First, let me say that I've directed low budget Old West street plays for fairs and events and that I've done a few films in my time. That being said, I would not have been very comfortable with the outcome of this project.
We knew this was going to be what appeared to be a weekend production by a relatively new director, actors and crew when we saw the modern grip sole pattern clearly visible on the boots of one of the actors in the first fight scene. Not much time was taken to age or research the clothing, most of which appeared as if it had been purchased the previous day from an outfitter I know in Tucson. The horse saddles and rigs were so new looking you could practically identify the brand of coating on the leather. And, all through the production, we spotted items that were anomalous to the late 1800's. However, the weapons and Colt pistols appeared to be used and reasonable looking if only the actors had known how to fake a recoil when shooting blanks.
Generally speaking, there are moments and scenes in this film that work as a story of people of the Old West who did not really take themselves too seriously. However, there were so many mistakes in the production and the story line that you had to marvel at the ingenuity needed to pull off the project on what was obviously a low budget, student level film. I've seen local student films at Watsons School of Film here in Nashville that either compare favorably with, or thoroughly outclass this production. Many of the actors gave us the impression of being weekend reenactors who had been given a film opportunity.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed watching simply so that I could learn more about what does and doesn't work on these type productions. Most of the actors had enough chops that, given time and direction, they could have pulled off some very convincing characterizations. For that effort, most of them deserve to be commended for committing themselves to the part for some level of realism.
All in all, had I been the producer, I think it might have been much easier to simplify the story line, dispense with scenes that needed a town or backdrops that were obviously modern, and invest in some better establishing shots and quality lighting and reflection equipment. With those kinds of changes, this production could have been shot to play just like a high budget project by a major studio.
We knew this was going to be what appeared to be a weekend production by a relatively new director, actors and crew when we saw the modern grip sole pattern clearly visible on the boots of one of the actors in the first fight scene. Not much time was taken to age or research the clothing, most of which appeared as if it had been purchased the previous day from an outfitter I know in Tucson. The horse saddles and rigs were so new looking you could practically identify the brand of coating on the leather. And, all through the production, we spotted items that were anomalous to the late 1800's. However, the weapons and Colt pistols appeared to be used and reasonable looking if only the actors had known how to fake a recoil when shooting blanks.
Generally speaking, there are moments and scenes in this film that work as a story of people of the Old West who did not really take themselves too seriously. However, there were so many mistakes in the production and the story line that you had to marvel at the ingenuity needed to pull off the project on what was obviously a low budget, student level film. I've seen local student films at Watsons School of Film here in Nashville that either compare favorably with, or thoroughly outclass this production. Many of the actors gave us the impression of being weekend reenactors who had been given a film opportunity.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed watching simply so that I could learn more about what does and doesn't work on these type productions. Most of the actors had enough chops that, given time and direction, they could have pulled off some very convincing characterizations. For that effort, most of them deserve to be commended for committing themselves to the part for some level of realism.
All in all, had I been the producer, I think it might have been much easier to simplify the story line, dispense with scenes that needed a town or backdrops that were obviously modern, and invest in some better establishing shots and quality lighting and reflection equipment. With those kinds of changes, this production could have been shot to play just like a high budget project by a major studio.