The audio in Greco Sisters was pretty basic. (The crew used a Rode NTG-2 Boom mic to capture ambient sound and dialogue.) However, the dialogue was always clear and audible. Even a visually-problematic film can be passable if the dialogue is clear. So good job crew for taking care of this important facet of the film.
The score worked well with the film, with Music Composer Ali R Zaidi from Igra Studio lending his talent to the project.
The only part of the film that I perceived as problematic with regards to audio was at the end when the narrative dialogue drops under the tag line. At this point, a narrator asks viewers a crucial question about the film to tease the full feature. There is a huge difference in the sound quality of that line and the sound in the rest of the movie. I think this could have been done better in a couple of different ways. First, the editor could have removed the natural sound all together and inserted a music bed under the teaser audio. The editor could also have allowed the film’s audio to continue and simply asked the question with graphics. Since this film is going to be used as a fundraising tool for investors, it’s important to polish this segment a little more. People remember the beginning and end of movies, conversations, etc. more than any other part. So it’s vitally important to have a strong start and finish that will leave a good impression with your investors after your pitch is done.
The budget for Greco Sisters was $200. That money was spent on food, props, tapes and travel for the crew and actors. For this amount, Rye Joseph got a lot of bang for his buck. He had the advantage of working with a capable cast that volunteered their time and who functioned as crew when they weren’t on camera. By thinking outside of the box, he was able to acquire camera, boom mic, and editing software without paying for them, presumably through relationships and favors that he'd earned from the various owners.
Many filmmakers can effectively trim their budgets by cultivating relationships with the actors and filmmakers around them who possess the skills and equipment they need. Especially in the microfilm community, being willing to help each other is often the difference in whether or not a film gets made at all.
I think Greco Sisters has definite potential for lasting appeal. Crime dramas are particularly hot at the moment and tend to persist over time. The issues inherent to this type of story are very identifiable and have existed for centuries. The key to the lasting appeal of this particular story will be the way in which the filmmaker differentiates it from others in the same genre. This is the primary question to consider as he moves from this short film to making the feature.
Greco Sisters is a short film with a lot of potential. As a fundraising tool, I suggest that the filmmaker approach it as a segment of the feature film. It is really important that donors and investors can clearly follow the story that is being told without competing tangents and distractions. This is more important than anything else to raise the needed funds. I look forward to seeing the feature length version and the full story of the Greco Sisters.
