Dodger

Riverside Brookfield

Dramatic Narrative

Entry Description

Set in 1968, James Murphy, a young man is drafted into the Vietnam war but faces a moral dilemma on wether or not it is a war he should truly be forced to fight in.

Judge 1

Positives: This piece was beautifully shot, very filmic. The director captured the feel of the 1960s in a minimalist way such that it didn't feel distracting but set the time period. The locations felt dense and authentic. The note to the girl--all done visually, without dialogue--todl us everything we needed to know.

Improvements: The hardware store owner's speech felt writerly and a little stiff. With a stronger actor, might have worked, but I wondered what that character knew about war. I'd consider ending on a shot of the boy biking away--either his POV or of him--since it is his story and we care about the girl's reaction really in so far as it relates to him. As he pedals away is he crying, determined, blank?

Judge 2

Positives: The production design is well-executed and the details are great. This is particularly impressive given that it's a period piece. The subject matter is challenging for a young filmmaker, but well researched and the filmmaker has a clear understanding of the universal feelings associated with the protagonist's dilemma.

Improvements: I would like to see what the filmmaker could do with less dialogue and more gesture or visual storytelling, particularly to convey the main character's feelings.

Judge 3

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Judge 4

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