Guide To Country Roads II New Crossings

Guide To Country Roads II New Crossings is the latest entry in the bizarre, occasionally amusing, but mostly infantile series. This one follows the character of Timothy (Dion Kelly), once again – but this time, he’s learning to drive. His driving instructor (Aaron Medd, also the narrator of the piece) poses some kind of abstract threat to the learner. The story takes its conventionally absurd twists and turns, leading to Timothy and his instructor getting drunk at a bar. Clocking in at only three minutes, this is a comedy sketch which leans into the low-budget aesthetic and vulgar approach which has defined previous entries.

The most effective moment of comedy – and visual storytelling, for that matter – comes when the narrator starts talking about the Russian Revolution. We, as the audience, get a short lesson in political history, as relevant historic photographs flash on screen (as if in a documentary). The reason for this tangent is completely inexplicable, and that is the point. The humour comes from the dedication shown to this joke, but also from the dedication shown to the style. For a moment, Boland manages to authentically replicate the tone and pace of a doc – an adherence to form and structure which one would hope the rest of the movie reflected.

On the other hand, arguably the worst characteristic of the film is the fact that the majority of shots are out of focus. This could easily have been prevented; but the fact that this flaw is so prevalent throughout the short runtime leads one to believe that it’s a purposeful creative choice. For instance, you could view it as a formal representation of the characters’ drunken state. But then again, this doesn’t account for the sober opening minute of the picture. A positive element of the cinematography, however, is the use of black and white as a consistent aesthetic – apt for a film containing narration with an almost ‘how to’ sound to it. It’s also slightly more interesting to the eye, and easier explained as a stylistic decision which suits the independent feel.

This group of aspiring filmmakers demonstrate a clear drive to be producing comedy on a regular basis. It’s incredibly commendable to follow through with a creative idea, and put it out there for the world to see; however, more attention should be paid to the technical side of production. I would never suggest changing their style of humour, because – whilst it won’t be for everybody, or even most – it's certainly the group’s most unique asset.

But no matter what, the shots should look a little nicer. It only takes a moment to put the camera in focus (although I am relieved to see them not using auto-focus as so many student filmmakers do). And, perhaps, if the filmmakers could consider the lighting in their scenes, and aspire to create further depth in their images, these videos could be entirely successful. To the talented people making these movies, I recommend they keep at it, study cinema, and maintain what’s special about their particular comic sensibility.