Far From Work

We are rolling right along with the production of Video II. With a working title like “Planet Bike” one might quickly connect the dots suggesting the usual sights and sounds of happy, fit and beautiful people riding bikes in picturesque places. That is about it. I tried to concoct a storyline to add another layer of interest but opted for the music video format instead, and, almost a third of the way through the sixty minute targeted running time, I like it. I initially envisioned a thematic trip around the world, using the archival footage from the exotic (or otherwise) ports of call that I was fortunate to see on my sponsor’s dime, but, again, defaulted to a mash-up of video from anywhere accessible. As an example, in yesterdays session we started in France and ended up crossing the Missouri River from Iowa and into Nebraska. A stretch, I realize but with a few bells, a whistle or two, a smoke bomb and a floor-to-ceiling mirror, we made it work. Today we’ll continue to experiment. The idea that came to me in our first Super Eight session this morning at oh-dark-thirty was to try a Beatles collage of just instrumental refrains, which, considering their propensity for soaring harmonic vocals, might be a challenge. The beauty of non-linear editing is of course that if I don’t like the flow or consider it not up to the standards we rigidly enforce around here, one tap of the delta key dons a reset. It ever there was a metaphor for the mantra that nothing lasts, this might be it. 

Putting the video way-back machine into effect, sitting, reviewing, searching, remembering, judging, grading, re-purposing the media, allows a novel opportunity to consider what was taking place both inside and out as the camera rolled. By that I mean that I can look at the video as say a psychiatrist might look upon a client. Why I chose the scene, that action part of the scene, the angle, the focus, the camera movement of any particular sequence is an exercise in, I believe, the creative process itself. What fascinates me enough to spend even the slightest amount of thought about capturing it on film, is the point. It answers the question that asks why I try to put a mountain, river or blue sky behind the moving object that has attracted my attention. The entire process from the decision of what to shoot, how to shoot it, through the editing and creative manipulation of it in post and its inclusion into whatever story is being told, is something that everyone should do. At least once. There is free editing available on-line and everyone has a phone with a camera in their pocket.

But trust me when I say that one will not, or ever, be enough. Once the creative bug bites, you will find yourself seeking ways to improve, looking for new ideas to test and more exotic (or otherwise) locations from which to frame your commentary. You will start to see things differently, the reflection of a cloud, the shadow from a tree, a bird in flight. They all look great in video. As does motion. Anything that moves deserves consideration, and sometimes the faster the better. OMG and super slow motion! Then, should you decide, one can add dialogue, a story line and a soundtrack. The intrepid one man crew can wear any number of hats along this electronically charged road. From executive producer to marketing director and every job between them, the tools are all here and available. They patiently wait for you. You are the director. If it is to be it is up to thee (although I don’t recommend Shakespeare as first attempt). 

I am sure that writers have similar joyous emotional outbursts, same as musicians, dancers, teachers, guides, shamans and wizards. So it’s back to the editing suite we go. After class this morning as I left the club with flowing endorphins and a cup of coffee, someone at the front desk offered a ‘have a great day at work’ goodbye. 

I said thanks, knowing full well that this is the farthest thing from work that could ever be.