Are we not storytellers?
I love watching films or maybe it’s the stories that I like. Not sure really, but I always find time watching them. It’s either that or photography.
Think about movies. Not the story itself but how it was built. In my mind, the script gets created first, then selection of possible actors that would fit in the movie. You see, the script is king. Every decision made is in the service of the script. The dress, the buildings, the conversations, the language, the entire set and behavior of actors are dedicated to getting the feel of the script to the viewer. The actors are important, of course, they are. That’s why they earn boatloads. They are the physical form of the character. But! they have to fit in the character – not the other way around. That’s why they get called for an audition and filtered out. The actors should be able to get the message across.
How many star-studded movies have you seen that eventually flopped? And how many were just glorious! though the actors were not famous. Difference? Yes, that was the difference =)
Maybe, directors even do it on purpose – so that the shine of a star will not blind the viewer from the story.
It is challenging to get the actors first, then figure out a script that ties them all together. I am not in the film industry so I’ll just keep my mouth shut. But I think it’s somehow safe to say that it is not so much about the actors than it is about the story.
Now, if you’ll replace the script with a project statement and the actors with photographs, you’ll have one of many ways to create a body of work.