It’s a small irony that I’ve been stuck in a room for the last three days mucking around with images of myself wandering the planet.
And I find myself asking: Who is that lucky jerk? How do I get HIS job?
The real trick has been figuring out the right sequence. Machu Picchu can’t follow right after the Bolivian salt flats because they’re too geographically near. Monument Valley blends well into the Shetland Islands, but it needs a buffer after Namibia because the colors are too similar. Great Wall to Berlin Wall is a nice thematic blend, but the two snow clips need some space apart. And sometimes clips just flow together for reasons I can’t explain.
I made myself a handy chart.
There are 36 clips at the moment. Each one has a place. I need to find it.
I shot the last one yesterday. It’s a good ending to the video. It wasn’t the one I planned, but it works. Making this thing — like making anything, I suppose — has been about mixing determination with the ability to recognize serendipity. Anyway, I’m officially done with my role as a performer.
I’ve switched to a new piece of editing software called Sony Vegas. Up to now I’ve been using the crude-but-free tools that came with my camera, so it’s a revelation. Spent all of yesterday learning how to use it. Stuff that used to take me hours now takes minutes and I’m free to play around more with structure and timing.
I’m wary of all tools. For whatever abilities they add or enhance, they tend to take something away. But in this case, it’s a worthwhile trade-off.
I discovered the existence of this video last night on YouTube, made by a swell guy I met named Jawed. It was shot almost a year ago, when I was just starting out on the endeavour I’m now completing. Aside from its chilling implication that I am someone actually worth meeting, it’s neat to see a clip I’ve watched a hundred times shot from a slightly different angle.
I’ve been home five days now and have barely seen daylight. My impending deadline has kept me from switching my life back on. I currently have no credit card, no driver’s license, no phone, no car, and no house keys.
Time to get on that stuff.