Broken (I) (2005) User Reviews

Nice Prod.Values...and that's it

[ambassadortex · 3/10 · 23 October 2006]

Saw the trailer and explored the website a long while back...looked very, very cool. Then saw several mentions of "over XX visual effects shots!!" repeated over and over in various comments and descriptions. Got a bit suspicious...

Saw the whole film this weekend. DVD menu: looks awesome! Credit sequence: looks awesome, builds excitement and expectation!

The actual film: not good. Very disappointing. So many missteps and "tin ear" moments that it was one of the biggest, "What were they thinking?!?" moments at the whole film festival.

The story is convoluted and barely served by the acting and editing (though actress Polay does a good job with the very,

very little she is given). The Duncan character (main villain) is straight out of the overwrought "look at me! I'm a craaazzyyy bad, bad man!" style of writing and acting.

Above all, the film shows a very immature, shallow sensibility informing most of the major decisions. The ending is just plain camp - so much like the end of the "Thriller" video that I expected to hear Vincent Price laughing in the background.

That said - - the "on message" buzz presented on review sites speaks volumes about how well these indie filmmakers have promoted their stuff. They clearly got the most they could out of their budget (whether or not it really was $8,000) and are riding this horse as far as it will take them. And, as I said, they do create a pretty cool look in many places.

As a fellow indie filmmaker, I understand and respect the work and determination that goes into that. However, if they truly have been given funding to do a feature (clearly their goal in making the short), I hope they focus less on the glitz and the positive press it has earned them from people with bad taste or low standards and more on telling an actual story with interesting characters (within your world of high action-adventure production values).

Not a broken film, but not a good one either

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 20 February 2018]

"Broken" is an American short film from 2005, so not too new anymore and it was written and directed by Alex Ferrari. You could say that it is all about the action here and the other genres are just secondary, even if there are many of them. At times, the film did not look too bad luckily, but overall I would not say it was working, especially because you realize more than just a few times, way too frequently in such a short film, that the talent here certainly did not match the ambition. The final plot twist with the hospital reference was the best example. It could have been a nice smart twist if executed properly, but it just feels rushed in and for the sake of it. Ferrari's strength is probably more in the atmospheric field as there it was an okay watch overall. But that alone plus the stunning looks of the central character just isn't enough unfortunately. Watching this one once is okay, but not really necessary. I give this short film a humbs-down and suggest you skip it all in all. Lacks too much incoherency and the storytelling department.

A Mans' Got To Know His Limitations...

[afimiami · 23 October 2007]

Before we continue to point out all the limitations of "Broken" or any of Mr. Ferrari's (is that his real name?) productions, we must understand the limitations of said video- grapher. First, Mr. Ferrari never attended a real film school where they teach content, story, history or originality. He went to a technical film school called "Full Sail" in Florida, know as the APEX Tec of film schools. His films have a juvenile fascination with technical feats and special effects. Stories, characters and ideas never rise past a 10th grade comic book reading level. Like some one pointed out "Broken' would be cool if a 18 -19 year old made it. Having a lack of education in film and literary history allows him to fall into every cliché and stereotype with out knowing it's already been done. Like a teenager he gravitates to violent action with no story. Everything is a stereotype, nothing is deep. He sites his hero's as Tarrintino and Robert Rodriquez, two supposedly self taught filmmaker. Well, Tarrintino is a film scholar in his own right, and a gifted artist. Mr. Rodriquez did go to film school in Austin and has a sense of humor which Ferrari has none. All Mr. Ferrari and his collaborators do is make inferior hack versions of movies they like. When looking at his reel it feels like a bunch of stunted 30 something year old males got together and made home movies like they are 12 years old. He's more excited about a muzzle flash or squibs then the story. The other thing that is annoying about Ferrari is that he calls himself a filmmaker. The guy has only shot a few feet of film for that abortive film trailer, and a spec spot or two. Now that video is available to everyone, we have to deal with a high volume of garbage. Real film has become the currency of serious filmmakers. Robert Rodriquez makes HD films now, after shooting miles of real film. Ferrari and company should keep their money on shooting a 35mm short that has a story, real actors, a brain, and no cheesy childish gags or gimmicks. Mr. Ferrari's ego dose not allow him to be anything but a "director". But his talents indicate he should be a special effects supervisor. Alex, please leave the directing to those with vision, originality and talent.

Not impressed

[harrisonw · 2/10 · 15 February 2006]

Broken, made for $8,000. That's right, $8,000. Wait... $8,000. Just in case you hadn't seen that anywhere else or heard it before. This video looks like it was made for a lot less. I'm not easily impressed by standard camera angles and color correction. What I am impressed with, is depth of field from a short camera lens. This video has none. It looks flat like video usually does.

It's not a film, as it was shot on video. It's a video and these people are video makers. But, let me get to the meat. Wait, there is none. Apparently the Joker has lost his makeup and for absolutely no reason, whatsoever (at least not that the audience is aware of) he kidnaps some woman in a t-shirt and claims that everyone in the room wants to kill her. Um... why? So the video makers seem to think that if you don't tell the audience anything that that now becomes tension. Maybe that's how stupid people see it, but with people with one iota of intelligence, this comes across as preposterous and boring.

The acting is not atrocious, but it's not good either. I've heard people deliver their lines like they're reading them. These actors don't do that, but what they do do, is take themselves entirely too seriously. If they had, perhaps, planted their tongues firmly in their cheeks, I might have enjoyed the performances.

The action scene, there is one, near the end. Was shot adequately enough, but for what they're doing in this short, it doesn't need to be anything special. The lighting was about the ONLY thing that was done really well. Honestly. I've seen indie films/videos done for far less that actually look better than this.

Was this the end-all/be-all of indie film/video making? No. Not even remotely. Would I go see a big screen version of this? No. Not even remotely. Would I recommend this to other indie film/video makers out there? Certainly. If for nothing else, it shows you what can be done with a micro-budget. Also, not to take anything away from the makers of this short, but they really need to learn story telling above and beyond anything else they may think they need to know.

No shirt, no shoes, no plot, no way!

[Bond7574 · 1/10 · 18 September 2005]

There was no reason on this green earth to have spent so much money ($8,000) and time (Just see the 3 hours of bonus features) to make a really bad movie. What was Alex Ferrari (Director)and Jorge F. Rodriguez (Producer) thinking? I guess something along the lines of getting their ethnic (but cute) looking lead actress (Samantha Jane Polay)strapped to a chair. My favorite part of watching this DVD is when the filmmakers to the surprise of everyone announce that all the actors on screen that they had treated as extras from a bad Matrix ripoff actually had character names (Marquez), as if the poor actors in this film needed to be singled out further. Let's see what else can I single out. Oh, the usual; bad acting, bad sound, it looked like it was shot on VHS, bad direction...wait now it's just getting too easy. I'll stop cause I'm falling asleep just thinking of that thing they call, "Something that Quentin Tarantino might have done on his day off." Please.

The Salesman

[michaelsthomas · 1/10 · 21 February 2020]

I love how Alex Ferrari talks about how many festivals this has played at. Insinuating that the film must be good. That he must be a great filmmaker.

Both are lies. At least Uwe Boll's films entertaining.

A noble effort that is few aspects short of being a good movie.

[MrBook · 6/10 · 3 October 2006]

First of all, most of these reviews were obviously planted by the filmmakers themselves. I'm not saying that because I'm jealous, and I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that's what I think. I noticed two of the reviews (there could be more) were the exact same review under two different names. Next, I don't think that this many people would bother to give that much of a glowing, wordy review.

Pros: The movie looks AMAZING! This is what gives indie filmmakers, like myself, hope of achieving a big-budget look. The production, costumes, locations, and shots were all great. Visually, it reminded me of Saw (which is reminiscent of Se7en). I show Broken to people, to show them the potential of the DVX.

Cons: There is an ending that most first-year film students are told to NEVER do: "It was all a dream." It is a HUGE cop-out! To make it worse, the movie breaks the "4th wall" with the antagonist smiling directly at the camera. It was a moment that really didn't need to be in there. The acting was very below-average. The lead actress almost seemed like she was laughing, when she was supposed to be upset. You hear her crying, but there are absolutely no tears. The villain was EXTREMELY hammy, and didn't have an ounce of truth to his performance. The boyfriend was very flat, and I didn't feel an ounce of chemistry between him and the girl.

Like I mentioned, a very noble effort that, despite falling short, had a lot of heart put into it. You can see that in MANY extras that are featured on the disc. The amount of extras alone are almost worth the full price of the DVD.

Best of luck to these guys in the future.

BROKEN is packing enough cinematic DY-NO-MITE to completely blow your ass off!

[info-5125 · 10/10 · 25 June 2005]

As short films go, "Broken" is a fifteen minute feature that doesn't just pack enough wallop to leave you feeling woozy—it's packing enough cinematic DY-NO-MITE to completely blow your ass off! Yes, that's right, after viewing this piece of genius (which is priceless compared to its $8,000 budget), you'll finally know what that large red splatter against the white wall behind you is all about.

"Broken" has a pace that is feverish and unrelenting, and yet maintains a style that allows it to glisten through its foreboding darkness. Watching it play out is like sliding behind the wheel of a—oh, let's say (purely for giggles, with absolutely no connection to the name of the film's Director which I will be dropping at some point in the next paragraph) a Ferrari. Sleek, sporty, and very fast, driving one isn't just fun—it's a little slice of Heaven on Earth. For experienced film fans, and short film enthusiasts, watching "Broken" is a lot like that.

So, is it any surprise that this film was co-created and directed by a Floridian named Alex Ferrari? It shouldn't be. It would, however, be a surprise if the film was co-created and directed by a Floridian named Alex Edsel, or Alex Pinto, or Alex Gremlin, or even Alex Ford Mustang II. Although, I hold out hope that someday, I will see someone with an IMDb profile with the last name, Ford Mustang II. God, make it happen!

For those of you that haven't seen this little movie yet (which I'm going to assume is the vast majority of you), here is a brief description: A young woman named Bonnie (Samantha Jane Polay) is snatched from her life, bound and gagged, and rolled into an Underworld rife with nasty characters that'll shoot you in the face without so much as a second thought. Hell, they might do it without a first thought. Who abducted her? Well, that question is never really answered, but we do meet Duncan (Paul Gordon), and his band of merry-we'll kill you dead- men. Duncan is a snappy dresser who enjoys terrifying his victims with witty monologues, and can't stand being interrupted. Thanks to Duncan's need to talk, and talk, and talk, and talk, we learn that while he's the main bad ass in the room, there is a high power at work here. We also learn that Bonnie isn't just some random target, either.

Due to budgetary constraints, "Broken" spends its time asking questions that are never answered, but that's okay, because the onus of the film is to deliver a skull-shattering array of special effects shots that equals the quality of big budgeted studio flicks, and it does. I, however, found more enjoyment in watching the acting ability of Paul Gordon (who I hope will be given the chance to do more work that I'll be able to see), and the grooving with the vibe set by Alex's brooding vision of this seedy world.

Thankfully, the positive response this little short has managed to drum up thus far has given Alex, and his producer (and "Broken" screenwriter, Jorge F. Rodriguez), a reason to pursue a feature length version of this story, which gives my face reason to be all smiles.

If you run across this little slice of brilliance, watch it. Watch it, and then talk to your friends about it. Watch it, look it up on IMDb, and then follow all of the links provided to its official website, and the websites of those responsible. Email these folks, and let them know how much they kick ass for everything they're doing. While $8,000 is just a drop in the bucket in most film budgets, to everyday people with no studio funding, that is a chunk of change. Now combine that with the time and energy required to see a project like this through, and you've got one hell of a personal sacrifice that, without people like you and I (the viewers and fans) can either be proved to be worth it, or a tragic waste of time.

Guys like Alex Ferrari and Jorge F. Rodriguez deserve our respect, and our kudos. And, for God's sake, somebody clue the casting directors in Hollywood to the talents of Paul Gordon! Please…somebody…do it for me…because I'm worth it, and so is he!

Plain, plain, plain and EXTRAORDINARY

[DarkAngeloX · 6/10 · 18 April 2006]

I eagerly awaiting the DVD availability of Broken after viewing the trailer. The trailer was awesome and the editor made the most of the high production value of the film. However, I was someone disappointed with the "other" aspects of the film. The acting was decent on all sides as was the direction, but the story itself was lacking, too conventional and sometimes longwinded. N one can deny the high production value of the short. The filmmakers undoubtedly spent a lot of time, energy and effort to take the production value out of the low altitude budget range low budget film-making and into the stratosphere. they succeeded on all levels. And with the inclusion of over three hours of behind the scenes, how they did it footage, the DVD is worth a buy.

Beyond Awful

[greatdeceivah · 3 February 2016]

Alex Ferrari is the king of what i'll call "turd marketing", an olive oil salesman, passing himself as some kind of filmmaking guru. The truth is that Mr. Ferrari is so skillfull at BSing and marketing his turd movies and products that people are actually fooled into thinking they are good. He now has a "podcast" where he tries really hard to sell himself as a "hustling" filmmaker and director.. and yet in his "20 years of experience" he only made a few horrible shorts.... which is really a good thing, because the world is already cluttered with too much garbage..

His first short, "Broken" is so laughably bad, that i thought i was watching a parody or a comedy. The directing of the actors is non-existent.. the actor's performances are so cheesy and over the top, and the plot is so juvenile, that the whole thing could pass for a freshman filmschool project. The action scenes are laughable.. the only thing that saves this cheesefest from being a complete wreck is the fact that Mr. Ferrari colorized the whole thing to give it a more professional look.

I felt bad for whoever got taken by this turd salesman, and the five star reviews left here by his sockpuppet accounts and purchased this piece of garbage on DVD...what a ripoff.. I have seen teenage film students put out better and more interesting shorts than this laughable waste of digital bits.

The other two shorts done by Mr. Ferrari feature more-of-the-same horrible overacting and juvenile plots.. so obviously this genius hasn't learned poo-poo in his "20 years of filmmaking" Mr. Ferrari is an inspiration to everyone, because if such a talentless hack like him can pass himself as a "filmmaker" ; anyone has a chance!!!

To top it all off, the ever fat and lazy Turd salesman is now selling a "film school" video series in Udemy, that is comprised of ten-year- old, outdated, rehashed and recycled "behind the scenes" and "making-of" videos of his cheesy shorts and his idiotic podcast videos, so anyone can now learn the difficult art of making terrible, overacted movies with amateurish plots.. with plenty of guns and cheesy FX, of course! You too can now learn the secrets of the turd marketing!!

Remember kids.. no amount of turd marketing, special FX, stunts, guns and props, concept art and iphone apps are going to make up for competent actor directing, having a good story and an interesting plot. Mr. Ferrari's horrible shorts and failed career as a "filmmaker" are living proof that there is no replacement for real talent.

Good preview. Waiting for the feature.

[strangef8-1 · 7/10 · 25 August 2006]

Review: Crossing the lines between different genres such as thriller, action, mystery and superhero films, this short is an amazingly well produced little gem. With quick paced action and impressive special effects, this DVD is a preview for a future full length feature film from Alex Ferrari, Jorge F. Rodriguez and The Enigma Factory. Containing 19 minutes of the film, this shows what can be done with $8,000 and the determination and drive to be a filmmaker. The only real problems are unanswered questions. Who is management? What are the dreams? And what is the deal with her eyes? I will bet that most of these questions will be answered in the full length feature. They have to leave us wanting more, right? Bonnie Clayton (Samantha Jane Polay) wakes up to find a strange man in her kitchen. The next thing she knows, she is tied up in a wheelchair where her kidnapper Duncan (Paul Gordon) informs her that she is to be "replaced". Why? She hasn't a clue. A mysterious man dressed in black watches for the right moment to rescue her. And when that moment arrives he takes it by the horns and takes on Duncan's team of heavies including the beautiful Marquez (Amber Crawford) and the "cleaner" Gabriel (Tony Gomez), among others.

Casting: While most of the cast doesn't have many lines throughout, some shine and some don't. Most notable is Paul Gordon as Duncan, the sadistic leader of the group who kidnaps Bonnie. He enjoys his job and he's not afraid to show it. Samantha Jane Polay does a fine job of conveying fear and confusion in this short piece. I will have to reserve true judgment on her performance until I have seen the full film. The only one who didn't shine was Amber Crawford, but who am I to complain about a hot redhead with big guns? Image & Sound: I hate to keep hammering on the fact that this film only cost $8000 to make, but every technical aspect shines. The sound, the video, everything. Hell, this wasn't even shot on film! It was shot on mini DV, whatever that is, lol. The sound effects were great, the surround mix was excellent. The shotgun sound effect was a little much, but otherwise everything looked and sounded like a big budget picture.

Special Features: The extras on this disc is where it really shines. Over three hours of special features including six different commentaries, a ton of behind the scenes featurettes from every stage of the film making process to a gag reel and creator bios. A great resource for amateur filmmakers. I have seen big studio releases that don't have half as many features as this disc does.

Final Words: A wonderfully exciting and intense exercise in film making on a budget, not to mention an intriguing story. If you want to learn more visit www.whatisbroken.com.

Mitch Emerson

Paranoid, tense writing combined with excellent visuals - a must see short

[PyrolyticCarbon · 8/10 · 19 May 2005]

Recently Alex Ferrari sent me a copy of the short movie he's just completed along with his co-writer/producer Jorge F. Rodriguez, called Broken. Going by the trailer I'd seen on the site I wasn't sure what to expect, it looked slick, it looked high budget, but it was cut really fast making it difficult to gleam much from it other than style. In a fifteen minute short, I guess that is to be expected of its trailer.

Ferrari is someone who comes from the conventional film making routes but became bored and disillusioned with the whole process, and I would presume industry. He turned his back on this high budget, overly engineered process and looked to see if he could make an independent movie for a small budget and still make it look and feel like a Hollywood movie.

The question is did he succeed? Well I think that's slightly unfair to ask so early on, so let's just look at the short first and then we can make a decision.When I started to think about this review I looked at the different elements of the short. The story is pretty simple and is connected to two simple ideals, Kafka and Hitchcock. It looks at someone who is taken from their normal surroundings and existence and pulled into a world they don't understand with events spiralling around them. It's a classic and effective tale to tell, and also quite stunning to get across in a mere fifteen minutes, but they do. The paranoia and confusion that you see throughout Le Procès (The Trial) and North by Northwest is there, and tangible.

What does strike you throughout the movie are the high production values. The lighting is superb, dark, tight and claustrophobic. The effects are very visual and don't fail to impress when you realise the budget involved and the products and process used.

For me there were a couple of jarring moments that took me out of the movie briefly, and they were all down to some of the actors in a more action sequence just not committing themselves totally and therefore slightly missing the mark. There's also one stock moment that slightly disappointed me because up to that point it had all felt so fresh and unique.

Not that much I'm sure you'll agree, and definitely not so annoying that your experience will be marred by it. You're likely to see much more of these in any fifteen minutes of a Hollywood movie with hundred times the budget and production possibilities, and much, much less style and passion.

For me the bad, or is it good, guy played by Paul Gordon is the winner in this piece as far as the actors go. He's slow, deliberate and doesn't give out too much. There's enough brooding badness to suit and yet a touch of something more hidden in the background...we'll never know, the fifteen minutes are up and you're left with your imagination and many questions, and that's a big win in my book. Unlike most Hollywood movies when the credits role and you start to think about the trip home, what's for tea, work tomorrow, this filled you with questions and a desire to work out who, what, why.

So, does it manage to do it? Without a doubt. The camera work, editing, restrained writing and likewise performances bring it all across wonderfully. With a little more on some of the actors more action performances and effects you would never have realised it wasn't a full budget Hollywood short.

Ferrari, Rodriguez, Gordon and the rest of the team are definitely people to look out for.

Visually, this film is amazing

[claymonster24 · 6/10 · 17 July 2006]

Visually, this film is amazing. There isn't much of a plot to it (and what is there is confusing) but this looks more like a pre-credits sequence to a feature film rather than a short. The DVD has many exciting documentaries on the making of the film and they cover every single aspect. It's quite impressive. I think the director Mr. Ferrari has a great future ahead of him (looks like Broken the Movie is in the works) and I am very happy that I was able to buy the DVD and experience this film in the privacy of my own home. What I hope for is that the feature explains what the short didn't. Buy this film and support Mr. Ferrari. You won't regret it!

Yeah I felt Broken, after sitting through this dud.

[ImpulseCaper · 25 February 2006]

Wow-- now allow me to introduce you to the truth. I don't know if the guy that posted the last comment is related to this Alex Ferarri hack, or maybe is the hack himself, whatever. It was as if he was reading the press sound-bytes off the back of the DVD--- all bull$#!t if you ask me, and a few others on this board with any common sense will agree.

Broken does not look like Sin City. I don't know where that vicious rumor started up, but it is nothing more than that-- a hyped up rumor probably brought about by the film-makers themselves.

As an indy filmmaker, I have seen countless short films that cost far less than this and looked far better. Of course-- Broken did get a fairly wide DVD distribution deal here, which I will take my hat off to. These guys are great business men, I'll give them that. They got lucky. VERY LUCKY!! But they should take this and run the other way with it, never rearing their ugly wannabe-film-making head again.

Lets start with the image quality, of what some have compared to HD. It looks like garbage!! I have shot with the Panasonic DVX myself and managed to produce a far better result with a much more film-like look to it on the 24p setting. I don't know if they forgot to turn this feature on or what-- but to me, it looks like 30fps dv. The cinematography itself is formula and gets old quick. There is nothing new here in terms of image.

I don't know where all this Sixth Sense....Sin City....Matrix crap is coming from. I'm not crazy about either of the three, but the opening credit sequence of either of them is far better than this 20 minutes of bland, constipation inducing torture.

I'm tired of the hype folks. The stupid muzzle flash gunshot effects look so damn hokey-- my seven year old son pointed them out to me and asked if they were real shots. I said no, just very very bad store-bought animation. And that explosion effect when the girl is thrown back!! Holy God!! Who would put that into a final film?! I would've reshot it and just done the effect practical with a little smoke and fake debris. The animation was on par with first year students at art school.

I would not have so many complaints if these guys were a bit younger. If some 18-19-20 year old showed me this film, I would say, "Oh cool. Good job." But not these 30+ year olds, smacking their faces all over the special features just to go on and on and on about how great they are. And 8,000.00?!!! Where the hell did that go?! I hope they had really good catering or something.

My point is, this film is not great. It is actually on the verge of being horrible. There are so many short indy films out there miles ahead of this. Maybe not packed with all the visual effects and corny tension music-- maybe something with an actual story, some depth to the characters, something to like?!! Is that asking too much. This Ferrari guy has seen his 15 minutes of fame smolder into muddy ash. I just want him to go away and shut up, and I want to urge people to stop buying this movie and contributing to bad independent film. By all means!! Rent it first!! PLEASE!!!

B R O K E N secludes your mind, ties you down, gives yah a bit of a tickle and then slaps you in the face!

[enigmapost · 10/10 · 18 July 2005]

Once in a while, a film comes along where all the pieces just fit. The production is first rate, the acting is incredible and both visuals and sound are something special. Now a film like that doesn't come along but once in a blue moon, and certainly it's a rarity to see something of that caliber coming from the independent film community, but a special film such as this has finally graced the stage. That film is called Broken. It's a short film, coming in at around 20 minutes, and I hear tell that there's a feature length version in the works.

Now Broken is an absolutely gorgeous movie visually. The way it was shot, the editing, and the entire feel of it puts you in a completely separate world. Now you'd think that with such gorgeous visuals, the acting or the action or any number of other things would come up lacking, but that just isn't the case. The story is incredibly intense and action packed, and you never know what's going to happen from one minute to the next. I'm not going to get into the whole story here because that would give the whole thing away, but basically it's about a girl who's kidnapped by a cadre of baddies who she apparently really ticked off for some reason or another. There's also a surprise ending, that should catch most people off guard.

Every actor in this film, with the exception of maybe one did an outstanding job. The main bad guy was creepy as all get out and eccentric as hell and you never knew what he was going to do next. He also had this really gnarly scar on the side of his face in some sort of a strange design that really lent to his creepiness. The main actress played her part beautifully with all the emotions coming out that you'd expect in the situation she had been placed in. Surrounding them were a whole host of other baddies, each with their own distinct characteristics that made the whole thing feel like they were a bunch of characters from some video game.

The thing about this film is that it basically comes down to being the last twenty minutes of a bigger feature. It picks up in a spot where you know things have happened earlier on, but there's some mystery as to what those things were. In many films, that would be detrimental to the overall story, but in this case, it really didn't matter. The mystery surrounding the things that transpired earlier only added to the story that was presented, and allowed the viewer to fill in the blanks for themselves as the story progressed.

The most shocking thing about this film is that as gorgeous as it is, and with over 120 effects shots, they managed to pull it off for a mere $8,000. Now if Hollywood had tried to make something with the same look, they'd have probably ended up spending eight million dollars, minimum. That's what's so incredible about the current state of technology. It allows independent filmmakers the freedom to bring their visions to life without having to spend a fortune in the process.

I look forward to seeing the full feature version when it's completed. Writer and director Alex Ferrari and his team of highly talented individuals have made something really special here, and it's definitely worth your time to check it out.

Duane L. Martin - Rogue Cinema

Broken DVD 10/10 - A must for any indie filmmaker or film buff!!

[indiefilm3234 · 10/10 · 7 March 2006]

"Broken" is a great "how to" disc. While the short film is cool, it really works better in conjunction with the DVD that offers great insight into how to make your own action/thriller on a small budget. Made for reportedly $8,000.00, director Alex Ferrari has crammed in some 100 special visual effects shots. And it looks terrific leaving you wanting more.

The story involves Bonnie who wakes up in her darkened apartment to be abducted by strange and dangerous folks. Skip forward to a warehouse or secret facility of some sort where Bonnie is strapped to an antique wheelchair surrounded by even more dangerous killers all of whom want a piece of her. But she doesn't know why. And neither do we. In time, she will be killed but the sadistic bastards want to have fun with her first.

More of a teaching film, "Broken" serves as the platform for special effects talent, director, and co-writer Ferrari to educate us on how everything is done. The amazingly power packed DVD is extremely instructive and even fascinating. Use of split screen showing the rehearsal and the finished scene is interesting and Ferrari humbly provides insight into the workings of making a action/thriller with little money.

I especially liked the recipe offered for making your own "guacamole gun." For those of you not familiar with this gun, it's a device that simulates what happens when a person is shot by a gun. It's gross and funny to see the experimentation process for the creation of this useful device.

Anyone who is thinking about making an action/thriller ought to have the "Broken" DVD in their library.

The Disc A must for anyone intending to make their own low budget action/thriller or anyone whose just curious about the subject.

Picture Quality: 10/10 The transfer is crisp and the picture lush. There is a portion of the DVD devoted to making DV look like film.

Sound Quality: 10/10 Sound was even good on extras shot during rehearsals. Of course, there is a portion of the disc devoted to sound and syncing.

Extra Features: 10/10 A teaching disc that includes fantastic extras.

The Final Word:

I liked the short movie fine, but when combined with a dynamite DVD loaded with extras that are content rich, this should be a essential part of any independent filmmaker's library.

Jonathan W. Hickman - http://www.einsiders.com

"...the sensibilities of a video game and the visual feel of films like SAW and SEVEN."

[playmagazine · 10/10 · 8 August 2005]

Director Alex Ferrari and producer Jorge Rodriguez, a film-making duo that hails straight from Hollywood - Hollywood, Fla., that is - recently joined the wave of ultra-low-budget proto- Spielbergs with their short film Broken, an action/sci-fi piece complete with explosions, automatic weapons, and a stylish, neo-noir look that isn't all that far removed from its main stylistic inspiration, the Matrix trilogy. The pair sent a copy our way, and we were so impressed we had to chat with them about how their dark little tale came to light.

Pre-production

Broken began as a story concept that Ferrari developed as a college student (these days, he runs a post-production facility called The Enigma Factory), which he pulled out of the drawer and brought to his partner Rodriguez in the hopes of collaborating on a complete short script.

Ferrari says the project was sparked by a viewing of famously cost-conscious action filmmaker Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico - "He's one of my main inspirations, and when I saw what he did with that film - a fairly low-budget action movie that looked as good as one much more expensive - and I said, 'I could do that.'" As the pair began to further develop Broken, they tailored it specifically to allow for the best-looking special effects they could design and afford. "Through the entire process I was already thinking about the visual effects," Ferrari says, "I was writing around visual effects that I knew we could do."

One early coup for the filmmakers was finding a location that not only suited the story Ferrari and Rodriguez already had, but also allowed them to develop some cool-looking scenes they hadn't originally envisioned. Broken was shot at the A.G. Holley Hospital in Lantana, Fla., the oldest continually-operating sanitarium in the country (it now serves as a tuberculosis hospital), where the film's crew was granted unlimited access to the expansive abandoned sections - a maze of frightening industrial corridors and open spaces perfectly suited for a sci-fi thriller. "We had free run of the place," Ferrari says of the hospital, which he discovered while scouting locations for an earlier project.

Production

Knowing they'd have limited time and resources to get the film done, the production team did extensive storyboarding and conceptual design, so they'd know exactly what was needed visually when shooting actually began.

But, according to Rodriguez, not quite everything went according to plan. "The week before we were scheduled to shoot, we were hit by a series of hurricanes, and one of them went all the way up where we were shooting ... it was an old building to begin with, and the hurricane just tore the place up." And by the time they did finally win their prized location back, FEMA had set up shop there to provide aid for thousands of hurricane victims, and many of the areas they'd planned on shooting in were severely damaged - so they again made changes to the script to incorporate Mother Nature's impromptu "set design."

Fortunately, when shooting finally got underway, things went much more smoothly. With Rodriguez handling the day-to-day minutia that are the producer's stock in trade, Ferrari says he and cinematographer Angel Barroeta were able to shoot a rocket-quick 125 to 130 camera setups per day for the 3.5-day shoot.

And while many of the film's extensive visual effects shots were created in post-production, there were still quite a few practical effects that had to be done on-set.

Post-production and beyond

Once shooting wrapped, the film was rushed into post-production, in the hopes that Ferrari and Rodriguez would be able to shop it around at the upcoming Sundance festival - though they'd missed the entry date, the filmmakers hoped to show their short to as many festival goers and vacationing Hollywood players on the fly as they could.

As Ferrari put his post-production skills to the test editing and color-correcting his footage, visual effects supervisor Sean Falcon set about creating the film's plethora of digital effects. Ferrari and Rodriguez agree on what they think is Falcon's most impressive work - an outdoor shot in which a clear sky was digitally replaced with turbulent, explosive nightmare weather, with an indistinguishable digital tree composited in the foreground.

Another complex digital effect was the film's realistic firearm muzzle flashes - although there's a copious amount of gunfire in the film, Ferrari says not a single shot was fired on- set. Instead, Falcon digitally animated each frame in which a weapon appeared to be firing - "I think what Sean did with the muzzle flashes was revolutionary," Ferrari says, "He created muzzle flashes that change in every single frame - he did it all dynamically."

"Jorge is an amazing networker," Ferrari says, "We actually ended up on VIP lists... I was hanging out next to Paris Hilton and Elijah Wood. We carried a laptop around and showed the film to whoever wanted to watch it."

He laughs, "We're just a couple regular guys who went out there and maxed out our credit cards. I had Alex as a good friend and a business partner, and we were just able to motivate each other enough to do this."

Broken, the short, touches on that question and many others, and the mysterious, foreboding vibe it oozes throughout makes for a pretty captivating viewing experience - it packs a visual punch that really ups its value, too.

Viewers won't feel cheated by its great-looking action shots and its fairly intriguing narrative development, but there are definitely a lot of questions about Broken's world and its characters that we'd really like to see answered... luckily, now that Ferrari and Rodriguez have a crack at spinning it into a feature, the film's fans will get to see exactly what the short's tantalizing 20 minutes are setting up.

Nick R. Scalia - PLAY Magazine

BROKEN is a great testament to what can be achieved in independent film-making.

[film59569 · 10/10 · 18 April 2006]

PRICING ====== I have to take issue with those who have a gripe with the price of the DVD ($20 plus shipping and handling?!?!). While I understand getting the most for your dollars concept, a perspective must be used.

An indie filmmaker that puts up his own (and friends) money would like to recover SOME cost in their production. They will charge what they feel and want. How many movies have you seen at the theater in your lifetime that you wish you got your money back as well as the 2 hours you spent watching pure trash? If you look at the $20 for a 20 minute film, then yes, it is a higher cost. But to me, the 3 hours of behind he scenes and how-to-make-your-own- flick was worth the money. Heck, I would have paid $30!

You really can't compare indie films and Hollywood produced films. They are 2 different animals. Shorts like BROKEN have a smaller amount of time to show their story compared to a 2 hour feature. I'm not saying that the story has something to be desired, I'm just saying that their needs to be some leeway.

REVIEW ===== BROKEN is a great testament to what can be achieved in independent film-making. Any of the software editing programs and computers can do the job of larger productions. That is clearly evident in this film.

Wardrobe and props gave this film some great production value (love the wheelchair), and the visual effects were very... effective.

As far as the story, I feel confused about it probably because I felt like I wanted to know more about the characters (thus, one downfall of a short film). That aside, I am happy for these filmmakers that seem to be getting a shot at a feature version.

I would draw similarities to BROKEN like FIREFLY to SERENITY (not in terms of story, but more what the potential is). FIREFLY ended way too soon, but fan support got 1 feature length movie out of it after cancellation of their TV series. I don't know what other show has gotten that kind of push after only one season.

Personally BROKEN is inspiring and engaging. Could the story be better? Sure. Is it a victim of eye candy? Maybe. But that's not what I bought it for. I bought it as a fan, and want to be able to say "I was with them from the beginning."

--Darren

BROKEN definitely represents a victory for low budget cinema. Stuff like this must make the Hollywood studios tremble!

[webmaster-1648 · 10/10 · 15 July 2005]

Broken is a mystery, a thriller and an action movie, but more than anything, it's like a slice out of a big-budget Hollywood flick. I say slice because Broken is actually a short, coming in at only 15 minutes long and cost a paltry $8,000 to make.

Most short films aspire to art and experimentation or are hamstrung by financial constraints, but Broken is really none of these things. It was designed from the ground up to be an action film, almost like a trailer for a movie that has yet to be made. Unlike a trailer, however, it has self-contained story arc and develops the characters as reasonably as can be expected in the time available. It's a stunning achievement.

The movie begins with Bonnie Clayton (Samantha Jane Polay) roused from an apparent nightmare and stumbling into her kitchen. There she's confronted by the mysterious Duncan (Paul Gordon), lurking in the shadows. She's knocked unconscious and wakes up gagged and tied to a wheelchair in a disused hospital basement.

The harmonica-obsessed Duncan, with a distinctive scar on his face, explains why she was abducted. It seems that she is some kind of secret operative (for whom it is not explained) and "the management" want her replaced. But the confused Bonnie has no recollection of who the hell Duncan is and just wants to go home. Nor does she recognize any of his colorful and bizarre entourage, which includes the sexy flame-haired assassin Marquez (Amber Crawford) and a handful of musclebound henchmen who look like they're itching to blow her apart. Duncan confirms our worst fears: "Everyone here, even the fellow wearing that ridiculous little hat, came here for a reason and one reason only: to kill you."

Meanwhile, a masked agent, armed to the teeth, stealthily creeps into the basement to save Bonnie, but it seems that Bonnie still has a couple of tricks up her sleeve...

With a movie this long there are bound to be problems. The thugs are underdeveloped and seem to be there simply as cannon fodder for the gun battle at the end. The plot feels truncated and begs to be extended and expanded, and there are curious touches—such as Bonnie's glowing eyes—that I would love to see explored. Put simply, there are too many ideas to be locked into a 15 minute running time. The good news is that The Enigma Factory, the production company behind Broken are in talks with several interested parties about financing a full length version of the film. At the end of the short, there's a knowing look to the camera by one of the characters which I'm not convinced belongs in the film because it's a little too long and obvious. Aside from that it's all gravy.

The film represents a new benchmark in self-financed movies. While Star Wars fan films have often excelled in the visual effects department, they've sometimes been let down by hokey acting or leaden editing. But Broken excels in just about every department. It exudes quality and high production values that simply belie its budget and must be a torchbearer for the new revolution in digital film-making. A quick mental calculation would seem to imply that a two hour movie could be made for as little as $64,000, which doesn't even cover the hairdressers' trailer on some Hollywood productions.

The website is worth checking out for some great visual effects features from Sean Falcon, like the extras you find on DVDs. There are also storyboards, galleries, posters and interviews with the writer/director Alex Ferrari and writer/producer Jorge Flores Rodriguez. It's a pretty attractive package for an intriguing thriller that's the movie equivalent of strapping yourself to rocket and lighting the fuse.

Pixel Surgeon UK

Awesome indie short film! Good films can be made for a fraction of Hollywood budgets.

[jackofffilm · 10/10 · 19 April 2006]

I briefly met Alex & Jorge at Megacon. I watched your film and I was very impressed! The VFX was extremely well done. And the color correction was cool, I have Magic Bullets plugins (Berlin Filter?), and I love them.

I also extremely enjoyed the direction, and art direction. The editing was Also amazing. Great job, I am sure you guys will make Hollywood sit up and listen.

The overall DVD was a treat, a lot of extras not usually presented in indies.

You guys are proof, that good films can be made for a fraction of Hollywood budgets. Keep them coming, we'll be watching.

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

[info-8259 · 10/10 · 13 April 2006]

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!

...reminded me of a mix between The Sixth Sense, Fight Club, and Sin City.

[humana697 · 10/10 · 21 July 2005]

I am not accustomed to watching every movie out there. My job, school and multitude of hobbies (sleeping counts damn it) prevent me from doing so–I mostly catch the big hitters and, ever and anon, the sleepers. However, I always welcome requests to critique independent film projects, and Alex Ferrari's Broken is a very pleasant surprise. It is one of the few short films that coerced me to repeatedly utter "Dude…"

"What is Broken?" is the flashing question of the day. It depends on whom you ask–from one perspective it is an eight-grand-a-pop 15-minute film featuring an abbreviated story, a band of unknowns and over 100 visual effects. From another, it is an attempt at an uppercut directed toward Hollywood to prove that no-budget films can pack enough juice and luster to rival the best of the best that money grubbers can squeeze out of the nonstop grinder.

Assaulted by a nightmare, a girl wakes up in the darkness of her bedroom. As she steps toward the kitchen for a sip of something, her life turns upside down. She is abducted by a clownish fellow and his hell-bent subordinates. Restrained and oppressed, she does hold some unnatural power to push back. Is it a dream? Is it a manifestation? The ending gives several possible explanations.

For a 15-minute picture, the story is more than decent. It does, in fact, fit the profile of a chunk taken from a longer film, with compressed events. Besides that of Samantha Jane Polay and Paul Gordon, the acting does leave a bit to be desired, more so in the inflexibly robotic action sequences. Also, a small number of the edits were awkward, but presumably necessary due to fixed resources.

The major highlight of Broken is twofold–the amazing visual effects and the photography. The dark yet vibrant green-toned claustrophobic atmosphere reminded me of a mix between The Sixth Sense, Fight Club, and Sin City. Equally magnificent are the photography and camera angles. They were insanely aesthetic and captivating, throwing you right into the mix. These are what prompted me to go "Dude…" a number of times over the course of the short.

In general, I do not expect average moviegoers to see Broken yet. However, true film fans, including new converts, will undoubtedly enjoy it and I suggest they get their hands on it ASAP. It underhandedly gives a quick overview of where the passionate are headed with respect to film-making and technology, and how much of a gap those talents can nowadays bridge between what's aspired to and what's ostensibly impossible.

In spite of its few flaws, Broken is a major accomplishment in visual artistry. To the people behind the film: Kick-ass job!

Cin3ma TV

Allow me to introduce you to the next big thing. His name is Alex Ferrari & BROKEN is the film.

[enigma_factory · 10/10 · 25 June 2005]

Allow me to introduce you to the next big thing. His name is Alex Ferrari and his indie movie is called BROKEN. A gun blast, a flash of light, and a young woman awakens to the comfort of her own bed. Bonnie Clayton has it all, a great relationship, a challenging career, and the burden of a dream that grows more vivid and disturbing with each passing night. But when Bonnie is abducted by a sadistic stranger and his colorful entourage, she discovers that the key to her survival lies within the familiar realms of her recurring dream.

Broken is an example that just re-affirms the fact that indie does not mean bad. You can make a good movie regardless of budget if you don't compromise and set out to make a good film. I know that talk is cheap so I took some stills that I want to share with you so lets start with those. This $8,000 dollar film looks as good as Sin City.

The load menus put to shame every single movie I have got in the last month. This includes the big budgets I bought for $30.00. The fully animated menus are slick ass. The creative credits also impressed. Had to keep reminding myself this was a true indie film.

Then we get into the actual look of the film. Although it looks good the team that made this film did not just recycle the same look over and over. They used plenty of creative looks and shots to give you a really creative and fun film.

This movie was well shot, and for the most part the acting was good. It is a short film though and the problem with shorts is their really is no good story development or overall film direction / movement. Despite this I am giving BROKEN a 9/10. The second highest rating I have ever given any film. Indie or otherwise. When you consider the fact the budget was so small these guys have taken indie to an all new level .They have single handedly taken indie to the next level showing that great film makers can work with any budget. I can see these guys doing a huge summer block buster on a peanuts budget and making a studio a lot of money, as well as pleasing the audience.

Robert Rodriguez influence is obvious, and they have a very gritty and developed look to all the scenes. I think they have not copied him but done true homage to him by doing an indie that is smoking and pays obvious tribute without copying.

MoviesOnline.ca

These guys are responsible for, perhaps, one of the highest quality independent films ever created.

[nutz6969 · 10/10 · 23 August 2005]

Once in a while, a film comes along where all the pieces just fit. The production is first rate, the acting is incredible and both visuals and sound are something special. Now a film like that doesn't come along but once in a blue moon, and certainly it's a rarity to see something of that caliber coming from the independent film community, but a special film such as this has finally graced the stage. That film is called Broken. It's a short film, coming in at around 20 minutes, and I hear tell that there's a feature length version in the works.

Now Broken is an absolutely gorgeous movie visually. The way it was shot, the editing, and the entire feel of it puts you in a completely separate world. Now you'd think that with such gorgeous visuals, the acting or the action or any number of other things would come up lacking, but that just isn't the case. The story is incredibly intense and action packed, and you never know what's going to happen from one minute to the next. I'm not going to get into the whole story here because that would give the whole thing away, but basically it's about a girl who's kidnapped by a cadre of baddies who she apparently really ticked off for some reason or another. There's also a surprise ending, that should catch most people off guard.

Every actor in this film, with the exception of maybe one did an outstanding job. The main bad guy was creepy as all get out and eccentric as hell and you never knew what he was going to do next. He also had this really gnarly scar on the side of his face in some sort of a strange design that really lent to his creepiness. The main actress played her part beautifully with all the emotions coming out that you'd expect in the situation she had been placed in. Surrounding them were a whole host of other baddies, each with their own distinct characteristics that made the whole thing feel like they were a bunch of characters from some video game.

The thing about this film is that it basically comes down to being the last twenty minutes of a bigger feature. It picks up in a spot where you know things have happened earlier on, but there's some mystery as to what those things were. In many films, that would be detrimental to the overall story, but in this case, it really didn't matter. The mystery surrounding the things that transpired earlier only added to the story that was presented, and allowed the viewer to fill in the blanks for themselves as the story progressed.

The most shocking thing about this film is that as gorgeous as it is, and with over 120 effects shots, they managed to pull it off for a mere $8,000. Now if Hollywood had tried to make something with the same look, they'd have probably ended up spending eight million dollars, minimum. That's what's so incredible about the current state of technology. It allows independent filmmakers the freedom to bring their visions to life without having to spend a fortune in the process.

I look forward to seeing the full feature version when it's completed. Writer and director Alex Ferrari and his team of highly talented individuals have made something really special here, and it's definitely worth your time to check it out.

BROKEN is a brilliant first effort! - A MUST SEE!!!

[indieordie · 10/10 · 27 September 2005]

Rarely do unfunded independent filmmakers make a brilliant first effort with production values that rival fully funded projects. Broken (2005), a flagship short by erstwhile post production editor Alex Ferrari, is one such. Showing the directorial experience of over 200 TV commercials and the editing of two feature films, Broken is Ferrari's directorial debut. First and foremost a showcase of polished visual effects, the cinematography and soundtrack are also accomplished. The story is both atmospheric and punchy, with a twist you will not see coming.

Bonnie wakes suddenly at night to a gunshot, or it may be from a nightmare in a storm. This ambiguity is a subtle, sinister presence throughout the film's 19 minute length, during which Bonnie (Samantha Jane Polay) finds herself abducted by a coolly sadistic scarface called Duncan (Paul Gordon). While she is taped hand and foot to an antique wheelchair and still in her nightie, the sadist by turns lovingly strokes her face, rips the tape off her mouth and compares her to the harmonica he plays. "Like you," he comments with smiling menace, "its complexity lies within its simplicity." His analogy for what one does when a reed inside is broken is applied with terrifying effect to the helpless Bonnie.

Her torment takes place in what looks like (and is) the disused and decaying basement of a derelict hospital building. Everything looks dirty, broken and abandoned. The colours are monochromatic grey-greens with focus points of crimson and rust, adding to the atmospheric nightmare quality. Duncan's entourage includes a beautiful, vicious, red-haired assistant called Marquez (Amber Crawford) and various brutal or menacing-looking, tattooed individuals, who look on impassively. Their sole purpose, says Duncan chillingly, is to kill Bonnie.

The twist at the end is untelegraphed and intriguing and it's a mark of the layered power of this film that in a second viewing, where we have a different interpretation on the action, the interest is even more compelling. Several interpretations are possible, without marring the elegance of the film's impact or diluting the clarity of its central premise.

Paul Gordon's evilly playful portrayal of the sociopathic Duncan is riveting. Samantha Jane Polay is a believably terrified Bonnie, with a surprising hidden resource which is a keyhole special effect to myriad character implications. A soundtrack by Mark Roumelis adds dimension to this satisfyingly well crafted thriller from writer/director team Jorge Rodriguez and Alex Ferrari.

Broken was shot on two miniDV cameras for the total, ridiculous cost of $8,000 and has over 100 VFX shots, over twice as many as some big budget SFX films. I'm looking forward to seeing what this immensely talented and creative team can do next – hopefully with some serious funding.

Avril Carruthers