This Is How We Play
Written by Paul Genzink - Project Release - November 14, 2017
When a project wraps, I'm always left with this excitement to jump into the edit suite and get an edit together to show the team and the client, probably before it’s wise to do so. Even with meticulous pre-production, storyboards, and demo edits, rushing through the post process isn't guaranteed to do favors for the end product.
What we noticed when putting together our latest commercial for Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands Casinos is that when we began sorting through the footage and assembling a cut, the edit began to take on a life of its own. Shots we captured spur-the-moment were upstaging a lot of the shots that were planned. Many captured moments didn't time out in real life like they had in the demo edits, and the editing suite became a den of creative problem solving.
Don’t get me wrong, the problem solving required wasn't a bad thing at all. It’s a beautiful part of the production process. It’s important to remain flexible, open to criticism and diligent to ensure that this altered direction remains in line with the projects greatest potential and what you, your team, and the client expects.
What happened next was a revisiting of the script before we sent it off to the voiceover talent, nitpicking each word or line for content, timing, and emotional impact. It became a giant puzzle. Luckily we love puzzles. This, in turn, altered our direction for music and even sound design. Our motto became “I know we said this before, but ignore that, this is what we need now."
In the end, we delivered a product that both we and the client were proud of, albeit four months after completing principal photography. Sometimes the best thing for a project is time. Sometimes not, but this had time to evolve, time to grow, and time to show its face; the important thing I want to remember from this is to be open to the opportunity to create something better than you initially imagined, even if it means slowing the approach to the finish line.