A great day today. Up early to film some outdoor scenes for the Jabberwocky video, choosing today as it's the only clear and dry day for days. How lucky we are to have a relaible weather forecast. The film makers of the 20th century must have wished for such a thing.
The weather was bright with winter sun, not as frosty as I'd anticipated. To prepare, a few days ago, I'd listened to the music and noted down the images and scenes in my head, particularly thinking of the parts where I might be needed; the synth solo part, for example, really needs me playing the synth. Some parts, like playing a candle-lit piano in a church are destined not to be filmed.
Deb picked me up and 10:00 and we left for the park. A few shots first for scenes of the 'marsh', wintry foilage, then myself my a 'tum-tum' tree playing guitar, unsheathing a dagger and some outdoor swashbuckling, which was okay in choreographic terms but the framing and focus wasn't quite right. Then we went to the cemetery for some grave filming, images which were always strongly in my head, and the synth playing part there. Framing everything to exclude cars, houses and passers-by was always a problem. I remembered that Bergman had similar issues on The Seventh Seal. Deb's help was invaluable.
The prettiest scenes are probably the nature shots, but that is to be expected. Well, I have enough now to make a video. Anything more can be filmed here.
One thing about making a music video is that the images must compliment and salute the music to some extent, so can't be nearly as free and imaginitive as they could be... I feel constrained to match the two. Perhaps if I made a video first, or paid no attention to the music, the results would be better or more interesting... but all of that freedom itself can cause problems. Ideally, this short film would have the drama and emotion of the music which climaxes at the same point and for the same reason. The ideal is music which is great by itself, a silent film which is great by itself, and a merging of the two which is better. I think I acheived this with the Time Falling video. The emotions in the longer Jabberwocky recording are more complex.
Arrived home at 13:00 after a lot of carrying, repacked everything, ate and rested. Then it was revealed that I had won the Ink Pantry Christmas poetry competition. Somewhat embarrased and humbled by this. As Deb is the editor and my friend Andrew is the judge I felt that I shouldn't really enter, but, of course, it was all judged anonymously and I didn't tell Andrew I had even entered. It will be interesting to read the other entries.
My surprise prize was a train set! There are a lot of notable trains in Zhivago and the judge's comments on my poem were exactly right. There is a lot of fate, both the inevitability of events and the quirks of them in Pasternak's work, so I reflected on the zig-zag journey of Yuri and Pasternak. Pasternak's Hamlet poem touched on this.
I can now use my bank and I hear that a preliminary Brexit deal has been agreed, which is good for the country generally, so a good day.
I feel a bit tired and coldy and weak and viral now. This is probably the exercise and being out, something so rare for this year. How unfit I've become! Well, this is a Christmas Eve to remember. I can't really edit the Jabberwocky video tomorrow, on Christmas Day, so I'll save it for later.
Onwards the train of life rolls!
