I've failed the April Film Challenge.
Yes, it was my own challenge. Yes, there is no particular consequence from walking away from it, and I could make a bundle of excuses, but the net result is that I failed my own challenge.
Reality is that I was unprepared to take on my own challenge in just about every way. I don't have the space clean enough to shoot. I don't have the props and set decorations to do what I wanted to do. I don't have the lighting to do what I wanted to do. And the final straw was that I don't know my own software well enough to do what I wanted to do.
I spent some time last night trying to create an effect with some footage that I had shot a few weeks back. Not only did I not know how to do it, I couldn't even get started. That's a strong indicator that I need to get to know the software better so it doesn't get in the way of what I'm doing.
Because of this, I ordered a set of training DVDs. It's self-paced training, so I can fit it into my schedule.
This puts the Big Broken Box™ back on the front burner. And really, it belongs there. There's a lot of work left to do that I can't just walk away from (without winning the lottery), and it's time to get back working on the beast.
So der April Film Challenge ist tod.
In its place... well, nothing, really. I'm figuring that once I get the DVD tutorials I'll start looking into what I can and can't do, and maybe I'll post something there if it's interesting. And the movie I had planned to shoot is still do-able sometime in the future. Maybe this fall if all goes well in the meantime, but I'm not putting any grapes in the basket.
This hurt. There's a whole lot of disappointment involved, and my self-confidence has taken a good hit.
Yes, it was my own challenge. Yes, there is no particular consequence from walking away from it, and I could make a bundle of excuses, but the net result is that I failed my own challenge.
Reality is that I was unprepared to take on my own challenge in just about every way. I don't have the space clean enough to shoot. I don't have the props and set decorations to do what I wanted to do. I don't have the lighting to do what I wanted to do. And the final straw was that I don't know my own software well enough to do what I wanted to do.
I spent some time last night trying to create an effect with some footage that I had shot a few weeks back. Not only did I not know how to do it, I couldn't even get started. That's a strong indicator that I need to get to know the software better so it doesn't get in the way of what I'm doing.
Because of this, I ordered a set of training DVDs. It's self-paced training, so I can fit it into my schedule.
This puts the Big Broken Box™ back on the front burner. And really, it belongs there. There's a lot of work left to do that I can't just walk away from (without winning the lottery), and it's time to get back working on the beast.
So der April Film Challenge ist tod.
In its place... well, nothing, really. I'm figuring that once I get the DVD tutorials I'll start looking into what I can and can't do, and maybe I'll post something there if it's interesting. And the movie I had planned to shoot is still do-able sometime in the future. Maybe this fall if all goes well in the meantime, but I'm not putting any grapes in the basket.
This hurt. There's a whole lot of disappointment involved, and my self-confidence has taken a good hit.
Profile
magicmarmot- Tom Ramcigam
- Magic Marmot Studios
Comments
Hugs.
Can you take half naked pictures ofme for free? I need some for my myspace page and MEW.
Consider this: When we were first shooting Pray for Daylight, I had intended to create the tent in the field digitally. I was certain I knew how to do it.
Wow, was I wrong. Now, nearly three years later, I'm just learning how to do soft-body dynamics like cloth.
When we shot the tent in front of the trees, I'd intended to move the tent into a larger digital matte, repleat with shells hitting a distant village. "I know how to do that!" I said.
HA!
In those cases I had to learn to accept less than I wanted. I'd already involved too many people to turn around. Make no mistake: If if hadn't involved everyone else I wouldn't have even bothered.
So, you learned what you don't know how to do. That's not a bad thing.
(Additionally, the other reason I'm going to the school I plan to attend is that, having read some people's blogs who went, I was mortified and excited to learn that their students create better models within one month than I can create after four years of self-study. I just can't match that level of instruction at home. They win, so off I go.)
Chin up.