About this user
Director's notes:
I wrote and directed The Outskirts of Earth in the winter of '05. Winning several grants, in addition to raising some fifteen thousand dollars, and working with a large crew, this was my first "serious" production. I found the process from conception to realization exhilaratingly challenging, but also stressful. Lamentably, though, I feel far short of satisfied with the final creation. Reflecting upon the period during which I made the film, I recognize at least some of the blunders I committed in the different stages of the process, but I blame the following two errors in judgment for my ultimate dissatisfaction with the final outcome: first, at the time I created The Outskirts of Earth, I subscribed to a dogmatic framework that identified the visual architecture of a film, i.e., the interplay between the "look," the placement of the camera, the placement of objects within the camera's view, and the editing, as the most important element of cinema, its "true essence." Anything outside of these aforementioned components was of secondary concern. Unfortunately, my dyed-in-the-wool attitude resulted in a screenplay that overwhelmingly prioritized the "how" over the "what," and the negative ramifications of this ill-conceived approach are plain to see. Second, approximately two weeks prior to production, one of my leading actors - the older soldier - backed out due to unforeseen work duties. Because location arrangements had been made, date-specific insurance purchased, a crew organized, and equipment reserved, it would have been a great burden to reschedule the shoot for another casting call and rehearse anew. So, in haste and panic, I cast the first actor who looked the part, and placed my faith in the notion that the power of the camera will compensate for his shortcomings. The negative ramifications of this decision are, again, plain to see. This novice misstep was especially egregious because the film features only two actors and the dynamic between them is critical to its success. This is not to suggest that the actors I cast are "bad," but that the sudden cancellation of the original lead resulted in us not having adequate time to sculpt the characters appropriately. In hindsight, I realize I should have found a way to bear the burden of rescheduling the shoot and recast the film. For my next effort, I shall strive to achieve harmony by balancing the power of the image with the power of a well-written screenplay as acted by gifted actors.
With the necessary, deprecatory remarks above said, the one element of the film where I do feel proud, and unabashedly claim success, is the film's methodical and deliberate visual design. The meticulously orchestrated pacing, the choreography of the camera, the haunting atmosphere of the location, the particular overcast weather in which the film was shot, and the bleak, drab look which we painstakingly achieved, are the fruit of diligent work, and precise, strategic planning. On this front, there isn't much, if anything, I regret or desire to change.
Your emails and comments are welcome.
Interests
Some of my interests include learning languages, reading on history, economics, and geopolitics, poetry, solitude, travel, North Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, soccer (Maccabi Haifa!), and forms that bring forth a depressing, dark, and somber atmosphere.
SashaInChina
subscribed to 18march2011
10 months ago
