grgbrns-blog

[grgbrns-blog]

my restricting obsession with fan projects

Every year I get to December and feel disappointed I haven’t made much headway in my career or original projects. And every year has counted toward realising I’ve spent to much of my time on non-profit non-publishable fan projects like Knights of the Clone Wars, Young Avengers III, and Return of the Sentry amongst others.

They’re a composite of my enthusiasm for for the media they take place in (with a sprinkle of wish-fulfilment) and nothing more. They directly influence my taste in music and what I’m artistically motivated to do, and I think it needs to stop.

I’ve had a serious problem with motivation for as long as I can remember. It particularly plagued my Sixth Form and University careers, where I’d often fail to turn in large quantities of work in the long term, and severe difficulty prioritising my time between work/downtime.

I’m tired of being creatively tied to my own consumerism. My viewing of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is in a few days, and I’d like it if I could enjoy the film without obsessing over my own fictional narrative.

I want to be a successful artist, not escape to a world of fiction through my own writing. I WANT this to happen. And if putting a lid on these projects will solve this insufferable problem, I’ll do it.

[grgbrns-blog]

TFA is unoriginal and that could be a big problem for the trilogy

The similarities between TFA and ANH are an issue because it lacks originality and infers financial greed from the studio. It also suggests the next two SW films will follow the same pattern.

ANH was the most financially successful film in the original trilogy and still holds the #10 spot globally. By duplicating the basic hero’s journey and support characters from this film, TFA aimed to be as financially successful as ANH instead of emulating its originality. This is ironic because ANH strength was adapting stock characters we already knew (classic hero on a journey, wise mentor, adventurous rogue, damsel in distress) and reinvented them, particularly in ESB and culminating in ROTJ. Because TFA is mostly a copy of ANH, it’s a copy of a copy.

Unfortunately, TFA was a financial and critical success so emulating the original trilogy step for step looks to be the direction of the sequel trilogy. Why would they fix what isn’t broken? EP8-TLJ will rehash ESB and EP9 will channel ROTJ.

So what’s my problem? TFA could have had its own original plot and taken creative licence with other stock characters, and been a better film as well as a finically hit - probably more so! This would have made the perfect balance of old and new, classic SW whilst completely original.

Some of TFA infer this untapped potential. The hunt for the map to Luke Skywalker reminded me of a classic treasure hunt. After ROTJ we’re all gearing to see where our hero ended up, so making this a motivation for the characters and having the reveal at the end gave the film time to breath on its own without cheating us (for the most part). The problem was the film steered away from this from ACT 2 and only returned in the fledgling moments of ACT 3 to necessitate the focus on the destruction of Starkiller base. What if the entire film was a race on the same quest, each party trying to reach the right planet first? The First Order are trying to kill Skywalker, the Resistance warn him, and Rey join him? Again, ANH had a singular focus: destroy the Death Star. The first scene sets up the Death Star plans and it is the story progression. This could have been mirrored by TFA, but completely original aswell. If we wanna go the Treasure Island vibe, Han and Rey could reinvent John Silver and Jim. New and old.

Another example besides ANH is Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy which took the superhero genre and exposed some needed originality; changing the tone to humorous, a fantastical visual setting, added an exceptional soundscape, tight script and dialogue, creative director, interesting and character reinventions. Combined they created a successful, entertaining, and original movie. It had its problems sure but it stands head and shoulders above Marvel’s other film achievements.

I have no idea whose to blame for this, whether it be the studio, writer, producer or director. However I really hope The Last Jedi is aware of this problem and addresses the lack of originality.

But it probably won’t.

[grgbrns-blog]

rey and superpower progression

Though I enjoyed SW:TFA it contains problems that still frustrate me. 

TFA was a good film. It was entertaining, nostalgic and fresh in places, but it played it safe too. On the re-watch I seem to enjoy the great parts more, whereas the missed opportunities become glaring. A main one I’ll highlight is Rey and her abilities in the Force. 

Rey is solid character, but her progression is hindered by augmented skills in the Force. Her narrative arc ends with accepting her Jedi talents and using them to defeat Kylo Ren, but she’s shown to be more than competent at using them previously. Therefore this scene - and Rey’s narrative resolution - lack impact and any sense of revelation. 

Having ridiculous power levels can be effective, an in-universe example being the character Galen Marek from The Force Unleashed video game. Marek was devastatingly skilled so the player could live out power fantasies through hack-and-slash gameplay. Marek embodied everything the player would find rewarding; being trained by Darth Vader, mastering the lightsaber and the Force, assassinating rogue Jedi, holding your own against Sith Lords etc. Though Marek is far from a deep and interesting character, her serves his purpose in the context of the game masterfully.

This can also work in film. Some characters are gifted with power, and the story instead focuses on the responsibility of using that power - Spider-Man being a successful example. However the problem with most western superheroes is that they do not earn their power, and I believe this holds true for Rey. Tony Stark is already intelligent and rich, and a shift in morality moves him to become the hero Iron Man. However there isn’t anywhere else he can progress to from there, he’s now a hero and his story is done. Similarly, Rey can already best Kylo Ren in physical and mental combat; she’s the hero. Did she earn this victory, or was it just necessitated? Where does she go from there?

When there’s build-up and payoff to character arc it is ultimately memorable and satisfying. When Han Solo and Princess Leia meet, they detest one another. Over the course of the story they support eachother a few times and the disdain grows to a begrudging respect, to affection, to love, to a romantic relationship. This is setup over three films. If Leia and Han had met on the Death Star in EP4 and instantly fallen in love, it would have no impact whatsoever. 

My argument is that a gradual progression of Rey’s skill throughout the story could have communicated more about the person she was. Using her powers to mirror her attitudes, confidence or maturity would be a more efficient use of the Force as a storytelling tool than to necessitate action sequences.

[grgbrns-blog]

declaration of intent

this blog is for me to post sketches and talk about media

there is no intended audience for these posts, I just wish to express my opinions in a completely neutral environment