|
|
 |
Use of Budget
Very few microfilmmakers these days are willing to tackle a movie with actual film stock – let alone their first one! In a world that is starting to phase out all semblance of what the word “film” actually meant, it’s a big relief to see that there are at least a few individuals who haven’t completely abandoned it.
I’m also quite impressed with the fact that the director experimented with several different film stocks in order to find the right “look.” While I’m sure it wasn’t cheap, it was certainly an invaluable exercise, as the film certainly did benefit visually from the choice of Kodak 7229.
Unfortunately, the use of film really drives a budget up – in fact $7,600 of the total budget was spent on film stock and processing, and $5,000 for equipment rental. There are still some technical and editing issues that might need to be addressed, however, which may make it difficult to keep some audience members interested.
Lasting Appeal
The subjects of depression and especially self-injury are very difficult ones to address. I was pleased to find out that the film has a very personal connection to the director, and while I don’t know if this is an issue he has dealt with in his own life, it was still very refreshing to see it tackled by someone who actually had some first-hand knowledge.
For those who deal with self-injury and depression on a daily basis, this film could be both refreshing and depressing. On the one hand, depression is a very lonely illness and it’s always a comfort to know that one is not the only one dealing with it. However, the feel of the movie was almost too well-done, as someone struggling with depression might actually feel themselves drawn deeper in. Along the same lines, anyone who is a self-injurer might be triggered by Jay’s actions – though he isn’t shown in the act, even just seeing the scars on his arm or listening to the characters talk about it could be sufficient to stir up feelings in certain viewers. On the plus side, however, addressing this issue in such a head-on fashion could be quite beneficial for those audience members who may not fully understand the issue of self-injury. Even though it’s not fully explained, and some viewers may not find the main character quite so sympathetic, at least the film raises this issue in a much more appropriate and non-trendy way.
Overall Comment
Despite years and years of advancement in modern psychology, the issues of depression and self-injury still remain somewhat taboo. Even worse, self-injury has become somewhat of a fad among certain subcultures, which does even more of a disservice to those who actually struggle with this addiction on a daily basis. While a film like this could be triggering for those who deal with the issue, it’s admirable that the creators of this film were willing to tackle such a difficult subject and that they did so very sympathetically.
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Content |
7.4 |
Visual
Look |
7.6 |
Use
of Audio |
7.5 |
Use
of Budget |
8.0 |
Lasting
Appeal |
6.5 |
Overall
Score |
7.4 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The
director of two feature length films and half a dozen short films,
Jeremy Hanke
founded Microfilmmaker Magazine to help all no-budget filmmakers make
better films. His first book on low-budget special effects techniques, GreenScreen Made Easy, (which he co-wrote with Michele Yamazaki) was released by MWP to very favorable reviews. He's curently working on the sci-fi film franchise, World of Depleted through Depleted: Day 419 and the feature film, Depleted. |
|
|
|
|
|
