Patience and focus
Patience and focus. Patience and focus are not my greatest strengths.
Patience
As I continue down the road of developing my next film I find myself becoming impatient to get the story together. It’s looking like this will be a close to if not a feature length film. I’ve never done anything like that before. I’m used to working on short pieces around 2-10 minutes in length. So pulling together a film that could potentially be 100 to 120 minutes is daunting. I remember looking at “The Making Of” on the special features of DVD’s. I always thought to myself “Man, if I could just have whole year to focus on a film and nothing else, that would be awesome.” That sentiment is still true it’s just that I want to spend time with my beautiful wife, work my full time job, do outside work, a flashmob group etc at the same time.
“Man, if I could just have whole year to focus on a film and nothing else, that would be awesome.”
I feel that the story I want to tell deserves my patient attention. It’s going to take time to lay a solid story foundation, develop interesting and full characters, and tell a strong, true and compelling story. I owe it to myself, the story and the audience to take the time to best tell the story. Just like a plant I need to water the seed, nourish it and allow it to grow.
Focus
I allow myself to become so distracted so easily. I have so many little personal projects and distractions in my life it’s hard for me to focus on any one thing. I believe the key to anything in life is balance and I know that I’m lacking balance a little bit. I’m not a mess, I just have to learn how to put what is most important first.
I believe the key to anything in life is balance..
I’ve read on multiple occasions that people who have some kind of system to manage their time are the most successful. If I’m not focused during this crucial time of development then I’m doing a disservice to the people who are helping me as the development is taking place.
Both patience and focus play such an important part in making a film and I’m going to working on being better at both of them. How about you? Do you struggle with these things as a filmmaker, artist, or human being? How do you find focus and patience?
Harold Green said
am January 10 2009 @ 10:29 am
Man – I am struggling with that very same thing. As you know, I’m putting myself through special high intensity training, and there’s so much that I want to attack. Now! I find myself jumping the a “topic/skill of the week” based on whatever project I’m doing that week.
I actually do have a task list in OmniFocus – which I LOVE and will vouch for. I just wish sleep wasn’t necessary so I could keep at it.
Amanda Parler said
am January 10 2009 @ 1:59 pm
Ah, the balance between art and all that other stuff we have to do. As nice as it sometimes sounds to shut out everything mundane to focus on the creative, a person’s art is shaped by what surrounds them on a daily basis. So, I guess we need the patience to sort through our daily intake of life and the focus to put the pieces together in such a way as to inspire others. Hmmm.
Gretchen Ricker said
am January 10 2009 @ 8:07 pm
The best way to get though this project is commit to a certain goal each day. For me, it is currently an hourly goal. I try to write three hours a day. If I can do that I can get my projects done, all of them!
Jerry Jenkens gives himself a daily word goal. He sits down and works till he has produced the required number of words. Sometimes it takes two hours, sometimes it takes eight. So, when the time comes to actually write the script, you need to commit to a daily page goal or word goal. Otherwise everything else gets in the way.
You have to think about it like it’s your job. Just because you don’t want to go to work and do what is expected of you, you still go in. The same is true about writing. Sit down every day in put your time in.
Just my humble thoughts.
Clay said
am January 11 2009 @ 12:18 am
I’d tell you, but I’d have to charge you.
Seriously, this IS why the Personal Coaching Industry exists.
But, seeing as you are a bro and nepotism is alive and well…I’ll tell you.
The powerful little answer is…NO!
You have to be able to say it and stick with it.
That’ll be $150 thank you.
Jennifer Bolanos said
am March 20 2009 @ 11:10 pm
One of the biggest words this year for me that the Lord has given is to trust and also to FOCUS with all that God has placed on my heart to do, I really believe as a person, there are things as it says in John 15 that we have to do to bear more excellent fruit in our daily lives and for some of us that is laying down certain things that zap our time and energy against those things that God is placing before us to do right now as an open opportunity to get us where we desire to be in the future. It’s up to us to take the neccessary time out to discern “Ok what is a weight for me right now in this moment and what is not.” It’s when we get to that point and realize what we are struggling or striving with on our own that we can begin to lay aside every weight that so easily besets us from the now of today and not hold so tightly onto what the Lord has given us a desire to do tomorrow.
It’s a 11:00pm and writer at this moment is coming out…. Ask God to show you what you need to do now and what you need to lay aside and wait on for tomorrow. You never know, the thing that He maybe asking you to do right now could very well flow right into the thing that you struggle to do right now in your own strength but need to wait on for tomorrow. Everything is for a season and not in our own season, it’s on God’s timetable and much as people would love to disagree with that, there really is a time for everything under the sun. Let the force be with my friend!! ha! blessings, jennifer b. (entreprenuer to the heart!)
Mike said
am May 23 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Hi, nice posts there
thank’s for the interesting information
Kalebarkab said
am June 9 2009 @ 1:50 pm
I want to find good pop music. Help me please.
Ford said
am October 12 2009 @ 1:27 pm
Yes, I can totally relate to this problem. I actually wrote a short screenplay in which I tried to capture the feeling, but as my Creative ADD would have it, I balked once a friend pointed out the flaws, and I’ve yet to revisit it since.
I think Clay’s $150 advice is probably the best that can be given. I’ve gotten a bit better at telling others “No.” Now if I could only learn to say “No” to all my rabbit trail ideas…