NEVER BE AFRAID TO DEVELOP AN IDEA! Was something that was pounded into us when we were studying film making at university. Our grades were not only based on the outcome of our short films, but how much we changed and developed the idea. If it seemed like we had just stuck with our first idea and gone with it, this would effect our feedback and grades.

Or at least, thats what I thought- in reality, it affected your grades, because it affected your film.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and looking back now, you can spot the ideas that weren't developed, a mile off. They were lacking a lot of key elements. Depth, character, structure, basically... the nice 'Bow' that rounds off a film. A bow that only really comes from working and working on your idea until every little detail just seems to, Click.

Now, at university, I think time was a big contender against this. You knew you only had about 3 months to get the film developed as much as you possibly could, while also thinking about locations, actors, and getting the whole thing organised. This was often why the smaller, simpler ideas were usually very effective- they had time to really think about the story. Questioning every detail with "WHY?" Why do it like that, why are they there, why does he do that, why is there no dialogue, why do they say that? I know there are holes in my films, where I didn't have an answer to some questions, or I had a slightly useless answer at most...

 

So recently on Overhead, Jack and I were talking over some key elements, and the 'why's? sometimes just didn't have satisfying answers to us... especially Jack. The nice neat Bow just didn't seem to be there...

So Jack stripped it back, and wasn't afraid to literally bring it back to the drawing board- something he's never been afraid to do with any idea! (Even if it made him miss our 3rd year Christmas party, by reshooting 2 weeks before deadline!)

What we've been left with is something a whole lot more satisfying- the original idea was based on student 'lads', something I couldn't contribute much to as it was a subject I didn't know. The updated idea is something I know a whole lot about... and am even more excited to get stuck in with.

Jacks development board... with every tiny detail!

 

So, Never be afraid to develop an idea... or question every detail- knowing your idea better can only be valuable!