Producer Sara Archambault has crafted an excellent piece that will satisfy the curiosity most of us have in what goes on behind the scenes in a funeral home. The husband and wife team of morticians come across as compassionate and professional. There is a very human element of "death care" which permeates the graphic descriptions of preparing a body for burial. The production values are a good example of "less is more"...sound elements and music are sparingly used but highly effective. There is a tendency when creating a piece like this to "over-produce" it with a barrage of sound that would not be appropriate for this piece. The high production values are even more impressive when you realize that this is part of a series produced by graduate and undergraduate students from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. My only criticism of this piece, and the only reason I did not rate it five stars, is that the minute or so section about how the funeral director couple met near the end sounds a bit out of context to me; it sounds like it has been superimposed over the rest of the piece and breaks up the way the piece had been flowing so nicely. It is interesting information, but the relationship between the couple is more effectively conveyed implicitly in the rest of the piece, in my opinion. But overall, the piece is superbly produced and effectively draws the listener in, just as good radio should. Well done!
Review of 'Til Death Do Us Part
Phil Corriveau
Posted on July 22, 2007 at 01:01 PM
Producer Sara Archambault has crafted an excellent piece that will satisfy the curiosity most of us have in what goes on behind the scenes in a funeral home. The husband and wife team of morticians come across as compassionate and professional. There is a very human element of "death care" which permeates the graphic descriptions of preparing a body for burial. The production values are a good example of "less is more"...sound elements and music are sparingly used but highly effective. There is a tendency when creating a piece like this to "over-produce" it with a barrage of sound that would not be appropriate for this piece. The high production values are even more impressive when you realize that this is part of a series produced by graduate and undergraduate students from the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. My only criticism of this piece, and the only reason I did not rate it five stars, is that the minute or so section about how the funeral director couple met near the end sounds a bit out of context to me; it sounds like it has been superimposed over the rest of the piece and breaks up the way the piece had been flowing so nicely. It is interesting information, but the relationship between the couple is more effectively conveyed implicitly in the rest of the piece, in my opinion. But overall, the piece is superbly produced and effectively draws the listener in, just as good radio should. Well done!