Judges Evaluation Form Comments


Row▲	Initials of Judge	Title of Production	Category	Feedback


1	CP	Ackworth School	Documentary	Very nice composition and lighting employed. You used the tripod, static shots very nicely. You are letting the action happen within your frame - rather then the camera being the action. Well done. Nice music, very appropriate and it enhances your visuals. Nice transitions and graphics. Nice rack-focus - you are thinking through your shots in advance and it shows. The only thing that I think was missing, which may have been a conscious choice is interviews from students of today. I really like that one of your subjects is a former student, I would have loved to see an interview from a present day student. Well done.
2	LRS	Ackworth School	Documentary	Wonderful images, strong mix of educators and alum. I would love to have learned more about its rich history, location, and heard from current students. Lovely choice of music used.
3	BR	Ackworth School	Documentary	This is a beautifully produced project, with strong, clear and deliberate visuals. Great care has been paid to shot composition and to the framing of interviews. The interviews are thoughtful and engaging. As a promotional video for the school or a video introduction to Ackworth, this does a truly excellent job. However, this project doesn't function as a stand alone documentary. This is clearly a talented filmmaker/producer or group of filmmakers and would like to see filmmakers explore a story or an issue with this thoughtful and artful style. Score is moving and appropriate, but could be faded out or brought down at times. Overall, a very high-level piece of work and filmmaker should be absolutely commended!
4	CP	America's Waistline	Documentary	I think this is a good topic as it is on the national radar and people want to learn more about healthy food. I would try to identify other sources of free - royalty free video other then pictures. The pictures work and make your point but you would have a stronger impact with more archive video. Good job and continue to make films that bring important issues facing our country to the forefront of the conversation in America. Important film, backed up with compelling stats and facts. Wonderful journalistic style demonstrated, with a strong selection of interviewees and angles. The filmmakers' diligent research added depth, and the follow through "action items" were fantastic. Very well done. Bravo.
5	LRS	America's Waistline	Documentary	Important film, backed up with compelling stats and facts. Wonderful journalistic style, with strong selection of interviewees and angles. The filmmakers' diligent research added depth, and the follow through "action items" were fantastic. Very well done. Bravo.
6	BR	America's Waistline	Documentary	This is a thoughtful, intelligent and well-structured entry examining a relevant and necessary theme -- the food choices Americans face every day. This piece features a good mix of archival (stock) photos and interviews. In particular, the section in the farmer's market stands out as dynamic and immediate. This entry could be strengthened by examination, more deeply of issues of food choices, prices and availability are such important issues -- beyond the effects of weight. Overall, it was a nicely structured and well-written documentary. Good job!
7	CP	SIlent Kill	Documentary	Very good film topic. Well edited. Good use of music. I wanted to learn more throughout the piece, which is a sign of good filmmaking. Nice cutaways in the editing with a good mix of Educators and youth who are playing the game. Good at showing point and counter-point. Well balanced. Love the historical videogame footage - you engage another generation to your topic, which is great. And good research on finding that footage. Very well done.
8	LRS	SIlent Kill	Documentary	It was a compelling and timely topic with a strong combination of news footage, video game footage and smart choices for interviews. Well done.
9	BR	SIlent Kill	Documentary	Exploring a controversial and charged topic, this project makes creative use of "archival" elements and video game footage to explore the connection between real world violence and its virtual counterpart in video games. This project features a good mix of interviews, from concerned parents to avid gamers. One note is that at times this project assumes an "insider" tone and may alienate some audiences. However, this project's many strengths lie in the interviews and in the use of video game footage. In particular, the montage of the evolution of video game violence in the middle of the film is compelling and disturbing. This entry demonstrated excellent filmmaking skills. The question of whether or not video game violence directly affects young people is left open-ended. This filmmaker has done a very good job of exploring a difficult topic and allowing the audience to make up its mind for itself. Very good work!
10	LBCKP	Clique Flick	Narrative	Very clear message. It got right to the point.
11	P.S	Clique Flick	Narrative	I think this film conveyed an important message about the problem with cliques, peer competition, and exclusion among young adolescents. I think these are real problems that have the potential to hurt if they are not addressed. The filmmakers chose and important topic that reflected Quaker values, and viewers can clearly recognize the message in this short drama. I thing the sound quality of the film could have been better. It was hard to hear some of the dialogue. Perhaps the room where it was filmed made sound recording difficult.
12	GW	Clique Flick	Narrative	I like that this is a scenario that we all can relate to, even as adults. I like the way the filmmaker addressed both sides of the "issue"; that is, the way that many of 'us' fell into the click and ignored the feelings of those who were not, but also revisited the wishes of those who ignored those outside of the clique through letters. I especially liked the freeze frame and 'Steph's' direction: let's think.... The letters helped to reveal that even those who went along went the clique were 'outsiders' themselves. Through 'Steph' we were all able to re-think how we treated those who were outside of the clique.
13	GW	Color Blind	Narrative	I like the symbolic use of black and white. I liked the realism of the piece and the way the filmmaker showed how some expresses racism and subtlety accepted and endorsed by others. I like the heavy use of images and little reliance on words, as racism is so often expressed through actions rather than overt expression.
14	LBCKP	Color Blind	Narrative	The early parts of the film where speaking was done without audio and body language conveyed most of the emotion were well done. This mode of storytelling could have been more developed throughout the film.
15	P.S	Color Blind	Narrative	The filmmakers tackled a significant issue related to how people deal with diversity, race, and bias. I thought some of the filming was really beautiful, close-ups of the actors and the artful use of moody headshots, etc. At times I found the action a little hard to grasp, but I got the overall message. I think the themes of the film were not easy ones to convey with limited dialogue, and most of the time the images carried the message, which definitely reflected Quaker values.
16	LBCKP	Dealer	Narrative	The acting of antagonist character was quite good, and while his character was acting with less-than-good intentions, the change that his actions prompted in the protagonist is one of the stronger, not overly-clichéd, connections to Quakerism I have seen in this festival.
17	P.S	Dealer	Narrative	I thought this film clearly reflected Quaker values. The dealer eventually recognizes that he has done something wrong and admits to it. He does it under pressure, but he still makes the hard choice, but the right choice. His "friend" acts much more selfishly than he does in many ways. I thought the film had a good message. It was nicely but simply filmed and made its point in a straightforward manner.
18	GW	Dealer	Narrative	I like the way the piece focuses on the main character's problem and as a result the consequences he experiences in terms of this relationship with important people in his life. I also like the fact that he realizes that he needs to make a change in his life.
19	GW	Familale	Narrative	I really like the way the filmmaker makes a connection between three family members as it relates to the complex issue of war and how they all deal with it. It is a very powerful film.
20	LBCKP	Familale	Narrative	While the use of another's poem is not creative as such, the way in which the poem was interpreted, and the sheer courage to undertake such a project speaks to a creativity of production and appreciation. Well done.


21	P.S	Familale	Narrative	I really liked the voiceover in French and the subtitles combined with the visual imagery in this film. I thought the film had high impact in a short time. The message of the film clearly and unequivocally reflected Quaker pacifist values. The poem was quite an appropriate vehicle for conveying the message of the persistence of war and its uselessness. I would say this is a timely film. Nicely done!
22	GW	Finally, I Have Returned	Narrative	This film is visually arresting. I love the experimental approach and creativity of this piece. I think this is a filmmaker's film. I think it is well edited and well shot. However, I did find some of the titles difficult to read.
23	LBCKP	Finally, I Have Returned	Narrative	This film's maker had a fine grasp of mood and tone, and communicated much with subtlety that is difficult to express out rightly. Well done.
24	P.S	Finally, I Have Returned	Narrative	I was immediately drawn into the film. It was beautifully shot. I love the imagery and the music and the general flow of one into another. It was an exquisitely lovely and meditative piece. I am not sure that it conveyed Quaker values too well, and I am not sure I would have grasped the message implied in the title and brief annotation. I just wanted to look at this film as I would look at a compelling piece of art or an abstract painting, non-narrative dance. I didn't find that this was exactly a narrative film. It was a cinematic expression to be enjoyed for its beauty. The word tone poem comes to mind.
25	LBCKP	Isolation	Narrative	While the idea of moderation came across well in the film, I'm not sure exactly what message his continued discounting of his family was sending out.
26	P.S	Isolation	Narrative	I thought the filmmakers tackled an ambitious topic in a short film. I really liked the opening scenes with the snow and the titles. I thought they were artfully filmed. I also liked they way the filmmakers used close-ups in some of the scenes, such as when the main character goes into his room and isolates himself with his music. These were really vivid moments in the film. The film had some real visual poetry. I thought the scenes with the boys were nicely done. The family scenes were a little obvious. One concern I had was at the end I wasn't sure I was coming away with a significant message of any sort. I got the significance of not getting so isolated and alienated (though the protagonist had good reasons for it) that you cut yourself off from your friends, but I am not sure if he character made any significant change. I also wondered about how effectively the film communicated Quaker values.
27	GW	Isolation	Narrative	The video and sound elements employed conveyed the feeling of being alone. However, I think the audio transitions could be better.
28	GW	It's Only a Plastic Bag	Narrative	I like the way that even as a person concerned with the environment and one who recycles, this piece forces me to question how I address my individual use of plastic bags. .
29	LBCKP	It's Only a Plastic Bag	Narrative	The story was in a clear and concise manner.
30	P.S	It's Only a Plastic Bag	Narrative	I thought this was a creatively executed film. I found the artwork--almost a greeting card/graphic novel look--delightful and captivating. The message was clear and relevant. I think it captured Quaker values about preserving the environment and saving a more beautiful and healthy world for posterity. I really thought it was a charming and nicely done film. I liked the color, sound, and simple design that conveyed an important message.
31	LBCKP	Peep and Eep	Narrative	While there was some narrative to the piece, I am not aware, even after several viewings, to determine what the theme of the piece may be. On the other hand, its creators are to be lauded for their hard work on the time-demanding animation style.
32	P.S.	Peep and Eep	Narrative	Very detailed clay animation. I liked the use of the Peeps too--an original use of an old standby--clever and humorous. The sound track was good. I like the sword fighting sounds. The film relied a lot on the written narrative titles, and I think perhaps the action could have told the story a little better. But it had a neat kind of silent film feel to it. I thought the Quaker values were there in terms of the problems with violence and war, but perhaps they were a bit muted by the cleverness of the animation. I liked the humor. I liked the fact that gender roles were reversed, and the woman got to pick her mate, the muscle man. Very nicely done film.
33	GW	Peep and Eep	Narrative	This film is very funny. The narration/text is very creative. I recognize that claymation is very challenging but felt some to the editing could have been tighter and that some of the transitions were strained..
34	GW	Procastination	Narrative	Overall, this is a good message, but it seems that the piece runs longer that the message merits..
35	LBCKP	Procastination	Narrative	I would have liked to have seen a greater integration of the text overlay information at the beginning.
36	P.S	Procastination	Narrative	I thought this film was an ambitious effort to convey a serious theme in a short time. A lot of it was well filmed with some memorable imagery. I liked the scenes of the parent conference and some of the close-ups too (the shot of the protagonist's eyes at the end). Occasionally I found myself really wanting to read the text on the computer screen and in the papers displayed, but I found it hard to read the words at times--a little blurry here and there. Perhaps I didn't need to read the text to get the message, but as a reader my eye is drawn to it. I didn't expect the end and found it a little amusing too.
37	LBCKP	Time	Narrative	Very high quality production values employed on this well executed production of an infrequently covered topic.
38	P.S	Time	Narrative	Wow! This film was beautiful to behold. It was unique, artfully executed, and powerful. The images were vivid and memorable, and the message was right on target. It was a short film with high impact. The images and narrative were memorable. This was poetry on film. It clearly conveyed humanistic Quaker values. It is the best I have seen so far--professional and poignant. I think many professional filmmakers would be surprised to discover that such young artists made this film. Kudos to the efforts made by these talented kids.
39	GW	Time	Narrative	This is an important message that highlights the way we as humans take the simple issue of time for granted. While I thought the some of the editing could have been cleaner, overall I appreciated the simple message that was conveyed and could be appreciated by both young and old.
40	LBCKP	AGEA	Public Service Announcement	Nice editing and integration of audio. Clear and to the point in a clever way that wasn't too over-the-top. Well done.


41	P.S.	AGEA	Public Service Announcement	This deceptively simple film carried a complex and critical message that clearly reflected Quaker values. I liked the science fiction overtones, and the idea that the problems depicted and predicted are not so "fictional" even right now. I thought the filmmakers highlighted the warning that the devastation they foresee can happen more quickly than we think--images of the years filling the screen. I thought the use of the doors in a hallway was an appropriate metaphor to depict the theme and to reinforce a sense of claustrophobia and doom. If we don't act now, we can't escape our fate. The models of the "brave new world" and the zoom away from the earth were good closing shots, and I liked the voice over black at the end, just in case the viewer didn't "get it."
42	GW	AGEA	Public Service Announcement	I think this is a great concept. I especially appreciate the sense of panic that the filmmaker creates with the actor, the fast paced editing, as well as the increasingly dramatic script and intensified musical score. The viewer really senses the feeling of being enclosed and trapped. I like the way the filmmaker starts out with the up-close - the person restricted in space - and then works it way outward to a limited number of rooms, an enclosed facility and finally the feeling of isolation on a global scale.
43	LBCKP	Full Circle	Public Service Announcement	Clever take on a familiar theme.
44	P.S	Full Circle	Public Service Announcement	The filmmakers succeeded in conveying the importance of caring about our fellow human beings by depicting students engaging in "random acts of kindness." Sometimes just an ordinary act can make a big difference in a person's day--holding a door open, returning money or something else a person has dropped or left behind. The scenes shown reveal how easy it is to be decent. I teach teachers, and I know a number of elementary school teachers who have to develop curriculum to instill these values since they see kids coming to school who have not learned basic respect. I thought the film reflected Quaker values from beginning to end. I don't think there was anything particularly novel about this film, but the message was right on target and appropriate for a generation of people who sometimes don't see beyond their text-messages. I think elementary school teachers could use this film in their classrooms. .
45	GW	Full Circle	Public Service Announcement	I love this piece. The message is simple and clear yet, in my opinion, very essential to what we as humanity need and ought to be doing in order to keep us moving forward. One good deed, (especially one taken on our behalf,) helps to remind us that we all have a responsibility to our fellow humans. Of course the piece takes it's lead from the Mastercard - or is it Visa? – television commercials but takes the message a step forward by reminding us of our individual responsibility and its relation to our collective responsibility for our fellow brothers and sisters. The PSA offers a great reflection of Quaker values.
46	LBCKP	If Nobody Cared	Public Service Announcement	Clear and concise message.
47	P.S.	If Nobody Cared	Public Service Announcement	I thought this film underscored, with clarity, an important message about protecting our environment and doing whatever we can, even in small ways, to save the earth that sustains life. One plastic bag recycled might mean two beautiful swans living a healthier life. The filmmakers constructed an appropriate collage of images and text to reinforce their themes. If I had any recommendation for them, it might be to let the images speak for themselves a little more. I think the added text wasn't always needed. Let the pictures tell the story.
48	GW	If Nobody Cared	Public Service Announcement	I liked this message. It was simple yet very graphic; if we don't stop our ways we will cause irreparable damage to the planet. I do think there could have been a smoother transition through music from the first concept to the second. I understood the intent but felt as a viewer/listener that it was a bit abrupt.
49	LBCKP	J Walk	Public Service Announcement	I'm not quite sure I understand the audience for this film. Is it for young children? Or just to be humorous?
50	P.S.	J Walk	Public Service Announcement	The film began with attractive chalkboard titles that were appropriate for the school setting to come. I thought some of the shots of the accident happening were well executed and had high impact. The low shot perspective of the sleepy student looking up at an irritated teacher was good. My main criticism of the film was that I was looking for something else at the end. The conclusion seemed a bit abrupt and unresolved; though I don't think all films require neat, all-ends-tied-up conclusions. I am OK with ambiguity. Still, I was looking for something more here. There was too much black space running at the end. The connection to Quaker themes didn't seem as strong here, though I do acknowledge that being alert and tuned in to the world is part of being a good person and a responsible citizen. I think the filmmakers had a good kernel of an idea here that merits further exploration.
51	GW	J Walk	Public Service Announcement	This piece is lacks clarity and in this case it brevity makes communicating it’s message even more difficult. Overall, I found it confusing. I thought the viewer was asked to make too many big jumps to understand what the filmmaker was trying to do or to convey. Was the message that the teacher was just as irresponsible as the student, or at least could be, if it came to his, not sleeping, but daydreaming while driving. I can see the overall idea in broad strokes, but felt the filmmaker fell short in conveying the overall message.
52	LBCKP	Love SZDA	Public Service Announcement	Glad to see a large group working together on a project like this. It makes me think that you were all building community while making a short about building community.
53	P.S.	Love SZDA	Public Service Announcement	The filmmakers chose a theme about the importance of love as a means of connecting humans to each other’s, other creatures, and the environment. This message is congruent with Quaker values. I thought some of the camera work, especially at the beginning, was a little shaky. A tripod might have helped. I kept wondering what all the embracing (even a tree hugger--which I assume was meant to be funny) was about. I also wondered what was happening with the people on ground and helping others up meant. Some of the imagery seemed a little obvious at times--like the linking of the hands. The final "heart message" pulled the images together, but it seemed a little overt and predictable.
54	GW	Love SZDA	Public Service Announcement	I think the general image and message was conveyed. I like the idea of focusing on different kinds of love; that which we feel for our friends, pets, the environment, our partners, etc. I think sound could have been better; especially the when the music fades at the end.
55	P.S.	Rescue Recyclables	Public Service Announcement	I liked some of the images in this film. They had a tactile, sculptural feel to them. I also thought the perspective of the shots was interesting--kind of a bottom-up view from inside out of a bag or trash receptacle of some sort. I felt that the message of the film supported Quaker values, but I don't think the message came through that clearly. I am not sure I would have understood that the film was about recycling if I hadn't seen the text. The images should speak more vigorously and independently, and a viewer shouldn't have to rely on the words to make the message clear. Still, the film had an artistic feel to it, and I almost had a sense of something sacred at the beginning of the film--like light coming through a cathedral window. The abstractness of the images had a visual appeal, but the message needed to emerge with more clarity and strength.
56	GW	Rescue Recyclables	Public Service Announcement	I like the idea of focusing on trash once we throw it away. I idea that our trash might have eyes and ears is brilliant. However, i think the filmmaker falls short when it comes to conveying the concept.
57	LBCKP	Rescue Recyclables	Public Service Announcement	It was a clever idea positioning the camera from that point of view. I particularly liked that you didn't try to hit the viewer over the head with a very obvious point. You actually required quite a bit of thinking on the viewer's behalf for them to get what was happening. I like being treated as if I am intelligent. Thank you.
58	LBCKP	Save the...	Public Service Announcement	It had a very clear and obvious message.
59	P.S.	Save the...	Public Service Announcement	I viewed this film and immediately thought of the old British hymn--"All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small. The Lord God who made and loveth us, He [She?] made and loveth all." What a graphically beautiful film! The artwork reminded me of Caldecott Medal children's books. The Quaker/humanitarian message radiates from every image. The film is skillfully made and has a wallop of an impact. Professional and beautiful! I like the way the filmmaker start with a catalog of the endangered species and build to a crescendo of global warming. The sights, sounds, and message of this little PSA remind me that we all share responsibility for preserving this starship Earth. .
60	GW	Save the...	Public Service Announcement	Overall I like the message and think it's important. However, I also think, to a certain extent that you try to cover a little too much a short time (one minute) and therefore feel certain messages get lost. I like the way you use older animals/species to communicate the urgency of the issue of extinction to younger ones - i.e. the panda and the prairie dog. But I found myself a bit confused by the message about penguins and McDonald's and the dominos and how they relate to chinchillas.


61	LBCKP	Water	Public Service Announcement	Very high quality production was evident in this production. Good voice over work and nice crisp edits and message. Well done.
62	P.S.	Water	Public Service Announcement	I thought the filmmakers chose an important theme to feature in this PSA. Many of us who live privileged lives take resources for granted because they seem so available and abundant to us. This film highlighted some wasteful things that we sometimes mindlessly do. I thought the message of the film was right on target with Quaker themes. I appreciated the use of close-ups, and the opening shot of the beaded water was captivatingly beautiful. The situations depicting mindless water waste were convincing. I think the film could have been improved by eliminating the hand-held motion shots representing transition from one location to another. They kind of gave me vertigo (apologies to Alfred Hitchcock), and I don't think they contributed anything substantive to the advancement of the action or theme of the film. Plus these shots shifted the point of view of the film from a third-person perspective to a first person perspective that wasn't really present in other segments of the film. A viewer could easily understand a simple cut or a fade out/in or wipe (depending on the desired effect or intention) from one scene to another. I found those brief moments distracting aspects of an overall good film with a significant message.
63	GW	Water	Public Service Announcement	I think this is a critically important issue and like the way the filmmaker highlighted so much about the issue in such a short timeframe. There was a lot of good information incorporated in the one minute PSA. I especially like the use of everyday activities - that just about anyone who lives in the western world can relate to - to show how much water we waste and just how easy it is to waste it. In terms of audio I like the use of the drum/heartbeat sound to highlight the urgency of the message.