Knot for Sale has been an interesting project for me to watch from the outside. I was unable to attend filming due to a medical emergency, but have been able to touch up this blog (in a not very timely manner). As someone who’s never been apart of making a film, watching one come together is one of the most intriguing things of my degree so far. To see so many different people coming together to push deadlines and work with individuals they might know outside of class — it was fun! During class, shooting ideas around and seeing how people reacted to them; did the class murmur with dread, stay silent hoping someone else would pounce in on the idea, or get excited about what was said?
For me, I wish I could have set more deadlines for myself. I got a little burned out through the semester and didn’t keep up the work I wish I could have. Before the shoot even happened, I remember telling everyone what I was going to be working on and to see their excitement at something so ‘cool’, it was inspiring. I wanted to make something enjoyable for everyone else, and make it presentable in a fun way. Through our initial projects and experiments, I really thought VR wasn’t going to be enjoyable in a film aspect kind of way. I watched things at home, dreaded some of the homework, and even felt a little bummed out about not having a regular old film to show off. But after watching it come together in the workshops, I’m so thrilled to see something new and unique.
Yes, it may be a little corny and a little campy, but it’s different. It’s a medium that hasn’t been used too frequently yet and maybe, just maybe, there’s something there for it. The idea of premiering this film is an odd one, because I’m not entirely sure how you would show it off. Do you put a bunch of people in a room with those VR goggles and let them watch it at their own pace? Do you start them all at the same time? Or do you do it one at a time? The technology isn’t quite there for a group viewing, and maybe that’s something that’ll happen in the future.
Regardless, I’ve learned that self-motivation is key and difficult in managing anything with a film. Even if it’s something you love, or something that you’re inspired to work on, there’s always some hobby or other task that suddenly announces its importance in your brain. Sometimes you have to just be a clichéd art student and sit at Starbucks with your laptop, editing photos of children in a public place to get anything done for a film that has a gosh darn pun in its name.
– Kaitlyn Michaelis