this

this was absolutely amazing, well done and a great tribute to our heros.

The last scene looks like the dead German goes to the trench and sees the dead Brit and is like Hey there....i know that you and I are dead and we both did a stupid thing would you like to join me in the afterlife in peace? Brit: yeah what the heck

This was incredible. Your lead actor has amazing facial expressions.

That was well done. Loved it. Why doesn't HollyRock (Hollywood) invest in makeing these movies into full feature films instead of the crap movies that are highly over budgeted and poorly writen and scripted etc...?

@7:39 THE USE OF THE TRUSTY TRENCH CLUB! It was too hard to swing a rifle butt!

@MendelFilms, as a veteran (not WW1), I think this is an outstanding film you've made given the financial constraints. Heck, it's an outstanding film, period. When the young soldier walked through the trench and saw his dead buddies he shared a smoke with just a few minutes earlier, I was feeling it. As a veteran, this film moved me. Bravo. Can't wait to see more of your work.

Well done. Period films are tough, you did a great job in telling your story.

One critique I would suggest is to fill the packs with something; even just pillows to make them seem more used. When they're empty, they just look a bit out of place. Otherwise, you worked with what you had and I'm very impressed.

You should be very proud of your film. I got lost in it while watching it and also emotionally involved. That is quite an achievement for a short film. Thank you for making such a beautiful film.

I noticed a mix of M1903 Springfield rifles, with the later model M1903-A3, which came out well after WWI. Couldn't help being nit-picky, sorry! ;) Nice video!

I would love them to do a full length feature film of this it's incredible ❤

I love it. Its really great in my opinion. Great job!

I don’t see why budget is even a conversation in here. Should be focused more on the effort he put forward to a historical project for entertainment purposes. Loved the story. Loved the detail, all the way down to spent shell casings on the worn and tattered sand bags while he climbs out of the trench. Could do a lot of things with your time instead you use it to create things like this. It’s amazing, keep up your hard work man.