Comments on Making Movies in Flyover Country: The Bathwater Scene: Getting to the Picture Lock

If it makes you feel better, Paul, it's still in t...

2009-05-27T06:24:26.102-07:00

If it makes you feel better, Paul, it's still in there in the latest cut and probably will remain. As far as making an imperfect film, I have no doubt done that, but I'd like it not to be imperfect in certain ways. One of those ways is bad acting -- when there's bad acting in a scene, it pulls people out of the whole film, and it ruins the experience... but, there was a reason the scene was in there, and that's why I kept it.

Don't overtweek the thing. You included the scene...

2009-05-26T05:29:11.015-07:00

Don't overtweek the thing. You included the scene for a reason--go back and think about that. Make an imperfect film. By the way, I just "Capote" which is scary good, but a very imperfect film. Leave the scene in.

I should add... we kept it, for now.

2009-05-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

I should add... we kept it, for now.

John... LOL... call me, I'll fill you in. The bat...

2009-05-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

John... LOL... call me, I'll fill you in. The bathwater scene in this case is Charlie knocking on the neighbor-lady's door... lots of issues with it... but, in the end, we kept it...

Hey, Just flew back form Peru, India and Mali and ...

2009-05-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hey,
Just flew back form Peru, India and Mali and boy are my arms tired... (yuck!) Reading your blog I'm wondering what the bathwater scene is???? Maybe I can make it back to Waco soon and we can catch up. How's Joeseph doing???

John

Josh-- yes, it's a difficult task, but one that I'...

2009-05-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

Josh-- yes, it's a difficult task, but one that I'm getting better and better at (I think) with each new film.

Jonathan -- that's the approach I've taken. I always try to take a week or so away, then view it straight through without stopping. Unfortunately, once I start watching again, all the things I'd rather not remember come back to me, and I get focused on "how we shot this" or "how we edited that." It's pernicious, really. Hard to avoid.

Yea, I can imagine how difficult it can get to mak...

2009-05-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yea, I can imagine how difficult it can get to make decisions when you are so close.

If you could afford the time, it might help to take a vacation for a week or two when you don't even think about it at all. Then come back with a fresh and slightly-divorced perspective. But I imagine you probably can't afford that.

Anyway, I wish you luck, Chris!

I know what you mean, with the disconnect from the...

2009-05-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

I know what you mean, with the disconnect from the audience part at least. I have only made short films so far, but I find myself in the same situation where I feel like I am losing sight of the the original meaning and find it hard to see it through the audience's view. Good luck to you on that and if you need anyone to review it, just let me know. I was on set but I have no real feel for the story line or how the characters should be portrayed like you do.