Short Film Review: 'Ghost Searchers' (2020)
Neil George’s Ghost Searchers can be accurately described by the phrase, “short-film delight.” The blend of the supernatural makeup over its dry, comedic inclinations is endlessly intriguing. However, the film’s main hurdle — and where it falter
★★★★
NR - Comedy, Supernatural (19 minutes)
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Neil George’s Ghost Searchers can be accurately described by the phrase, “short-film delight.” The blend of supernatural makeup over its dry, comedic inclinations is endlessly intriguing. Pair that with the incredible attention-to-detail on the practical effects, and you have an amazing treat. However, the film’s main hurdle — and where it falters most — is fusing the uneven writing with the natural energy the cast creates.
Rounded out by an excellent cast, including Max Doubt (Matt), Johnny Lee (Jeff), Ashley McIntosh (Katie), and Dylan Terrill (Robert), Ghost Searchers begins with the introduction of a couple of professional stragglers, lost, themselves, in a stagnant existence, and ends with a wholly satisfying redemption arc. Doubt and McIntosh’s performances, specifically, are notable and match their respective written dialogue; the other two, well, feel a little more stiff. One of the main reasons for this is the lack of enticing exposition for the characters. If there had been just 10 more minutes of screen time — and more complete scripting (to fill in the blanks on the characters’ pasts) — perhaps, the story would have had more narrative fidelity or something to bind the connection between the audience and all of the characters.
Besides the lingering feeling of incompleteness, George effectively captures the atmosphere of the film through the visual narrative. Working in tandem with Yuliam Rosado, he opts for a more balanced approach to cinematography: mixing wide-angle, static frames with POV shots and tight close-ups. Not to the mention, the frames are crisp and capture a very claustrophobic feeling. Transitions are used to depict passage of time, with each transition serving a distinct purpose. It actually surprised me how well the scenes are stitched together to form its own identity. I would argue that the easiest way to sever immersion in any visual medium is by being complacent or careless with editing — so this was a pleasant surprise!
In addition, the supernatural effects are used to their full potential, and surprisingly, appear to be very real — because they are. There is a clear difference between computer-generated graphics and the believability of using practical effects. Not only does it take some careful planning, but it requires a level of dedication and creativity that any filmmaker should possess. Of course, these techniques could have been used in a more expansive manner for greater effect (particularly if the story was much more comprehensive), but for the material of the script, it is utterly magnificent.
All-in-all, Ghost Searchers is a delightful nod to 80s style filmmaking, complete with some great performances and believable practical effects. I would highly recommend watching this little short film at your convenience.
Below there is some additional information about the film.
Amazon Video Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B08F7HDS3S/
Festival Selection and Awards:
2020 Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, Good Life Audience Award Winner
2020 Another Hole In The Head Film Festival, Official Selection
2020 Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival, Official Selection
Neil George, the director, plans on releasing the short film through his own website for site subscribers at: https://www.nrgeorge.com/films/GhostSearchers