Sticks and Stones

NOTICE: I am in no way condoning the use of name calling in any form or at anyone; this is a deeper look into the connotation that one puts on themselves when they say that is is a negative to call them those names; therefore, they are calling THEMSELVES that name and putting more of a focus and a negativity on it.

Yes, this is film and TV related because I saw it as a PSA during prime time on a few networks.

The first one I saw was many, many months ago and it was about the word GAY.  And they did not want you to say “Oh that’s so Gay.” Because it is so negative toward them.

What I read from that is being GAY is a negative thing.  That is what they are telling me in that PSA.  I would think and hoped they would have done it differently, and made the word GAY have a more positive meaning like GREAT, AWESOME, or some Godly type reference.  So when some one says “That’s Gay.”  It would have a positive meaning and for most of the Gay bashers they would stop saying that and find some other word totally different than the self described word “GAY.”  Of course that would be a different battle for them to get over, but being Gay, or the word Gay, would not be a negative.

Like when we used to say that was “SIck” or “Bad,” which really meant AWESOME, COOL, or HOT!

SO…. Yesterday I just saw another one about racist names and the last one being “Retarded.”  Now again, I do not condone the use of name calling or racial slurs; people should grow up and be considerate; but forcing people to change or care has never worked in the history of history.

What ever happened to the saying “Sticks and Stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me?”

Did that go the way of the Dodo?  Did people stop being strong enough?  I mean in a world where we, or I should say society, tells us to be ourselves, be strong, and so forth, we are in a whiney little, “Oh gosh, don’t pick on me,” look at me, respect me kind of mode.  One person said to me “Oh those are just words and have no meaning.”  I replied with so are the owrds coming out of someone’s mouth.  They have no meaning unless you allow them to have meaning.”  Just like someone giving you the FINGER.  I smile, wave, and say thank you.  I know I am number one.”  This makes the person giving you the finger even more upset, because they did not upset you and win with the finger, I turned it back around top them.”  I love it.

I say, screw the name callers; the nay sayers; the inconsiderate people that call you names and put you down; the Social Psychologists say they do that cause they are unhappy with themselves, their own lives, and are jealous, and they want to feel good about themselves, so they pick on others;  Be a load a crock or not, grow up, deal with it, and move on with your life.

HISTORIC FACT about my growing up:  When I was in high school or even earlier than that there were kids that made fun of others like: “Oh your mom’s so fat.”  ”Oh your sister blah blah.”  What ever it was, well, what I did was I joined in and picked on myself more than they could.  ”My mom wants her combat boots from under your bed.” and so forth.  They stopped picking on me because I took their fun away and was never bothered or picked on again.

SECOND EXAMPLE with my children: My daughter had a problem with her brother and I picking on her.  I kept telling her that “When you react, that is what the picker is trying to achieve.  If you ignore them, they eventually will go away and leave you alone.”  And I know some of you are saying it doesn’t work, but the “GO Away” part is also in your court.  Find a new circle of friends, work, living conditions, or what ever it is and they WILL go away.

Take responsibility for your treatment by others.  There will always, ALWAYS, be name callers, finger-pointers, racial slurs.  You will NOT change that by telling them NOT to call you that; that is now what they will call you.  You just gave them ammunition.

Look at Politics, Rush Limbaugh, O’Reily, and everyone else.  Tell me they are not calling people, groups, organizations, and parties racial, rude, and incalled for names.

AGAIN: I am not condoning name calling; but GET OVER IT!  Spend your time on important things that one can actually make a difference, and when you do, let me know when it happens, because I have been trying to do that with my stories with positive and encouraging messages just like composers, songwriters, poets, novelists, artists, and other filmmakers have, but the world, people, and society are not much better because of it; but we do it becuase we have hope and that we want to be remembered as those that at least tried to make a difference; but even then, we still get criticized for trying, but we still persevere.

I hear people now saying “That’s so Gerald,” “What a Davenport.” “He did a Gerald.” And I in return bow and say thank you. I know it’s great.

A Film Maker’s Guide to Completion

this is a continuing and on going Guide and is subject to additions as I think of them.

This is a guide to help up and coming filmmakers who need a little information about the ins and outs of making a movie on a small, low, or no budget.

PART ONE

Start at the end to know where to start

Most people think the important thing when making a movie is having a Camera — and that may have some validity;  Some think you have to have a good story before you start — and yes a good story is a key element; There are those that feel the acting is most important when making a movie — and again acting is also a relevant part in making a movie — good or bad — but none of those compare in importance to knowing how you are going to finish the movie, such as, the media format, the editing system, music, audio and video effects, the output format, and most of all THE EDITOR.

You can have the best camera, box office smash script, and professional actors but without knowing how you are going to finish it and without an editor, a competent editor, you might as well stop before you get started.

An editor — a good one not to mention a great one — is the most important element in the film making process — yes this is coming from an editor and although it may sound biased it is a fact.  And after working on many, many projects and seeing other projects that don’t have a experienced editor on them, the projects that have longevity, look good, or even have a chance at getting finished have an editor that knows what they are doing.

WHAT AN EDITOR DOES FOR YOU

A skilled and experienced editor is the last person that tells the story, the person that puts all the pieces together in a cohesive manner — some may think the Director dictates the story, the edits, and the cuts which may be true, but the editor actually makes them happen — and the editor is the one that has the knowledge of how to export it in the format that was decided upon in the beginning which dictated how the movie was to be recorded in the first place — THE EDITOR IS KEY!

The editor is the one that spends hours, and I don’t mean 2 or 6 I mean 10 – 18 plus in a day, going back and forth on one edit to decide if it is one frame to the left or one frame to the right that will make the difference in the scene — these are the small things that no one will notice or see unless is was done incorrectly — and we as editors know this, but it is our job, our love of story telling, and our need to do things right that sets us above everyone else in the film making world — we have the time to fine tune and try variations.

The editor sets the pacing of the movie and a scene and can do so no matter what the pacing was on set.  The editor can also make an actor look good or bad depending on the takes used — and it is not always about taking the best performance on each camera set up on each actor in each scene it’s about what take works well with the preceding clip and the previous and the two before and after — these are the duties, the responsibilities, and the reverence that us editors revel in.

There are so many things that an editor does to make a movie even get finished let alone be something people want to watch over and over again, it is truly a joke when someone who just bought or has played with a movie editing program for a short time sits in front of it to cut a movie, not a home movie, not some slide show, and not some youtube video of his friend crashing on his bike, but a real movie they want to project onto the big screen.  A real editor edits something everyday, learns something, challenges them self to get better, to be more creative, and to become more useful to a film project than one else or any other equipment.

Without a real editor skilled and experienced editor you’re just pretending your making a movie.

How To, informative weblog, or keep it to myself?

I have been pondering — for many, many months now — about writing a “HOW TO” book about filmmaking, or really about how to finish a movie.  I am not a famous filmmaker … yet, but what I lack in fame and fortune I make up in notoriety and skills in the post-production department, so that would be the emphasis of the writing — “How to finish a movie and bring to the masses for the beginner and intermediate filmmakers of the world.”

 

Kind of a long title, but that is more of a summary of what would be the context of the book.  Or would it be a weblog series?  A weblog series would be more complicated in making money from it.  Would I want to make money from my experience, knowledge, secrets, and skills?  Who wouldn’t?  But there are two sides of that coin; and both should be considered in detail because each one has its own meanings and possibilities; but at the core of either one of them, the fact that I would be telling, giving away, and handing over my techniques that I have spent $40,000 going to school to learn and spent 25 years honing would be outlandish.

I mean, think about it;  you see those people on tv saying they have found the answer to self financial freedom and if you want to know my secret, send me $$ and I will show you your path to financial freedom.

My question to those people — and to the one’s who buy into it — is, “If it works so well and you are the only one who knows this secret, why the heck would you share it with anyone?  Why have competitors?  Why share in the bounty of the treasure?”  KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!

I mean.  If I had the secret of life, riches beyond imagination, and the power to control it, I would NOT share it with anyone; well maybe my kids, some family, and a few close friends; MAYBE!  But to sell the idea to the world?  NO.  If it was that great of a plan, idea, or information you would keep it to yourself.  So the fact that they are trying to sell you a get rich quick scheme tells me it’s not worth the stamps they mail it with.

There is the quandary and the dilemma that I am going through.  I know my information will make beginning and experienced filmmakers in Sacramento, and the world, better filmmakers, or in such a way they would make better finished products that I would enjoy watching; but do I want to create competition for me that it hurts my chances at becoming a paid filmmaker and editor for A-list movies; either my own or someone else’s?  The reason for my apprehension is there are a few, not many, but a few really, really good aspiring filmmakers in Sacramento area.  One thing I have learned about life is, if you are having a party, and do not want the neighbors to complain, you invite them to the party;  also, if you have competition that might beat you, you should ask them to be apart of your team.

That just might be the answer; I need to get these people on my side and work with me, not against me, and in so doing combining our skills and talents into one creating a better chance for all of us to reach the top than battling each other.