This piece is a sad, real and very honest look at suicide through the eyes of young adults. It is very well put together, not only in technical terms but in the story telling aspect as well. The music is well chosen. A bad choice could have ruined the whole story. It would have been easy to pick a really cheesy or stereotypical song, but the one used is quite fitting. The sound quality is great; it is very easy to hear all of the interviewees. There was not a point where I had to go back to catch what someone had said. Most importantly, it is really refreshing to hear such honest dialogue about suicide. So often I feel like the issue is talked about scientifically, as a chemical problem within the brain. That’s so sterile and impersonal. These answers were so honest and real, sometimes it seems as if the interviewees say thing that are truly quite deep without really realizing it. A few of the answers made my chest feel a little tight.
One of the only problems I have concerns the beginning and ending. I felt as though it didn’t really capture my attention. I wanted something powerfully emotional to either take me in to the story or send me out of it really thinking about suicide. Mostly it was just a simple open and close. The only other problem is the length. The story is pretty long at almost eight minutes. I didn’t find myself getting bored, but I do think that it could be shortened a little.
Youth Editorial Board Review of "Voices About Suicide"
A. Greene
Posted on May 30, 2010 at 04:10 PM
This piece is a sad, real and very honest look at suicide through the eyes of young adults. It is very well put together, not only in technical terms but in the story telling aspect as well. The music is well chosen. A bad choice could have ruined the whole story. It would have been easy to pick a really cheesy or stereotypical song, but the one used is quite fitting. The sound quality is great; it is very easy to hear all of the interviewees. There was not a point where I had to go back to catch what someone had said. Most importantly, it is really refreshing to hear such honest dialogue about suicide. So often I feel like the issue is talked about scientifically, as a chemical problem within the brain. That’s so sterile and impersonal. These answers were so honest and real, sometimes it seems as if the interviewees say thing that are truly quite deep without really realizing it. A few of the answers made my chest feel a little tight.
One of the only problems I have concerns the beginning and ending. I felt as though it didn’t really capture my attention. I wanted something powerfully emotional to either take me in to the story or send me out of it really thinking about suicide. Mostly it was just a simple open and close. The only other problem is the length. The story is pretty long at almost eight minutes. I didn’t find myself getting bored, but I do think that it could be shortened a little.