For the most part, the lighting in the film was well-balanced. However, in the dinner scene, there are several times that we see the fireplace directly in the background, but the flickering "firelight" is coming from the side! (A similar effect worked well in the candlelit bathroom scene. This is because we never see how big the room is, so we simply assume that the other candles in the room are out of our view.) Trying to imitate fire/candle light is a tricky thing, so just try to keep tabs on where the light is supposed to be coming from.
The other lighting issue is the daylight shift at the end of the film. As any filmmaker who has tried to shoot outside will tell you, it is extremely difficult to get consistent lighting outside. However, there is huge difference in the sunlight between when the Traveler walks out of the house to when he puts on his hat and walks off. The tone of the sunlight is cool and even when the Traveler exits the house; however, when he puts on his hat, the sunlight becomes very warm and direct. If it's just not possible to match the light during production (and believe me, I know how hard that can be!), then try to even it out in post-production. You can use Magic Bullet Colorista to more precisely color balance the two shots and/or a filter pack like Magic Bullet Look or Nattress Film Effects to create a more pronounced color grading effect that can minimize differences.
Use of Audio
The quality of the dialogue in the film is okay for the most part. However. throughout the film, the sibilants (S-sounds) in the Salesman's speech stand out, and are especially hissing. This is generally caused by the microphone being in direct line with the talent's mouth. Because sibilants are a more powerful and direct sound, they tend to project straight in front of the person’s mouth. To alleviate this, try moving the mic above the talent’s head and tilting the mic to a 30 degree angle toward the talent’s mouth; this will prevent the harshness of the sibilants entering the mic, resulting in a less direct, harsh sound. Utilizing a windscreen on your shotgun mic can also help diminish this problems.
The ambient noise is minimal in the film. However, this works to an advantage, giving the film a slightly more eerie/fantastical feel by conveying the idea that the Traveler and the Stranger are completely alone. Likewise, the score is fairly minimal while still being creative and fitting in well with the overall feel of the story.
Use of Budget
This 15-minute short comes in at $500 and was shot over the course of five days. (That comes out to 3 minutes and $100 a day for the math geeks out there!) The budget went toward tapes, food, and props. This is a very good budget for a film of this length. Hats off to the filmmaker!
Lasting Appeal
Although the visual quality of the film is good, the problems at the core of the story make multiple viewings difficult. The confusion of questions left unanswered end up overpowering a potentially innovative story. For this reason, I would not recommend this film to others.
Final Comments
From a visual standpoint, Home Sweet Homeless is very creative and enjoyable to watch. The story starts out well by capturing the audience's attention; however, because essential questions (e.g what does the Salesman want and why does the Traveler refuse the offer) are left unanswered, the film is very confusing and ultimately, unfulfilling. I would, however, encourage Mr. Thomas not to completely abandon this story concept. It shows a lot of potential and with some additional work, could end up becoming a very intriguing story indeed. I look forward to see what future films he has to offer.
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Content |
6.0 |
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Visual
Look |
8.5 |
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Use
of Audio |
8.0 |
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Use
of Budget |
8.5 |
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Lasting
Appeal |
6.5 |
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Overall
Score |
7.5 |
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