Steve GannThe New Age Myths
November 29th 2006 13:13
Aladdin vs Jeannie
When I was a lad my father would read to me. From May Gibbs classics to The Adventures of Robin Hood, everything was grist for the mill. We also used to listen to radio serials togther. Everything from The Advenures of Superman to Journey Into Space. Dad's gone now but the memory of those times togther lingers on.
As kids our imaginations were unleashed by all sorts of fare. With the movies we enjoyed everything from Westerns to Detective thrillers. But always there was a fascination with magic realms of fantasy. The various tales from 1001 Arabian nights found their way into our rooms at night. Sometimes we read them ourselves as we got older, but still there was the shared experience even up to out teens, where Dad would read to us. I suppose it is only with his passing that I came to realise how much he added to my life by being the family story teller. Some stories became favourites, read again and again until I knew them by heart, so much so, that if Dad praphrased, I would correct him.
I wonder sometimes if we have lost our sense of wonder - our sense of imagination. These days the emphasis seems to be on special effects and digital panoramas. Whatever we can imagine does not have to remain a prisoner of our mind. Three dimensional computer generated images aka cgi, can create wondrous effects. Mattes can me used to create worlds or multiple images of asteroids. Scale models can be captured in flight by motion control cameras and rotoscoped images can be used to enhance light sabres and photon torpedoes. It is spectacular and when it is done well can create a feeling of vertigo and a sense of flight. But this is all a good thing, right? It's all good. It's all good.
Mmmmm. Maybe. Sometimes I think back to the story of Aladdin and how he checked the clay jars to see if the robbers were in them -- and then disposed of them by adding boiling oil to each urn. Oh maybe you didn't get to read that version.
What I am looking at here is how some startling images could be conjured in our minds with just the printed word. Similarly movies driven by characters larger than life, dealing with real issues and strong narrative, sometimes seem to get lost along the way.
These are the sort of films I would like to be involved with. These are the sort of narratives I write, Check out what I mean with some of the synopses here:
http://www.beyondthishorizon.com/looking-for-a-producer/
Those interested are welcome to knock. Any producers out there willing to make a number of small abdget films, please email me. I look forward to your call.
I anyone out there? Hello?
When I was a lad my father would read to me. From May Gibbs classics to The Adventures of Robin Hood, everything was grist for the mill. We also used to listen to radio serials togther. Everything from The Advenures of Superman to Journey Into Space. Dad's gone now but the memory of those times togther lingers on.
As kids our imaginations were unleashed by all sorts of fare. With the movies we enjoyed everything from Westerns to Detective thrillers. But always there was a fascination with magic realms of fantasy. The various tales from 1001 Arabian nights found their way into our rooms at night. Sometimes we read them ourselves as we got older, but still there was the shared experience even up to out teens, where Dad would read to us. I suppose it is only with his passing that I came to realise how much he added to my life by being the family story teller. Some stories became favourites, read again and again until I knew them by heart, so much so, that if Dad praphrased, I would correct him.
I wonder sometimes if we have lost our sense of wonder - our sense of imagination. These days the emphasis seems to be on special effects and digital panoramas. Whatever we can imagine does not have to remain a prisoner of our mind. Three dimensional computer generated images aka cgi, can create wondrous effects. Mattes can me used to create worlds or multiple images of asteroids. Scale models can be captured in flight by motion control cameras and rotoscoped images can be used to enhance light sabres and photon torpedoes. It is spectacular and when it is done well can create a feeling of vertigo and a sense of flight. But this is all a good thing, right? It's all good. It's all good.
Mmmmm. Maybe. Sometimes I think back to the story of Aladdin and how he checked the clay jars to see if the robbers were in them -- and then disposed of them by adding boiling oil to each urn. Oh maybe you didn't get to read that version.
What I am looking at here is how some startling images could be conjured in our minds with just the printed word. Similarly movies driven by characters larger than life, dealing with real issues and strong narrative, sometimes seem to get lost along the way.
These are the sort of films I would like to be involved with. These are the sort of narratives I write, Check out what I mean with some of the synopses here:
http://www.beyondthishorizon.com/looking-for-a-producer/
Those interested are welcome to knock. Any producers out there willing to make a number of small abdget films, please email me. I look forward to your call.
I anyone out there? Hello?
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