Gotta Get Started
This is something I posted on my livejournal and now realized, stupidly, that I just as easily could have put it here. In fact, it serves it's purpose better here anyways. So yeah, just read and think about it. Thanks!
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*EDIT* I went back and fixed some sentences and actually spell checked for once. WEEEE!
So yeah, I didn't mean to give more hype to this conversation I wanted to have with everybody than it actually deserves. I mean, to me, it's important and should be taken seriously, it's just once I brought this up I just want people to listen and think about it. So I'll just talk about it now. I'll try to explain this as best as possible until I steal the flyer from TV Media class Friday. Friday is Thursday schedule, right? I hope so.
Well, I'm sure a few of you are aware that I want to enter this local film festival between a few schools with Musashi and us. Let me explain that this other thing has NOTHING to do with that. They are separate occasions and times. What I am referring to is a National Film Festival. Don't stress just yet, entries are separated by High School level and College level. Of course, they make the distinction depending on whether you are in College or High School. The rest of the basics I know of, is that there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for whatever level you submitted too. 1st place gets 1000, 2nd 600, and 3rd 250, and it's $25 per entry, no limits to # of entries submitted by any person. We must turn in any movie by sometime in mid February, I think. Not sure on that yet, I know it's in February. It sounds like the big timers stuff, and it is. But I really don't feel it's nothing we can't do if we really, REALLY put a great amount of effort into it. We already have the imagination and cleverness, and stuff, it's just a matter of really caring or not. After reading about this Festival I thought about it for a little bit. The first thing that came to mind is that I am thankful that High School has it's own special category, because competing with College students is like High School Football trying to beat Cal Bears or something. I know that our effort is going to have to equal the occasion. When the waves are over our face, we're just going to have to swim harder. If we can show that we can do this, oh man, that would be a highlight in a lifetime. We wouldn't even need to get first, I mean, just to place would make us famous in several ways. If this contest is between the whole country, it would be a big fucking deal to place. Also, imagine what it would look like in a portfolio...holy shit. Wouldn't that be something. I feel like, as a group, we've never really tried to do anything with each other that means something, or that we tried really hard to do. Something constructive that means a lot to us, because we worked really hard on it. Most of you know that we wanted to build this pirate ship, and don't get me wrong it was a great idea, but it's just too expensive. Sadly. I really wanted to do it too... :( It worked have worked too. The diagram was great. That really sucks because I know that we could have made it if we had the recourses. But I feel this could work out really well if people are with me on this. I know, what once we start, it's going to have to be really serious work. Man, I wish I could express myself about this a little better. I just want to do something constructive as a group we can be proud of. Don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed that we all do Happy Pills. It's just, we all know how seriously we actually take it sometimes, and that can be not a lot. You all know that Happy Pills means more to me, than well, probably all of you, but you all know that's just me, what my passion is. I have come to realize this. At one time it bothered me that people didn't actually care about it as much as me, which disturbed me. In my mind I envisioned our group as a bunch of kids that love filming, and are pretty good at it. But I know that you all have your special things you all really care about instinctively, something that excites you and you guys are good at it. Music, drawing, fighting, writing, races, games(shared 100%) So I came to terms with the fact that making movies is just naturally going to come second or third or whatever to what makes you guys really tick. So I hope you all don't think I'm trying to push my passion on you guys and that I expect you all to care as much as me. For that kind of thing I can only hope. It's idealistic and I know it. It saddens me, but whatever. Maybe you guys might feel that if we are going to pick something really important for us to do as a group that it should be something else. I feel that among all of us, making movies is a playing field we can all participate in. I really do think that all of us are pretty good at it in our own ways, so making a movie to me seems like a balanced idea that we might be able to agree on. I don't think that anyone would argue it's lots of fun. This contest might just be the thing to get us really going for something that can bring us even closer together and challenge us as a group. Our teamwork. What kind of Pirate crew can't work together? In fact, we should be a better team than any other type of group of friends. Unless we were all somehow twins. But yeah, If we do this, I need to know that we can all commit to this. Once we start there is going to be no turning back unless were giving up trying to win. It'll be hard work, but the reward will be equivalent to whatever we put in.
But yeah, I some of you are thinking “Sounds good, but where do we start?” I really, really, REALLY apologize for not having a plot yet. I know some of you are wanting some kind of ground to start from, but I really don't have anything to show for you all right now. The categories are something like, narrative, drama, music video, fiction, documentary and something else. Here's the thing; we don’t have great recourses. But by a grace of god we make up for these things with pure cleverness. Or whatever you would like to call it. I mean, even adults like our movies, even though they can obviously be pretty dumb. But really, we have talent. All of us. As far as a direction to start from, I'm leaning towards something that's realistic. I mean, we don't have great transportation or money. So I don’t think it would be really wise to pick an idea that involves simulating fictitious things. I’m just assuming that’s a little beyond us right now. Christmas is coming up, so I'll probably have something for better lighting and a tripod. That's a BIG plus. I think we should make a drama comedy. For example: High Fidelity. It's a drama and a narrative. I'm not saying I want it to be like High Fidelity, but that's just an example of something that is believable but funny. So was Clerks. There were no special effects or anything for that movie. Just good writing, they were character studies. But yeah, just an idea. Nothing set in stone, of course. We have the talent, BJ obviously can write, so can Lucio and Brian. That’s more than a lot of people can say, and it’s not just one person either. You all are very analytical. You guys all write really well in my opinion. Really well. Between you three, you could easily make the content of an idea/concept/plot mean something. What we do will definitely have to be funny. I can't think of much else to say right now. And please, don't be too pessimistic on this yet, or dismiss the idea yet. Just think about it, or talk to me. We have three and a half months or so. Please respond! ^______^
Thanks guys, I really want to have something awesome before we graduate. This is a great opportunity.
- Trav
____________________________________________________________________
*EDIT* I went back and fixed some sentences and actually spell checked for once. WEEEE!
So yeah, I didn't mean to give more hype to this conversation I wanted to have with everybody than it actually deserves. I mean, to me, it's important and should be taken seriously, it's just once I brought this up I just want people to listen and think about it. So I'll just talk about it now. I'll try to explain this as best as possible until I steal the flyer from TV Media class Friday. Friday is Thursday schedule, right? I hope so.
Well, I'm sure a few of you are aware that I want to enter this local film festival between a few schools with Musashi and us. Let me explain that this other thing has NOTHING to do with that. They are separate occasions and times. What I am referring to is a National Film Festival. Don't stress just yet, entries are separated by High School level and College level. Of course, they make the distinction depending on whether you are in College or High School. The rest of the basics I know of, is that there will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners for whatever level you submitted too. 1st place gets 1000, 2nd 600, and 3rd 250, and it's $25 per entry, no limits to # of entries submitted by any person. We must turn in any movie by sometime in mid February, I think. Not sure on that yet, I know it's in February. It sounds like the big timers stuff, and it is. But I really don't feel it's nothing we can't do if we really, REALLY put a great amount of effort into it. We already have the imagination and cleverness, and stuff, it's just a matter of really caring or not. After reading about this Festival I thought about it for a little bit. The first thing that came to mind is that I am thankful that High School has it's own special category, because competing with College students is like High School Football trying to beat Cal Bears or something. I know that our effort is going to have to equal the occasion. When the waves are over our face, we're just going to have to swim harder. If we can show that we can do this, oh man, that would be a highlight in a lifetime. We wouldn't even need to get first, I mean, just to place would make us famous in several ways. If this contest is between the whole country, it would be a big fucking deal to place. Also, imagine what it would look like in a portfolio...holy shit. Wouldn't that be something. I feel like, as a group, we've never really tried to do anything with each other that means something, or that we tried really hard to do. Something constructive that means a lot to us, because we worked really hard on it. Most of you know that we wanted to build this pirate ship, and don't get me wrong it was a great idea, but it's just too expensive. Sadly. I really wanted to do it too... :( It worked have worked too. The diagram was great. That really sucks because I know that we could have made it if we had the recourses. But I feel this could work out really well if people are with me on this. I know, what once we start, it's going to have to be really serious work. Man, I wish I could express myself about this a little better. I just want to do something constructive as a group we can be proud of. Don't get me wrong, I'm overjoyed that we all do Happy Pills. It's just, we all know how seriously we actually take it sometimes, and that can be not a lot. You all know that Happy Pills means more to me, than well, probably all of you, but you all know that's just me, what my passion is. I have come to realize this. At one time it bothered me that people didn't actually care about it as much as me, which disturbed me. In my mind I envisioned our group as a bunch of kids that love filming, and are pretty good at it. But I know that you all have your special things you all really care about instinctively, something that excites you and you guys are good at it. Music, drawing, fighting, writing, races, games(shared 100%) So I came to terms with the fact that making movies is just naturally going to come second or third or whatever to what makes you guys really tick. So I hope you all don't think I'm trying to push my passion on you guys and that I expect you all to care as much as me. For that kind of thing I can only hope. It's idealistic and I know it. It saddens me, but whatever. Maybe you guys might feel that if we are going to pick something really important for us to do as a group that it should be something else. I feel that among all of us, making movies is a playing field we can all participate in. I really do think that all of us are pretty good at it in our own ways, so making a movie to me seems like a balanced idea that we might be able to agree on. I don't think that anyone would argue it's lots of fun. This contest might just be the thing to get us really going for something that can bring us even closer together and challenge us as a group. Our teamwork. What kind of Pirate crew can't work together? In fact, we should be a better team than any other type of group of friends. Unless we were all somehow twins. But yeah, If we do this, I need to know that we can all commit to this. Once we start there is going to be no turning back unless were giving up trying to win. It'll be hard work, but the reward will be equivalent to whatever we put in.
But yeah, I some of you are thinking “Sounds good, but where do we start?” I really, really, REALLY apologize for not having a plot yet. I know some of you are wanting some kind of ground to start from, but I really don't have anything to show for you all right now. The categories are something like, narrative, drama, music video, fiction, documentary and something else. Here's the thing; we don’t have great recourses. But by a grace of god we make up for these things with pure cleverness. Or whatever you would like to call it. I mean, even adults like our movies, even though they can obviously be pretty dumb. But really, we have talent. All of us. As far as a direction to start from, I'm leaning towards something that's realistic. I mean, we don't have great transportation or money. So I don’t think it would be really wise to pick an idea that involves simulating fictitious things. I’m just assuming that’s a little beyond us right now. Christmas is coming up, so I'll probably have something for better lighting and a tripod. That's a BIG plus. I think we should make a drama comedy. For example: High Fidelity. It's a drama and a narrative. I'm not saying I want it to be like High Fidelity, but that's just an example of something that is believable but funny. So was Clerks. There were no special effects or anything for that movie. Just good writing, they were character studies. But yeah, just an idea. Nothing set in stone, of course. We have the talent, BJ obviously can write, so can Lucio and Brian. That’s more than a lot of people can say, and it’s not just one person either. You all are very analytical. You guys all write really well in my opinion. Really well. Between you three, you could easily make the content of an idea/concept/plot mean something. What we do will definitely have to be funny. I can't think of much else to say right now. And please, don't be too pessimistic on this yet, or dismiss the idea yet. Just think about it, or talk to me. We have three and a half months or so. Please respond! ^______^
Thanks guys, I really want to have something awesome before we graduate. This is a great opportunity.
- Trav
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