Iris on the Prize

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WHAT'S THE 2^ND WORSE THING?

Poor Prep.

If the director has a vision in his minds eye of the film and then figures out what kinda of cool lenses and shots he wants then this is poor preparation.

If your prep is in your mind and not sharable on paper, then get one of these for production.

The most important part of a movie is the story. 

Therefore the most important thing for a director to focus on is the telling of the story.

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What is the movie about? For you? As the director you have to interpret the script and decide what is the most important element to get across to your audience. If you are not sold on that element, no one will be.

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Guaranteed, everyone on your team will have their own interpretation of the script and what's important.

For example you may see the relationship the protagonist has with her father as pivotal to the story.

Your DP may have been focused on a different character.

Peoples points of view are all unique.

These different POV can enrich your own, but you must have your point of view of the story crystal clear. You have to be able to invest in your perspective and communicate it with your team.

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When the story is clear to you choosing actors, and cameras, and locations and wardrobe and all the rest will become very obvious. So do yourself a film saving favor; focus on the story homework.

What's the character arcs? What does the character want? What are the emotional beats of the story? Is the emotional rollercoaster ride you are setting up for your audience serving the delivery of what the story is truly about? Get feedback and make sure to honestly consider it.

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Your team is there to help you clarify and support the message of the story.  

A strong team will share their thoughts but prioritize what the director is trying to say through the film.

Depending on the story and what the key elements of what the movie is about for you determines who you need on your team.

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THE TEAM

Let me start off by saying, "Every department is important." Is say that so I can tell you that  . . . depending on the movie not every department is important. Here's an obvious department that's not important. The department that sticks a swab up your nose and gives you a mask to hyperventilate and sweat in, have difficulty communicating through, and reduce your air quality and productivity. That department is not important.

How about a less obvious one. IF you are making a movie like TWELVE ANGRY MEN, then a Special Effects department is not too important.

Or what about Hair & Makeup? Is it as important on a modern day, male cast story as it is on a Period piece with big haired, female cast? Nope.

FACE YOUR RESTRICTIONS

As you put together your team, you will have budget restraints that will determine who can be on your team. The most important position to fight for is the DP. I'm begging you. Find a DP. Once you have a DP work on prioritizing the departments with them. Your cinematographer will be a great bouncing board (haha get it) to make sure they get the right team to get the best shot possible under the circumstances. Restrictions squeeze out creative juices for all to drink.

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DICTATOR OR DIRECTOR

Listen.

Read 1 Cor 12: 28-30s This talks about the different gifts of the members of the body of Christ. Some are apostles, some prophets, some teachers, but each person isn't all of them.

Directors. Take input from all your departments. Actually listen to the core team and incorporate the input in a way that helps what you are trying to say with the story.

If you are not willing to listen to them why did you choose them to be on your team? Teams are made to do something bigger than one person.

Let them make the movie better.

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HUMBLE HEART

Approach with caution

To take down the Goliath of film, approach with the heart of King David. Humble and Contrite.

When focusing on the story the director and the whole team for that matter needs to ask, "what clues does the script give to visually show the message of the story?"

This requires you to give the benefit of the doubt. First give the screenwriter the benefit of the doubt that the answers are in the script, and you have not found them yet. Or found all of them.

Then give benefit of the doubt to the team members who express their thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we dismiss what a person tells us because we think we know what they are saying.

Many times we are wrong in our assumption. Some artists minds may explain their ideas logically like an engineer, but many artistic minds need questions to mine out the gold of their idea.

IF we can keep a humble and contrite heart as our go to mode of operation, amazing fruit will come from these meetings that will clarify the best way to capture this motion picture.

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THE GOLD NUGGETS

If your not listening you may miss the gold nuggets that fall out of people's subconscious.

These come like the gentle breeze. When and how they arrive, no honest person would say but, From the Lord. The nuggets are in the moment and you can only hear them when you are in the moment.

Do you know how to be still and know God?

Do you know how to distinguish His voice from the others?

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I can't do this topic justice in a blog. To go deeper we need to connect and come together for the glory of God.

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Pray that people will have generous hearts and fund this renaissance.

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Unite with other Catholic Filmmakers like you.