ErinLaing.com

I finally got a chance to see Slumdog Millionaire. I’ve been anxious to see the film for a long time now. Unfortunately I can’t say I was too impressed. I think a lot had to do with the fact that I saw the film on the small screen, but it’s debatable.

It’s hard to get lost in the cinematography, the landscape or even the score when you watch a film on the small screen. You’re left contemplating the essentials, relying on the bare minimum to keep you interested. In most cases, that means the story.

With Slumdog, the story left me very under whelmed. The cinematography may have been incredible, the acting great, the idea novel, but at what cost do you sacrifice the story? It seemed in this case, that the concept was more important than the actual story being told.

I appreciate it when a film doesn’t condescend to its audience but artistic license only goes so far. Too many elements were left unexplained and far too much hinged on coincidence.

Why should I assume that a blind slum kid knows which American president is on the $100 dollar bill (based on a very vague description by our protagonist)? I don’t need to question where a slum kid would get a gun from, or be told why the Hindus are at war the Muslims but I find it hard to believe that India’s biggest star would land his helicopter in the middle of a field amongst peasant workers.

The events in the protagonist’s life were designed to be in service to the concept and as a result the story feels forced and far too clean. I think that’s where the film fails. The events propel the story forward instead of working in their own right. The idea may be innovative but to what extent should I stretch my suspension of disbelief? A great idea is only as good as its weakest component.

Maybe I expected too much from the film or perhaps I’m just not seeing it in the right light.

What are your thoughts?

I taught a film-making workshop this weekend. I was teaching on behalf of C-vert, an environmental engagement program for teens (between the ages of 14 and 16), and Flyt Foundation.

The purpose of the workshop was to introduce these kids to various aspects of documentary film-making. They’ll be attending a conference held by David Suzuki in mid May and will be responsible to film the event and produce a two minute “rockumentary” based on an environmental theme of their choice.

I was teaching alongside cinematographer Nicolas Venne and documentary filmmaker Tamar Kozlov. The weekend was intense but tons of fun. I was blown away by the fact that there were eight girls and only one guy participating.

The two days were jam packed but it was amazing to see how quickly the kids picked up on complex ideas. They learned how to tell a story, how to find a theme, how to interview a subject and how to compose a proper image. By the end of the two days they were asking complex journalistic questions based on their themes and rack focusing. These kids had never seen a camera before. Needless to say it was a very satisfying experience.

We’ll be following these kids to the Suzuki conference and then editing with them shortly after. I can’t wait to see what they produce!

Just got word that SODEC is on board for the second phase of the psychological thriller I’ve been writing!

I’m back in Montreal and will be working with Ken Scott as my script consultant on the rewrite. Couzin Films, who produced my short film Birthday Girl, is producing.

The film takes place in Berlin so I’ll be back there at some point to do more research and hopefully (if things continue to go well) film the movie.

Scott Kirsner has a new book out called Fans, Friends and Followers: Building an audience and creative career in the digital age. He’s offered up a free 35 page PDF preview that you can download from his site.

The preview is short but insightful, offering small excerpts from the book (success stories from various artists). You get a good sense of what the book will have to offer - more success stories from all types of artists (comedians, musicians, writers etc) who have used the internet to launch their careers. The book goes into more detail as to how these artists built their online audience and created a web community.

An excerpt from the preview:

A small cadre of artists is taking a different tack. They’ve become convinced that the old power players – studios, record labels, publishers and the like – can no longer create and sustain individuals’ careers the way they once did. So they’re taking responsibility for building their reputation, telling their story, and assembling a fan base that can support them financially. They are experimenting with new ways to finance their work, promote it, and sell it. They’re creating new connections between themselves and their audience. They’re exploring new genres in which to work, and releasing their work in new ways and at
different tempos.

I can’t wait to read it. You can buy the book from Kirsner’s site, download it in ebook form or order it through Kindle.