Observing the process

Posted on December 11, 2008

I learn a lot about production from watching other people, especially directors.

I learned the most from other directors’ mistakes. The intent from the lesson is, obviously, not to repeat their costly errors.

I had a director repeatedly tell me, “There are no brick walls.” He considered that axiom as his own, original philosophy. But, for him it was not true. There were plenty of brick walls in his way. He just never saw them as obstacles. He thought he was valuing tenacity and stubbornness. Of course, he had advanced resources to deal with them: grip’s and PA’s foreheads. His shoots were Bataan death marches, brutal scenes of forces, slave labor straight out of an Egyptian pyramid building scenario. So, brick wall? Make the field hands work harder. Yeild not at quota? Whip them harder.

Of course, there’s a slight problem with this philosophy. Ninety nine percent of these ‘brick walls’ were foresee-able and avoidable from the pre-production vantage point. Additionally, half of the objectives on the other side of the wall were not mission critical goals (thus, it took time and energy away from more important endeavors.) Finally, most of the time, the shots and sequences acquired after Hulk-busting through these brick walls were abandoned it post.

What shocked me was when this practice was repeated from shoot to shoot. The director never learned that these brick walls often existed to protect him from the dead ends that lay on the other side. Sometimes cast or crew would be injured due to the extra effort required to break down these walls. So, when the shots were abandoned later in post, it make the crime extra heinous.

Lisa Simpson taught me that the Chinese use the same symbol for crisis as they do for opportunity. Solving a problem requires creativity, lateral thinking. The opportunity to solve a problem is a precious moment, a gift. My most original projects are those I have little control over. I’m constantly forced to approach the subject and the story telling structure and style from non-traditional directions. Chief Clancy Wiggum taught me that some recruits always have problems with the wall, they never seem to be able to find the door. So, that’s my philosophy: every brick wall has a door, a crack, a window, every brick wall is finite. Pole vault, para-glide, tunnel, put on your ball gown and sachet around, be creative.

I learn the most from not getting what I think I want, but being presented with what I need. That way, I’ve learned to make silk purses from sows’ ears.

It makes me apprehensive to think that one day, I may be successful enough to have a project with resources that are limitless (compared to what I have now.) Getting everything will deny me that very opportunity I crave: the chance to be creative.

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