11:28 pm

I have mentioned this in the past and probably not lived upto what I have promised myself.  I need to spare time for more genres of alternative cinema.  And one genre that I would really love to see more of would be Live Action Short.  My experience with them has usually been very good. And it has more to do with the amazing talent on display that gets a beautiful story on screen in under 30 minutes.

Rohan Dalvi writes and directs his first attempt in live action (he has been dabbling with animation in the past but nothing serious).  He picks a safe type of a genre i.e. Thriller.  Maybe it is just a coincidence but I have more often than not watched a Thriller when it comes to a short movie.

 

1128 pm is centred around the life of Michael (Ally) who plays an employee of a software company and has been lured into the wonderful world of a home loan.  With the government changing the rules, he has to now pay VAT for Rs.2 lacs asap else he risks losing the house and getting a fine slapped on him.

 

Add to that, he has enough problems at home as well with medical bills piling up to no end.  The last straw on the camel’s back is a lousy year end appraisal from his boss (Ashutosh) who rules out any probability of an increment.  I am quite certain most of us know that sinking feeling in your stomach when you hear those dreaded words. More often than not, it sucks.

 

Stuck with no option, Michael checks with his friend and colleague who happens to know an HR Consulting firm.  That’s usually the course most of us take when we hear the 2 dreaded words – NO INCREMENT.  But how many of us would be willing to sell our soul to the devil if it came to that? More importantly, how many of us know what would be the value of that soul i.e. what should you quote for selling your soul?

 

Just a couple of questions that 1128 pm attempts to show / answer.  For a first time effort, this could classify as more than satisfactory.  However, like most amateur films, it could have done with a dash of attention to detail.  Some aspects are definitely not upto the mark.  Like the letter that Michael gets claiming VAT seemed like a plain piece of paper.  Maybe a letter head could have made it more authentic?

 

Shot with a Sony Nex 5 with basic 18-55 mm kit lens for majority of the shots and his friend's Canon 7d for the night shots 1128 pm is definitely worth a watch.  And with all respect to some of the full length features, I would peg this 15 minuter at a much higher level.  5 on 10.  Expect to see more from Rohan.

 

Watch the movie on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaIKTrP8AgM