While I do have a “complete” draft of the Ocular Migraine script that has been sitting in a folder on my desktop for the past few months, with this new web-series-esque way of producing it, the script needs some revision and cutting.
For one, it’s cut into segments now that need to feel somewhat clearly defined, and contain their own beginning, middle, and end. This means I have to define the 12 most important scenes, squish them into 5-page intervals, and cut off any excess fat.
I’m not afraid of running overtime, more film would be great, I’m just trying to be conscious about production time and how much animating I can possibly do in 5-week periods.
But besides that, the writing process.
I’m trying to figure out how I exactly like to work. I don’t think it’s black text on a white background, typing away on a computer.
I remember a professor saying that linear editing for films, done with the big moviolas or Steenbeck machines, was very physical. You would stand at the machine, work it with your whole body—cut, splice, tape—all these little tools for all sort of jobs. He said it was kind of like a dance.
I want writing to be like that.
What kind of machine or setup do I need to create to make writing an almost sport-like process? Or, at least, more akin to working in a toolshed?
Perhaps the most obvious method would be good old pen and paper, and I think that works to a certain extent. Add some other types of pens and markers, sticky notes, whiteout, glue, paper cut-outs, texture, paint… at this point is it still writing, right?
Maybe not, I don’t think I’m looking to be a writer. I want to be a visual storyteller who can rely on mood and feeling to convey difficult, complex ideas.
Simplicity masked with layers is what I’m after. Simple phrases stretched to their limit will do fine.
But back to Ocular Migraine, how can I input this into what’s already turning out to be a large-scale experiment?
I’m not sure yet. But I’ll try something and I’ll let you know how it goes.
Additional inspiration that I’ve thought of, Closely Watched Trains. A wonderful coming-of-age story.
A few images of notes on the project. I love to see people’s paperwork, hopefully mine gets more and more hectic as things go forward.