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The Making of 'Broken' (2005)
DVDanswers - 8 out of 10 - A perfect example of what can be done with a mere $8000
An independent feature can now be seen as both a work of film art and a video resume. Enter Broken, and aggressively promoted, twenty minute short with style and enthusiams to spare. But is it any good as a film, or does it only work as a demo piece? Ah, there in lies the rub.
Broken is the story of Bonnie Clayton who is abducted after awakening from a reoccurring nightmare one night by "a sadistic stranger and his colorful entourage" (quote from the video box). As she's held captive, it becomes obvious that her abductors know things about her that even she didn't know about herself. While they question her, a black-clad soldier guns his way into their hideout in an attempt to rescue her. Mayhem ensues.
Fortunately for us, director Alex Ferrari seems to know what he's doing, or at least he's very good at faking it. Broken does not suffer from any lack of visual flair, which is especially commendable considering its budget and the inexperience of all involved. What it does suffer from is weak and kind of derivative writing. Think Long Kiss Goodnight meets The Matrix, written ten minutes after reading Fight Club. The good news for Ferrari and producer/writer Jorge Rodriguez is that the story elements are easily ignored for the oodles of eye candy on display. Does the plot really matter that much in a twenty minute short meant to show off the technical skills of its creators? No, not really.
Though it would be unfair of me to overlook any negative aspects in light of the films budget and length. Broken is no genre classic. The biggest problem was that it actually would have worked better as a full-length feature. The final "twist" doesn't get enough build up time to be shocking. If Ferrari were allowed the time to slow burn the feature as needed, plot elements would seem less random, and the film more complete. Here's to knowing he's getting the chance.
Audio Broken's Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation is second to none in the indie world. I've never heard such aggressive surround from such a small feature. The Matrix inspired soundtrack is very rich and deep, gunshots have punch, and even the dialogue gets in on the surround effects. Of everything presented on this disc, it is the audio that speaks the praise for modern independent DVD production. Also included is an equally impressive Dolby 2.0 surround track, which is the menu default.
Extras There are literally hours of making of features to be found on this disc. There are so many extras, in fact, that I find it unrealistic to list and describe each of them here, while still expecting my readers to continue reading. Whatever shortcomings the actual short may have, the DVD is unprecedented in its informational resources. People who enjoyed the film can learn all there is to know about its production, including everything from the conceptual art to the promotional campaign. Those with plans to make an indie film of their own can learn just about everything they need to know from these features.
The extras are broken down into categorical menus. These include: pre-production, production, post-production, after the short, and cast and crew bios. From a critical standpoint, I found that some of the sections were quite short. Had they been edited into one featurette per menu option, they would've been less frustrating to navigate, as the curser defaults to the top selection with every return to the main section menu. This is, of course, just nitpicking, but perhaps for future DVD releases the filmmakers will take my advice to heart.
It has six audio commentaries and hours of interview footage and talented people, and despite the consonant salesmanship, their true colours do shine through.
The willingness to share their film-making secrets with anyone who picks up this DVD is quite generous. From the extras I learned what editing and effects software is most reliable and effective, what brand of camera creates the most professional look for the lowest price, even where to get cheap air soft weaponry. On top of this, I was given several alternate options, in case I found myself unable to locate any products used on this particular production. Wannabe filmmakers unwilling to read a book on the subject would do well to watch this DVD.
Overall I've scored the actual short as a 6 out of 10, but wish there was an option for feature length potential and effort, because I'd have scored it an 8 or 9 in these fields. I recommend the DVD for its features and as a perfect example of what can be done with a mere eight thousand American dollars. Those who purchase the DVD can think of themselves as ghost producers for a larger project, as the more attention these guys get, the more funding the feature-length version will get.
Broken (2005)
Ferrari delivers his treatise on the human condition...with a bit of bang to boot!
The mind-bending premise of Broken seems fit for a big-budget Hollywood feature, so it's surprising to see it unfold in a mere nineteen minutes of screen time. Late one night, Bonnie is awakened by a figure she mistakes for her boyfriend but is actually a malevolent kidnapper - the sort of villain who knows a little too much about his victim ahead of time. Unable to put up much of a struggle, she is whisked away to an underground bunker of sorts with nameless and imposing thugs where the rest of the grisly story takes place amidst a barrage of bullets before a twist ending that outdoes most Hollywood twists by actually meaningfully redefining everything that has transpired beforehand. This is a credit to first-time director and writer Alex Ferrari, a talented and capable young independent filmmaker, who along with co-writer Jorge F. Rodriguez otherwise might rightfully be accused by some of shoe-horning too much into such a brief framework. Given an overload of content and their obvious yet inconspicuously deliberate decision to adorn the film with standard psychological/action/thriller clichés, there is a temptation to dismiss the film and Ferrari as if his means and budget weren't able to accommodate what must be years of pent-up ideas. But he and the film are more clever than they seem, and despite the sorts of flaws one almost can't help but incur while making an independent short film, the result is a modestly satisfying addition to its genre.
I freely admit that I was uncomfortably confused up until the end, though, making little sense of the plot and even less sense of the broken harmonica metaphor. Many others are likely to feel the same; little is explained throughout, and when answers come at last I'm sure people will wince and scoff and chide Ferrari for plundering Hollywood's heritage. While a more seasoned storyteller could have avoided such discomfort or used it productively or artistically (which is where this film ultimately loses points), Ferrari saves a significant payoff for the end. Think about the word "broken" for a moment and the film suddenly and startlingly makes sense. Only material objects and parts, both by definition lifeless, are fragile enough to be broken. Anything else is intangible and even ethereal, the bounds of which are beyond human scope. As such, when Bonnie's painful secret is revealed at the end of Broken,Ferrari's narrative turns sharply into focus. In twenty minutes he delivers his treatise on the human condition and it becomes clear that no amount of splashy action scenes or superfluous story elements would obfuscate the point he's trying to make about free will, predestination, and the existence of a higher power. If a person may be said to have a broken psyche or spirit, then what does that say about the metaphysical nature of the human soul? Ferrari believes he has the answer.