Back in the Bird Collective days, I was writing one short film script per month. While this is a fantastic exercise, mostly they weren’t good scripts. But occasionally I got fairly close to what I was trying to achieve. Such a script was prompted by a visit to the Brewery Art Walk in general, and Michael Skura’s studio in particular.
It was a big open space, with his glass barnacle pieces arranged just so along one wall. While we were there, he had a projector shining different colored lights across the pieces, refracting the rays in a way that made the wall look like an ocean floor. Check it out in detail in the vid below.
At scale, it is absolutely mesmerizing. A lot like Los Angeles.
I immediately had the next film established in my head. I got to chatting with Michael about using the space and his art as a backdrop for shooting, and he seemed enthusiastic about it. I was going to write a metaphor about living and dream-chasing in Los Angeles, using all the characters I’d come across that I thought were only stereotypes in movies. It’s far from perfect, but you can read it, warts and all, here.
In the end, the Bird Collective was a democracy and my script didn’t get voted to be produced. But this main idea still gives me pause:
What line are you choosing to stand in, and how do you know it’s the right one?
You can learn more about Michael and his process at www.michaelskura.com.