Saturday, December 22, 2018

Preventing Nap Time

One of the things that always gets me in trouble is the attitude of "I can do that!".  How many times have I tackled a project at home as a result of I can do that, then in the middle of it, Im thinking, maybe I bit off a little too much.  Except it is too late.  Engineers are famous for that.  My wife (teachers) is also famous for that.  I have a history of taking on things at her encouragement.

As I contemplate ideas for a new short film, it is a combination of what the hell am I doing and hey, wouldn't it be neat if I could do the film on.....   But it come down to this is a story that needs to be told.  It is obvious that there are more folks out there that believe I can, but there remains the time and creativity to put it together.

I look at the styles that I can emulate.  I tend to find them on TV.  NHK is one of the channels I watch with a simple style of story telling and narration, I love the opening of the series the Closer.  I always liked the style of 60 minutes and it's format.  I like the theme songs of the Andy Griffith Show, WKRP, and of course Hawaii five O.  I tend to watch old tv shows late at night for ideas.

I notice on some shows the background music is the same or inappropriate, music rights are complicated and expensive.  It has gotten to the point what few movies I see, I look for music incorporation.  But our class is teaching us about the things that are not only basic, but what makes a good film.

All of these nuances enhance the film.  There is a difference between talking heads and an entertaining film.  30 seconds is an eternity on film where most cuts in TV are 5 to 10 seconds long,
We have an obligation to tell a story, but we have an obligation to create a film where people feel and understand the story and not want to walk out or take a nap.

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