This film had very little music, which doesn't seem like a terrible idea. It was there to hint at some of the more emotional moments, but was not overpowering. Though this was a much more serious film, one might assume it would have a lot of music, but that isn't always necessary. In Frank Oz's film The Score, he purposefully left out music unless it was absolutely needed in order to make it feel more realistic. In the audio commentary he stated that hearing music subconsciously tells you that you're in a movie; with silence it feels more real. And in this case, though the story is a little less exciting and a lot more heartbreaking, the lack of music does drop it well into reality.
There were also a few audio issues. I noticed that the dialogue would occasionally drop in level, which made it hard to hear the characters. (A good level to consistently mix dialogue is -12 Db.) Also the Foley effect of a telephone ringing early on in the film didn't sound at all like a telephone. In addition, there was no phone around or even shown in a cutaway, and because it rang many times before the machine picked up, I had a several-second argument with myself over whether the noise was actually supposed to be a telephone or a glitch in the DVD (or my cat doing something that he shouldn't). Either the sound effect needs to be changed or a cutaway to a phone - preferably a digital one with a light that blinks while it is ringing - would have solved this problem.
I was really quite impressed that this film's budget was only $687 and, of that, it was quite well-spent. It was used for an old van to bus cast and crew to the various locations, spare parts and gas for said van, food and water for the cast and crew, supporting various local businesses, hotel accommodations, wardrobe, application fee to film inside a US Post Office, various random supplies, and - my personal favorite - neutral density gels for windows. It warms the cockles of my little Dutch heart. (And yes, Dutch hearts have more cockles than most hearts. This is because they are so tight and penny-pinching!)
This film was a thesis project, so I'm assuming that the equipment was provided, but all other expenses were the responsibility of the filmmaker. While equipment can be a huge chunk of change, all the extras can too. It's important to learn early on how to splurge on what you absolutely must have and stretch on everything else.
This is a very technically sound film. It has a good, if not very sad, storyline, and is put together well. My one concern, and warning, would be for anyone who has ever confronted suicide themselves, or had a family member or friend who has taken their own life. Those potential audience members might want to steer clear for risk of opening new emotional wounds.
This film is nothing if not a drama. There are few light-hearted moments, and it deals with very real issues. But beneath the sadness, there is very real and heartwarming message.
(For any readers who are currently struggling with depression, I do want to bring up this: Depression is serious. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the national hotline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) )
