That was the question Pippa Harris
asked Sam Mendes.
He’d been looking for his next project.
Looking for something he’d never done before.
And yet none of the scripts that came his way
triggered any desires.
Initially dismissing the idea
by claiming to not “really write”,
Pippa and Sam’s agent prodded him
to take the leap …
“Just try.”
…
Earlier last week, my friend Kash
had posted a link to
a featurette of the film ‘1917’.
Until then, I’d not given the movie
much attention.
But the clip really resonated …
So I booked a ticket.
…
The idea for the movie came from
when Sam was a child;
inspired by the stories his grandfather told.
Of his role as a messenger
in the First World War;
“I started with this fragment really.”
…
A JOURNEY
In essence, it’s about a journey.
The journey of the boys in the film.
To deliver a message.
What I also found interesting,
was the journey of the camera …
behind the film.
“You have to construct a journey for the camera
that’s every bit as interesting as
the journey of the actor … ”
: Sam Mendes.
…
Feeling the need to tell the story in real time,
Mendes wanted to immerse the viewer with;
” … every step of the journey,
breathing every breath … ”
there was
” … no better way to tell this story
than with one continuous shot.”
…
As I watched the clip,
about the journey behind the camera
I noticed analogies …
whether metaphorical
or actual …
About life …
“Once it starts you can’t stop,
if something goes wrong,
you just have to keep going.”
: George Mackay ‘Lance Corporal Schofield’.
About faith …
” … they help each other,
but in ways they don’t
really fully comprehend … ”
: Sam Mendes.
About teamwork …
“The dance of the camera
… in synch with
what the actors are doing.”
: Sam Mendes.
About adversity and ingenuity …
” … every place that we went,
was a magnitude of problems to solve.
You’d have all these locations
that are basically just ground,
and you’d have to create something out of it.”
: Dennis Gassner, Production Designer.
About consumption …
“You almost have to change the way you think
about how we view movies as a viewer,
and how we make movies as a filmmaker.”
:Michael Lerman, Co-Producer / First assistant Director.
…
A BETTER EXPERIENCE
Feeling enough.
Caring enough.
To make something with a unique essence,
even if it makes things more difficult.
A greater challenge,
can be a more satisfying achievement.
Taking the time to understand
the backdrop to a different perspective
can open our minds,
immerse our experience,
and make a better connection.
…
It’s intimate in a way that
I don’t think any other War movie
I’ve ever seen is.”
:Krysty Wilson-Cairns, Co-Writer.
…
KEEP MOVING FORWARD
From a fragment of an idea,
let your mind explore,
write down your thoughts,
from the past to the fore.
Start writing … or talking,
and see what’s in store.
Taking the leap.
giving it a try.
It’s the journey that’s interesting;
the low and the high.
Making the effort
to let your thoughts fly.
One step at a time,
each moment transpires.
Changing direction
as your heart desires.
Feeding your soul
with what it requires.
Just keep moving forward.
And write your own script.
…
” … At the end of the day,
you just hope you made something special
that people feel personally about …
when you achieve that
it’s really beautiful
and exhilarating.”
: Sam Mendes.
…
…
Heels worth wearing. Stories worth sharing.
…
Thank you for reading…
and if you feel so inclined,
please share with a friend
who may come to mind.
…
Have a beautiful night.
Anthony Stoker
…