Giving Yourself Time

New writing desk with tons of great animations in the city brownstone

I am an early to the party gal. I typically have any deadlines completed long, long before the time and date. I finish a project, call it good and move on. 

That is my temperament. Others -- especially artists -- wait until the last minute. They preform at their best under pressure.

Whichever type fits your profile, here is something to think about.

Sometimes "finished" isn't really finished. Sometimes with a bit of time and distance your work can be improved. It is very easy to become so wrapped up in a project that your discerning eyes get tired and blurry. They miss obvious areas for improvement.

Do you have fill shots that really don't fit?
Are the transitions smooth visually? Do they keep the story flowing?
Can shots or scenes be deleted to make a tighter and more interesting story?




As you know if you are a frequent reader of this blog, I have my UWA entry in the can. Well -- I thought I did. Then a couple of days ago I found a new prop that led me on a thoughtful journey to a new and better ending. For me, the beginning and the end are the most important parts of a story, be it on paper or on film. So with the new prop purchased and an idea in my mind I went back and looked at my film.

Needing to make some cuts in order to add the last scene, a review was in order. An hour or so later, the floor was littered with clips. Timing had shifted in some cases with more impressive scenes taking the lead and not so important ones shortened. Shots disappeared, credits rewritten and I had fifteen seconds for the last shot.

Now I didn't get to shoot that last scene as my graphics card couldn't handle it. Not a surprise as it has been dying for awhile. With a newly arrived much improved card and actors on standby, I will be shooting soon.

In the process of making room for a new ending, the film is greatly improved. So my suggestion -- should you be interested -- is to complete your film, move on to something new and then revisit a few weeks later.

You might be surprised at what fresh eyes can see.