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Sunday, August 08, 2004

The Opening Sequence

I think I've had a breakthrough on the paper edit. I was toying with starting the film with archive footage--stuff from the 80s describing Japan as an economic tour de force. This would punctuate what Japan was like when the cowboys started to think about going to Japan. But it just didn't seem right. I kept thinking "This is Tokyo...early 21st century." And the archive footage would not go along with that idea. So, what would?

And I started to think about postcards.

We have so much "postcard" footage of Tokyo. And if the opening footage is a quick succession of loads of postcard shots, that would make more sense. Then the cutting would slow down, stop, speed up, stop, all to the rythm of the sound track. Then the voice over "This is Tokyo...early 21st century." I'm working on the rest of the voice over.

Everything I tell you is true.
There is no such thing as true.
There is no such thing as objective.
I have not been objective. I have been truthful.

I'm not sure if I have to state this. I mean...objectivity does not exist in documentary.