A while ago Julia and I had a show where the suggestion was 'Camera Phone'. We started this story of a couple who took some naughty pics on their phone and then didn't delete them. As the piece progressed the photo's were released at Diane's office. Julia playing Diane was about to deal with the shame of this happening. I could have cut to being her spouse (who inadvertently released the photos) and dealt with it realistically. The shame, the betrayal. I should have but I didn't. I cut to her boss who had invented a time machine which she could use to make it all better. That's what time machines do, right? I bailed. I went to the easy, to the safe, to the improv deus ex machina. The time machine. Of course after I made that move it didn't really work and we couldn't actually 'fix' everything anyway. The show overall was ok. Julia was great. I felt like at that moment I was afraid. I blanked. I biffed. I pulled the string on the parachute.
TIME MACHINE.
Don't make a time machine. It's not going to solve anything. You're not going to be able to seamlessly recreate your show in reverse. Creating a situation that you're not willing to follow to completion or face, is weak. If you feel that fear, follow it. Don't turn your back to it. That's where the scene should go. That's what people want to see.
Follow the fear.
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