Wow, it's been forever, hasn't it? A month, I think? Wow. I fail.
But I have an excuse, I promise you.
You see, my friend and I are making 100 videos in 100 days. Obviously, we are crazy for doing this. We don't care, though--we live for insanity. NORMAL IS BORING. So, my fellow film nerds, please feel free to look up the wackiness that is Alien Water Torture's Video-A-Day on my YouTube, and cheer us on in our looniness.
Meanwhile, here are ten things you (or anyone, really) can do on a weekend instead of getting toasted (or in addition to it, if that happens to be something you enjoy):
1) Grab your best friend, your roommate, your sorority sister, that weird kid who lives down the hall, your RA, or hell, even your history professor and MAKE A FLIPPING MOVIE ALREADY. Seriously, you think the Academy will just knock on your door? Make a movie, win a film festival, get into the Oscars, and then win and live in fame and glory for the remainder of your existence. Couldn't be simpler. ;)
2) Just take your camera and walk around campus. Yes, at night. Put on your night vision, or set your aperture as low (or high) as you need it--and then go wild. Take close-ups of things you never thought of before, like a gutter or a tree root or that weirdly-patterned dirt on your friend's windowpane. And then take wide shots. And then facepalm when you realize what a hipster you're being by wandering around taking photos at night.
3) Unleash your inner Art Nerd: grab a piece of paper and whatever medium is nearest to you (markers, crayons, paint--hell, use gel pens if you have to) and create the most perfect thing you've ever drawn. And then put it on your wall (of your dorm, not Facebook, though you can do that too if you like) so everyone can see your creative genius.
4) If you don't have access to a camera (or, like me, all your memory cards are full), play around with Photobooth, if you have a Mac, or YouCam, if you have a PC. Play with the effects. Mess around with your surroundings. Change hats. Put on goofy sunglasses. Then, either upload it to Facebook so everyone can see how epic you are, or make one of the pictures your profile pic--some of my favorite profile pics came from self-taken computer photos, including the one for my blog.
5) Going off #4, play dress-up. Scrounge around your room. Find something that you think could totally be a costume for a movie. Put it on, and be that character. Then, sit down and write a script or short story from the perspective of that character. (This is a fun way to come up with ideas, if you're stuck on plots or concepts for #1.)
6) IM, text, call, or visit someone. Yes, I know it's lame. But if you interact with a fellow human being even for just a few minutes, you can 1) get all kinds of epic film ideas, 2) potentially make someone's day with just a friendly "Hello," 3) get that lovely warm fuzzy "I just talked to my friend" feeling, or 4) get that warm fuzzy lovely "I just talked to the person I have a superepicmassive crush on" feeling (obviously, the shy need not attempt that last one).
7) Just sit down and WRITE, PEOPLE, WRITE. Don't know what to write? IT DOESN'T BLEEPING MATTER. Automatic writing (a.k.a., what you do when you just shut off your brain and let your pen--or keyboard--go) may turn out to be garbage, but it also could turn out to be the best thing you've ever written--I just know that the script I'm writing now came from an idea that I wrote in the midst of a fierce automatic writing session. Are you a better talker than writer? Turn on your camera, sit down in front of it, and say whatever comes to mind. You'd be surprised what kind of weirdness (or wonderfulness) goes on in your own brain.
8) Snuggle. Yes, that's right. Snuggle. With a pillow, a person, a stuffed animal, a pet (if you have one) or even a blanket (hey, it's totally possible for 18-year-olds to have favorite blankets, right? RIGHT?)--doesn't matter. Just snuggle with something. If you fall asleep, that's even better--you'll just wake up earlier and have even MORE weekend to be bored with! ;)
9) Have a one-person (or two-person, or THREE-person) dance party in your dorm room. Turn off the lights, turn up the music, and LET GO, baby, LET FREAKING GO. This is the time to listen and dance to that awkward hipster music, fun oldies stuff, and lovely middle-school flashbacks that they never play at your school dances.
10) Tried-and-true: Watch your favorite movie. Oh, sorry, is that too boring for you? Become a film critic! Write up an honest critique of your favorite movie. Think of it from every angle. Sure, that guy is cute, but is he REALLY a good actor? Yes, that line may make you shoot soda out your nose every time, but how does the rest of the script stand up? Would the sets make Kubrick green with envy, or do they look like something left over from your high-school scene shop? Leave no stone unturned. Be as brutal or complimentary as you like--after all, if you don't want anyone but you to see this review, they won't.
BONUS RANDOMOSITY IDEAS:
Go for a long walk (but don't get lost)
Write a letter to your favorite dead person or unattainable celebrity crush
Go online shopping for stuff you love but couldn't afford in a million years (like window-shopping, only done through a computer screen)
Re-write your favorite song as a school-spirit anthem
Belt out your favorite songs into a hairbrush (yes, even if you can't sing)
Make a vlog
Make a BLOG (hint, hint)
See how far you can hop on one foot
Experiment with makeup, face paint, or hair products (just go easy on the glitter, unless you want your room to look like it was ransacked by Edward Cullen)
Practice saying the alphabet backwards
Do the weirdest dances you've ever seen (the chicken dance, the macarena, the cupid shuffle--whatever you want--remember, no one has to know but you)
Practice your accents: do your best Harry Potter, Scarlett O'Hara, or Sopranos imitation--and, for bonus points, next time your phone rings, answer it in that accent
Put a color streak in your hair
Attempt to juggle (with non-breakable objects, preferably)
Mercilessly mock Twilight
Make a Sherlock Holmes meme
Walk around talking like Mr. Spock
Write yourself a letter of encouragement, funny stuff, and good ideas. Leave it in a safe place. Take it out and read it whenever you need a boost or a boredom-buster! :)
STOLEN DIALOGUE
"Driving in the Dominican Republic, you just close your eyes, hit the gas and hope for the best."
Person 1: Can I sit with you?
Person two: Sure. Pop a squat.
Person three: Please don't in this classroom!
"If Capps ever met my dad, he'd have his own chapter in this book."
"He's got a postcard-sized picture of what's going on, and he's trying to paint it on the Sistine Chapel."
"I'm dedicated to finishing my major, but I'm not praying to the English Gods or anything..."
"She always said, 'Ready? Lay down!' All she'd have to do is say 'Lie down!' for a day, and she'd be using proper English!"
Person one: Michael Bay is producing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Apparently they're aliens--he says the turtles are aliens.
Person two: No they're not, they're mutants, just listen to the damn name!
Person one: Yeah...I know, but according to Michael Bay...
Person two: There'll be a lot of exploding turtles in that movie.
Person one: Well, it's produced by Michael Bay, directed by Jonathan Leeman.
Person two: Yes...exploding turtles...there will be lots of shell fragments everywhere.
"I found myself asking myself, 'What the hell is he talking about?'"
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