Take Two

It is has been obvious for some time now that folks would rather read what I have to say than look at photos of "new stuff". This isn't just about this blog, it is about them all -- and honestly that makes me happy.

Not the ego type of happy; I really have never gone there. But it let's me know that some folks out there are thinking -- always good in my book. They may not agree with what I write, but they can use the ideas as a springboard to their own pondering.

So I am taking a bit of a turn on some of my blogs, including this one. Yes, there will be pretty photos but there will also be words. You get to decide how wise they are and how much they reflect your beliefs. Even if is a 180 degree difference -- that's good too.

Here we go.


I published a new video today.

It was a remake of one I did in 2011 and while the previous version was "fine for the time", it was so not exciting by today's standards. I had grown; software had improved. Put that together and hopefully the new version made some strides into betterdom.

I spent two days (yes two almost eight hour days) editing this film. I LOVE editing, but after a few hours with only 30 seconds accomplished I kinda hit a wall. I was getting antsy. I wanted to BE DONE. I wasn't having fun.

I sat myself down and gave myself a talking to. "You really DO enjoy this process. There IS no hurry. You are here to LEARN this new software." You get the idea. Amazingly, even though I knew it was a ploy to get myself  back on track -- it worked. After that I simply played. I learned. I took chances (saving often with different filenames) and I explored what could be done with my new tools and new personal knowledge.

I had some clips that I had sliced from the original film and the soundtrack file. I had been taking some partner shots (thank heavens for friends who will let you borrow their bodies for the sake of art) the last week. New footage from my OpenSim build was in the mix. I had no plan. I never do.  I let the footage tell the story, picking the best shots and putting them together in a tale that was unforeseen as I began.

What I found was interesting. Well, OK. Maybe I knew it would turn out that way; it often does. But still it is quite amazing to me. The story that revealed itself was mine. Well, not all mine of course, but there were some very fascinating parallels when I listened to the sound track while watching the visuals.

Is film-making therapeutic? Undoubtedly. Just like painting and poetry, sculpture and acting. We learn unexpected things that we were afraid to tell ourselves.

Yes, I do know how to make storyboards. Yes, I can write a script. But I have found -- that for ME -- the best approach is to let the story tell itself. Find your best shots. Move them around the timeline. See what unfolds.

It was a good two days work. I learned a lot on many levels.