"The Victory Over Illiteracy" Short Documentary Review

First of all, the topic of this documentary is really great. A man who couldn't read until he was 26 is now a public figure. This shows that the character they are talking about is important because he can be an inspiration for people who are having hard times in school, which viewers can really appreciate and look up to. His voice is also very strong and he seems to have a very powerful presence.

The titles were also a very clever addition, but they were unnecessary sometimes, such as when it said "author", because I already know what an author is.

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However, I did like the break in the interview to add the text about how at 26 he attempted to achieve the "seemingly impossible" because it reminds me of some of the good reality shows I watch. Essentially, it just looked very polished to me.


I also like the split screens because it's just a neat little effect to spice up the b-roll. In reference to cinematography, the shots were very nice because there was variety. The were the typical medium shots using the rule of thirds,

as well as some panning wide shots of his workplace that made the scenes interesting. The little news clipping was a good because it shows his effect on the community.

What I didn't understand was the significance or relevance of being a barber. I first saw this in the title sequence when there were a bunch of different haircuts, and I got really confused.

If it's just another aspect of his life that is important to him, it can be mentioned, but I don't think it's important enough to be spend so much time on. The title says "The Victory Over Illiteracy", so it's important not to stray from that focus. Also, I wish there was a more detailed account of that victory over illiteracy.

The different interviews of people were good because we can see how other people see him and their opinions of his books. One thing that can be improved is Anthony's interview because we see a lot of him just talking to the camera. In other words, more b-roll would be interesting.

The choice of music was very nice, especially in the title sequence, because it can be interpreted as the type of songs Anthony grew up with. It also adds a refreshing and catchy beat throughout the film. I repeatedly heard the interviewer making sounds of approval or understanding, which became distracting. Otherwise, the audio from the interviews was very good.

Overall, the I had no trouble losing interest because of the good b-roll, even though it was lacking sometimes, and I really enjoyed learning about someone with such a hopeless situation who turned it upside down completely. I'd give it 3.8/5 stars.