Integrity

• adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

 

Are you true to yourself?

 

Are you true to your work?

 

We each -- hopefully -- have a set of personal limits; ones we will not cross. We have goals we aspire to and truths we believe in. Our work reflects those parts of who we are.

 

Directors are special folks. They take a story and make it their own.  True, the writers are the backbones of a film -- without a plot there is no story, only pretty pictures and a sound track. Yes, a few prose often work their way into the mix. 

 

Directors -- in both real and virtual lands -- take that story and bring it to life. Characters are added. Complex back-stories devised. Scenes mapped out. Footage filmed. 

 

Somewhere in the process, the director is called on to make choices. Should they go with what the "money people" want or what they believe is the true tale?  Can they push their characters into alternate roles for the sake of box office proceeds?

 

In machinima we don't often have to make those decisions. We are the masters of our film's fate. We tell the story we want to tell. But now and then other energies come into play and we are forced to choose -- for the film and in reflection of our belief systems. 

I believe in truth.

I believe in honesty.

And sometimes choices are difficult.