I've Made my First Film

Well, montage to be exact about it. For TV class, we were given an assignment to shoot and edit a montage set to music. I picked music from my favourite movie, Edward Scissorhands, "Ice Dance" by composer Danny Elfman.

I had it easy because from the moment I'd heard about the project, I'd decided that was the music I was going to use. I was going to shoot it in the Winter, and there was going to be a scene of the "lovers" dancing in the snow. Now, when I shot my footage, the snow was melting, but I still got my little dance bit in at the climax of the music. I have to give my most sincere thanks to my amazing actors, Tammy, and her husband, Murray. They really made it great.

I recognize that I am not strong at shooting or editing. It's because I'm not a particularly visual person. I like to think that I am a pretty good writer; give me a keyboard or a pen and paper, and I'll write and write, but if I have to make an image look clear, focused and "artistic", then I struggle. I've accepted that I'll never be a great visual artist, and that I will always have to work harder at InDesign/Photoshop and Final Cut Pro than others may have to. Doing this montage was very difficult for me. It doesn't help that I am also not great at mastering programs like Final Cut Pro. But ultimately, I did the best I could, and I am really proud of my work.

I think I'll leave the filmmaking to the masters, like Tim Burton. As a child, I always wished I was able to draw, or do anything similar, but as an adult, I am so proud of my writing ability, and wouldn't trade it for anything.