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While $10,000 seems like a decent chunk of change, the sheer amount of time that the filmmakers put into it immediately justifies it. Even more so since they included their editing computer, microphone, lights, audio equipment, post-audio services, and their premiere party.
As it stands right now, Born Hye is a novelty story. In the movie EdTV, Ellen Degeneres' character talks about how people can't look away when they drive by a car wreck, because they want to see if a decapitated head will come rolling out of the wreckage. In that movie, they felt like Ed would be their “rolling head”--something so compelling and grotesque that people couldn't help but watch. Harsh as it may sound, in the current version of Born Hye, Sam Meneshian is the rolling head. While that can get someone to watch it through the first time, it won't cause most people to re-watch it nor will it get them to check out online information about the main character, the way they were likely to do with documentaries like American Movie. However, if some of the elements of the storyline are augmented (and some of the flow issues are polished), the final version of Born Hye could have much more lasting appeal, as it will be much more balanced.
Born Hye is an interesting documentary that bears resemblances to documentaries like American Movie. The current version is interesting and strangely compelling, but it lacks the staying power that it could have with a little additional content. I hope the filmmakers are able to add some of these things to the film so that it can get as much recognition as I think it would deserve. Additionally, I look forward to seeing what the next film these filmmakers choose to set their hand to will be.
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Content |
8.3 |
Visual
Look |
7.0 |
Use
of Audio |
9.0 |
Use
of Budget |
10.0 |
Lasting
Appeal |
6.7 |
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8.2 |
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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 recently released by MWP to very favorable reviews. When he's not working as Editor-in-Chief at MFM or writing books, he continues to direct and write films through his production company, Viking Productions. |
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