“In the Name of the Father” has numerous memorable scenes but this one stands out. It takes place right after Gisseppe Conlan, the father of Daniel Day-Lewis’s character, dies in prison. Both are innocent and spent several years in prison together. The constraints of prison prevent the rest of the inmates from paying their respects in the normal way, i.e. attending a funeral service or visiting a grave. So they figure out another way.
In DIY filmmaking (or any art where the funds are lacking), you will have constraints. But you have to realize that they force you to create in a new way. As stressful as this may be, I believe it’s one of the fastest way to produce something remarkable. I mean, what are you more likely to remember – a funeral service or what you saw in the film clip? If those boys aren’t in jail, you would never see that amazing scene.
Your limitations will only expand your horizon if you keep moving forward. Do it.
At the foot of a Northern California harbor stands a monument dedicated to the men lost at sea. The list is lengthy with room for more. I visited this site several times during my stay. It feeds into the very thing I find fascinating, terrifying, motivating, and ultimately haunting – the unknown. How did these men end up in the sea? What went through their minds during their brief struggle? Where did their bodies end up? We will never know! Since we’re wired to constantly look for answers, this dilemma produces a lot of negative emotions. But what about reveling in it?
I’ve had some recent conversations with the Dane about our newest flick “Surely You Jest.” The unknown, nasty deed performed by the antagonist is throwing his view of the film into a tailspin. He was somewhat pissed about it, which I understand. But the great thing, albeit selfish on my part, is that it produced a great conversation about the story and even turned into a philosophical discussion. The Dane took the story to places that I never even thought of. This is why Mike and I are addicted to the unknown. We get to hear fascinating interpretations of the events and see how people’s thought process works.
We know we run the risk of irking people with these unknown elements but we’re a couple of crazy kids. This is our vision, warts and all…or only some.
Scene set up: Night time. I’m sitting in an open area near a cliff overlooking a Northern California harbor. The problem is I can’t see a thing. Thick fog surrounds me. It would be a peaceful scene except for one thing – a bell out in the harbor ringing every couple seconds.
This one sound changed the whole setting. With every ring, a sense of dread continued to build. Instead of being happily lost in the fog, I was now a victim of it. I sensed all the elements I couldn’t see with no feeling of control. All because of a ringing bell out in the harbor.
Filmmakers need to make audio a top priority. It’s simple to do and can turn the emotional balance on it’s head. Think of the one piano key in “Eyes Wide Shut” or the serial killer’s whistle in “M.”
The road trip. It never goes as planned. When change occurs unexpectedly, the surreal experiences rise to the surface. Those moments that singe your brain. Check the pic. The site of our first breakdown. The sign happened to be laying near the spot.
These situations are primed for film. The sensory overload of the surreal will win every time. Even if you can’t make sense of it take the powerful elements and apply them to your story.
I’m taking off on a cross-country venture on my motor bike so the Vanish Old Time Radio show will be taking 2 weeks off. However, thanks to the iPhone I’ll continue my rants with a series of posts during my trip.
Thanks for your support. I’ll leave you with this:
I saw “Smoke” several years ago and this scene still haunts me. Or inspires me – it matters the day. Everyone can learn from Auggie and his photography project. His life’s work may seem simplistic but look a little deeper. The importance and complexity of his project shines throughout the scene.
This is Auggie’s corner. He doesn’t care what anybody says. He lives and works here, so he is going to document it for the world. Many (including William Hurt) question the importance of a city street corner. This doesn’t phase Auggie in the slightest. The corner has a special place in his heart and he wants to share it. His passion, his corner.
But the thing that gets me is the unexpected emotional reaction of William Hurt’s character. He sees this mundane project and then gets cold-clocked by the thing. You need to soak this in. One of the most amazing and rewarding thing about creating is that you have no idea how it will affect people. A friend of mine enjoyed “Sweet Damnation” because the characters resembled her crew from college. It made her happy to think about that time of her life again.
Cool stuff people. Check out “Smoke.” Then do your thing.
