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Use of Audio
There were not a lot of audio issues that I noticed, even during the nighttime investigation, where the crewmembers were moving around quite a lot. The opening sound was a bit fuzzy, and there were a few instances of clothing rubbing against a microphone and a bit of distortion, but that’s usually to be expected in this kind of a film. After all, even the crewmembers on “Most Haunted” brush up against the microphones, and the screams resulting from their scary investigation often cause spikes in the audio.
There were some nice sound and music effects, though I almost would’ve liked to hear a little more music, especially throughout the interview segments and those recounting the history of the house.
Use of Budget
I find it hard to believe that there was not some sort of a budget to this movie. Even if the equipment was previously owned, there must have been tapes and possibly batteries purchased for the shoot. In addition, the shots of the narrator, interviews with the staff, and b-roll footage of the house itself had to take up time and possibly disrupt the goings-on at the mansion. In addition, an all-night stay had to include some sort of food and/or accommodations for the people involved.
Even if it only adds up to a few dollars or someone else paid for it, there must have been at least a small amount of money spent on the film. If this were not true, given the technical issues and the lack of structure to the film, it certainly would have been a good idea to spend a little bit on better preparation and equipment, in order to ensure a better final product.
Lasting Appeal
This film has an intriguing story, and even though the claim that an individual can actually “catch” a ghost is likely to produce a few skeptics, it may produce a few believers. This film still needs quite a bit of work in the areas of content, structure, and visuals, and would certainly benefit from some re-structuring and re-shooting. However, given all its issues, I was still looking forward to viewing the footage of the nighttime investigation, and was not disappointed. I am still a little skeptical about the whole concept of a “ghostcatcher,” but I do believe in ghosts and the supernatural, and will admit that anything is possible. Given some more work, this documentary could certainly find a fan base among those with a similar frame of mind.
Overall Comment
Paranormal shows, documentaries, and movies have become increasingly popular in the last few years, and with Dr. Hawkins’ unique ability, this film certainly stands out from the others. There is certainly an audience for this type of documentary, and I think many would be quite intrigued by it.
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Content |
5.7 |
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Visual
Look |
5.8 |
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Use
of Audio |
8.8 |
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Use
of Budget |
6.5 |
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Lasting
Appeal |
6.5 |
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Overall
Score |
6.6 |
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The
author of half a dozen screen plays, two novels, and a proficient
camera-woman in her own right, Monika
DeLeeuw-Taylor is Microfilmmaker's lead writing analyst and
one of our top film reviewers. When she's not writing a critique for
Microfilmmaker, she's writing screenplays for Viking Productions.
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