Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this idea for a while, right? It’s like, I wanted to do something with all these random film snippets I’ve got. You know, just everyday stuff, nothing fancy. Then I stumbled upon this thing called “Film Diary NYC”, and it felt like someone finally got what I was trying to do.
It’s all about making these diary-like films, sort of like home movies but with a bit more thought put into them. I mean, who hasn’t watched old family videos and felt a pang of something, nostalgia maybe? That’s the vibe.
So, I started digging. This whole thing is inspired by some guy named Jonas Mekas, who was apparently big on this diary film stuff. I watched a bunch of his stuff, and it’s pretty raw and real. I decided to start by doing something similar. It made me think about all those times I filmed my friends just goofing around or those quiet moments when I was just walking around the city, soaking it all in.
Getting into it
I gathered all the footage I could find. Old hard drives, cloud storage, even some stuff on my phone. It was a mess, but a beautiful mess. Then I started putting it together, not really in any order, just going with the flow.
- Figuring out the software: I tried a few different video editing programs. Some were way too complicated, others were too basic. Eventually, I found one that felt just right, not too many bells and whistles, but enough to do what I needed.
- Choosing the clips: This was the hardest part. What to include, what to leave out? I decided to just trust my gut. If a clip made me feel something, it stayed.
- No fancy stuff: I kept the editing simple. No crazy transitions or effects. Just cuts and some basic color correction. The idea was to keep it raw and honest, like a real diary.
Putting it together
Once I had a rough cut, I watched it a few times. I asked my close friends for their opinions. Some parts dragged on too long, others were too short. I made some changes, then watched it again. And again. And again. Then I had something I was kind of happy with.
It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. It’s a little slice of my life, captured on film. Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I’m proud of it. And who knows, maybe I’ll keep doing this. Maybe it’ll become a regular thing. A visual diary of my life in this crazy, beautiful city. That was something that I was happy to achieve.
This Film Diary NYC thing, it’s more than just a festival or a project. It’s a way of looking at the world, of capturing the little moments that make up a life. And I’m here for it.
