Saturday, June 10, 2006
Looking back (from a very, very far distance, as would be preferable.)
I’m tired. After meeting my first group for the 2 minute fiction video, a feeling of hopelessness and incompetence seemed to present itself, like a 6th member of the group. As with any team, we had our problems. In the beginning, a sense of awkwardness and unease emerged, a handful of conflicting ideas surfaced and none of us seemed to like the idea that 1/5th of our group members was an international German student (except herself,) and whose understanding in filmmaking, documentation, and humour differed greatly to our own – she became a source of much frustration.
Things bettered. After several concepts of my own – our design student put forth a brilliant idea. It was unique and courageous – it was about sheep. After another one of our meetings, following a discussion upon specific scenes and situations – I remember saying to a friend that this idea could either “succeed brilliantly, or fall horribly flat.” Nevertheless, we pushed on.
Key pre-production tasks like storyboarding, camera plan and the shot list were mine. But it was throughout production where I considered myself best. I felt influential, somewhat vital as a member of the team. It was personal clarification of my importance and standing, when I realised that fellow group member’s would genuinely turn to you, for your absolute opinion.
As with any production I initially felt a little uneasy (not with the concept), but with specific scenes. In all fairness, the general consensus was that, this is what the majority of us want to do, and so that’s what we did. Things like this happened unsystematically throughout – generally working, but if not, we moved onto the suggested alternative. One team member (previously mentioned), due to a somewhat lesser understanding in Australian slang, aphorisms and humour, she had to constantly question the common sense, rock-solid ideas and concepts that the rest of us had acquired and accepted throughout our Australian upbringing.
After it all – once we had finished the final shot, the 5 of us huddled round the camera’s 3cm LCD viewfinder and for the first time, watched our magnum opus. The sheep concept…paid off.
Just as we were on the brink of being fully exhausted, along comes the 2nd Assignment – this time a Documentary. Discussing the progress of our latest production with one of my previous group members, she revealed, “After putting in so much effort for the first assignment, I feel as though I’ve got nothing left for this new one.” I totally empathised with her.
Brainstorming, and creating several more-than-worthy ideas, I suggested the ‘myth’ of the ‘Volvo Driver.’ Everyone liked it. As a Volvo-man myself, the subject struck closer to home than to the others – I knew the general opinion, I’ve experienced what it’s like to drive a Volvo and I retain a basic understanding on the History of the manufacturer. What I forgot, and it was that principle element that I forgot…was that I was working with a group of people (predominantly female actors) who had their own uptake on presenting the “Volvo Driver” as a Doco, and I can assure you – it differed much, much differently to my own.
Comparing Assignment 2 with Assignment 1, in terms of workload – its eons ahead. I’ve prepared, researched and composed. Tinkered unwillingly with the documentation. Suggested concepts and opportunities. Created interview questions and stand-ups. I’ve [attempted to] organise group members. I’ve set the gear up, shot, and reluctantly approached [the unwilling] public.
This then, is an update on what we’ve got: Terrible, terrible shots, pointless errands, technical faults, dead-ends and clichés. It’s a group effort – I have to keep reminding myself about this, be diplomatic and let them go their way, for I would loathe a situation of Civil Doco War – 4 group members against poor, little me. This is going to be odd, but I remember a quote by Margaret Thatcher, and in actuality, it applies to my sick, self-absorbed attitude, she said “I can be extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” Its wrong – but I’ve made a fair few films in my time – and I can see some of the things that we’re doing is amateurish and redundant.
I’ve painted a dark picture for you, I’m sorry…its really not all that bad. We do have some great stuff, and I’ve made some terrible mistakes, technically and through suggestion. I just think that, now we’ve reached the editing stage, the majority of my group will take an amateurish approach to editing structure, there’ll be a power struggle and a conflict of creative direction until the very end. Again…I’m tired. ¶ 11:41 AM
Things bettered. After several concepts of my own – our design student put forth a brilliant idea. It was unique and courageous – it was about sheep. After another one of our meetings, following a discussion upon specific scenes and situations – I remember saying to a friend that this idea could either “succeed brilliantly, or fall horribly flat.” Nevertheless, we pushed on.
Key pre-production tasks like storyboarding, camera plan and the shot list were mine. But it was throughout production where I considered myself best. I felt influential, somewhat vital as a member of the team. It was personal clarification of my importance and standing, when I realised that fellow group member’s would genuinely turn to you, for your absolute opinion.
As with any production I initially felt a little uneasy (not with the concept), but with specific scenes. In all fairness, the general consensus was that, this is what the majority of us want to do, and so that’s what we did. Things like this happened unsystematically throughout – generally working, but if not, we moved onto the suggested alternative. One team member (previously mentioned), due to a somewhat lesser understanding in Australian slang, aphorisms and humour, she had to constantly question the common sense, rock-solid ideas and concepts that the rest of us had acquired and accepted throughout our Australian upbringing.
After it all – once we had finished the final shot, the 5 of us huddled round the camera’s 3cm LCD viewfinder and for the first time, watched our magnum opus. The sheep concept…paid off.
Just as we were on the brink of being fully exhausted, along comes the 2nd Assignment – this time a Documentary. Discussing the progress of our latest production with one of my previous group members, she revealed, “After putting in so much effort for the first assignment, I feel as though I’ve got nothing left for this new one.” I totally empathised with her.
Brainstorming, and creating several more-than-worthy ideas, I suggested the ‘myth’ of the ‘Volvo Driver.’ Everyone liked it. As a Volvo-man myself, the subject struck closer to home than to the others – I knew the general opinion, I’ve experienced what it’s like to drive a Volvo and I retain a basic understanding on the History of the manufacturer. What I forgot, and it was that principle element that I forgot…was that I was working with a group of people (predominantly female actors) who had their own uptake on presenting the “Volvo Driver” as a Doco, and I can assure you – it differed much, much differently to my own.
Comparing Assignment 2 with Assignment 1, in terms of workload – its eons ahead. I’ve prepared, researched and composed. Tinkered unwillingly with the documentation. Suggested concepts and opportunities. Created interview questions and stand-ups. I’ve [attempted to] organise group members. I’ve set the gear up, shot, and reluctantly approached [the unwilling] public.
This then, is an update on what we’ve got: Terrible, terrible shots, pointless errands, technical faults, dead-ends and clichés. It’s a group effort – I have to keep reminding myself about this, be diplomatic and let them go their way, for I would loathe a situation of Civil Doco War – 4 group members against poor, little me. This is going to be odd, but I remember a quote by Margaret Thatcher, and in actuality, it applies to my sick, self-absorbed attitude, she said “I can be extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” Its wrong – but I’ve made a fair few films in my time – and I can see some of the things that we’re doing is amateurish and redundant.
I’ve painted a dark picture for you, I’m sorry…its really not all that bad. We do have some great stuff, and I’ve made some terrible mistakes, technically and through suggestion. I just think that, now we’ve reached the editing stage, the majority of my group will take an amateurish approach to editing structure, there’ll be a power struggle and a conflict of creative direction until the very end. Again…I’m tired. ¶ 11:41 AM
