Friday, September 19, 2008

Buddhism in the edit

Buddhism says that Buddha-nature is within all things - i.e. that the truth of something is already within it - so the journey of discovery is inward to that realisation - rather than outward or towards some external yardstick.


The truth of the film is within it.

And as I edit each scene - cutting from shot to shot - I discover it.

Looking at the coverage I realise the weaknesses/strengths in the writing/direction/performance/camera moves that I hadn't realised during the shoot.

Some of the writing/performances/direction - which I thought were accurate - on closer inspection look false and forced.

Others which I thought were at the time loose and unfocused - are now more truthful.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this but it still caught me by surprise - looking at the many takes - I kept wondering what was it that I or the actor the cameraman were striving for and why we missed it or why did something else appear?

What is left on the cutting room floor reveals more than what is in the finished film...

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