This afternoon I am going to start filming! I am very excited. For me, the mere act of completing my script was a huge step. I constantly start new projects--novels, short stories, plays, etc., but I never finish them. This reminds me of a song by one of my favorite bands, Bright Eyes:
"First Day Of My Life"
This is the first day of my life
I swear I was born right in the doorway
I went out in the rain suddenly everything changed
They're spreading blankets on the beach
Yours is the first face that I saw
I think I was blind before I met you
Now I don’t know where I am
I don’t know where I’ve been
But I know where I want to go
And so I thought I’d let you know
That these things take forever
I especially am slow
But I realize that I need you
And I wondered if I could come home
Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning
And I thought it was strange you said everything changed
You felt as if you'd just woke up
And you said “this is the first day of my life
I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you
But now I don’t care I could go anywhere with you
And I’d probably be happy”
So if you want to be with me
With these things there’s no telling
We just have to wait and see
But I’d rather be working for a paycheck
Than waiting to win the lottery
Besides maybe this time is different
I mean I really think you like me
The song also fits my work-in-progress: "Mechanics."
Here is a snapshot of what the film is about:
Dan and Cally are polar opposites, but are force to work together on a project. Throughout the short span of completing the project, they become attracted.
I don't want to give the ending away, but if I were able to acquire the licencing rights to the Bright Eyes song above it would work perfectly in the context of the film. This brings me to a very important topic when discussing film-making:
Soundtracking
Soundtracks can add an extra layer to scenes within a film. To prove this I would like to discuss two recent Academy Award winning films: this year's Best Picture winner, "No Country for Old Men," and this year's Best Original Screenplay winner, "Juno."
In case you haven't seen it, "No Country for Old Men" features no added soundtrack or score within the film itself (during the ending credits there is part of the score written for the film playing in the background). You would think that this wouldn't make such a difference but it is amazing how much added suspense this creates. There is one scene in particular that this brings to mind: this pyschotic killer, Anton (played brillantly by Javier Bardem), is stalking the main character Llewelyn. Both are staying in the same hotel, within just a several rooms from each other. Before, a Mexican gang had been trying to murder Llewelyn but their shoes had given them away. While still inside his room, Anton removes his boots and preceeds to carry his weapon with him and go to the room the gang is in. Now, remember, there is no added soundtrack so as Anton is walking, there is no noise. When he busts down the door all you hear is the crack of the wood; each gunshot is heard with bloodcurdling clarity. If there had been some sort of added score, I don't think the seriousness or calculating nature of Anton would have as clear. It was absolutely incredible how well thought out this movie was.
Now moving to a film on the opposite end of the spectrum--Juno.
Most of you reading the blog have watched Juno (if not, go out and rent it and watch it this very instance!). The overall feel of Juno is very upbeat, hip, independent, and free-spirited. This is how the music in the soundtrack behind it is. The placement of the songs is almost ironic in that the lyrics heard behind the camera work are so literal that in any other film or done in any other manner they would be obsurd or laughable. One scene where the lyrics are almost this odd way of storytelling is the scene where, Paulie Bleaker, the father of Juno's baby, is getting ready for his morning run. In the background the Kinks' song "A Well Respected Man" plays. As he dresses, with almost obsessive precision the lyrics playing are: "and he wakes up in the morning and he goes to work a 9..." The music itself acts as a weirdly melodic narration of the thoughts, feelings, and actions of characters in the film. It adds another dimension to the film that makes it so much more unique and expressive.
On my own film, I have procured the rights to use several of Cynthia Ossowski's original songs. Being a huge fan of the sound and feel of the Juno soundtrack and indie and anti-folk, I wanted something that had a bit of a garage band, old-school teenage angsty folk feel. While not all of that decribes Cynthia's work, I think it will work beautiful with some of the longer, dialogue-less scenes.
I would like to end this post saying this: When making anything, its important to look at it as a whole, not as parts. This eases your workload and it gives the project a greater cohesion when completed.
