This program is an interesting experience. Not that I haven’t done similar things before, but every time the worst appears to be over, they ratchet it up a notch.
I am talking, of course, about the multi-tasking practice the program provides.
This month we are studying animations, so I will be going through the process needed to write an animated short, which includes 2 character biographies, 3 springboards, a premise, an outline, a storyboard, and a script. One of the requirements is that everything is newly created. I cannot use anything that is related to my thesis, or that I created previously in the program.
But wait! That’s not all!
During the same time period I’m required to finish my thesis project, which is a full length live action film. I’ve done all the preliminary work on it (research, character bios, outline, first 70 pages, etc.), so now all I have to do is write the final 40 or so pages.
Which means focusing a lot of time and effort on two different stories concurrently.
Because of the tight deadline, I find myself flipping back and forth between the two projects. I’ll write a few pages on the animation, then ‘take a break’ by writing on my thesis project. Back and forth.
These are two very, very different stories.
Which is forcing my brain to switch gears rather quickly.
I hope I don’t break a cog!