So yesterday I worked on the Smile edit, actually in the edit suite, and I found out some things about myself. The day went well, we changed some things, moved some things around and I realized truly what we have and don’t have.  Most of yesterday’s work was centered around the opening sequence and the first act. 

I talked to Michele throughout the day about missing pieces, how to get them and where the money would come from. But at the end of the day, I thought that the opening sequence was in good enough shape to show a few key people. So I did.  Now let me say that the act of showing a film before its finished really goes against my nature but somehow I thought it was a good idea. 

My first issue in showing it was the opening credits.  For me credits have been a long standing issue. When you lay down credits and tell the world who did what, there is the opportunity for misunderstanding, uneasiness and quietly being offended. But it can be all worked out. And I would rather workout issues arising with credits that not give credits at all, like at my daily job.  For some reason local television feels like they would rather squeeze in one last bug, animal or weird trick story, than give credit to the people that put the shows together.  I’ve never understood that. 

So, my issue with the Smile credits revolves around me receiving a possessory credit for the film, I wanted it, others didn’t.  After doing some research, I found that it’s a negotiated credit and it if I wanted it in the future, I need to negotiate it up front, lesson learned. 

The next thing I found out about myself is that I’m getting old and set in my ways when it comes to shot selection.  And I’m not as willing to debate a project shot by shot as I use to.  So, I’ve come to the conclusion that from now on, I will deliver a director’s cut of a project and if someone else wants to change that cut, they can.  But the full expression of what I want to say will be preserved in the director’s cut. But enough of that, next we start work on act 2.