Use of Audio
The audio is a bit of a mixed bag in this film. The actual dialogue was pretty well recorded, but it often had fluctuations in volume. This needs to be mixed better to bring the dialogue to a consistent level. For most films, dialogue is mixed to about –12 dB and music underneath dialogue is mixed to –18 dB. Effects are often mixed to about –6 dB and music with no dialogue is usually brought in at –12 db.
Additionally, there were some times where I could hear some snap and pop in the dialogue track—which usually means that the recordings were contaminated due to a short in the wiring or a low-battery in the shotgun mic—as well as a few tracks that seemed to be recorded too far from the actor’s mouth. Both of these issues may be able to be improved with something like Soundsoap or Soundsoap Pro, but will probably need to be redubbed. These sequences occurred in outdoor areas, which are the easiest to redub, as reverb is much less evident in open air situations. (For recommendations on ADR and mic choices, read our article on the Basics of ADR.)
The music in Ocatilla Flat is a pretty mixed bag. Some of the music composition fits very well, like a piano-based work for the opening credits and a classical music sequence in Max’s classroom toward the beginning. However, as the film progresses, the soundtrack begins to sound much more noticeably like a mix of digital keyboard sounds from the ‘80’s and repetitive loops, which clashes with the modern look and mentality of the film. For these later problematic areas, I would recommend looking into a score composing software like Cinescore (PC only), SonicFire Pro 4.5, MusicBed DV (Mac only), or Adobe’s new Soundbooth, as their royalty free music libraries sound much less digital and loop-based. Additionally, incorporating a few more Indie bands’ music to the soundtrack would add more flavor. (We have a section of Microfilmmaker Magazine that’s devoted to Indie musicians and score composers that are willing to work on pure contingency basis with filmmakers.)
Use of Budget
While $25,000 is on the higher end of the budgets we review, it’s actually quite reasonable due to the costs of shooting in LA and Reno combined with the cost of the two editing computers that were purchased for the editing of this film.
Lasting Appeal
I think Ocatilla Flat has a pretty good amount of lasting appeal. It is an interesting film that I will enjoy watching again and I plan to show it to some of the other reviewers and writers at MFM, which means that it succeeds on both counts.
Overall Comment
While Ocatilla Flat has some rough edges in some of the performances and could stand some refinements in post effects, it tells an interesting story with a satisfying ending that I would recommend to anyone who’s interested in seeing a crime/thriller with a twist. Now that director Nils Myer has had his first taste of shooting and editing a digital feature, I look forward to seeing what his next film will be!
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Content |
8.2 |
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Visual
Look |
7.5 |
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Use
of Audio |
7.3 |
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Use
of Budget |
8.5 |
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Lasting
Appeal |
8.5 |
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Overall
Score |
8.0 |
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