“Let’s delay our misery, and fight the break of dawn, cause tomorrow I will be gone.”

In the world of filmmaking there are two types of directors. They have very different perceptions on how  the world is, and how it’s ought to be captured into a 2 hour movie.

The first looks at the world as a place where life is found in every corner. In every part, no matter what it is, you can easily find life. These types of directors use very detailed parts of nature or an urban setting, but only a very minor part to represent all of reality in their films. Their approach is to make the most of as little as possible and make the viewers think outside the box. They believe in representation and symbolisation of things that stretch far beyond, but we see their existence in every part of life.

The second looks at the world as a painted picture. Just as a portrait is self-contained and holds the whole universe inside it, so does the world we see. These directors don’t think past what is in front of them. The whole universe can be captured in one whole picture, and there is no question of, whether anything exists beyond the four corners. It’s all about ‘right here, right now’.

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After that lesson in Film Studies I left the room thinking about the two categories of directors. I didn’t wonder about how they imagined the world to be…that was obvious. What I wondered was that, why is this concept only applied to directors?

I can name average people who are no where near being film directors, but can fall into those categories. Doesn’t everyone of us think like one of these ‘directors’? Some of us like to focus on the tiniest of details of life and admire how they can resemble all of existence. While, others like to live in the moment and focus on what is here and now. And as each day passes by, they paint a new picture in front of them and admire that and so on.

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Right about now I would end this post with a question which went something along the lines of : ‘Which director type are you?’ But in all honesty, I can’t answer that question myself, so I don’t think I have a right to ask others.

I sometimes find myself looking at that one piece of a puzzle and wondering how it is so important to the whole picture. Even if you put all the 99 pieces together, if you’re missing that one piece, your picture qualifies as incomplete..or ‘almost complete’ depending on how you look at it.

Other times, I find myself in sort of a tunnel vision, and observing only what is within my sight. I don’t turn to look at the past, or right or left to see who is by my side, nor do I get up on my toes and peak way out into the future. I just stay within the four corners and live for what I have, and not worry about what was or could be waiting for me. Carpe diem?

I guess what I’m saying is that I can’t put myself in one category or another. I think in different ways, and maybe you do as well. Depending on the situation you are in, and the people you are with, you may want to seize the day and cherish what is ‘here and now’, or perhaps you would like to carry a box of memories with you, which of course has far more sentimental value than it has a materialistic one.

Let’s say I do put out this question to you…could you place yourself in one or the other? If yes, which one? If no, then why?

 

Have a great weekend thinkers!

 

Yours Truly

 

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Title: Save tonight – Eagle eye cherry