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The elements of this film that impressed me most were the visual aspects. Seibel shot on film at an amazing price point and did a great job of color correcting for a beautiful result. This footage is screen ready! It’s obvious that Seibel puts a lot of effort into shot composition to create visual interest in each frame. His blocking is very well thought out and comes together nicely with motion and camera angles to create great shots. Seibel also does a great job of storytelling through lighting. Highlights, shadows and lighting angles create extra emphasis that set the mood brilliantly for each shot.
Editing also plays a critical role in storytelling in this short film. Seibel creates short montages and flashbacks that add clarity and dynamics to the story line. Although I am largely on-board with his style of using several split-second cuts throughout to create flashbacks and for various insert shot sequences, I also experienced a couple of instances in which they were distracting and poorly executed. However, these occurrences were only in the insert shot sequences.
As the movie climaxes in gunfire, Seibel gets a great opportunity to demonstrate his skill with special effects. The use of fake blood and gunshot wounds is very believable here. The actors who are killed also do a great job of performing in this sequence by being convincing as they lay dying on the floor.
The audio in Kill, My Lovely is masterful throughout. The score and other audio elements do a quite effective job of supporting the tone, pace and emotion of the film. I didn’t hear any noteworthy problems during viewing. Rather, I was pulled even deeper into the drama by its sound. Well done.
Justin Seibel’s budget for his film was $7,000. The budget breakdown follows: $3,000 for film stock and developing, $1,500 for food, $700 for crew, $500 for costumes and props, $400 for DVD production. The rest was spent on festival submissions and miscellaneous expenses. Considering this project has a list of no-cost line items (in addition to what he spent) and the fact that this was Justin’s thesis film for his Master of Fine Art program, it’s reasonable to think that he was able to use lots of equipment for free through his educational institution. By intelligently using the resources at his disposal to create a vehicle for his future filmmaking advancement, he got a lot of bang for his buck. Skillful utilization of opportunity always trumps glitz. Justin Seibel shows that he has the necessary chops to make a great film.
Cop/crime dramas are currently a hit and have demonstrated lasting appeal, as a genre, over time. (In fact, they became a massive force for entertainment in the Great Depression and have enjoyed a consistent impact in the theaters ever since.) Given the great job Justin did with this piece, I think Kill, My Lovely will have significant lasting appeal over time. I’d definitely recommend this film to others.
Kill, My Lovely is a very enjoyable film. It reminds me a lot NBC’s current series, Southland, but with a Film Noir style. I definitely believe it has the potential to either be made into a feature or a series. The great production value it contains illustrates Justin’s massive potential. Keep at it, Justin. We look forward to watching as you make a name for yourself in the industry.
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Content |
8.0 |
Visual
Look |
9.0 |
Use
of Audio |
9.0 |
Use
of Budget |
8.0 |
Lasting
Appeal |
9.0 |
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8.6 |
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Jessica Creech is a lighting specialist that has worked in numerous elements of video production for over eleven years. Her clients have included the International Olympic Committee,
Canadian Broadcasting Corp., NFL, NHL, Rolex Equestrian 3-Day Event, AT&T/Comcast, Lexington Legends Baseball, Hammond Communications Group and others. |
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