Love of the Supertax tells the story of a group of students who see their lives gradually succumbing to some form of taxation, which prevents them from engaging in everyday activities and certain vices.
This 1984-esque quality, the presence of some governmental regulation in the day-to-day lives of people is paired with a unique dramatic vibe that complements the dystopian genre.
There is smoking and looking off into the middle distance, looking off into the middle distance but not smoking, and awkward dates. We gain a clear impression of the characters’ lives being nibbled away.
The soundtrack is well developed. A couple of characters are on a date, and audible in the background is the jive of some sweet smooth voodoo jazz. It’s a nice little touch that helps to create both an ambience and a sense of professionalism. The film makes skilful use of non-diegetic sound to build an atmosphere.
Despite being exceptionally well-edited, Love of the Supertax does have flaws. In 10 minutes, it is difficult to develop any connection or interest in its characters.
The cast toils, but time constrictions and the necessity to establish and then develop upon the central premise means that characterisation never comes to the forefront. We gain a sense of unease and observation from some unseen entity, but to the detriment of any memorable impressions of the people involved.
What Love of the Supertax is, is an important premiere for EUTV that promises exciting ventures to come.
Director Bethan Morrish told The Student “most importantly [Love of the Supertax has] paved the way for others to make similar things in coming years.”
Morrish sums it up well. Supertax is proof that on no budget and with limited time (Morrish states that the entire process, including auditions and the editing, took “around 5 weeks”), it is possible for Student Films Trademark to tell a coherent story and consider real, tangible themes.
Image: EUTV