In this post 1230 West Rd., La Habra Heights, CA 90631tic indie film writer/director Austin Barbetto shows that you can still make a decent looking film on a shoe string budget.
Pros.
The cinematography, editing, and sound design are all decent, for the most part. I've seen films with a budget that weren't done as well. The score is minimalistic which works at times, at other...not so much.
Cons.
When working on a tight budget it's common to do without certain crew members. But when this happens it's imperative that some else fill in. Make-up and wardrobe, for example. And props. It's supposed to be post apocalypse but our main character has clearly showered and shaved and put on clean clothes the morning of the shoot. There's not even a speck of dirt on his shoes. His fingernails are spotless. Facts that make it somewhat comical when he washes himself in the dirty water of a creek. And his water bottle looks like it came right off the shelf of a store.
His acting is pretty bad. At about 9 minutes in he crying because he love left him. But I don't believe it for a minute. It's more believable that he's crying over the annoying guitar music.
A little more bounced light during the fire scene would have helped to see what he was looking at.
OK, two lens flares in 16 minutes. I'm giving up on this. I would like to have commented on the plot. But I'm not sure there is one.
