Filming

Lots of filming this week. I've been thinking about what it is I have to do, and have come to some interesting conclusions.

While initially I'm making a film, that does not really explain anything. Day to day, I'm recording images and sounds and then putting them into my computer to rearrange later with music and other elements.

In the moment, I have to keep in mind the thousands of little details required to get interesting shots: is my iris open enough? Can I hear whoever is taking without them blowing their levels? If no, why not? Is my shot crooked? And so on.

In between moments, I have to keep in mind the story and themes of the film. Is what I'm shooting really relevant to THIS film? Is there something I could do to change what I am seeing to make it relevant? That last question might make some film makers uncomfortable- changing reality can be a slippery slope. I decide case by case what to make of an image or a sentence. Sometimes though, changing an angle can make a big difference in the power of an action, for example. Or asking someone something can take the place of a voice over later on in post production. And if I am choosing to shoot something in the first place, chances are it has something to do with my idea for the film. So making that connection clearer doesn't change my intention.

In the editing suite, later on, the decisions are less immediate, but equally important. Especially when working with a 90:1 ratio of images shot to images used. Essentially, I find myself deciding how to represent what I see in an effective way using pictures and sounds of it. And there's a lot of it.