big gun

Remember this scene from Inception? Arthur was trying to shoot down a subconcial projection hiding behind some transformers, but with very little success. Then Eames comes to the rescue. "You musn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling," he says. Then pulling out a massive peirce of aritlery, he blows up the transformers, obliterating the projection.

I have heard some people say that Inception is an allegory for filmmaking. This is however, beside the point I want to make. Stories, when people allow them into their minds, are very powerful. And sometimes, when we let stories speak to us, they can leave impressions on us that are hard to get rid of, and can even lead to change in our lives. One extreme example is in the film Avatar, which led some fans to feel depressed and even have suicidal thoughts because our world could not compare to the beauty and blissfulness of Pandora. ( http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-11/entertainment/avatar.movie.blues_1_pandora-depressed-posts?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ ) Now, this my sound a bit extreme, but think about it for a second. Think of all the films which have captured your imagination, took ideas and made them bigger or more real to you, tradegies, comedies, and fairy tales that have left an impression on you for a lifetime. I can think of several movies with have made me want to be something and have an amazing story to tell, just like the hero. Tarzan made me want to be a super buff, wild and free character like Tarzan. Lord of the Rings made me want to be as wise as an elf and as faithful as Samwise Gamgee.  

Last January I made a music video for the Jars of Clay song "Edge of Water." This spring I showed it to some of my teachers and at a show project display night. When I made the video I was merely trying to display my interpretation of the song. However, I found that it actually did make an impression on people. Some commented on how they liked it, one teacher told me it made her want to exercise more, and I even saw some cry while watching it. I had no idea what it would do... I hope it made a positive impression on everyone, but there is really no way to tell.

Be encouraged my friends, but be afraid. By going into digital media arts, we have decided to use the big guns. We are going to play with tools that have the power to plant, grow, and impress ideas and desires inside people's minds. I can't think of anything that could be more exhillerating and more scary at the same time. Thank God that He is bigger than any gun and will guide our stories for His purpose.