CreativeExplorer-MichaelMandaville.com

I work in Film. I live in Martial Arts. I thrive in Imagination.

Writing

Putting Pen to Paper Keeps the Mind Sharp

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Why Writing?

All that chatter in one's brain?! Cured for me by writing down my thoughts and forcing my brain to clarify and order them. To pick the words for precision. The order of the words to clarify thinking. Perhaps this effort is a constant Socratic forum for my brain to achieve more and more.

Scholar Warrior Way

Brainstorming the How: Make Your Life Cinematic

October 30, 20238 min read

My friend, Audrey, read my article entitled “Kurosawa and Your Vision” (click here) about legendary master Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. In the video about Kurosawa from “Every Frame a Painting”, Audrey noted this great quote:

"If you combine the right motion and the right emotion you get something cinematic."

Initially, when I watched the video with my mindset on filmmaking, I was really just thinking about framing, emotion, movement…and great Japanese Samurai movies.

But Audrey’s interest in this specific line, standing alone, sparked another direction of Reflection and Self-Development. Amazing how us humans gain inspiration and insight from working with each other. Thank you, Audrey.

Human Embrace Systems

As humans, we have been building civilizations which requires structure and systems for thousands of years - Egypt, Rome, China, India, Mesopotamia, Incan and more to the present day. These civilizations had ‘systems’ which allowed them to operate - ideally - in a smart, efficient, consistent and cohesive manner.

So, we gravitate toward systems because the results are consistent, predictable and efficient. That’s great for credit card processing, driving (can you imagine Los Angeles freeways without any system?!) and learning systems such as schools.

But how do Systems serve us in being and becoming the Creator of our Destiny in pursuit of heartfelt goals?

In many ways, I believe that a system is useful after we’ve done a non-systemic process for brainstorming in the most powerful country in the world. The Imagi-nation. Okay, I took that from “Miracle on 34th Street” when Santa Claus instructs the little girl (a very young Natalie Wood) on her neglect of her own childlike wonder world away from the ‘reality’ of an adult world created by her mother, a terrific Maureen O’Hara.

But at what point do we stop a massive planning extravaganza and flow with a different perspective?

Audrey said the line stuck with her: “When you combine the right motion with the right emotion, you get something cinematic.” Cinematic is big, epic (think “Lawrence of Arabia”) and impactful.

Improve the Quality of Brainstorming

In today’s world, in many cases, many of us chase quantity over quality.

Buy more stuff. Stuff will make us happy. Certainly, major conglomerates and internet based advertising scan our web travels and phone clicks to sell us more stuff. Commerce. It is the basis of our economy, buying and consuming more and more and more goods.

There are huge issues with the behavior that we might buy things to make us feel better temporarily rather than dealing with getting better at feeling. The human journey is one of the head, the heart and the gut in this sensation of feeling.

“Feeling” seems to have a negative connotation with some people because it implies a certain weakness. But we have to recognize that we not only want but chase such positive feelings like courage, victory, inspiration, vitality, love, respect, enthusiasm etc. These emotional states are amongst the highest desired and the most remembered in our lives.

Realign Your Thought Process

The key is to combine the productivity of a ‘system’ with the wonderful creative chaos of brainstorming. Great metaphors abound for creating your life’s direction.

  • Free writing with a pen

  • Drawing with a brush

  • Jamming jazz with an instrument

  • Silly Dancing for physical enjoyment

In the Kenpo Karate martial arts that I have done for 36 years, we have forms, techniques, sets and drills. Highly choreographed components with the optimum output of ‘spontaneous formulation’. Yes, you learn drills and sets 1,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 times planning on specific input e.g. a punch, kick or handsword, etc., But then, when the time comes in an actual attack, you have no time to ‘recall’ a specific response. You are performing spontaneous formulation because you will have zero time for recollection. There are three elements of time and awareness: Perceptual-Mental-Physical. Closing the gap from Perceptual directly to Physical could mean life or death.

We could also call this ‘Flow’ whereby your work, hobby or activity is so engrossing that time flies by. The Key lies in the Combination of the two in applying their sequence, rhythm and use.

Think of Your Own One-Two Punch

A Combination in martial arts means a few moves ‘combined’ together. For example, block, ball kick, punch. Same here. In many cases, especially in today’s world of the information economy, planning too far ahead is not the best method to use. How can you plan your life five or ten years ahead? Not in today’s especially chaotic world. And you should not do so: You will not be aware and see Opportunities right in front of you with only a focus on THE PLAN.

I was recollecting when I actually was raising my daughter. She was about 12 years old. She wanted money to go to the movies so she wanted $15. "So that is three hours of work" at five dollars an hour. actually, then she said, “I would like $20.“

I said, “Oh then that’s five hours of work.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Isn’t it five dollars an hour?“

I said, “Now we’re bargaining.” Yep. Tough being the daughter of a filmmaking Line Producer who deals with waaaaaaay too many film budgets.

She got her $20, went to the movies and came back expecting what the work would be. I think she was thinking that it might be sweeping the floors or polishing a window or that sort of thing. I said, “Get out the circular saw and the post digger. We’re building a fence.“ Her eyebrows shot up. Say what?!

Planning & Brainstorming

So we had to plan out the fence and getting the parts cutting the wood putting in the posts, mixing the concrete, setting up the lattice. Organize the tools. Calculate the nails and screws and fixtures and more.

First, we had to find the “Right Motion” - plan, momentum, movement, action. Right?

While building the fence, she told me all about how she had her life planned out. How she was going to school, how she was going to get married and how she was gonna have a family. The whole bit. She thought it through and through. And of course if you’re a father and you keep your mouth shut, then 12 year olds will talk and talk and talk. I told her to mix the cement with her hands. She was stunned and held up her newly done nail polish. “Okay,” I sighed. “You can use the shovel. This one time.” Hehehehhe.

Now, a lot of her planning didn’t happen quite the way we planned - but she sure dreamed a lot! Some of our fence construction didn’t work out as planned.

Second, I wanted to find the “Right Emotion” - a kinship with my daughter, giving her paternal insight, demonstrating ‘wisdom’ through a project and more.

At the end of building the fence, she understood the value of hard work. To this day, she is a very hard worker. She got a chance to experience how the people who build fences, do physical labor and create the actual ‘things’ in our lives are to be respected. She knows that she built a fine fence - and discovered a bit more self-reliance, resilience and more than her friends. She has a 'Can-Do' Spirit because she undertook a challenge and did well. The fence is still there. A bit worn. But it lasted. There’s great satisfaction in making your home a better place.

We had a plan - but we adjusted. As General Eisenhower was quote in World War II (and World War II, to me, can explain everything), “You can plan the battle. But don’t battle the plan.” Time and time again, generals come up with the perfect plan and insist on staying with their ‘genius’ strategy despite further ‘input’ from the battle itself. The enemy is quite ‘behaving’ as we predicted. The weather plunges into rain or storm. Weapons fail. Terrain becomes impenetrable. Or terrain considered impregnable (as in the WW2 “Battle of the Bulge” during the ‘impassable’ Ardennes with a shocking German Army winter offensive) is used for a surprise attack. Yes, these are metaphors in history during desperate and deadly times.

Perhaps you might think the metaphors useful because you might consider ‘attacking’ your own goals with such fervor, dedication and single-minded ferocity and tenacity. Just a thought.

Today’s ‘Soft-ware’ Thinking

For a softer side of strategic thinking, we might consider software development for a fluid data matrix.

Today, our thinking and input and planning is a bit more like software development. Plan>Input>Action>Revise>Implement Repeat. More like this diagram.

Right Emotion? Enthusiasm. Crazy. Outlandish. Fun. Scary. Daring. Bold. Yes, keep going. That kind of thinking becomes Cinematic.

Circular. Flow. Movement. Momentum.

And now when we circle to Audrey’s focus on the one line, “If you combine the right motion and the right emotion you get something cinematic,” we can create a better more fulfilling human and authentic ‘flow’ for our lives too.

Think of the ‘Right Motion’ as the planning stage. Think of the ‘Right Emotion’ as your enthusiasm, excitement, movement, momentum. The stuff you want to tell people about that you did and enthused you deep inside for what you really, genuinely want to do. One is the Plan. One is the Emotion.

Circular. Flow. Momentum.

Cinematic.

self-improvementpersonal development
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Michael Mandaville

Michael is a writer, filmmaker and dedicated World War II historian who studies martial arts, action films and is learning more about VFX every single darn day. Oh and a Scholar Warrior

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