STEP 4: Editing to Excellence
Editing is another one of those
processes that I leave to others, but that doesn't mean I haven't had
a taste of it. When I was younger, my brother and his friends were
very much involved in stop-motion animation, and later my friend and
I edited our own home videos. Waiting for forever to get the “it's
done” from Leah on movie proves that editing is much harder
than you would ever think. Remember I said that when you film it can
be a fifteen frame scene and be a fifty take day? In editing, every
one of those fifty takes has to be filed through to pick out just the
right one, then you have to merge it into the next frame in exactly
the right way, or it will look “stop-y”. Do this frame, after
frame, after frame and you'll be lucky to get a couple minutes worth
in a few hours. I haven't even touched sound, people! Music and sound
effects all have to be delicately broken into the clips. Loud enough,
but not overpowering. Dramatic enough, but not fake. A special thanks
to Ms. Oxendine for very beautifully and skillfully getting the job
done.
Excellence. That's what we all strive
for in anything we do. Whether it's an instrument, a drawing, a
castle made out of Lego's, we all pursue the very best. Each flick
published by Glory Film Productions is better then the last. Every
message, every character, every storyline, we always try to make them
as entertaining and impacting as our abilities will allow us. As I
have hopefully shown you today, it's hard work. There is no easy road
or shortcut. We have to push through those days of standing around
while the featured actors screw up their parts for the hundredth time
(yes, #sheepishgrin# I am guilty of it too), those days of 90 degree
weather that we so often get in Florida, and those times where you
feel like your inspiration has run dry and you have nothing more to
give. But whenever the going gets tough, someone (probably Bennett or
Will) cracks a joke and we remember why we are killing ourselves to
make a movie, and this is why:
Each member of GFP want to see the
company succeed. Whether that member pours their everything into it,
or like the youngsters of the group, simply star as cameos, we are
all willing to help out so that we can see others' dreams come true.
We want to see the company succeed, but moreover, we want to see the
people who make up the company succeed.
There's another reason too. It's the
motto, or (if you will) slogan that we've had from the beginning. The
name itself gives hint to what our purpose is. GLORY Film
Productions. The GLORY belongs to GOD. We want to exalt our heavenly
father with the skills and talents that he has blessed us with. We
want to point people in the right direction through the best way we
know how. Some people minister through singing. Some do it through
mission trips across the world. Some do it with handing out tracks,
and some people minister by doing yard work for the elderly woman
down the road. Christians are meant to serve people with the love
that Jesus Christ gave us. Glory Film Productions is our way of
presenting biblical messages to a lost and dying world. We want to
share with the community, the nation, and the world what great gifts
that God has given us. He gave us individual gifts like acting,
directing, writing, etc., but He gave us all one very important gift:
His son. Jesus lived the perfect life that we cannot live, and died
the harsh death that we deserved. That's what GFP is all about. Every
difficulty we face, we push through it for Him, and for he
individuals who need to know Him. May God bless Glory Film
Productions as he has these past years, I can't wait to see where He
will lead us next.
Forever One of a Kind,
M.G. <3
