Story is King.
Everything else is slave to story.
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THE MODERN HIDALGO: Entry_028.
Written: Tuesday. August 6, 2019.
The day started out early, and yet also late at the same time. Even so, a lot happened. A lot to process. And still being processed. Will continuously be processing for the days or weeks to come. Hooray.
So my friend Kurt visited last night, as I’ve said in yesterday’s journal entry. The purpose of his visit and overnight stay is that he hadn’t finished editing the prenup video quite yet, so he asked for help somewhere within the hours of the afternoon. I said I can’t go out of the house in order to help him. A few hours later, he asks if he could stay for the night at my place. I said sure.
So what eventually ended up happening was that I did some help with the editing of the prenup video. I was in charge of the B-rolls in the actual shoot, so I had a clearer idea of how to utilize the footage when it comes to placing them in the video itself.
Kurt had done the video and the audio of the supposed narrative monologue that the to-be-weds did on the day of the shoot.
We had prepared them some questions, and then recorded their answers, which would then be the footage that we used for the video. So the end result was a mix of my editing magic and Kurt’s editing magic. And right now, the video’s been uploaded on this Facebook Page called Project Genesis, an organization of several talented photographers and videographers for events. I’m apparently one of those, since I just got access to admin privileges, which is how I was able to post the video.
The video is really good. Kurt and I kept on playing it over and over. That’s honestly how you’d know if a video has good quality. If it’s re-watchable.
It’s gained a lot of likes, but I feel like it’s only because the to-be-wed couple has a lot of friends that are tech-savvy, or know their way through gadgets or computers.
If that’s not the case, and the video is just really good compared to the dozens of prenup videos posted on the page, I’m assuming that it is because of the way it is structured.
Our video, unlike most of the other prenup videos, has more of a narrative impact, rather than visual pleasure.
To explain that further, most video-editors or videographers tend to focus on the high-quality shots, proper angles, rule of thirds technique — basically all of these preconceived notions on how to be great behind the camera, are the number one priority of a lot of photo/videographers out there.
I for one, and maybe this also applies to my co-workers at Shockpoint Entertainment, the company that Kurt and I built, choose to focus on the story when it comes to these things. Cause that’s really the key to any good project.
Whether you’re making a short film, a photo shoot, a commercial, a TV series, etc. — most of the best works out there, have good quality storytelling.
Sure, you can have all of the fancy equipment in the world for you to show off to other people around you, but if you don’t even know how to use it in the first place, the quality of your equipment would be just the same as how much you can actually deliver.
This is true to everything, when it comes to film, to advertising, to commercials, to events, etc.
Story is King. Remember that.
Our video didn’t have fancy slow-mo shots, or 4K quality video, or amazing color-grading. But what we had was the ability to connect with the audience. And that, to me, is all that matters.
If we could do a great job with just the mediocre tools that we have at our disposal, then we don’t really need to buy the finest ones out there in the market.
Whatever equipment you use, if you have the skills to produce more than what those equipment can bring, then you are the equipment. You are what’s valuable.
In other parts of today, I woke up at around 12 nn. Which is too late for my standards. But that’s what happens when I slept at 4:30 am.
So when I finally had the energy back, I presumed to do the things that would make one productive.
I was able to exercise today. Something I haven’t done in a while, or in a row, for that matter. I exercised yesterday. So that makes today the second day I’ve been able to exercise in a row…I hope that makes sense.
I did a lot of other things just awhile ago. I had to clear out the computer table of my dad, so that he could rest properly on his newly bought reclining chair. He needs one because he’s having problems with his back, or his spine. He’s been enduring pain in that area since his operation.
And I’m getting affected by the harsh scenery right in front of me. I get to see him in pain. In agony from his operation, an aftermath that was not expected.
I can bare it, but only so much, that I could still conceal the emotion within. Because I feel like I have to, at this point.
If I show weakness, while he’s weak, then that would only add to his situation. I have to look strong, even if I’m holding myself up, in order for those around me to not feel like there’s a problem, and that everything is just quite okay.
It seems that my life has greatly been consisting of me having to conceal my true emotions. Having to look strong in front of other people. So that they won’t look at me as some broken shell of a man. A young man, at that.
There was this one quote that I saw just earlier today. I think it was a Bible verse. I can’t recall the actual book or chapter number.
But it was about how there is no one stronger than a broken man who has rebuilt himself.
I’ll end this journal entry with that. It seems only appropriate to leave things open-ended for now.
Because that’s how it is.
