I’m suddenly reminded of the “Good Idea, Bad Idea” sketches from the cartoon show Animaniacs. It was a crazy, zany kids show that I didn’t get to see all that often but that I always enjoyed. The clip that I’ve remembered the best went like this:
“Good Idea: Playing catch with your grandpa.”
“Bad Idea: Playing catch with your grandpa.”
Get it? They’re tossing their grandpa. . . you know, instead of a baseball it’s. . . well anyways, I think it’s funny. I also find it relevant in regards to what we, as Brainroot, are trying to accomplish with this mettled mindset of “making movies.”
I disagree with Paul’s closing line in his last entry. We are not simply waiting idly for inspiration to shine down upon us. We don’t need another good idea, we already have several. Should we then go full-force at another of these large-scale, high-stress, high-cost (well, relatively high-cost) productions? We have certainly grown a tremendous amount as movie makers both through and since the production of YoGFL. But telling potential investors, “Trust us, we’re getting pretty good,” ain’t gonna seal the deal. Not by a quarter. And yes, showing YoGFL, the one thing we’ve produced, to potential cast and crew will help spark interest in a project. But one thing alone won’t inspire the confidence we need from the crew and the trust that we need from the cast for a large project. On top of that is the fact that we are working hard (well, relatively hard) at making Brainroot The Business successful, which takes a solid amount of doings.
Where does that put us? It puts us in about the same place as the majority of movie makers in the world. The place that gives you the option to do your idea with a lacking budget, sub-standard equipment, rushed schedules, ever-changing crew, un-contracted make-do actors, and an over-heating three year old computer for post. Or the option to simply not do your idea.
Both are dangerous. At this point in the game movie makers like us need the help of other hobbyist movie makers (there’s no good in us pretending to be anything else at this point) and if we produce bad work then our peers will be hesitant to work with us. But if we don’t produce anything at all, if we have nothing to show them, they’ll be even more hesitant.
Good Idea: Make Movies.
Bad Idea: Make Movies.
What’s the difference? The difference of course lies in the definition of “movies.” The definition that ties into the Bad Idea is movies as films. Or, more often and more obviously, wanna-be films. The definition that ties into the Good Idea is movies as good video. Movies as exercises to hone and sharpen the craft.
“What is ‘the craft’,” you ask. “What’s the difference? What are you talking about?” Well, that’s for the next post. Stay tuned.
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Worst Idea: Make nothing at all.
