One of my biggest creative obstacles is finding the courage to finish what I have started. I shortchange the product, by not allowing it to be fully realized. Over the years I have started and explored several mediums and styles of creativity. Often the result is exercises that remain incomplete. Many should stay that way, but many are cheated their full potential by my insistence that the process of beginning an outline or drafting a sketch or preparing the story is all that is required. Many of my fragmentary projects are the seeds of things that may promise great fruit.
I began a series of very short films just about ten months ago. The original idea was to use whatever tools I had available; actors, cameras, locations, etc. and make the most of them. I tagged these as exercises in “maximizing the minimum”. I had been in front of the camera just enough to realize that I had a desire to learn more about the actual film making. I used what resources I had and commenced on a project. The project grew out of several movement and camera experiments I did on the roof of an apartment building. An actor moved toward and away from my cell phone camera and I recorded him to see what effects could be obtained. After about three weeks I had outlined a story and embarked on a series of three short films built around the camera’s limitations and a central theme.
The story is somewhat convoluted and was really only secondary to teaching how to tell a story, film, edit, block, light, etc. The resulting project is entitled Behold a Great Warrior. As I finished the third film and then had to reedit it, I found my self basically bored with the story. I realized quite simply that I was not interested in pursuing the final chapter and phase of the operation. The goal was to finish the three short films and then fold them into one comprehensive piece. It turned out that four films were needed in total. At this point, I have finished three and the fourth is in the early stages of development. The final piece is only an idea at this point.
It is difficult for me to revisit my early experiments without wanting to redo them. Also, it is hard for me to find the vigor to follow through with the original plan and actually finish the product. My producer has encouraged me to finish the final segment. After careful consideration, I feel that it is indeed best to finish this series. I am anxious to begin something far better drafted, sketched, rehearsed and executed, but there’s still much to be learned and that was the original intent of these films anyway. Despite all my life experiences and wisdom I still find myself distracted by the “new cool idea” and the next thing I know, I am headed down that path, my undiagnosed ADD prodding me into fulfilling new directions!
I began a series of very short films just about ten months ago. The original idea was to use whatever tools I had available; actors, cameras, locations, etc. and make the most of them. I tagged these as exercises in “maximizing the minimum”. I had been in front of the camera just enough to realize that I had a desire to learn more about the actual film making. I used what resources I had and commenced on a project. The project grew out of several movement and camera experiments I did on the roof of an apartment building. An actor moved toward and away from my cell phone camera and I recorded him to see what effects could be obtained. After about three weeks I had outlined a story and embarked on a series of three short films built around the camera’s limitations and a central theme.
The story is somewhat convoluted and was really only secondary to teaching how to tell a story, film, edit, block, light, etc. The resulting project is entitled Behold a Great Warrior. As I finished the third film and then had to reedit it, I found my self basically bored with the story. I realized quite simply that I was not interested in pursuing the final chapter and phase of the operation. The goal was to finish the three short films and then fold them into one comprehensive piece. It turned out that four films were needed in total. At this point, I have finished three and the fourth is in the early stages of development. The final piece is only an idea at this point.
It is difficult for me to revisit my early experiments without wanting to redo them. Also, it is hard for me to find the vigor to follow through with the original plan and actually finish the product. My producer has encouraged me to finish the final segment. After careful consideration, I feel that it is indeed best to finish this series. I am anxious to begin something far better drafted, sketched, rehearsed and executed, but there’s still much to be learned and that was the original intent of these films anyway. Despite all my life experiences and wisdom I still find myself distracted by the “new cool idea” and the next thing I know, I am headed down that path, my undiagnosed ADD prodding me into fulfilling new directions!
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