My sheer excitement for our final project!

After we get past this scene recreation project, we're moving immediately on to our final project. What? Are you kidding? That's ridiculous! Yeah, it is. It's ridiculously awesome! I could not be more excited to start working on the project as soon as possible.

To begin, I'll be working with the group focusing on the poem about a man's struggle with OCD. I personally think it's a very interesting story with which countless artistic, creative things can be done in the film medium. I'm not exactly sure which direction our group will head in with portraying the story, but being able to take a person's personal story and shape it in our own way will be an experience which I haven't experienced before. At least I think I haven't. The groundwork is laid down for us, but now we have pretty much as much freedom as we need to do whatever we want with the story.

Here's the poem...

In addition to the actually story we're presenting, the group of people I'm working with also attributes to my level of excitement for this project. Having worked with a few of my group members in the past, I know that they are very dedicated, creative people who certainly know what they're doing. For those in the group who I haven't worked with before, I have complete and utter faith in their work. While I may not have worked with most of the group before, I've seen some of their work, and as long as they match--or maybe even surpass--what I've seen of theirs in the past, I'm absolutely positive I'll be blown away with their work this year. During the few discussions I've had with some of my group members, I can already tell that they all have some great ideas for the production, as well. Also, it's simply a wonderful group of beautiful people.

Here's the best part. Some people would argue that a larger group project is too difficult a thing to do. They'd say that it's simply too complicated and annoying to work with so many people and to plan around so many different personal schedules. Forget them. They're wrong. Can working with a larger number of people be more complicated than working with fewer? Yes. I'm not saying it's not, but the extra complication certainly comes with its benefits. Think about it. Unlike last year where you'd have 3 people in a group where everyone helped with everything, each person can now be assigned a specific job in the production. Instead of having 3 people crowded around one table while writing the script, drawing out the storyboards, or editing, one person will do each of these things. It takes the complication out of everyone worrying about everything. Now each group member can focus their complete attention and effort towards their part of the project. That's not to say that every member won't help one another with each step of the production process, but each member will now be able to focus on the certain part of the production that they love to do and excel at. As long as everyone does their job, it'll work out much better than in the past. Just wait and see.

Let's not forget about the equipment. I mean, seriously. These new cameras we get to use are unbelievable compared to the ones in the past. They're quality pieces of equipment! They're able to do things that the JVC100 were never capable of doing. I couldn't have even dreamed of something so wonderful. They can shoot in slow-motion! How cool is that?! I could go on for hours about the FS100's features but I'd probably bore you. I really just wanted to bring it up and emphasis all of its awesomeness.

I cannot wait to get started on this project. I'm hoping--and planning--on finishing with a product that I'll want to show to everyone I know. Let's go Los Jalepeños! Or El Dorado? We haven't quite decided on a group name yet...

Neil Hilborn, Man With OCD, Performs Heartbreaking Poem About Falling In Love

So attached above is the video to the poem I brought up in class yesterday and here is the link to the news article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/12/neil-hilborn-ocd-poem_n_3745281.html
The article features some good quotes from Neil and some other links too.

I have actually been making rough outlines of this script for a few weeks now; when I saw this video I knew I would eventually want to tell a similar story.  My thinking (all subject to change of course), is not to tell Neil's specific story, but to tell a very similar story:

I was thinking of telling the story of a young man with OCD, who has severe issues communicating with others.  The film could open with the protagonist's daily routine, which could feature lots of CUs and could show how his OCD would affect his day. The film could involve him meeting the girl very early in the story (I was thinking he has a food service or other form of customer service job, where she frequents).  Unlike Neil, I was thinking our protagonist would have such crippling anxiety that he wouldn't be able to speak to his love interest (allowing us to create a much more creative story involving other forms of communication).  I pictured the film spanning the course of a week in which he manages to get her attention, build a small friendship and in the end cause her to back off.  In one outline I have him working as a barrista in a coffee shop and the only way he communicates to her is by writing notes on her coffee cups.  I've considered him using a handkerchief to touch pretty much everything, as many people with OCD can't handle the concept of germs in every day life.
Most of my ideas feature 4 main characters: Protagonist, Female Lead, Female's Boyfriend, Protagonist's Friend.  I have been considering that the female lead currently has a boyfriend and that he is terrible to our Female Lead and that our Protagonist steps in, perhaps.  I'm thinking our protagonist has one friend, who he knows through public transportation (many people with OCD fear driving).

This does not even really begin the lists of things I have kicking around.  NONE of it is remotely final, I just like to mull ideas for scripts over.  We can start from scratch on this thing, but I wanted to provide some ideas, in case we wanted a jumping off point.  I personally would like to direct or produce this piece, but would be comfortable with other things as well.  For me, I find the life of someone with OCD to be an untold story and one that many people fight through on a daily basis.  I think we can tell a really beautiful story, provided it is accurate to the scientific facts.  Onwards and upwards!