Hey great job all around guys, came together beautifully! 

Too pro to be amongst this crowd, in my humble opinion that is. Star quality across the board. You'll go very far. J. Jar 

Jesus! speechless! 

Very professional !!! And very curious, also my movie is on free will, but with other two demos ;) Good luck! 

almost amazing.l like the music, and the tone of the film, the old man is haunting like a cold wind blowing on your neck. The location was also neat, except a little too cheerful in my opinion, too much sunlight, other than that, only 2 words to you, good luck! 

great film!  

Beautiful film! The acting is spectacular, in the last scene especially, the actress creates a magical moment. I love the music during the credits. Good Luck! 

Good visual effect in starting... 

Good visual effect in starting... 

Great cinematography and interesting idea. 

Great cineamtography and top production values. Well done! 

Engaging, Dark, Creepy, and then comes together nicely in the end. I enjoyed it. Check out my film "The Varmint Hunter." Hopefully it'll make you laugh! 

Wow, beautiful and engaging film. Great images and production valeu. One of the best so far! Great job. 

A beautiful, film, fantastic production values, great acting. 

Stunning. Breathtaking stuff. Your work sets the bar for the year, Matt.  

Unlike the other films I have seen so far on filmaka, this film leaves an honest and emotional impression. The acting is skillful, creative, and more importantly, credible. Wonderful idea. Stunning cinematography. Very professional. Good luck! 

Enormous talent! Beautifully shot. Beautifully acted. Particularly Delfine who is both breathtaking and gifted actor. Good luck! 

This has such an incredible look. I wish you used this great feel for a deeper more interesting plot, but it was still entertaining. 

I was told by a collegue, James Knight, about your short. It is a true achievement. Professional, creative, well done! The acting is beauitfully done. Very emotional in the last few frames. 

This is better than all of the shorts I saw at Sundance this season. Extremely professional across the board. Excellent performances. Very touching, a stand out film from the rest. Good Luck. 

What a fucking great concept and film! Beautifully directed. Spot on performances. A great ending. The crying girl held me in her world, uncomfortable and emotional. Excellent stuff! Thoroughly engaging. 

This film boasts some serious talent! Beauitfully shot, beautifully played by the girl and older man. James gave me the heads up on your film, ,and was so impressed that he insisted I go vote for it! This website is fairly lucky i'd have to say to have you guys showing the rest how film making is done. My only critique is that I wish it were longer!  

Outstanding directing, acting and cinematography - brilliant storytelling - a movie that communicates the joy of making movies by artists who really know what they are doing - beauty, humor and moving emotion in such a short time demands huge skill and these film makers have it in abundance. I, too, wish it had been longer - and I am very excited to see their next film. I wish we had more work of this quality on the big screens in our movie theaters. Unlike most films out there,I'd pay to see movies by these guys! 

This film is in a different league than the rest. Outstanding concept, well developed. Stunning cinematography. The old man was apt at creepy, the girl played with great instinct and hearbreaking in the last few frames. The music really lends to the feel. Phenomenal film! 

Hey Matt, My collegue sent me a link to this site to watch your film.You have a real talent here. Wonderful story and execution. A real class act. You'll go very far. Great performances. The young woman really knows how to keep the viewer in tension. An intelligent take on the role. The old man toys with her with ease, very engaging characters. My only wonder is why you are here, and not already making feature films? 

Diva! Wow!!! Beautiful film! Congrads to you all. Not only the best opera singer I've ever heard, she's the best actress! I love the song you wrote at the end with Mitch. Brava Diva! =) What was in the water where you grew up girl?!! Love u, Gio 

Technically accomplished. I hope this doesn't win because I would rather awards be given for creativity, interesting ideas and resourcefulness, rather than because someone has access to professional facilities and crew.  

First of all, thanks for the comment and compliment, Ursula. I say compliment because there were 3 crew and 2 cast on this shoot. The director basically shot the movie, and we edited it on a home computer rig built for gaming. There was nearly no money put into this compared with some of the other videos we've looked at on this site. And hey, we thought a modern take on the myth of Charon was a pretty interesting idea, and using a ferry on the east end of Long Island was being pretty resourceful - but I guess we have to agree to disagree with you on that, :) 

I also want to thank Ursula for her comment. The 3 crew members worked their asses off, and I am so proud to have been a part of this film. The director basically only had one pay check to put into it- all of the money he had which paid for the camera usage and food for us all. Also, he got the south ferry company behind him with his passion for the film- not money. They rallied behind him, as we all did, to see his vision through, and he should be greatly applauded for this wonderful film, vision , and execution on a sparse budget and barely any crew. Delfine Paolini  

Fantastic film, mythological undertones, the whole delicatessen sink! Beautiful actress, beautiful Chryron/Charon player beautiful images. Isn't this what film storytelling is all about? 

I think there's been significant applaud for this film! Admittedly, it does look great. And the aesthetic can't be separated from a films effect. I thought the concept was interesting too. However, there have been a lot of comments that degrade the rest of the interesting work on this competition. And a great deal of the praise is due to the film's professional (even though it was a small crew) look. But I guess it can't be helped when fellow filmmakers are voting. 

Woah...well this is quite unexpected. Thank you all so much for your comments! Any and all constructive criticism is welcome of course. Glad it was enjoyed!  

I'm so proud of you guys :) my fingers are crossed!!! love! 

It's unfortunate that this film can't simply be praised for it's great achievement without blatent jealousy. This is a talented film maker, who clearly worked hard to make this film on a tight budget and 3 person crew. I don't know Matt, or any of his crew, but I would rather praise where praise is obviously due. The skill level, story, direction, and acting were all professional and due credit. All the best man, keep your head up high. 

Congratulations on this spectacular film. I edit with Bob, who so kindly forwarded a link to this sight to see your film. It is a wonderful concept and story. Beautiful images. professional and skilled direction, and certainly very special performances. I love the edit choices for the ending! 

I am jealous! I wish my film looked this good. Had these actors. Sorry if my comment was taken the wrong way.  

Thanks again to all who commented, I'm really amazed and delighted with the reaction we've been getting. I wanted to say that, to those of you who have written me private messages and I have yet to repond, something strange is going on with my inbox and it wont let me replay or send a message to anyone. I've put in an email to the filmaka team for help. However: Willm, Adam Juran and James Knight - thank you guys so much for your kind words and support. I'm frankly a bit overwhelmed by all this, but it is very encouraging and uplifting to hear those sentiments. Anyway, at the risk of destroying the magic, I thought I'd give some fun production notes just in case people are curious. Don't read them if you don't want anything spoiled, hehe. - We had 3 crew on the shoot: myself, our DP Bill, and our Producer (as well as editor) Ryan. We were basically sprinting everywhere the whole time, ha! In additon to this we had a very good location coordinator who worked for the South Ferry Company and an excellent Ferry Pilot. - The interior scene in the boat's wheelhouse was done on a stationary ferry, we made it seem like it was moving with the camera angles and sound design. - We shot for a total of twelve hours, 8 hours on the first day and 4 on the second. We spent a total of 3 hours with a moving ferry. - The location was on Shelter Island which is a wonderful place off the northern end of Long Island. - The weather that weekend was supposed to be cloudy and raining. We brought all sorts of umbrellas, ponchos and even a rain cover for our HVX camera and it ended up being a scorcher for both days. - We used a wide angle adapter for one shot: the first shot of Delfine on the ferry, and because our polarizer and UV filter wouldn't fit onto it, it looked completely different than any other shot...we did our best to color-correct it, but it still stands out a bit. - The whistle that you hear from Charon was actually recorded in post by our Producer/Editor Ryan. - The song that plays at the end was co-composed and co-performed by our lead actress Delfine. You can hear more of it at www.myspace.com/mithraicmusic - The effects over the title sequence was very simply done by layering images we captured of frothing water and water reflecting the sunlight. - It was jellyfish season at Shelter Island and they were everywhere! We were all very paranoid about falling in as we were told that they were very poisonous! - For the wide shot of Delfine on the ferry we actually had the camera and tripod out over the side of the ferry while it was moving. We secured it with bungie cords. - Our dolly was a very simple flex-trak system that our tripod sat on. It was pretty hard to operate on gravel, but convenient nonetheless. - Thanks again to all who commented and voted! Spread the word if you feel compelled! 

Dear Filmaka, please allow formatting in your comment posts. Thanks, Matt (and probably everybody else, hehe) 

Hey man, It was cool to read your production notes. Incredible what you have accomplished in this film. I urge you to get it into film festivals, hopefully a longer version. I can see this doing very well, and all in all, I can see you, your team, and actors going very far (particularly the girl, after reading that she is also a composer and opera singer.) Good luck in the future. I will look out for your work.  

+Fun to read the inside info on how this film was made. You've got a real talent Matt, and I agree with John in that you will all go very far. Tell the actress I loved her performance and her composition at the end. Uncanny how suiting the music is to the film. Don't be affected by some of the unfounded negetivity on here that came your way. You're a real pro with the vision man.  

Thanks for the production notes. I was wondering how you got that effect in the beginning. Now I know! Also cool to know how hard you guys worked on this with just a few hands! Amazing! Its pretty damn rad that the lead girl composed the music for the end of the film, A very good actress too. Thanks again Matt 

Thanks for the production notes. I was wondering how you got that effect in the beginning. Now I know! Also cool to know how hard you guys worked on this with just a few hands! Amazing! Its pretty damn rad that the lead girl composed the music for the end of the film, A very good actress too. Thanks again Matt 

Special film you have here Matt. I work with John who passed a link on of your film. There is a magic between these characters. A tremendous idea, carried through very nicely and superbly professional. Also Beauitful music! I like that the film has its own current. A unique style. This also goes for the acting. It is quarky and very different. It would stand out of the crowd if I were casting something. Wish the best for you, and I think we'll hear big things about you all in a year or two. 

Interesting prod notes. I didn't mind that wide shot, even though it differs. Sets a new tone for what is to come, in a weird way it works. It is remarkable what you have created in this film, and I remember the days of sprinting across sets with 2 other guys to get it all done, so many congratulations on the hard work. It shows. I would also like to say that I am impressed by the music, and more impressed that the actress wrote it. More over, I would have to agree that there is something very unique about her acting. 

Thanks e for the heads up on the film. It is really gorgeous. You're fantastic. Don't leave opera for good though! You're too good! Are you performing at pro voce on the 18th? Lots of love and luck, Erika 

Amazing direction and acting. Congrats ! Maxime Pourbaix (The Mojo) 

This is an amazing film. Beautiful work. 

A truely stunning achievement! Head and shoulders above the rest,sorry to "the rest" but it must be said. Reading your production notes I am astounded at your skill Matt and very impressed by both the wonderfully creepy mood and your lead actress. Truth and beauty in one package, what a treat. Gotta thank BJ for the heads up. 

I invite you to watch the animation I did for this competition. "HELP, WANTED DEATH OR ALIVE" i couldnt finishi it for the dateline. Your coments will be my price. check it at my profile 

Absolutely Amazing. 

Amazing film. Blew me away! 

Absolutely fantastic film!!! Congratulations!!! 

Incredible film! Beautifully acted. 

Fuck! Damn near perfection!  

Wow, Matt. What a beautiful film.