The best part about creating individual projects is the opportunity to grow in the pressure-free environment. I just completed the shooting of such a project with some friends, and the lesson I learned in “Play” turned out to be the way I would make sure to use in my work.
The goal is simple. Instead of waiting around this year for larger projects, I have a personal goal that they fill as much time as shooting of small projects. Deliberately small. Not fear of the scale, but because the practice makes us as artists better. And, especially when talking about filmmaking, practice can still come at a weak cost. Therefore, I have committed myself to fill the time between big projects using my resources and connections, so that shooting projects -big or small can be kept in an attempt to get better in my craft.
On this last Monday, I had to shoot such a project. Originally, it was something that I had put together in the last second to test a lens for a review. But when my hometown Los Angeles caught fire and disrupted many people’s plans, I had to send the lender lens back, and my initial January shooting was pushed several times till March.
I wrote a script for the project and cast three actors whom I knew with a gift for comedy. Since the purpose of the project was development as an artist, I really wanted to pursue comedy this time. I mainly make romantic comedy with emphasis on romantic part. This time, I only wanted to focus on making people laugh. Hopefully I was successful. But honestly, success was in this process, not the final product. And while creating this funny short project, I finished with three serious lessons, which I thought I would share with you today.
Lesson one: Work with what you have got
This year, a part of inspiration to do these mini projects is to remind itself that the greater budget is not necessarily the greater and more results. Despite writing about gear in this publication, more often than I can like, gear does not really matter when it comes to creativity. The budget matters – especially, being able to bear more time to execute your vision. But only gear? Okay, let’s say that it is highly likely that you have all gears that you need this moment to make something special. Sure, perhaps you can’t shoot everything. But you can still make something good. And this project is another example of reminding itself of this very simple advice.
Therefore, to create this project, I limited myself to basic equipment in my own collection: my small mirrorless camera, slightly spread, and a zero-dollar rental budget. Do not misunderstand me – I will not feel like being an Alexa on my back and call. But because these mini-practice projects are not to return my investment, I cannot spend big on places, animals relaxing, or wide production design to promote production value. I had to shoot with equipment that I already had and at places that were already accessible.
But despite the deliberate diy, I was still happy with the result. Certainly, there are some nightpic things that I would have changed, I had a big budget to work. But it was not about crying over it that I had – it was about maximizing what I had.
Lesson two: Be open for cooperation
I am a writer-director who performs his cinematography and edits himself. In other words, I am a control eccentric. There are many reasons for this, at least according to my doctor, but as I am often fond of repeating, “Film production is a team game.” Even if you are able to do everything, you probably won’t get the best results.
Of course, given the obstacles mentioned in the previous section and the fact that my focus was on performance this time instead of pageantry, I finished doing single work on the project – at least behind the camera. But in front of the camera, I was gifted with the three best actors that I know: natural artists with intelligence and instinct not only to remember not only the lines I have written for them, but also to raise the words, to add some of my own, and take my punchline from paper.
Now, did I know from the old proverb of Alfred Hiccup that the actor was only “cattle”, which were meant to follow the command, I still had a fun project. There are lots of jokes on the page. But to actually do comedy work, I wanted only what I could come together alone. I needed to be ready to hand over the control of the characters to my actors. I needed to step on one side and place them to make them.
The best way to elevate your project, whether it is a film or a photography project, is really hiring great people and then giving them a room to bring them to the talent you had hired on the table. It is not a count of great ideas until you come with them. Great ideas and impulses should be obtained from everyone on the set. It is important that you work with your colleagues, not against them. It is not always about getting in its own way. What is the best for the project is about it.
Lesson Three: Take Risk
As I mentioned earlier, what I was particularly working with this project is not something that was earlier in my wheelhouse. It was a calculation risk to expand my scope as a director.
But beyond my contribution, seeing my artists where I really understood the meaning of courage. To be a comedian, you have to be ready to laugh at others – not only with you, but on you. Whatever you try is not going to work. Not every joke is going to come out. Sometimes, you are going to flat-out, to make yourself a fool. But really funny people understand that this is just a part of the process.
This is the main reason that most people are not really funny. Surely, no one can leave an al-liner now and when they lose from a certain position. But most humans do not like the idea of ​​being embarrassed. Therefore, we play it safely. We live within comfortable boundaries and do things that we are already good. In this way, we do not have to worry about humiliating ourselves. Like Edmund Gwen said, “It is easy to die. Comedy is difficult.” Even the greatest dramatic actors may feel wood when they are afraid of embarrassment.
The problem is that playing it safe also guarantees that you are never maximizing your ability. To maximize your capacity, you have to be ready to push things to the edge. You have to try things without being afraid of going too far. This means that, from time to time, you will go too far and finally fall flat on your face. This is scary. But this also means that you are giving yourself a chance of greatness.
My actors and I achieved greatness when I took greatness, were next to this point. But all three who were ready to do, were pushing the envelope every time. They were absolutely fearless. Did not work everything. But when it did, it was magical because they were not catching anything back.
Due to his courage, the mini project turned out to be far better than my initial ambitions (in my humble opinion) and thus it is not yet publicly available as it is waiting for the submission of the festival. But here is the trailer if you want to taste the fearlessness of my actors:
Obviously, most of the people reading are not actors. Yet the lesson is the same whether you want to be an actor, an photographer, a writer, a director, or just a person to be a really good teacher. If you want to move beyond your current boundaries, then you have to move the boundaries. If you expect a big success then you have to fail. You cannot allow financial limits to limit your creativity. And sometimes, creating your best possible task means allowing other creative people to make their best contribution.
