Episode 1 Review
August 21, 2014
The Last Fall of Ashes is romance drama web series that follows three characters through two different timelines. The one person that ties all the timelines together is our lead, Alina, who goes through a couple different character arcs dependent on the timeline.
Although this story doesn’t necessarily pass the Bechdel Test, the rule of thumb in female characters is switched. Instead of having female characters in the plot just to further a man’s storyline, we have two male characters furthering a female’s storyline.
Dane is the man that furthers Alina’s present storyline. They’ve just met and immediately the two start a modern romance, downing strong shooters and smoking weed in bed.
Michael is the man that furthers Alina’s past storyline. They’ve been together for quite some time, and lie in a condo bedroom with crisp white sheets and warm sunlight. It’s picture perfect.
As apposed to most web series The Last Fall of Ashes pushes a longer runtime. Episode 1 clocks in at just under 15 minutes. Since the show is a drama it can get away with it, and the strong cinematography is also a huge plus. When a film project is aesthetically pleasing makes the viewer forget about the runtime, and that’s what The Last Fall of Ashes has achieved.
Another strength, which adds to the well-thought cinematography, is the score. Often I find the soundtrack to these shows overwhelming, and nothing bothers me more than the music being louder than the dialogue. Thankfully I can say that only being a risk in one scene, when Dane and Alina talk in the bar, but they recover quickly from this in the next scene.
The whole episode is highly stylized, and any web series looking for a niche audience can work this method to their advantage. Now the episode standing on it’s own works great as a set up to the six part series. We introduce our characters, and surprisingly, the ending. If anything, revealing what happens to Alina in the first two minutes works into the multiple timelines. Is the story being told backwards? This show requires a keen eye and a sharp mind to keep up. The Last Fall of Ashes is not for the passive viewer.
Although this story doesn’t necessarily pass the Bechdel Test, the rule of thumb in female characters is switched. Instead of having female characters in the plot just to further a man’s storyline, we have two male characters furthering a female’s storyline.
Dane is the man that furthers Alina’s present storyline. They’ve just met and immediately the two start a modern romance, downing strong shooters and smoking weed in bed.
Michael is the man that furthers Alina’s past storyline. They’ve been together for quite some time, and lie in a condo bedroom with crisp white sheets and warm sunlight. It’s picture perfect.
As apposed to most web series The Last Fall of Ashes pushes a longer runtime. Episode 1 clocks in at just under 15 minutes. Since the show is a drama it can get away with it, and the strong cinematography is also a huge plus. When a film project is aesthetically pleasing makes the viewer forget about the runtime, and that’s what The Last Fall of Ashes has achieved.
Another strength, which adds to the well-thought cinematography, is the score. Often I find the soundtrack to these shows overwhelming, and nothing bothers me more than the music being louder than the dialogue. Thankfully I can say that only being a risk in one scene, when Dane and Alina talk in the bar, but they recover quickly from this in the next scene.
The whole episode is highly stylized, and any web series looking for a niche audience can work this method to their advantage. Now the episode standing on it’s own works great as a set up to the six part series. We introduce our characters, and surprisingly, the ending. If anything, revealing what happens to Alina in the first two minutes works into the multiple timelines. Is the story being told backwards? This show requires a keen eye and a sharp mind to keep up. The Last Fall of Ashes is not for the passive viewer.
