directing journal 3
Sep. 23rd, 2009 12:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
holeintheground*
spent yesterday morning working on a shot list of sorts. at least, i've got the basics down of what i want to do. one of our actors is going to school for Media Production, and about to get certified in CGI. he's playing the dude who gets shot, so, the question is: do we have him CGI a super gory computer generated special effect of his head exploding from the gun shot?
i think not, unfortunately, because i really think that would completely take away from the general theme and mood of the rest of the project. however, on the other hand, it would be kind of fun. still, it's good, for later, to meet someone who is into that sort of thing and maybe has a talent for it. he also is very in favor at least of lying in a pool of blood, so i feel that's good.
anyway, after having my shot list, i feel pretty confident and ready to go shoot. i even did some very crappy very basic storyboards. i know mostly we're supposed to stay away from storyboards, but i still like to have them, sort of as a bit of a safety net. i've storyboarded every other project i've done, and the way it seems to work is like taking notes in a class. i rarely look over my notes after i write them down, but the act of writing it down helps me remember what i want to remember. so, i probably am not going to look at my storyboards, but just the act of drawing them helps me remember what i've visualized in my head. also, the shot list is very short. only 6 shots, and i know at least two of them aren't even necessary, but are more "this would be cool if we have time."
lately i feel myself being drawn more to longer takes, and also, being efficient. like, how can i convey what i want to convey with as few shots or camera angles as possible? maybe it's not efficient, i dunno. i'm not sure how to explain exactly what i'm thinking here, but it makes sense to me, and that's the most important part.
------
in other, related news, i've been stressing about my student loan/financial aid situation lately. the office says i should be getting my loans for this semester soon. apparently though, i also owe money to the U of M still. which sucks, because i thought i had that all paid off. it was kind of a kick in the teeth to see this debt just show up out of nowhere (seriously, it's been like 4 years since i've seen a bill from the Dept of Education, but it's been there the whole time, growing fat and bloated with interest.)
so, i'll finish schooling with like a total of $40,000 in debt. that's a lot of money to end up with an Associates Degree at the end of the day.
but, if i don't take out more money, i wont be able to afford to keep up the modest lifestyle to which i've grown accustomed. i'd probably have to get a full time job to support myself. but, if i do that, i wont' have enough time to concentrate on school... so, despite the fact that my current part time job sucks and they're weirdly dicks about getting time off, that 20 hours a week is a good balance of work and still being able to do what i need to do for school.
and, i still need time for a little bit of a social life. it's a few hours here and there, but having friends outside of school and work keeps me sane. it's worth it to spend $15 to get some beers with friends at the bar every now and then.
i am getting sick of being poor. even with a part time job and loans, i'm just swimming barely above the poverty line. there's been quite a few things i would like to do or like to own that i can't afford. (like a car for example). or trips i would like to go on, but i can't afford to take the time off work.
i lost my train of thought here, but i think the point is that i'm actually more motivated to be successful now.
spent yesterday morning working on a shot list of sorts. at least, i've got the basics down of what i want to do. one of our actors is going to school for Media Production, and about to get certified in CGI. he's playing the dude who gets shot, so, the question is: do we have him CGI a super gory computer generated special effect of his head exploding from the gun shot?
i think not, unfortunately, because i really think that would completely take away from the general theme and mood of the rest of the project. however, on the other hand, it would be kind of fun. still, it's good, for later, to meet someone who is into that sort of thing and maybe has a talent for it. he also is very in favor at least of lying in a pool of blood, so i feel that's good.
anyway, after having my shot list, i feel pretty confident and ready to go shoot. i even did some very crappy very basic storyboards. i know mostly we're supposed to stay away from storyboards, but i still like to have them, sort of as a bit of a safety net. i've storyboarded every other project i've done, and the way it seems to work is like taking notes in a class. i rarely look over my notes after i write them down, but the act of writing it down helps me remember what i want to remember. so, i probably am not going to look at my storyboards, but just the act of drawing them helps me remember what i've visualized in my head. also, the shot list is very short. only 6 shots, and i know at least two of them aren't even necessary, but are more "this would be cool if we have time."
lately i feel myself being drawn more to longer takes, and also, being efficient. like, how can i convey what i want to convey with as few shots or camera angles as possible? maybe it's not efficient, i dunno. i'm not sure how to explain exactly what i'm thinking here, but it makes sense to me, and that's the most important part.
------
in other, related news, i've been stressing about my student loan/financial aid situation lately. the office says i should be getting my loans for this semester soon. apparently though, i also owe money to the U of M still. which sucks, because i thought i had that all paid off. it was kind of a kick in the teeth to see this debt just show up out of nowhere (seriously, it's been like 4 years since i've seen a bill from the Dept of Education, but it's been there the whole time, growing fat and bloated with interest.)
so, i'll finish schooling with like a total of $40,000 in debt. that's a lot of money to end up with an Associates Degree at the end of the day.
but, if i don't take out more money, i wont be able to afford to keep up the modest lifestyle to which i've grown accustomed. i'd probably have to get a full time job to support myself. but, if i do that, i wont' have enough time to concentrate on school... so, despite the fact that my current part time job sucks and they're weirdly dicks about getting time off, that 20 hours a week is a good balance of work and still being able to do what i need to do for school.
and, i still need time for a little bit of a social life. it's a few hours here and there, but having friends outside of school and work keeps me sane. it's worth it to spend $15 to get some beers with friends at the bar every now and then.
i am getting sick of being poor. even with a part time job and loans, i'm just swimming barely above the poverty line. there's been quite a few things i would like to do or like to own that i can't afford. (like a car for example). or trips i would like to go on, but i can't afford to take the time off work.
i lost my train of thought here, but i think the point is that i'm actually more motivated to be successful now.
