Searching the History Books

Reviewing Former Student Work

It's that time again! This week, I have been watching past movie clips made by former students in order to get a better idea of how I want to construct my movie. I watched 5 different videos and analyzed the features that were eye-catching and those that needed some improvement in order to achieve that cinematic vibe. I have posted the video links below as well as my opinion on their successes/shortcomings and how they can be improved.

Roll Call

Role Call's opening introduces a police case identifying different suspects for a murder. The strengths of this film were the editing involved to make the mugshots seem professional and symmetric for each take. I also liked how the narrator was explaining each subject's background in a hasty manner to build suspense and hook the audience in. As for weaknesses, I felt that the voices of the actors were not adequate to appear professional. It could have been recorded better, whether that was using a better microphone like a shotgun mic to capture their voices better or for the actors to instill greater passion in their voices. Also, I noticed the camera was shaky throughout many scenes. While I don't know if this was done on purpose to create an anxious effect, I think it should not have been used that many times throughout the film. So, using a tripod or camera stand would have made this film feel more cinematic.

New Everything

I was not that impressed with New Everything. To give some positives, I liked how the film conveyed the ordinary morning routine of a student despite him being the "new kid." Also, I liked how the clip played the music that the protagonist was listening to in his headphones, putting the audience in his perspective. Despite, I believe the flaws outweigh the strengths. I think the opening seemed very vague and boring. Their was no dialogue, no background music, no narration, etc. It just depicted the morning of a school day without truly giving it significance. This could have been improved with something as simple as a voiceover of the protagonist's thoughts as he woke up, entered school, walked into class, and more. Also, the sound effects of footsteps did not appeal to me, particularly because it was quite obvious it was a sound effect. The steps were not in sync with the walking speed entirely, and the sound of the steps did not match the house floor or concrete sidewalk in the film. Instead, it sounded like he was walking on dirt or grass, which removes the realism of the film. A simple fix would be recording the footsteps on the proper surface in a foley stage.

Dreamland

Dreamland had an intriguing opening but seemed to lose its aura as the film progressed. The strengths of the film lie in the first minute or so, where a dream-like scenery of relaxation, flowers, and supernatural powers were bundled together to create this mysterious paradise. I enjoyed the tranquil film score, as it added to the heavenly feeling, especially when paired with the surreal pink hue of the film. I also enjoyed how the producers reversed their recordings to make it seem like objects were floating, adding a special touch to the video. However, I began disliking the film when the creator transitioned from the dream to reality. It felt insequencial and abrupt, and while this may have been the purpose, I think it was not connected properly. To go from this dream stance to being outside a pharmacy can be vague without proper background information, and the rest of the film of the protagonist smuggling different drugs does not explain the turnaround of scenery. This could have been avoided with a voiceover describing the protagonist's thoughts behind being at the pharmacy. Another fix could just be slowing down the transition between the two states to allow the viewers to process the change.

Dear Lover

Dear Lover was a different film than the previous ones. Strengths of this film include a calm nature environment and a soothing instrumental to convey the protagonist's peace of mind after a tough time. This is reiterated by another notable strength: narration. I liked how the voiceover was used to provide background information into the main character's life, posing the problem at hand and how she is dealing with it. This allows the audience to gain sufficient information to be hooked into the movie in order to see what happens next, an ideal movie opener. Weaknesses came towards the end of the video when there were multiple shots in a small amount of time, including the lake, the movement scenes, and the interview. It almost felt like a montage, which is not ideal to convey a mood of tranquility. By reducing the number of shots in the sequence or editing them more smoothly, this movie could have been improved.

Dare to Thrill

This was my favorite film of the ones I reviewed! So many positives could be seen. I liked the acting of the young adults, portraying the excitement, eagerness, and even immaturity that many people their age express, making it seem realistic. The fast-paced shots added to this thrill. I liked the close-ups of the car speedometer and other features to really focus in on the chaotic driving that the teens participated in. I enjoyed the ambient dialogue and laughter, and though it could not be understood, the emotions behind it were very well on display. I enjoyed the steady camera shots of the car, as this was probably difficult to achieve. Since it was done properly, it creates a professional outlook. Finally, the music was the middle ground. While I did like its party-like feel to reflect the mood of the opening, I think it was too loud. It covered many features, like the engine roar and car screeches, making it harder to hear them and receive the entirety of the intended effect. Just by lowering the sound of the score during the sound mixing stage, this movie could've been well on its way to a Hollywood opener!