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The lighting of the film was bright and the colors were vibrant. Even the opening montage, which had a muted, sepia tone, was more than bright enough. Since no camera was used, you might think camerawork is a non-issue, but there’s still the issue of framing the shots and movement of the frame. To this end, most of the shots were effectively staged and shot. There were a few instances of excessive headroom, but I attributed that to the filmmaker including a sight gag in the frame. Also, zooms were used to provide a sense of motion within the frame. These were done subtly and gradually and avoided being distracting as excessive zooms often are.
As most in the microfilmmaker community know, audio can make or break a movie. Even a movie with mediocre visuals is made watchable with excellent sound. Despite recording the audio in a homemade booth made with four furniture pads, the sound in Ninjews was surprisingly well-done. Using a Shure SM57 microphone (approximate retail $100), the filmmaker captured the actors’ voices at nice, even levels. No noticeable popping or sibilant problems. The score, also composed by the director, effectively accentuated the scenes where it was used. The overall sound design was mixed well and the incorporation of sound effects and Foley rounded out the auditory experience. Other than the sound level dropping slightly at the end of a few lines of dialogue, the audio (along with the voice acting) was Ninjews strongest asset.
The budget of Ninjews was around $500 dollars. Considering this amount, and the fact that the multi-hyphenate filmmaker who made it did everything but act in it, this is an impressive achievement. The money was well spent on the animation software and acting talent—both of which are essential to creating an effective animated piece. I assume the microphone was either already owned or borrowed, so it didn’t impact the budget. This also goes for any computer equipment used. Due to the limitations of such a small budget, it’s hard to say how the money might have been better spent. And from a technical perspective, I think much was achieved despite the minimal resources.
I’m not sure about Ninjews lasting appeal beyond its “shock” value. It’s so politically incorrect in parts that those who prefer their comedy laced with bad taste will want to share it with their friends. Others, however, may be seriously put off by the endless Jewish and Catholic jokes. While this particular incarnation of Ninjews may only appeal to a select audience, I do believe the overall concept is inspired and with some development could be turned into a successful web series. The Jewish elements could still be incorporated, but used as something more than simply the punch line of a joke. Also, for the purposes of a comedic short film, size matters. But in this case, shorter is definitely better. If Ninjews had been five minutes or less, it might be something worthy of repeated viewings, but when dragged out to over ten minutes, it struggles to maintain interest.
There’s a lot of potential with the Ninjews concept. Although the jokes were politically incorrect and won’t appeal to all tastes, I’m sure this film could find an audience with the South Park and Family Guy Crowd. I would really love to see some development of the concept beyond the one-note quality of the ethnic jokes. If the filmmaker could weave the humorous jabs at religion into the fabric of his story, integrating the two better, rather than the jokes being the whole point, I think this concept could really work as an ongoing Web series.
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Content |
6.0 |
Visual
Look |
8.0 |
Use
of Audio |
9.0 |
Use
of Budget |
9.0 |
Lasting
Appeal |
6.0 |
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7.6 |
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Joel G. Robertson co-wrote and directed the feature The Whole Town Is Sleeping and has made numerous shorts, including Shadows of the Dead, a winner of Fangoria's First Blood Drive competition. He also runs the site Forgotten Flix, which is dedicated to championing movies, both old and new, that deserve more attention. |
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