“Congratulations Mr. Mason, you’ve lead us into a room with no exit.”
Many of us wordsmiths here understand the value of diving inward, into the labyrinth of the mind, in search of fruit buried within…
In search of the means to express the emotions we feel deeply. In search of the solutions to the problems that drive us mad… We also appreciate the havoc this endeavor can wreak on our personal lives. For, every moment spent in this mental maze is also a precious moment not spent in “real life.” Creativity, self-indulgence, can become a prison. One I am presently familiar with. So I’m seeking your wisdom in the comments.
Last summer I began work on an operatic movie montage, which I’m calling, “A Dark Night.” It’s the theme of Darkness and Light, as dramatized in 5 popular, modern motion pictures:
- Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010)
- The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008)
- Romeo & Juliet (Luhrmann, 1998)
- The Rock (Bay, 1996)
- Apocalypse Now (Coppola, 1979)
I believe it has great potential, not only to entertain, but to hit on something true of the human psyche, perhaps. Thus it could become something I feel very proud of making.
I’m currently right in the middle of it, inside the densest portion of Act 2. I was stuck there for several months, chipping away at the creative block a little at a time, a couple nights a week. I seem to have broken through the wall now. The other side is wrought with fresh ideas, possibilities. Solutions are as prevalent as oil in a vast untapped reservoir. And that’s now the problem. It’s a trap.
The story is getting longer and longer. And, as my video editing skills improve through my schoolwork, so does my resolve to make this project as airtight, as perfect as possible. That’s not going to happen without several 100+ more hours of work on this thing. Precious time I probably should be spending on my real life! I can’t let it go. It’s addicting. And I feel compelled to finish it. The question is, when?
What’s the solution here? Have you struggled with finishing a long, draining creative project like this? Please share if you feel inclined. And I’ll check on you soon!
Thanks for reading. Have a good weekend 🙂
E.F.
Experience Film 
When you are working on a project, the initial interest is surrounding it’s initial set up phase. This is why we have millions of “I have an idea for a movie” and a lot less “finished projects” sounds weird to say as we have millions of films out there but we have had beyond millions of ideas for films that never get made.
My point being is that you’ll never gather the same interest in a project than when it first is produced. The longer it takes to finish through perfections leads to less interest. Well less interest to finish.
But if there is something to be said about perfection is that IMDB points out that near to all movies have Goofs, continuity errors or problems.
No film project is perfect that’s the key. So the focus is to force the finish. Once you have a completed item you got the option to rerelease with upgrades or move onto another project.
As I said the internet and excitement is never the same beyond set up stages – money sure is a burden that delays but finishing a project does not require perfection.
George Lucas made Star Wars – and with sequels the franchise has gotten big but the original movie was very flawed. He knew this. This is why when technology advanced he rereleased the films perfecting it each time to how his vision was. But this is after it’s original release.
You have the power to finish, don’t let your perfectionism hold you back. Finish the project and rekindle your passion for film
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Wonderful insight, planet! You remind me of the power of IMPERFECTION, which in film editing (and writing) is strongly advised for a rough cut, first draft, which is the stage I’m still in here.
My perfectionism is my detriment. I wanna get everything perfect the first time around. And what that translates to is a lot of wasted work hours, and self-imposed restrictions on the story.
I really like this bit you said, “No film project is perfect that’s the key. So the focus is to force the finish. Once you have a completed item you got the option to rerelease with upgrades or move onto another project.” And if I decide to move on, its to rekindle my passion for film. That’s a very good thing, isn’t it!?🙌
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The first comment is well taken, yet I can never forget the Aykroyd Belushi interview given shortly before the release of “Neighbors” about how they couldn’t quite get it right. Having seen the film I think they were better served to walk away.
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The point I was making was that the hunt for perfection can stop you from progressing. It’s better to focus your energy now and be done rather than be a critic much later
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I want to to walk away, and instead do a project that will make people laugh. Last summer I did just that, I shelved this thing. But then it summoned me back😌. Different from “Neighbors” is that some things do feel right here, have gelled thus far, enticing me to push forward. I feel like I’m half way through the desert now. Whether to keep going, it’s “Damned if I do, and damned if I don’t.” Thanks for weighing in, RR. I love that Neighbors anecdote.
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Sounds like an intriguing video. I look forward to it. Whenever I’m stuck, I find it’s best to step away and let your creative brain reset. Ironically, I’m actually planning to review 2 Romeo and Juliet movies using Shakespearean dialect and iambic pentameter. It was a major headache, but I stepped away from it and will return when I’m good and ready.
P.S. My fourth video is currently on my channel. I’ve actually made over 10 videos since that first one I did.
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Thanks, MM. Your R&J reviews sound very entertaining but very challenging! Glad you could step away. One option is you could compromise by doing Some in iambic pentameter, but not all of the review. It took me hours to come up with a short bit for my review of “Frozen.” a while back. Even though I was just plugging in new words to the R&J Prologue. So I can appreciate how daunting the task is! 4th video, that’s exciting!😀 Really glad you are getting into video editing. I started editing to supplement my blogging. It sounds like this is why you’ve gotten into it too? It’s really neat to WATCH your top 10, as well as read about it too. It’s good to have both options.
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Thanks for the advice and thanks for the comment on my video. Keep up the good work.
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Thanks, MM. Your R&J reviews sound very entertaining but very challenging! Glad you could step away. One option is you could compromise by doing Some in iambic pentameter, but not all of the review. It took me hours to come up with a short bit for my review of “Frozen.” a while back. Even though I was just plugging in new words to the R&J Prologue. So I can appreciate how daunting the task is!
4th video, that’s exciting!😀 Really glad you are getting into video editing. I started editing to supplement my blogging. It sounds like this is why you’ve gotten into it too? It’s really neat to WATCH your top 10, as well as read about it too. It’s good to have both options.
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