State of the Union

Surprised? So am I. I'm actually keeping up with my blog. How about that.

Anyway, it's nice to be able to take a moment and breathe. The last couple of days have moved at a very fast pace, and I'm trying to figure out how to catch up. Between working and filming, I almost forgot that my once plentiful free time is nearly nonexistent.

Though this may become problematic with completing my own projects, it is justified through the work that I have put into everything else. Right now, I'm beginning to see where my priorities lie. I still continue to build my project resume and gain experience, which is still very important. However, recently I also find filming to be a way to scratch a certain itch. When I began to step behind the camera, I started to feel at home.

Saturday saw some growing pains, but it didn't take long before I adjusted to some of the flaws of being a first-time director of photography. With a little help from the rest of the cast and crew, shooting became second nature by the next day. When this happens, the work ends and the fun begins.

While there can still be moments of frustration, you have to keep in mind that no production is without them. Eventually, all the worries begin to fade away when you review all the video footage and realize how much progress you have actually made. It's the driving force for any film production. It's a constant reminder that the finished product will be worth the repeated takes, lack of sleep, occasional failure of communication, lack of eating, and the loads of time spent preparing for each shot.

You have to put a lot of care and consideration into each camera angle and movement. Through this heavy consumption of time, you can sometimes forgot why you're doing it in the first place. You have to keep telling yourself it's a just cause just so you can keep morale high. And some days can truly be a trial, depending on the difficulty of each take.

Then you review the footage. Hope is inevitably restored and you are reminded why you do this in the first place.

Every production has its trials, but there is a payoff at the end of the long and bumpy road. That's what makes it all worthwhile. That's what makes you proud to be apart of this team of ambitious artists.

Until next time,
Steve