Broken (2005/I)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Alex Ferrari

Writers:

Alex Ferrari (story)
Jorge F. Rodriguez (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 February 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Action | Crime | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

What if your truth... were a lie?

Plot:

A gun blast, a flash of light, and a young woman awakens to the comfort of her own bed. Bonnie Clayton has it all...

Plot Keywords:

The Matrix | Minidv | Comic Book | Superhero | Low Budget Film

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Samantha Jane Polay	...	Bonnie
Paul Gordon	...	Duncan
Amber Crawford	...	Marquez
Derek Evans	...	Christian
Tony Gomez	...	Gabriel
Jose Luis Navas	...	Snake
Danilo Begovic	...	Pinball
Stephan Morris	...	Shamon
Ruben Gomez	...	Penance
Ken Robkin	...	Ukyo
Eric Townsend	...	Kangol Guy
Howard Dobinsky	...	Doctor
Deidre Washington	...	Nurse
Toby Burge	...	Orderly #1
Jorge Carcases	...	Orderly #2
Jorge F. Rodriguez	...	Male Nurse
Lawrence Johansen	...	Male nurse
Venezza Leon	...	Mental Patient #1
Augustin Kennady	...	Mental Patient
Mona Giraud	...	Mental Patient
Roger Giraud	...	Mental Patient
Patricia Perry	...	Mental Patient
Maggie Phillips	...	Mental Patient
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Latanya Taylor	...	Mental Patient

Directed by
Alex Ferrari

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alex Ferrari		story & screenplay
Jorge F. Rodriguez		screenplay

Produced by
Michelle Clayton	....	executive producer
Alex Ferrari	....	producer
Jorge F. Rodriguez	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Roumelis

Cinematography by
Angel Barroeta

Film Editing by
Alex Ferrari

Production Design by
Alex Ferrari
Jorge F. Rodriguez

Set Decoration by
Alex Ferrari

Costume Design by
Sofia Amadi

Makeup Department
Alexandria Furst	....	assistant makeup artist
Megan Graham	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jorge F. Rodriguez	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yaniv Fituci	....	second assistant director
Caroline O'Brien	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Toby Burge	....	property master
Dan Cregan	....	conceptual art
Dan Cregan	....	storyboard artist
Ken Robkin	....	additional storyboard artist
Randy Savarese	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Eric M. Moorman	....	production sound mixer
Mark Roumelis	....	sound designer
Tim Rousseau	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Dan Cregan	....	conceptual artist
Jorge F. Rodriguez	....	practical special effects
Randy Savarese	....	practical special effects
Randy Savarese	....	special effects crew

Visual Effects by
Dan Cregan	....	digital effects artist
Dan Cregan	....	storyboard artist
Sean Falcon	....	visual effects supervisor
Alex Ferrari	....	colorist
Jon Krummel	....	modeler

Stunts
Alex Ferrari	....	stunt coordinator
Jorge F. Rodriguez	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Baker	....	assistant camera
Angel Barroeta	....	camera operator
Dan Cregan	....	set videographer
Alex Ferrari	....	camera operator
Mike L. Germaine	....	key grip
Carlos Gomez	....	gaffer
Chris Hill	....	grip
Juan Linares	....	gaffer
Nick Monaco	....	still photographer
Jorge Parra	....	gaffer
Randy Savarese	....	set videographer
Carla Sosa	....	first assistant camera
Matthew Thiemann	....	best boy electric

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Robkin	....	wardrobe designer

Editorial Department
Ricky Pierre-Louis	....	post-production intern
Tim Rousseau	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Armen Arisian	....	production assistant
Ryan Carr	....	production assistant
Michael Conforti	....	weapons advisor
Tony Gomez	....	technical advisor
Lawrence Johansen	....	production assistant
Sarah Peterson	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Maricruz Buendia	....	very special thanks
Cory Dolling	....	very special thanks
Robert Rodriguez	....	special thanks
Quentin Tarantino	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Enigma Factory, The
• Fortuity Films

Distributors

• Enigma Factory, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Numb Robot (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Enigma Factory, The  editorial
• Apple Computer  special thanks
• Camera Group International  optical lens
• Cinevideo Tech  grip and lighting equipment
• Cmpozr  Sound facilities
• Numb Robot  post-production facilities

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

A.G. Holley Hospital - 1199 W. Lantana Road, Lantana, Florida, USA

Company:

Enigma Factory, The

Trivia:

Won "Best Visual Effects" for BROKEN at the South Jersey United Film Festival 2006

Quotes:

Duncan: You know my therapist says the exact same thing... can't let go of the past, can't move on. I need closure.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Broken: Finding Your Shot - A Director's Best Friend (2005) (V)

I've seen BROKEN over ten times and can't get enough! Indie Filmmaker's DREAM!

So begins Alex Ferrari's directorial debut, Broken. What is special about Broken is that it is designed to push all boundaries about what you can do with "no money". The visual look of this film is gorgeous. The director made sure he sat down with his graphic designers and artists and had this film storyboarded beautifully and completely costume designed. The music in Broken is strangely chilling and compelling, decidedly off-putting with just a touch of an industrial bondage effect. The sound effects are quite good for virtually all the film, with excellent gunfire sounds throughout. The use of budget in this film is simply phenomenal. From my understanding, much of the budget of this film didn't go to light rental, camera rental, effects, gun purchasing, or costumes, rather much of the film's budget went to food and beverages.

Nearly three hours of how-to information for $19.99 is pretty darn impressive. For the amount of stuff that you will undoubtedly try based on this DVD, it's one of the simplest investments you can make.

The DVD for Broken is so dichotomous that it had to be reviewed in two separate places. On one hand, it's a very impressive first action/horror short film. On the other hand, it's a very in-depth DVD manual on how to make realistic special effects and gunfights with virtually no money, with the final short working as an example of all the different elements in the film. While some of the training in this DVD should have been broken down to a more step-by- step approach for true newcomers to film-making and effects, the things that Ferrari and Rodriguez bring to the table are truly impressive and inspiring. If you can watch through all the features in this DVD and not get ideas for how to make your own films even better, then you might not be alive.

I've seen this short over ten times and I notice something new each time. While it does not answer almost any of the questions it raises, it definitely makes you appreciate what these young filmmakers accomplished for our art and makes you look forward to seeing a full- length feature.

An excellent first film, this short breaks down the barriers of what can be accomplished in the realm of action and suspense at the micro-budget level. As other filmmakers build on the work of Mr. Ferrari, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Falcon, and all the other folks that made this film possible, this may prove to be one of the most inspirational short films for our cause in quite some time!