Audio Quality
The music that was selected for the soundtrack worked quite well with the overall feel of the film. However, with future projects, be careful when placing music with lyrics underneath dialogue scenes. (e.g. the Heart’s scene in the ice cream parlor.) The problem is that the lyrics can take attention away from the dialogue itself. Just be sure the music track is significantly quieter than the dialogue track.
No matter what anyone tells you about filmmaking, audio is one of the most (if not THE most) essential components. You could have a Tarantino-quality story with Michael Bay-quality camerawork, but if the audio quality is poor, it can distract and confuse your audience, turning them off to the film. It is very easy for beginning filmmakers to forget about this component. (Just ask the Editor; I worked with him on his first film, and we really messed up the audio on that one!) For Humenetomy, all of the audio was recorded using the on-board camera mic, which is a big no-no. The biggest problem with these microphones is that they are omni-directional, meaning that they pick up sound from everywhere: the actors who are speaking, the cars passing on the street, the air conditioning unit, etc. This not only decreases the quality of the sound, but it interferes with what you’re actually trying to record (which is usually people talking). As a result, the audio quality is usually tinny and echo-y. Another problem with camera mics is that you can’t control the audio levels very well. (For example, if you want to film two people talking next to a fountain, you can’t turn up the levels on the actors without also increasing the levels of the fountain noise.)
All of these sound issues (excessive background noise, tinny audio quality, uneven levels) are present in the film, and are very distracting to the audience. Unfortunately, short of going back and trying to re-record the audio for the entire film (been there, done that, and don’t recommend it), there is very little that can be done in post-production to salvage poor-quality audio. It is possible, but it is extremely time intensive and -if you’re not doing it yourself- expensive. In this case, the best remedy is prevention. For future films, use an external microphone (such as a shotgun mic); these mics give you better quality sound and more control than a camera mic ever could. For 10 easy-to-understand, very informative (and very essential) tips on this topic, check out our article: Audio Tips That Every Microfilmmaker Needs.
Use of Budget
Most of the $4,000 budget for the film went toward necessities such as actors, food, props, equipment, locations, etc., and this is a pretty reasonable budget for a film of this size, especially one shot in the New York City area that is extremely restrictive and costly for low-budget filmmakers.
Lasting Appeal
The frequent and confusing transitions between the scenes make it difficult to follow the film. In addition, the story drags on in several places, causing the audience to lose interest. These factors, combined with the overall shaky quality of the audio, make Humenetomy a film that I would not watch again or recommend to a friend.
Overall Comment
Like many other filmmakers in the NYC/New Jersey area (Woody Allen, Spike Lee, Kevin Smith, etc.) it is evident that Bobby E. Goins is connected with his community and is very proud of it. However, filmmakers need to take care that their environment does not overshadow the story they’re trying to tell. This film could actually be broken down into two short films that showcase two different themes: the local community and the story of the Body’s trial. Goins’ style of storytelling and editing is very humorous and shows much promise; the music chosen for the soundtrack was good, and the budget was right on target. However, Humenetomy itself only needs to be fifteen to twenty minutes long, at the most, and will still be very funny. The editing needs to be much tighter, specifically with improved transitions between scenes, and the elimination of title cards. The audio quality was very tinny and echo-y (due to the use of the camera mic,) sometimes making it difficult to hear what was going on. I think that Mr. Goins has much to offer as an upcoming filmmaker, and I am very interested to see what he brings to the table as he continues to improve his craft.
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Content |
5.0 |
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Visual
Look |
5.0 |
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Use
of Audio |
5.5 |
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Use
of Budget |
8.0 |
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Lasting
Appeal |
5.0 |
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Overall
Score |
5.7 |
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