The audio in Anyone Accept David was one area that I felt could really have used some considerable work. Throughout the film, the quality and dynamics of the audio changed from shot to shot; many times on the same set. Hum was the most noticeable quality I could identify. The shotgun mic that was used may have been picking up some hum from the camera itself; if it was mounted there. I encourage all film makers to use a boom pole when possible to avoid contaminating their sound with unavoidable equipment buzz and hum.
Additional tracks of foley or natural sound would also have helped sell a number of scenes. At the softball games, more crowd noise was needed to cheer on the teams and create an exciting atmosphere. The same is true of the bowling alley sequence I mentioned earlier.
Caleb Vetter’s budget was $18,000. He spent nearly $15,000 of that on equipment upgrades including: a Sony EX1 (app. $6K), Letus35mm adapter (app. $3.5K), Sennheiser MKH-416 short shotgun mic (app. $1.3K) and a new computer. The other roughly $3,000 was distributed among food, music, props, costumes, permits and travel. For the expenditures listed here, I’d say that seems about right. I definitely noticed some crane shots though, so I’m wondering where the hardware for that came from. (Unless he already owned or had free access to one.)
Anyone Accept David definitely has some lasting appeal. At its heart, it’s a coming-of-age story about perspective and acceptance. This movie reminds me a lot of the films I watched throughout my childhood at summer church camp. Although the movie isn’t “preachy,” it does include Bible verses, prayer and other religious symbols. So I definitely recommend investigating its release through religious distribution companies. However, the general themes will also appeal to a wider audience than just the church set. Also, the production value is far greater than I generally see in “Christian” media…..which is a BIG plus for me.
Anyone Accept David has the potential to be a great film that can transcend the success of many of its competitors. It’s obvious to me that there is a wealth of creativity and skill in the production and post-production staff. Caleb Vetter has produced a good film and has everything necessary to take it to the next level. I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.
