Everyone should travel. Near or far, we should all attempt to broaden our horizons at least a little. Seeing places in pictures and hearing about them on shows will never be the same as being there and interacting with the locals.
In fact, I think things like satellite radio and cable television have taken a bit of the fun out of travel. Local radio can give you a taste of an area even while you're just "passing through" in the car and local television used to be a real eye opener, especially when there was a local access channel to enjoy in a motel.
As a creative though, the trouble with traveling is that these new experiences, new locations, different places and histories all trigger your desire to create a world with this new place as a starting point. That's fine for photographers who take the photos on a trip or a writer of books who can take ideas home with them and put them to paper. The problem really presents itself as an issue for those of us who work in film.
"All Wrapped Up" has some stock footage used for Egypt (a place I've never been), but also a couple of shots taken while I was on vacation in Scotland. Scotland and Ireland have great landscapes. They have vast areas and castles that make an American feel like they've slipped back in time. Many of their fairy tales and legends are the basis for some of ours, but different in key ways that spark the imagination. The trouble is, without a significant budget, filming there will never happen for me. Heck, I have a hard enough time going back on vacations.
And this sort of thing happens everywhere I go. Lunch out? If the restaurant is unusual or has personality, you can bet I'll want to film there. (Look for an appearance by Pop's Diner in Jack vs Lanterns).
A farm? Mountains? Old train museum? Horses? When can I shoot a Western?!
It's like every vacation becomes a location scouting mission.
Trips to nearby towns, up to NY to visit family, back to Florida to see other family all bring me in contact with new people, places and experiences that by default I want to add a monster a to and make into a movie. It's hard to keep up with my own brain sometimes. Keeping track is tough and scheduling things is even tougher.
Maybe it's why I've become a bit of homebody lately. I need to finish up on ideas from past trips before I take too many more.
In fact, I think things like satellite radio and cable television have taken a bit of the fun out of travel. Local radio can give you a taste of an area even while you're just "passing through" in the car and local television used to be a real eye opener, especially when there was a local access channel to enjoy in a motel.
As a creative though, the trouble with traveling is that these new experiences, new locations, different places and histories all trigger your desire to create a world with this new place as a starting point. That's fine for photographers who take the photos on a trip or a writer of books who can take ideas home with them and put them to paper. The problem really presents itself as an issue for those of us who work in film.
"All Wrapped Up" has some stock footage used for Egypt (a place I've never been), but also a couple of shots taken while I was on vacation in Scotland. Scotland and Ireland have great landscapes. They have vast areas and castles that make an American feel like they've slipped back in time. Many of their fairy tales and legends are the basis for some of ours, but different in key ways that spark the imagination. The trouble is, without a significant budget, filming there will never happen for me. Heck, I have a hard enough time going back on vacations.
And this sort of thing happens everywhere I go. Lunch out? If the restaurant is unusual or has personality, you can bet I'll want to film there. (Look for an appearance by Pop's Diner in Jack vs Lanterns).
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| Interior Shot at Pop's Diner, Hendersonville, NC |
A farm? Mountains? Old train museum? Horses? When can I shoot a Western?!
It's like every vacation becomes a location scouting mission.
Trips to nearby towns, up to NY to visit family, back to Florida to see other family all bring me in contact with new people, places and experiences that by default I want to add a monster a to and make into a movie. It's hard to keep up with my own brain sometimes. Keeping track is tough and scheduling things is even tougher.
Maybe it's why I've become a bit of homebody lately. I need to finish up on ideas from past trips before I take too many more.
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