Video Ideas
Everything in quotations starting with the “Not quite sure” and ending in the “am editing it” I posted a few days ago as a replied comment to Heather (I’m quite sure she saw it), yet I’m still not sure I want to do what I have planned in quotations.
To be completely honest over the past week much thought has gone into this movie, yet movie as a self-portrait still baffles me. If weened down to one thing that describes me I would pick Jesus (God). There is no debating that, but explanation of God is considerably difficult. Time and time again, as a Christian artist, forcing Him into my projects ends in failure. His word has taught me to rely on Him for such things, and allow Him to show Himself.
This leaves me in a bit of a predicament, as the project edges forward. Instead of planning this movie to be about anything, simply letting it be would be much more natural. Letting me be my unrestrained self in front of the camera would work better at articulating myself. Ideas may come to me and a few have, and not utilizing them would be stupid (and not to mention against my own character). Ultimately, I’m not against planning the video, yet not much has come to me except this unfettered idea of “natural me”.
Expansion on this idea involves hours of film, talking/reacting to cameras and acting plainly as if no one was watching. Filming myself in the most mundane activities, like practicing an instrument, drawing, ect. would be one tactic used int eh film. Another tactic would be sudden outburst of things that happened to pop into my head (puns and such). Also explanations of myself that would be detailed and well thought out. Through this video I hope to lay all my cards on the table, and hopefully make some sort of point by the end of it.
Because of the manner of the video there won’t be many, if any, transitions (those are my thoughts at this point in the process). Many of the shots will be close-ups, because many of the surroundings of BG I don’t find particularly aesthetically pleasing. Yet many of the shots will be mid-ranged to show scenes with multiple people or an activity that I am participating in. Ground shots I predict to be fairly common as well. Thinking ahead to process overwhelms my mind, because I’m still struggling with subject like I stated earlier. All that I can truly say is that the footage I take will be raw, and I wish to crop and show highlights to illustrate who I am.
“Not quite sure I want to do any of that. Thank you for your reply though. Truly I was just trying to get something moving in my head. My mind wasn’t working at all in the way of movies.
Now I know what I need to do.
If I’m going to do a self portrait movie it would have to revolve around God. There’s no getting around that fact. Art does nothing for me. Away from Jesus there is no purpose, joy or Love in my life. Don’t get me wrong, there are wonderful friends, family, etc in my life, but none of that can compare to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one who can pick my true self out brush me off and set me rolling again and that is my Savior. Art is only a part of my life to express how great he is and what he has done for me.
This movie needs to be candid. As far as monologue or dialogue I’m not sure what it will be, but it needs to be guttural and true. I’m positive I’ll do a voice over. There will probably be many frontal close up shots and profile ones. I want to interview people’s thoughts on God. I want to ask people questions and give testimonies.
My audience is college kids, so anywhere I go they’ll be able to I.D. it off the bat, since they live in the same environment. I want to use this fact to my advantage by cropping things out or putting a new spin on familiar things. God is the real subject of the film, so ultimately I’m trying to show him not a bunch of pretty backgrounds (so location doesn’t matter).
As far as the music goes I want to use some of my own if possible, but it doesn’t matter much to me. I may use some of my friends’ music or maybe write something for this project.
There will be a fast paced part of this movie, but there will also be an incredibly personal part of this movie. What people believe and my own conviction will be juxtaposed, but I’m still not 100% sure how this is going to come out until I have a ton of footage and am editing it.”