Title: One-Day Seminar
Year: 2008
Director/Writer: Martin Binder
Starring: Tommy Murray as Benson Mountebank
Grover Silcox as Ted Misanthorpe
Jeannie Stith as Front Desk Clerk (check-in)
Kelly Minner as Front Desk Clerk (check-out)
MPAA Rating: UNRATEDStudio: MoviesByMartin
Distributor: N/ARunning time: 19:50
Official Website: www.moviesbymartin.com


Once upon a time film making was a hierarchical endeavor and independent movie-makers only made short films in order to hone their craft, making sure, if they became successful, that their ‘practice films’ never saw the light of day except occasionally at a film school class. Today with democratic filmmaking, not only are we bombarded online with the ‘training tapes’ of would be Spielbergs and Tarantinos, but they are even celebrated in festivals, occasionally sold overseas to Eastern European television stations and reviewed as art.

"One-Day Seminar" represents a short (less than twenty minutes) freshman outing for Martin Binder. His previous credit was as a bit player on “Brutal Massacre” (2007), written and directed by Steven Mena, from whom Binder no doubt took some inspiration. It is fairly well written and directed, but not special. It is reasonably well edited, but not special. It is an all around worthy example of possible potential, to be used to apply to film school or to try and get an agent. But that is about it.

This attempt at mockumentary is done in the style of the television show “The Office (2005)”. Unfortunately lead actor Tommy Murray (Benson Mountebank) is no Steve Carell. Considering how much of the story centers on Benson, Martin Binder’s directing goals would have been better served by getting a well seasoned actor to play the part. While Grover Silcox (Ted Misanthrope) in the opening and Peggy Koleduk (Edna Happenstance) at the end are quite good, and funny, they are not seen enough to offset Murray’s poorly timed performance.

I wish Martin Binder all the best. I really do. But sometimes creative people especially writers and directors, have an obligation to demand excellence of themselves and ‘kill their children.’