Reflect upon an influential text (e.g. a reading, or a screening) you encountered during the studio, and discuss it in terms of your own developing practice. This might be (but not limited to), how it introduced you to new ideas. Or, how it changed or reinforced your previous ways of working. Or, how it inspired you to begin thinking about your ideas for the final project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqwgeZooUm

Philippe Orreindy’s short film J’Attendrai Le Suivant (2002) provoked ideas regarding screen writing’s authenticity, simplicity’s potential, and the euphoria of entertainment. Stationed (quite literally) on the metro in Paris, Orreindy’s text seduces its audience by appealing to the heightened spectrum of love’s convention. Leaving us empty armed in its conclusion’s false hug of hope. Metaphoric, to that of a screen writer’s experience whom grapples with the profoundness of a blank page. J’Attendrai Le Suivant related to my creative pursuit’s marketing to an internalised audience as I imagine a magnitude of possibilities from the blankness of a screen. Thus, making J’Attendrai Le Suivant the wake up call all creatives sometimes need as it reminded me that screen writing does not always have to be about the cause, but sometimes even more so about the effect.

Whitted in dark humour regarding love’s, at times, delusional transfixion, the text reminded me of my interest in convention. The film itself is not theatrical in its delivery, but instead uses the audience’s strong dependence and comfort with hollywood ideals of love to credential itself and its effect.