My one audio complaint would be with the dialogue itself. The director noted that they didn’t have the budget to buy a separate boom mike, so he was forced to record with the camera’s shotgun mike. While this is normally a big no-no, it can sometimes still be made to work, as the shotgun on most of today’s digital cameras aren’t half bad. However, there’s no way to correct for the instances in which characters turn their back on the camera, which happens quite frequently in this movie. And especially since there were a lot of moving camera shots, there are more than a few moments in which the audio drops unexpectedly. Not only can this get distracting for the viewer, but it can also get frustrating as sometimes the dialogue is unintelligible. It would definitely be a good idea to look into investing some more money in re-looping the dialogue for the film. This can be done in a home studio and fine synched with a program like Vocalign Project. Though it does take up quite a bit of time, the end result will be a much more polished film.
Use of Budget
With a grand total of $10,500, Bleeding Rose was not terribly cheap to make, but that did include equipment costs, as well. The director spent 65% of his budget on equipment cost (which works out to about $6,000), and the other 35% ($4,000) went toward production costs, actor's stipends, etc. In addition, this film was shot in only 12 days with a pretty hectic shooting schedule.
As they say in the industry, “Good, fast, and cheap. Pick two.” So considering that the final product is quite a good film, it makes sense that Bleeding Rose would have such a high price tag. However, it might be a good idea to collect some more funds in order to ADR the audio, clean up a few visual elements, and maybe do a re-shoot or re-edit of a few scenes.
Lasting Appeal
It’s very difficult to write a thriller of this nature without giving too much away or boring the audience. Bleeding Rose is very successful at avoiding both pit falls – it keeps the audience guessing and interested at the same time. This movie will probably be a hit with many different types of people as it has elements of the horror film, the suspenseful drama, and the classic police murder mystery. With a little bit more polishing of its minor issues, I’m sure there will be a lot of people who will find this a great movie to watch.
Overall Comment
This movie is more than just a suspenseful thriller; it also combines elements of the psychodrama and the supernatural to make for a very interesting film. The moving camera - as well as a great soundtrack - really adds to the overall feel of the movie. There are some really great nail-biting moments in the film, as well as a small amount of comic relief. Overall, it makes for a very interesting experience!
