Dinner Part 2

This is the second of two entries on the dinner party. This one’s a little bit more about what I, as the series creator, got out of the event.

Hearing dialogue spoken out loud has two purposes. You can gauge what it actually sounds like outside of your head and it also gives you the opportunity to find those writing errors that go virtually unnoticed when read silently.

There were definitely some lines I need to revise. There were also some lines that sounded awful – but I feel that provided a gifted and professional actor/actress would come across as more genuine. I’m not trying to diminish the acting capabilities of any of my friends or guests – but there were specific lines read that just weren’t delivered correctly.

This gives me insight into the directing aspect of the series. It also compels me further to direct the series myself. Most of these characters, Trust, Eddie, Riley, Dana, Cain, etc. I have a pretty good idea of who these people are. I feel like if I were to explain their motivations to someone, they’d understand a bit more about them, and have greater insight into how they say things, why they say things, etc.

Cain for instance; Eastern European, perhaps even Russian, but he definitely speaks with an accent. His lines come out a little bit slower than most – as the most significant aged character on the show, he’s seen a lot and perceives things in a way unlike most of the characters.

I personally struggle with modernity. I think its rather unfathomable to perceive a world filled with nearly seven billion unique people spread across almost two-hundred nations and probably ten-fold more individual cultures and ethnicities. I struggle with the notion that the generation gap between ourselves and our parents is widening further and further. Was life examined so profusely forty years ago? Did they ask themselves these same questions? It’s arguable that perhaps this generation does find itself in very different circumstances that the previous one did – perhaps even tougher strugglers; however, I find it almost certain that our parents generation viewed themselves in a similar position in contrast to their parents’ generation. This is the concept I’d like to explore with Cain. I’d really like to be able to identity and explore the conflict that rages between these two generations. Is contempt for previous generations inherent in today’s youth – or inherent in all youth? Life on Earth would never progress or change if there wasn’t some level of dissatisfaction with modernity.

The relationship between Cain and Derek will eventually become that of the surrogate father-and-son. Through this unlikely relationship I’d like to explore some way to mend the broken relationship between past and present; modernity and post-modernity. I fully believe that a lot of conflict in this world is based on the sins of the father – and how long can that conflict continue? Juxtaposed with the youthful Daniella (yes, I’d to change Danielle to Daniella) Parsons, who makes her decisions based on her perception of the future as opposed to her perception of the past – Cain will make a remarkable foil for almost every character on the show both enemy and ally.

Now I know I’ve veered from the discussion of the dinner quite a bit – but these were certainly issues I was pondering while everyone else was reading. While I did the narration, which is needless to say, monotonous, it was interesting to see the emotional level that these other characters were given.

L.B. and C.C. (I’m using initials to cover up for my friends real names) both did a wonderful job of Riley. The innocent girl who breaks traditional gender stereotypes, yet finds herself wildly fascinated with the events unfolding before her. I liked that that Riley was a character that came off as easy to understand and interpret. E.B., who I’ve been collaborating with extensively on SOUNDTRACK, had a thorough understanding of who Eddie is, and for the two events, provided an excellent interpretation of the character.

To summarize – I think I’ve gotten all I can get out of these dinners. They are exceptional, entertaining and useful things for reviewing the script – but in order to get anything more out of them I’ll have to mix them up.

If there is to be a third dinner – which of course there will be, perhaps coinciding with E.B.’s Collingwood Chalet retreat – but it will be much more heavy on directing. For participants of past events reading now, expect to be coached a little bit more in your character. I’ll be making extensive directing notes for the third episode in order to effectively create a more entertaining experience for the next dinner.

Thank you so much for reading what has dragged on way too long. Hope you all have wonderful days, and expect a few production-related posts coming in the next few days.