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June 2, 2008
lsgl: rendering
by sven at 11:11 am
Day 38 in the 100-day countdown
I've finished rendering about 45 seconds of Let Sleeping Gods Lie's Act 2, which should be about 2 min long. Barring big problems, I should be able to get Act 2 done this month. Which means I can start worrying about whether or not I can finish Act 3 (already 80% complete) and get the sound done in time for the August 15 deadline. Things are hopeful: it looks like I have a decent chance of finishing this project! :D
But it's taking a toll. There are days when this film feels like a death march. It's not that I mind hard work -- hard work is satisfying when it gives a sense of control. The problem is that I don't feel like I'm in control of the film right now -- rather, it controls me.
For the first 50ish days of the 100-day countdown, I set myself a 25 hour per week goal -- and when I hit it, I could quit working on the film and do other projects. Now, it feels like I can't afford to ever stop; I simply have to put in as many hours as humanly possible. It makes me feel trapped.
Another facet of losing control is that right now I have these massive renders to output. I'll spend 2-10 hours preparing a file, and then it renders overnight, for 24 hours or more. That means I get a break... But when it's going to happen is unpredictable. So I can't anticipate it or relax when it happens. It feels like being on-call; a rhythm of life that I've seen folks in the medical profession go through, which has always seemed eviscerating.
This is just a hard part. It'll be fine... Despite what it feels like, this project will NOT last forever.
posted by sven | June 2, 2008 11:11 AM | comments (7) | categories: let sleeping gods lie
Comments
well, that's the problem: we're not having enough sword fights on office chairs while rendering! though you did get shelves put up, which i thought was awesome. :)
Posted by: gl. at June 2, 2008 11:22 AM
Doode, tell me about it. Try what you're going through for 15 years with 15 more out on the horizon and then we can cry together...
Posted by: Shelley Noble at June 2, 2008 11:45 AM
@Shells: Just to be clear: I'm not competing. I know your project's more monstrously huge than mine, Shells -- and Justin pulls later nights than I do. My goal is just to describe how things are right now.
The text came from a check-in email I just sent some Artist's Way friends. It seemed descriptive, and I haven't checked-in here for a while, so I figured it could do double-duty.
@gl.: We're going to need to get a second rolly chair. :)
Posted by: sven at June 2, 2008 12:09 PM
OOooo, Sven! Typing intonation error! I was totally comiserating WITH you!!! I in no way felt you were competing--I can't even imagine that, no way.
I was meaning to say YES! to what you were feeling. Besides, it's only about 4 more years work ahead.
Posted by: Shelley Noble at June 2, 2008 8:58 PM
ha! "Typing intonation error!" i love that!
Posted by: gl. at June 2, 2008 9:12 PM
Stay strong brother!!
We are all pulling ....Im sending energy BEANS through the posotivosphere!!
jriggityPosted by: justin rasch at June 3, 2008 2:39 PM
@Shells: Ah, got it! Once again the lack of tonal cues trips up communication. Commiseration welcomed. :)
@Justin: Thanks bro! Beans received... I tucked them into a lovely burrito and had them with verde sauce for dinner. :D
Posted by: sven at June 6, 2008 3:19 PM