“the torch” #40 – Your film's emotional balance sheet

If indeed Oscar Wilde was right in saying that it is only shallow people who can’t let go of a feeling, then, probably, our films’ tendency to elaborate on emotions should equally be discarded as sentimental bravery? While I’m not so sure about the former of these two statements, I can, however, agree with the notion that more often than not, less would have been substantially better in much of what we see come to our silver screens as supposed filmic renditions of our life reality. Undoubtedly, there are limits to what refinement and level of subtlety works in a movie and where it begins to be just cryptic, dim, or outright pretentious. So, film at times needs to paint in bolder strokes in order to bring its story across as colourful and vivid as we like it; even in its darker tones. But when it comes to consolidating your draft with strong effects, “The Torch” (here) argues that it is a task of striking the right balance, first and foremost.

(pic©mo)