|
|
 |
|
The
filmmaker used the Redrock Micro's lens adapter on his
camera which enabled him to rack focus just like a film
camera, and he really made excellent use of this piece
of technology. One of my favorite moments was the opening
credits sequence -- an out-of focus shot down the sidewalk
of what looked to be a strip mall. At first, the viewer
can't really see anything because of the soft focus, then
someone on a skateboard comes down the sidewalk toward
us. He gets off the skateboard, walks closer to the camera,
then is suddenly in focus as he stops and looks around.
Such a shallow depth of field is something that is rarely
seen in movies - but the technique works great for this
film. There are several moments where the main character
moves in and out of focus, or the camera racks focus between
various object, especially in the pet store. In most films,
this might come across as showing off, but I don't get
that sense at all -- it really fits in well with the visual
element of the film. Though there does seem to be a lot
more of the rack focusing and moving camera in the pet
store than in the main character's home.
Use
of Audio
There
was very little music in this film -- mostly ambient sound
and the dialogue of the narration. This really served
to enhance the movie's simplicity, and the music that
was used added to some of the more intense moments in
the film. The ambient sound was a nice touch as well --
sometimes in narration-only films, there's a tendency
to forget all about it, but the filmmakers made a good
decision in choosing to keep the background noise.
Use
of Budget
Twenty
dollars is a pretty small budget - even for a six-minute
movie! I think it's safe to assume that the filmmakers
didn't include the price of equipment into their estimated
cost, since a lens adaptor alone would costs far more
than $20. Other than the cost of equipment, it seems as
though they got a really good movie out of such a small
budget.
Lasting
Appeal
This is a movie that I would definitely watch again, as
well as show to several of my friends. Though the general
public might not understand the art cinema element to
this film, and some may not like the look of it at all,
I think there would be plenty of non-artsy people who
would be able to at least grasp the concept of the film.
It also seems to me that Pardoned would be very
well-received at art houses and indy film festivals.
Conclusion
The
thing I liked most about Pardoned was that it took an
issue that has been discussed by many people, and addressed
it in a completely different way. There is something to
be said for subtlety and allegory - something that old
Hollywood understood, but that is lacking in present-day
films.
The
technical quality for this movie was very sound, it was
visually interesting, and a had a compelling story. Sometimes
with short films, it's difficult to get the entire story
across in such a short time, but I think these filmmakers
did a very good job at getting their message across clearly
and succinctly - and they did it in a very interesting
way.
I'm
really anxious to see what else Star Tribe comes up with!
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Content
|
8.6
|
|
Visual
Look
|
8.7
|
|
Use
of Audio
|
8.5
|
|
Use
of Budget
|
9.0
|
|
Lasting
Appeal
|
8.5
|
|
Overall
Score
|
8.7
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The
author of half a dozen screen plays, two novels, and a proficient
camera-woman in her own right, Monika
DeLeeuw-Taylor is Microfilmmaker's lead writing analyst and
one of our top film reviewers. When she's not writing a critique for
Microfilmmaker, she's writing screenplays for Viking Productions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
