Doing the preliminary structure ouline was very helpful, even though it's subject to change. I was only able ot do this by putting everything away and sat down for a couple of hours merely thinking and reflecting on my footage, our class editing workshops, conversations I've had with a few people about my fieldwork, etc. It was like taking a step back, then taking a snapshot, but using my 50mm lens and being forced to focus on what needs to fit within the frame. At first it was a list of topics, ideas, images, and Rakan stories - more of a brainstorm or scattered puzzle pieces. And then I slept on it.
The next day I visited Irene's autobiography class to watch Angela Reginato's film Polvo (thanks Irene, it was very helpful). It was particularly useful when Angela talked about the process, her thinking, decision-making, research, etc. Her juggling between both a Mexican and foreign audience, as she thinks about details such as historical events or simply music/sound. There is a balancing act, but it results from the process. It helped me think deeply about how I am ultimately constructing a sort of balance of the different ideas, events, and relationships to the city. Another way Angela's film, and the discussion that followed, helped was being able to think about/ see her structure: not your typical one.
As I outlined my potential scenes and their order, I was able to think about story beats, rhythm, arc (or lack of), and so on. So I tried to hint from the beginning of my structure, that this too, will not be a typical film. Transitioning into the CR (city-riding) footage (+ radio/narration) is not expected the first time, but I'm hoping that by the next scene with Rakan, a pattern will start to emerge. And not an entirely clear one, but we will know that this is a film about Rakan, and something else (a quest maybe).
I think the gaming scene is more of the climax right now, and as that transitions into the question about our virtual Riyadh, and why I am interested in Rakan to begin with, it gives the film some overall shape.. and yet it is still open-ended at the same time. Open-ended - as in - nothing is resolved. We are just going in circles, sprawling, joyriding, and I am city-riding. That is, by the way, what Hajwalah (working title) literally means: going around in circles as the joyriders do, but it is also the general name for that overall urban subculture. For this film it's also metaphorical for the city sprawl, and for me trying to capture the city, without a sense of direction.
The next day I visited Irene's autobiography class to watch Angela Reginato's film Polvo (thanks Irene, it was very helpful). It was particularly useful when Angela talked about the process, her thinking, decision-making, research, etc. Her juggling between both a Mexican and foreign audience, as she thinks about details such as historical events or simply music/sound. There is a balancing act, but it results from the process. It helped me think deeply about how I am ultimately constructing a sort of balance of the different ideas, events, and relationships to the city. Another way Angela's film, and the discussion that followed, helped was being able to think about/ see her structure: not your typical one.
As I outlined my potential scenes and their order, I was able to think about story beats, rhythm, arc (or lack of), and so on. So I tried to hint from the beginning of my structure, that this too, will not be a typical film. Transitioning into the CR (city-riding) footage (+ radio/narration) is not expected the first time, but I'm hoping that by the next scene with Rakan, a pattern will start to emerge. And not an entirely clear one, but we will know that this is a film about Rakan, and something else (a quest maybe).
I think the gaming scene is more of the climax right now, and as that transitions into the question about our virtual Riyadh, and why I am interested in Rakan to begin with, it gives the film some overall shape.. and yet it is still open-ended at the same time. Open-ended - as in - nothing is resolved. We are just going in circles, sprawling, joyriding, and I am city-riding. That is, by the way, what Hajwalah (working title) literally means: going around in circles as the joyriders do, but it is also the general name for that overall urban subculture. For this film it's also metaphorical for the city sprawl, and for me trying to capture the city, without a sense of direction.
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