Saturday, 27. March 2010
Miss The Wood For The Trees
When do you know you’re overworked?
This time I knew it because I hadn’t any time to work on my film since there were millions of other things to do which seems to be much more important... And when I eventually had the time, I sat at my desk in my studio and wasn’t able to do anything because I was so tired, exhausted and angry with myself...
At this very moment I felt and remembered how important this film project is for me, and how much I want it to be a great piece of art – something that touches your soul while you’re watching it... And yes, I know, that’s what they usually call “high expectations”... But nevertheless, that’s what I want...
After feeling sorry for myself for some time and a huge amount of sleep, I finally began to work again, and I came up with some elements for the graveyard setting: I made several trees and finished the wall which surrounds the cemetry today.
Each part of the wall is approximately 25 cm high, and 50 cm long. I used foam board to build its main shape, and different kind of cardboards for the details. As I did with the furniture, I covered the piles with sandwich paper, and the stones with a thin layer of white acrylics. Finally, I added some more drawn details with a pencil and ink to achieve an impression of depth between the bricks and the stones.
I sometimes just like the atmosphere these pictures have....
The hinges are simply made of curved aluminium wire I plugged into the soft foam board. I literally had this wall in my head for weeks now, and I’m so glad I finally build it. I still need some graves, the entry to the unterworld, perhaps a few more trees and I also need a nice background landscape. Altogether I already finished nearly 50% of all the graveyard pieces...
However, today I have no idea how I’d be ever going to finish this film... But I remember former projects: there’s always this point when I think it was a stupid idea to even start such a project. In the majority of these cases, it was nonsense. Each time simply moving on worked best as an antidote...
Comments
michael wrote on Monday, 29. March 2010 at 10:42:
it's all really looking great: the trees remind me of spirits raising from the ground towards the sky but beind held back at the same time - really great impression, especially for a cemetary set (for which I guess they are intended; because what would a cemetary without trees look like... erm... getting 'philosphically' again). And the walls... oh yes: I really like the idea of having more or less '2D' walls and added shadows tec. to create the illusion of depht with a pencil - thereby... oh, it all looks really great.
A comment about exhaustion - it sometimes happens, no matter how carefully you plan.
All the best for the further progress - I really admire your work and how you get 'your stuff done' ;)
Jessica Koppe wrote on Monday, 29. March 2010 at 19:06:
Shelley, Michael, thank you both for your supports and your kind words! Your compliments count twice in a week like this (and that before... and that before... )
Michael, sometimes I think the more you plan, the more likely it'd be that you're going to be exhausted... Sometimes we just need to relax... But that's easier said than done...
Leo wrote on Monday, 29. March 2010 at 21:33:
Those walls look terrific! As do the gates – I hope they are not too delicate for the animation. And if you write next week that you only built dozens of paper gravestones, we will not hold you insane ;)
I know I'm exhausted when my colleagues tell me to go home because I look awful. Sadly, "exhausted" is not the same as "overworked" to me; I can be happily exhausted, but being overworked regularly trashes me for days. And the "complaining colleague indicator" sadly is, probably, not applicable for you: Though Lukas can tell you you're exhausted, telling you to go home is a different story :)
This "never-going-to-finish" point I also know pretty well. And although I myself sometimes just give up (or procrastinate stuff indefinitely), I think that people from where we grew up have it in their bones or their stubborn wooden heads to continue where others would stop. (it's probably something in the soil.) While most people just do bloody stupid stuff with that gift, you make something impressive out of it! Go on, you are good at that stuff!
Jessica Koppe wrote on Monday, 29. March 2010 at 23:54:
Leo, I dare you calling me stubborn! :D For how long do we know each other now?
But thank you for your nice words! It would be great to have a little Shelley-Leo-Michael-your name here- ghost here who says something nice if I'd need to hear something supportive...
Being overworked is just one way of being exhausted, I guess.
By the way, the doors are quite stable though they seem to be so fragile...
Yaz wrote on Thursday, 1. April 2010 at 00:27:
Jessica, I totally understand what you mean here.. I have been swamped with "other" things lately and sometimes I really feel sooo sorry for my film. But this is the way to do it, right? Do whatever you can whenever you have time... It is great to read these posts which really encourages me.
Walls and the gate are looking great. I love the atmospere of the picture where light is coming through the gate. Great job again!
Jessica Koppe wrote on Thursday, 1. April 2010 at 08:25:
If my posts encourage you to keep on with your film, that's good enough for me and a reason to keep on sharing my experiences... That's what it's all about, isn't it?
Dan Metalmadcat wrote on Monday, 12. April 2010 at 04:54:
m_) I often find myself being a ghost.
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Shelley Noble wrote on Sunday, 28. March 2010 at 01:50:
I know full well what you are saying about abject exhaustion, Jessica. And I heartily congratulate you for these new elements! They are all fantastic. You've made huge gains with these. The work was made twice as meaningful and important because you dug down deep for the strength to make them.
Anyone can make things when it's easy. You made things out of sheer dedication and inner resolve.
BRAVA!
You are progressing on the project, next step, next step.