Melody Makers is a short comedy film written, directed, and starred by Karly Im and which follows a group of high schoolers as they are selected to be part of the school choir – also known as “The Melody Makers”. Led by the theatrical (and politically incorrect) Ms. Wilson, the film explores the awkwardness of diversity, cultural appropriation, and favoritism in modern schools, and how sometimes having the best intentions can make people say and do the most inappropriate things.
There is actually a lot to enjoy about this film, the first of which is its humor. While the subjects of race, gender, and even faith can be sensitive, filmmaker Karly Im finds a clever way to tackle and make fun of them without ever crossing any line. Instead, she creates an engaging piece in which we see a group of normal teenagers just forced to deal with the social (and perhaps political) complexities of the modern age. Their singing teacher, Ms. Wilson, is clearly trying her best. She’s excited about having a “mixed” group of students and exploring all the opportunities this can provide. She wants to go beyond what’s expected and turn their show into something that highlights the beauties of cultural interaction and diversity, yet by doing so, she invertedly finds herself focusing a little too much on race and making the student she is trying to highlight the more uncomfortable of the bunch (all while her classmates try to sabotage each other to have their own time to shine). This then creates a curious case in which pushing too much with inclusion and diversity ends up in a slightly racist attitude. Again, Mrs. Wilson’s heart is in the right place, but her approach to the subject is certainly wrong – and anyone who has ever been in the spotlight of a teacher intrigued by their race, gender, sexuality, or nationality will relate to the awkwardness of this situation. Being forced to stand out among others just for being “different” will never stop ostracizing a person.
Yet, we can’t make it all about Mrs. Wilson as some of the students also use their own uniqueness as a way to get special treatment, and will say and do whatever benefits them right away. So… it’s quite an interesting time!
But again, as serious as some of the statements made in this review might seem, this is a hilarious and heartfelt film. Yes, filmmaker Karly Im pokes at the awkwardness and even innocent hypocrisy of the times, but it does so with love. The film is clearly made with a lot of heart and aims not to condemn anyone, but rather celebrate the silliness and occasional vanity that lives inside all of us. At points, these times seem to demand us to be perfect. To always say, do, and think the right things for the right reasons… but as this film illustrates, people are messy. Even the things we do with the best intentions can end up making others uncomfortable. We are flawed. We make mistakes. And we want love. We want to be admired and celebrated, and we try our best to be it – and yes, sometimes that means trying shortcuts or sabotaging other people. Human beings (and especially teenagers) are a wonderful contradiction. We are full of flaws and doubts, yet we can always find a way to embrace the best of us and connect with others by sharing experiences (such as singing together).
So, is a lovely short film that will leave its audience with a big smile. Karly Im and company have created a special experience that many of us will be able to relate to… and we sure would love to watch more of their work.
Director’s Biography:
Karly-Paige Im graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Theatre Arts; Directing. She has always had a passion for filmmaking and is so excited for him film debut!
Recommended for you
