Problem solving with Verbs: This came up when I was trying to think about how to better frame questions with the form “How should I X?”
When outlining stories or screenplays I find action or visual verbs immeasurably useful in creating more interesting scenes. Instead of “Joe talks to Bill” he can negotiate, remonstrate, beg, plead, mock, pontificate etc. Each of which makes the scene much more specific. “Maria goes to the store” is too vague, she may either meander to the store, sprint to the store, or even search for the store. These action verbs not only give us a sense of the character’s intentions and allow us to (appropriately enough for film) imagine visually how it plays out, but are more interesting and useful.
Why doesn’t the same apply to practical questions?
At the risk of going meta, take the question “Should I make a short film?”. There are surprisingly few action verbs that describe being a filmmaker[1] other than ‘make’ and off the top of my head you can either film, direct,”do a pitchya[2]”. If you want to be more specific about how it will be done, you can say you will improvise a film or you can say you will “go vertie”. I’m sure you can use Denominal verbs based off of directors with distinct processes:
“I’m going to Altmann this film” (i.e. lots of overlapping dialogue)
“I’m going to Malick this film” (i.e. lots of improvisation in natural light)
“I’m going to Maysles this film” (i.e. “direct cinema”[3]- long form documentary filmmaking with an observational “fly on the wall” approach to shooting)
“I’m going Kapadia/Morgen this film” (i.e. documentary assembled from archival material)
It kind of works with the question “How should I get to the party?”—rather than “get” I can drive, or I can walk, or I can carpool, I can rideshare, I can bike etc. I may even opt to describe my entrance, I can sneak in, I can explode and make an entrance.… In deed, if I choose to sneak in then I may opt to arrive on foot or rideshare so no one notices my car.
Yes, there are a plethora of department specific verbs—you can lens or shoot a film, score it, colour it, mix it, dub it, cue it, do foley, light it, dress it, design it, (location) scout it, produce it, cut or edit it etc. etc.
I noticed in interviews with Classic Hollywood directors Raoul Walsh and John Ford, they don’t call them “films” or “movies” but “picture”, pronounced more like “pitch-ya” as in “motion picture”.
Most people when they say Cinéma vérité mean “Direct Cinema”—the classic device of Cinéma vérité is the Vox Pop. The proverbial ‘man on the street’ is pulled in front of the camera—often looking down the barrel, already an artificial and performative situation, to give a honest opinion or barometer of public feeling.
I did consider adding “Kubrick it” as a example but I couldn’t decide if “do a lot of takes and wait for something strange or weird to happen as the actors get exhausted/bored” was sufficiently identifiable as a filmmaking process. Many directors do a lot of takes. Chaplain did a lot of takes. You can’t be Kubrick if you do a lot of takes, however there is something unusual and distinct about the way Altmann handled scenes with many characters.
The key here is it should describe both the manner and means in which the task is done. Going or getting to a party or store is too vague. Making or shooting a film tells me nothing about the style, genre, or logistics of filming.
Problem solving with Verbs:
This came up when I was trying to think about how to better frame questions with the form “How should I X?”
When outlining stories or screenplays I find action or visual verbs immeasurably useful in creating more interesting scenes. Instead of “Joe talks to Bill” he can negotiate, remonstrate, beg, plead, mock, pontificate etc. Each of which makes the scene much more specific. “Maria goes to the store” is too vague, she may either meander to the store, sprint to the store, or even search for the store. These action verbs not only give us a sense of the character’s intentions and allow us to (appropriately enough for film) imagine visually how it plays out, but are more interesting and useful.
Why doesn’t the same apply to practical questions?
At the risk of going meta, take the question “Should I make a short film?”. There are surprisingly few action verbs that describe being a filmmaker[1] other than ‘make’ and off the top of my head you can either film, direct,”do a pitchya[2]”. If you want to be more specific about how it will be done, you can say you will improvise a film or you can say you will “go vertie”. I’m sure you can use Denominal verbs based off of directors with distinct processes:
It kind of works with the question “How should I get to the party?”—rather than “get” I can drive, or I can walk, or I can carpool, I can rideshare, I can bike etc. I may even opt to describe my entrance, I can sneak in, I can explode and make an entrance.… In deed, if I choose to sneak in then I may opt to arrive on foot or rideshare so no one notices my car.
Yes, there are a plethora of department specific verbs—you can lens or shoot a film, score it, colour it, mix it, dub it, cue it, do foley, light it, dress it, design it, (location) scout it, produce it, cut or edit it etc. etc.
I noticed in interviews with Classic Hollywood directors Raoul Walsh and John Ford, they don’t call them “films” or “movies” but “picture”, pronounced more like “pitch-ya” as in “motion picture”.
Most people when they say Cinéma vérité mean “Direct Cinema”—the classic device of Cinéma vérité is the Vox Pop. The proverbial ‘man on the street’ is pulled in front of the camera—often looking down the barrel, already an artificial and performative situation, to give a honest opinion or barometer of public feeling.
I did consider adding “Kubrick it” as a example but I couldn’t decide if “do a lot of takes and wait for something strange or weird to happen as the actors get exhausted/bored” was sufficiently identifiable as a filmmaking process. Many directors do a lot of takes. Chaplain did a lot of takes. You can’t be Kubrick if you do a lot of takes, however there is something unusual and distinct about the way Altmann handled scenes with many characters.
The key here is it should describe both the manner and means in which the task is done. Going or getting to a party or store is too vague. Making or shooting a film tells me nothing about the style, genre, or logistics of filming.