The Film World
It has been a while since I began to think about the question of what films I'd like to make. I know what I don't enjoy: cheap VFXs, easy plots, weird logics. I thought i hated "low-budget horror, action, genre movies", or blockbusters, or franchises. But I was never really against those. I probably wouldn't be going to those movies unless someone asks me to, but I enjoyed them. I also don't remember them much. But still, it's never hate.
Something random enlightened me today. I am not sure if it was the "First Man" I saw yesterday that had some unconscious connections to the thoughts. I think, the question of "what kind of movie do you want to make", or "what kind of movie do you enjoy", is actually the question of "what world of films would you rather create, or stay in".
It all comes down to, ultimately, the world of the film.
Audiences enter the theatre, and spend a couple hours in there. It is a way of escape, or immersion of the different environment, some called such "entertainment". That explains why blockbusters do so well in box office. The world they are creating is so different from ours, and we never thought of question of the "authenticity" of the created world, nor are we self-conscious about our existence. The experience of escapism has reached its finest.
It also explains why art films or films with social realism themes have difficulty getting audiences and why they have such a niche market. The world of art films are usually the world that we currently inhibits and the film language is usually more realistic. Audiences are way more self-conscious in those films. They know this world so well - because this is the world that they deal with everyday. Hence, any small abnormality will enlarge that self consciousness. And watching films are no longer "fun"; have we not dealt with enough of these everyday already!
This is the challenge for the realism films set in contemporary times. It is not just about creating plots, characters, but also to make audiences feel like they are part of the film, and that they indeed live in that "fictional world" which is also their own world.
Taking this perspective, i have reconsidered my answer to the abovementioned question. I care more about bringing an experience to the audience. It is more about the state of mind, or the environment rather than the plots and sets. The film, for me, has to come together as one. Audiences may not be able to articulate about specifics, but they would be able to grasp a feeling on a higher level. Though I am still not passionate enough about super hero or zombie horror movies, I'd like to bring a relevant experience to the audiences that are profound and relatable. "You came into my film's world, but you can live in your own character and watch these people experience their life. And you think about yourself." It sounds like VR, but isn't life the ultimate VR?
