I am pleased that all the footage came out, but I realized in my review that I feel kind of crazy for taking on this project. I have never worked with actors before. And we were filming in uncontrolled, public areas. Why was that not a red flag to me when I was creating the script and storyboards? And then I threw in a live animal... REALLY SMART!
I started doubting my work during the first rough cut. There are definitely moments that shine - that even make me laugh out loud on review. But I kept thinking, how am I going to make this look polished? Can I get it from here to where I need it to be? It got scary.
Today, I went to see Stacy Peralta speak - he is a well known documentary filmmaker of Dogtown and Z-Boys, Riding Giants, and others. In answering student questions and talking about his process, he said exactly what I needed to hear at this stage in my thesis production.
Some excerpts: (may not be verbatim)
"As an artist, you are in a constant state of loneliness and insecurity, wondering why you are doing what you are doing, and doubting your idea. You spend so much time in the netherworld of insecurity."
at the beginning of an edit:
"Don't expect anything of yourself. And don't expect it to make sense. When you feel like a fool, you know you are right. You should feel like a fool."
I loved both of these comments. The second idea emerged when Stacy talked about coaching one of his friends who was making his first film. The friend had 30 hours of footage and told Stacy "I don't know where to begin". Stacy told him to just dig in. That taking the footage and starting the edit is the hardest part, but it is the process.
I feel so much better when I learn that most of the problems I have as a creative are the same problems confronted by seasoned professionals.
