Getting Lear: How To Show And Not Tell

"All documentaries must invoke, as best they can, the spirit rather than the letter of the truth - and they are exciting because of this. A documentary's authenticity ultimately lies in its organizing vision rather than any mechanical fidelity to life." - Michael Rabiger



Saturday, March 14, 2009

Finding, Exploring, and Developing




I have come to learn that there is nothing enjoyable or creative about shooting.
I'm a terrible shooter.
I recognize this, and shoot accordingly - meaning I shoot fairly conservative: lots of mediums and close ups and the obligatory wide master.
I do go off sticks, because so much of doc making necessitates the "run and gun" style of shooting . None of this pleases me.
But somehow it all comes together in the editing process.
Editing is not just cutting - it is finding, exploring, and developing.
I found so much gold in my outtakes that I stopped looking at regular "scene" footage and focused all my attention on finding and logging "unintended" footage. So much so, it became the basis of my film.
I guess it is also seeing the footage with new eyes - not always possible when you are the shooter and editor, but less difficult when your project has dragged on for years like this one has. The stuff I shot in 2007 is such a distant memory that it seems like somebody else shot it - and that shooter wasn't bad!
-chris

1 comment:

ucfmills said...

After a frustrating day of editing Young Composers Challenge I watched Spellbound again for about the 5th time. I was truly amazed at how subpar some of the shooting was. I realized I have really great material to work with, so it cheered me up. I want to suggest two books for you: "Art and Fear" by Bayles and "The Courage to Create" by May. Keep them by your bedside. They may provide reassurance in your doubting times.