What's in a name?

When a girl meets a guy and she tells her friends about him, her friends ask, 'What's his name??'

Sometimes a name is just a name. And sometimes... it can magically amplify his mystery and charm. Some names try too hard and turn out to be funny. Or! The guy with the funny name has the ability to make anything seem cool, so his name becomes cooler than the coolest of names. I'm sure men have a parallel with women, but, I'm not a man, so I really have no idea. But anyone will admit, some names are just sexy.

"Oh! I've never met a 'so and so' before. They sound interesting. I wonder why their parents named them that. What's the origin of that name? I have to know."

A regularly named person can be equally as interesting as a sexy named, probably even more so, but do they get as much attention? Do they spark the interests of as many people? Do they get as many life opportunities as those that are blessed with enchanting titles?

What kind of name do you have? I personally, have one of those good ol' fashioned boring names. So boring in fact, people usually have to put an initial after my name so they can differentiate among the millions of 'other Sarah's' they know.

It's alright. I'm OK with being mundane. But, I don't want anything I make to be. No child of mine is going to be named---. Oh no! I don't want to offend anyone. And I'm not having kids anytime soon, so I guess I can just relate this whole diatribe to THE NAME of my short!

A title is just like a name. And creating a piece of art is like creating a life. So, naming this short has been quite a challenge because the name that first came to me was a gift. My beloved aunt who is a writer herself, read my short and suggested I call it 'He loves me Not.'

I respect my aunt so much as an artist and philosopher. Her perspectives enlighten me in every way, so when she suggested this title, I loved it and wanted her to have a part in my creation.

But as time went on, I ran up against several problems. The title left no mystery. What's life without mystery? But, I liked the way it sounded! It was kinda catchy. And, my aunt Linda came up with it! And I love my aunt Linda!

Are these the dilemmas parents go through when naming their children? Should we name it after this person or that one? You can't tell a person you're going to name your child after them and then change your mind! Right??

Well! Good thing this isn't a child, it's a short film and my aunt is pretty cool. I'm pretty sure she'll understand. In fact, I'm fairly sure she'll say, I never really liked the name anyway...

So... Now, I'm looking for a new name. I'm about to send the locked version of the final cut to the colorist, and I don't know what to name my film baby! Well, that's not entirely true. I have renamed it. And there is reasoning behind the new name. And I think it holds some mystery. But, I'm still looking for THE SEXY. There's no sexy in this name!

Maybe if I 'Just Go With the Flow', it will come to me... ;)

Just cut out the fat!!!

Over the past few months, Oliver (the director) and I have been working on a director's cut of the film. It has been difficult for me to let anything go because I am so attached to all that shows our blood, sweat and tears. Sometimes being immersed in something does not allow for the clearest point of view, but it is certainly a valid and interesting one...

Meanwhile, a friend of mine who is an editor was working on his own cut of the film. I didn't want to pressure him because he was generous enough to do it for me out of the kindness of his heart. So, when he agreed to help me out, I left it at that and promised myself I wouldn't nag or check up on him. If he decided to do it, he would do it and if he didn't, then at least Oliver and I would have our cut...

Sunday night, the phone rang and it was my friend Richard. He had finished his cut! I got over there as fast as I could on Monday to see it. He sat me down and told me as gently as possible that the fat needed to be cut out. Now of course, at first I felt terrified. This is my work! I can't let any of it go!

But then I realized, in the department of storytelling, Richard is the man. And it would probably behoove me to listen to his wisdom rather than defend my own ignorant ground. So, I gave him the go ahead to cut out what he thought needed to go, and wow did it make a difference! All of a sudden all of our hard work had a new shine.

How is it that something that stands alone can turn into something completely different and yet still be true to itself?

When I first began writing this short film, the first draft was something completely independent of the one with which we shot. When we first began rehearsing, the ideas that we had about the characters and their choices couldn't have been further from what we enacted. And finally, out of the three first cuts that I have in my hands today, the one that I think may tell the story in the most effective manner, is the one that is furthest from what I originally had in mind! Somehow though, amongst all the cuts and all the changes, the story is more itself than it ever has been... It's almost as if all this time we have just been cutting away the fat to get to the bones or the truth, if you will.

Now it's on to the sound mixing and music... And then... the ultimate moment of truth: I have to let go and let others be the judge. That is the scariest and hardest part of all, but I can't wait!!