Okay after I finally got my computer problems squared away I went through all my footage and labeled it and moved it into different files so I could begin to make a video for my actors.
I learned some things.
1) Ex Writing Partner is not a very good actor. I thought he was at the time, mostly because he kept talking about how great he was and he got some lead role in a shitty horror movie in Kentucky so I gave him the part. Hell he wrote the damn part, I figured he'd be perfect for it. But he anticipates everything. Lead Actor's character, Billy, constantly threatens or throws things at Ex Writing Partner's face. Every single time, Ex Writing Partner cringes before the threat appears. You can't go directly to him in ANY take because he always makes a scrunchy face in preparation of the hit. And there are a lot of hits because this is a film largely about what a wussy face his character is.
2) I wish I'd done more with one of my characters. I feel like the character Sheila doesn't have enough depth. It's not the actress' fault, it's mine for not giving her some more surprising personality traits.
3) I need to say "action" louder. I like Clint Eastwood's method of being gentle, but I realized when I was trying to cut footage together that when you quietly say "action" it's harder for the editor to know when to set the start point for the clip. Or at least it was for me. Plus it really doesn't make sense to be all quiet and sensitive when the scene is two guys slapping each other.
4) Every goofy mistake is one more scene I have to label and more space to take up on my hard drive. That said, It was pretty funny watching my leads dry hump on my couch. The scene where we looked at the ceiling for four minutes, not so much.
5) The labels on my scenes make it look like I'm making a porn movie. "Close up on the pussy," "Eric's penis," "Let's fuck on this table." Yet there is no nudity in the film.
I'm going to try to cut some kind of amusing mock up. Perhaps a blooper reel. So far, though, all I've done is connect a series of shots of Sheila for her reel and I still managed to fuck that up by leaving a giant black hole in the middle.
I don't think I have a future as a professional editor.
heheheh... gurl, what if your ex-writing partner stumbles across your blog and reads this? He'll call you up and scream, "i am not a lousy actor, GODDAMNIT!!!"
ReplyDeleteI've tried editing before...I suck at it, so I'll stick to writing and directing.
I kind of hate his guts now, so I wouldn't mind. My current boyfriend could beat him up.
ReplyDeleteYeah I'm with you. Editing is fun to play with but I don't think I have the patience to do anything for real.
This is sad, I think I met your ex-BF (the Kentucky horror film reminded me of a guy I met pre-Holiday at a pre-reading/auditioning thing I was doing of a script I'm supposed to direct...
ReplyDeleteI was not impressed by his "talent."
Ex Writing Partner. Not Ex boyfriend.
ReplyDelete*shudder*
If you did meet him, you probably also met his gigantic ego. I'm surprised you fit in the room.
That's why storyboarding as kind of a pre-editing procedure. Saves alot of time at the end.
ReplyDeleteIt's okay, I don't think that anyone's first short was of blockbuster quality. That's the importance of making a bunch of shorts before committing to something with a bunch of money involved.
It's the process of learning by doing (and usually screwing up). Try to identify what parts worked and try to repeat them, and try to fix or avoid the things that didn't.
:D