I spoke a little about the importance of canon for audience engagement the other day in my post about streaming video.. Lately I’m playing around with a bit of canon of my own in Delta Phi. One of the leads is able drain color from the world around her by putting on a plastic crown. I’ve made the transition visually immediate, leaving color out of one frame and plugging it in the next, so that it happens just as soon as the crown touches her head.

I’ve wondered whether to make the transition more gradual. The color could fade in and out softly. This wouldn’t break the canon, and I’ve gotten feedback indicating to me that that’s what people want. Or think they want.

I’m not completely decided, but for now I like the change to be immediate. Most audiences have grown tired with the ethereal softness attached to headspaces and imaginary worlds. It’s the real world that’s mushy and confusing. Monet had it right. I wanted everything about Princess’s headspace in Delta Phi to be real, concrete and tactile. There’s something very mechanical about the way color reacts to her crown, and mechanical is concrete. To make it a fade-in makes it less mechanical. It’s just one of many small decisions one must make while editing.

What are your thoughts on how fantasy worlds are portrayed in films? Let me know in the comments, or share this post with a friend who may want to share their ideas.

Peace,

Ayah

#DeltaPhiFilm