[-empyre-] David Tolchinsky: Resolution for Digital Futures

[Renate Ferro]

>Regardless of the technology being used, regardless of the mode, the 
>sphere, interactive or linear, often what separates what is 
>effective, moving, intellectually fascinating from the one-liner, 
>the distant, and the trivial is the quality of the writing.
>
>So I resolve in 2009 and beyond to as much as possible put the 
>writing first, the technology second. To start with an idea, a 
>shape, an arc. To ask myself: How do I want to affect my audience? 
>What is there about the work that forces the user to remain 
>immersed? Why can't we walk away? What can I do in the digital 
>sphere that has been done in writing-centric films like Sullivan's 
>Travels, Raging Bull, Mulholland Drive, Memento, and more recently 
>The Wrestler?  
>
>Mulholland Drive ("MD") in particular is a great model for me as I 
>think about the digital as MD is mysterious and the subject is not 
>just the story, but also the "apparatus". That is it's as much about 
>the filmmaking and filmmaker as it is about the story, which has 
>been my experience with a lot of emergent projects. The digital box 
>is as important as the contents.  But what makes MD accessible and 
>profound: each scene is well-written:  simple, moving and/or scary. 
>The film is built on a traditional 4-act structure (yes, 4 acts not 
>3 acts in my world). It has shape and purpose -- a series of 
>clues/tasks/missions for its terrified and terrifying characters and 
>a series of questions for its audience -- even though on first 
>glance it seems like "just a dream." 
>
>So back to resolutions for the digital:  whether an immersive 
>environment, a game, an installation, etc: There should be structure 
>even though the structure may not be apparent. There should be 
>characters (whatever that means to you) that people can relate to, 
>with problems that need to be solved. There should be questions, 
>secrets and/or mysteries that force us to remain connected. The 
>technology should be secondary to story or the immersive aspects of 
>the projects, even as we're aware of the technology. We don't have 
>to wrap everything up, but there should be some sense of a 
>background purpose that drives the piece forwards and deeper.
>
>Traditional I know and certainly only one vision and certainly not 
>relevant to all projects (maybe just relevant for me as I make my 
>way from narrative project to emergent project and back again), but 
>I do believe if the writing is considered first, there will be many 
>long happy lives in the digital realm.  I welcome the evolving 
>conversation.
>
>
>Bio: David E. Tolchinsky (US) is Chair of Northwestern University's 
>Department of Radio-TV-Film and Director of Northwestern's MFA in 
>Writing for the Screen+Stage/Creative Writing for the Media 
>Program. As a screenwriter, he has been commissioned by such studios 
>as Touchstone/Disney, MGM Pictures, Ivan Reitman's Montecito 
>Pictures, USA Networks, Edward R. Pressman Film Corp, and 
>Addis-Wechsler & Assoc. to write feature screenplays. He also 
>creates sound designs for interactive computer projects and video 
>installations.  He is a graduate of Yale (BA) and USC School of 
>Cinema-Television (MFA). Last year, he was chosen to be a 
>Northwestern University Charles Deering McCormick Professor of 
>Teaching Excellence.

-- 
Renate Ferro and Tim Murray
Co-Moderators, -empyre- a soft-skinned-space
Department of Art/ Rose Goldsen Archive of New Media Art
Cornell University