Collaboration's what you need#If you want to be a record breakerrrrr...
Ah Roy Castle, face of a amiable plumber, trumpeting of a god.
This blog is ostensibly about filming, and my new animation "The Wallpaper". This short film is the zth one I've embarked on now and I was just musing over whether it's best to work alone or collaborate.
For me, it's collaboration every time. I am often quite an isolated person and think I work quickest when sitting on my own and getting my arse in gear properly (this is the first and largest hurdle - the motto "Apathy over Reason" rings true here.)
However, when it comes to film making unless you are perfect at everything:
Conception
Writing
Acting
Direction
Production
Technical (sound, lights)
Editing
Then working alone becomes folly and frankly an uphill struggle. However, if you're a control freak like me then that's hard to give up, so it becomes more of an ensemble piece of work.
I'm no pro at this but over the past few years have picked up a few tips on what it takes to get stuff done, and I have to say I live in one of the most fortunate environments that someone who has an interest in film could live in.
If anything is required, there is a friend nearby who has done it or knows someone who has and frankly that's amazing.
This year I've had the good fortune to have some great sets built by master craftsman and rocker-to -royalty Julian Stodd, but will also be speaking with Suki Supersilk Singh and a few others when I come up against another technical wall - and reach into my brain only to find cerebral tumbleweed.
Collaboration, education, marvellous. Long may it continue.
posted by Paul | 11:23 AM
4 Comments:
What choo talkin' 'bout Draper?
Whass happenin' Willis
Just one extra point to throw into that Paul - which is the difference between collaboration and asking someone to do something. As you may remember WaterMelon was an experiment for me in collaboration. Yes, I've always worked with some good people but have we been working together fully? An example for you - if Julian, as he is building the sets, thinks of some great detail and a great angle that would make the set the best set ever - are you prepared to rewrite the script to get it in. That's what collaboration is really about.
You're right of course.
For me it is collaboration on an aspect of the filming. The animation in this instance is an adaptation of an existing story written in the 1800's so there isn't much room for rewriting the narrative.
Julian in this case adopted an art director role in respect of the sets and made several excellent choices which were implemented. He asked for themes and a rough design and then worked from there.
I think you can collaborate and retain the familiar roles associate with film if everyone is open minded and everyone knows what their role is - this is in much the same way as a lyricist can collaborate with a music composer.
To go beyond that is also exciting (much the same way as Quartz Shorts) but is another flavour of collaboration.
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