“The Project” a new Short Film

March 10, 2013 – EDITOR’s NOTE: Unfortunately, I did not check the name before I used “The Truth Project” as a title for a short film on which DavePerryProject is working. This film is in no way connected to or affiliated with Focus On The Family’s Truth Project and anything published or stated on  the DavePerryProject blog will neither praise nor slander Focus On The Family’s Truth Project. Until an appropriate title is discovered, the film discussed in this post will be referred to as “The Project”.

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(Originally posted MAR 4 ’13)

I’m gonna find it. I’m gonna find out what the truth is. I thought I knew it but the more I define it, the more elusive it becomes.

“The Project” is coming.

Look out baby cuz here it comes, get ready! Here it come baby, it’s comin to GITCHA!

What is the truth. I know a lot about truth. Why, because I’ve told lies before. (Really? I thought I knew you better than that!) You’re surprised? Don’t be, because you’ve lied to. The Project will not define me, nor judge you. It will not uncover the truth, nor will it hide it. It will create and spur discussion amongst me and me friends, colleagues, family, and acquaintances. It may get me too deep into something I don’t want to know. I might end up like a child not wanting to hear the truth, closing my eyes, fingers in ears, singing lalalalala….

That’s a-ok. The DPP is about creative motivation. Creative motivation comes from many things, one of which is thought. What motivates you creatively? Thoughts, feelings, experiences, memories, money, sex, drugs, rock-n-roll?

I’m doing a short film with a director that I’ve never worked with before. He’s a young guy, somebody I know, somebody I’ve known for years and just never worked with. He comes from a theatrical background, a thespian (I don’t use that word often enough). There is no budget, no client. We’re doing it just because we want to do it, just because we like it. It’s very interesting to see his creative process in this. Having never worked with him before I don’t know what to expect.

During a pre-production meeting, he did an exercise with me and caught me way off guard. I almost was offended. He caught me. He “punked” me, to use a pop-culture colloquialism. After he let me in on what he was doing and what he wanted to show me, I thought to myself, “Dang, this could get hairy”.

Why would I want to put myself in a situation with someone who is going to play with and manipulate my emotions? I mean come on, I’ve already been through two marriages! I’ll tell you why, because that’s one way he spurs an actor’s creative motivation for a roll.

Creative motivation doesn’t just happen. It’s a process. Even if I awake in the middle of the night to write something down that I think I can use creatively, I’m still in the process. The seed was planted, so to speak, long before I went to bed and later awoke with something on my mind. When the seed is watered, I’m not in control of when it sprouts. What I am in control of though is how I cultivate that sprout. Do I keep watering it, or do I let if dry up and whither away? I’ve done both. I choose to water the sprout and harvest the crop!

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I’ve had quite a few “idea sprouts” over the last year and have acted on some of them. I’ve also become overly reliant on note taking apps, reminder apps, and good ole paper sticky notes because I don’t always remember my ideas, not that they are all worth following up on, but you never know. What I’ve found is that for the most part, all I have to do is follow up on whatever the idea is, do the next simple little thing that furthers the goal, don’t bite of too much, just enough that I’m still moving forward. When I get overwhelmed with ideas and thoughts whirling around in my head I often just want to shit can an idea. I’ve found it easier and more productive to look at the small picture if I can’t handle the big picture, and work outward from there.

“The Project” is a BIG picture in a short film.

Tru Dat!

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Dave Perry is an award winning Roanoke Virginia digital film producer.

His sideburns are only a hobby.

Gold Addy Award

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