You know, today is a very significant day for me in my life. 27th of May is a day for me that is both sad, happy and deeply spiritual. Today my script is none of those things really. I don't know if what I truly want to write about today is good for me to do and so instead I wanted to write something very simple and current.
The other day I went shopping at Waitrose to get food for the family. I stood in the long queue socially distancing like everyone else and what struck me was how little people were speaking to each other. Look, I know people haven't been speaking to each other for a long time and I am guilty of being like this also. But, I couldn't help but think even with this global crisis no one is speaking despite the fact we are all in this together. I don't know whether it has something to do with socially distancing and the panic people feel when you enter their space for a fleeting second. Or if its just me overthinking things. Either way, I wanted to write something that captured these sorts of feelings I have been having. That in some ways we are more alone despite the fact we are also more connected than ever due to our shared difficulties.
Something I also really wanted to try was situating a story within one setting and one scene. I think some of my scripts and stories so far have been quite ambitious in someways or more complex than they need to be. I have often noticed in short films that the stories told are quite insular, confined to one space and moment. Storytelling in this way is not easy and I am so far from mastering it. If I am able to get better at this than it will also be good for my career moving forward. In todays world people want things done quickly and this isn't always a good thing and can frustrate me a lot from a creative point of view. However, I do understand the merit and skill in some wonderfully written shorts that are no longer than 2-3 minutes. This was a step in the right direction for me as I tried to expand my skillset in storytelling.
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