- This week we're gonna watch
the finished previs for Tasteful.
(letters plop)
Today I wanna talk about something a little bit different.
I'd like to share a personal story with you,
a despairing moment in the production of Tasteful,
that I think you'll find pretty interesting.
The film is in its final rendering stages,
which means that it's almost done,
but I wanted to share with you something I wrote
a couple of months ago,
while I was still finalizing the previs.
But first, a little context,
when I finished the previs, right before jumping
into animation, I sent it to a group of hand-picked people
that I trust, some were friends and family,
not involved in the filmmaking industry at all,
some were writers, some animators and filmmakers,
some were in my targeted demographic,
while some weren't.
I wanted to get a good mix of opinions
from different people,
so that I can make sure that I don't miss any mistakes
or things I didn't think about.
When I got all the feedback,
I realized I have a lot of thinking to do,
because things weren't working.
I felt overwhelmed, I sat down
and decided to write up my feelings.
It captured that part of the filmmaking experience.
I started with the title, Tasteful Isn't Working,
then I started writing.
Here's exactly what I wrote to myself that day,
I have just finished the previs for Tasteful,
all the characters are done,
all the assets are in place,
but the film isn't working yet.
Before I move on I just wanna clarify
that this happened every time I made a film,
the time always comes when I sit
in front of the film and it's not working.
I try to figure out why.
I send the previs to a few trusted friends and colleagues,
and receive their feedback.
The good news are that the comments I got
were pretty much about the same issues.
That's good because it means
that there are specific issues
that needs to be addressed,
instead of just having a bad film on my hands.
Yet I feel despaired,
I don't see how these issues can be fixed,
I don't see how this film can turn out okay.
The reason I'm writing this at this point in the production,
despite the fact that I'm not very hopeful right now,
is that I think it's important for you to read this,
it's such an important part of making a film,
and this moment right now,
where it feels like things are just not working out
and you start coming up with new ideas to fix it,
and before you know it, you end up with a mutation
of your film, not sure how you got there,
these are important moments.
This moment is something every artist,
who is working on a long-term project, has to deal with.
It happened when I did Food For Thought,
it happened with Lift Up.
That is why, despite the fact that it could feel despairing,
I'm not really scared, I trust the process,
I know that eventually I will be able to solve the film.
I will keep revising the previs
and talking to people and showing it until it works.
And it will work.
So, fast forward to today, I already spoiled the ending,
so you guys know that things worked out okay.
I worked hard on fixing those issues
and figuring them out,
the previs is finished and the film is working.
I'm already done with animation as well,
but today I will be sharing the previs,
which does not have the finished animation in it.
I hope you guys like it, let me know what you think
in the comments, and more than that,
I hope that you get something out of
what I share with you today,
and maybe next time you're stuck in a project,
not sure if you can work it out,
take a deep breath, and remember that if you just
keep at it slowly, you will.
Trust the process.
And now, the previs for Tasteful.
Enjoy.
(happy optimistic music)
(energetic happy music)
(cars honking)
(loud clinking)
(energetic music)
(food sizzles)
(tense music)
(dramatic music)
(confident music)
(majestic music)
(loud sizzling)
(moves traditional Asian music)
(knife clinks)
(energetic rock music)
(fire sizzles)
(loud crashing)
(determined music)
(muffled angry speech)
(food splashes)
(calm classy music)
(moves into energetic music)