I have spent this week relaxing and chilling while Cyndi and the crew have been having production meetings and team-building exercises. I plan to spend the rest of the week just relaxing because "All work and no play made Jabbes a dull boy."

During this period, am reading some books just to have more insight into what it means to be Director. The first book I looked at as I prepare myself for this challenge, is the $30 Film School. I went straight to Chapter Four - FILM CREW. My heart lept when I read the role of the director, this is what they wrote;

"Is considered GOD. He runs everything on the set. He tells everyone what to do and everyone listens."

I realized the load that I will have to carry as the Director, and for that matter, first time Director. It is not just shouting "CUT CUT CUT." I just have a lot of work on my hands because I can imagine more than 20 people on the set all looking at me for direction and guidance.

I have been asking myself as to what I want people to see from the movie. and I think the following are some insights into my visual aesthetic;

1. I like moving cameras. I would like the cameras to provide rhythms to the motion pictures, and I would be so happy if my DOP would be able to use some good travelling and dolly shots. I do not like swish pans that give the viewer blurred images as if they are watching a movies using broken spectacles.

2. During my "Acting for Film" class at Mesa Community College with Prof. Sandy Ellias, I learnt, and this sank into me, that movie-goers pay at the theatres to watch images of people and not objects. I just do not like shots that capture a small image of a person in the middle leaving a lot of space. What I want are close-up and extreme close-up shots. I will only use long shots when there is a specific message that I want to express in that shot.

3. I like seeing faces on the screen. This means that whether an Actor/Actress is talking or not, I would like to see some action on their faces. I like movies where even the listening shot becomes interesting. As for the Actors and Actresses, I like faces that are captivating and that tell a story. I do not like dull faces.

4. When the dialogue is explosive, I hate shots that miss the movements. Whether this is deliberate in some movies or not, I want the camera to capture every movement that I need, it be a talking head or a listening shot. This means I also prefer an Editor who is able to put together motion picture that tell a story even when there is no talking.

5. The fact that we will be filming dark skinned people, does not mean I would be happy with black pictures. Lighting, especially on dark-skinned people is very cardinal. During my acting class, I learnt that light skinned people do not need a lot of light when in front of a camera, but dark-skinned people normally have problems with little light.

6. Although I like looking at faces and expressions, I do NOT want to make a "talking heads" movie. Filmmaking is visual storytelling. Much of the story is carried in the locations, the set design, the costumes and the movement in the frame. We will use all of the visual tools to make a rich and satisfying story.

This is an exciting time for me. Everyone is busy, working to build BAD TIMING into a powerful film that presents the Zambian people and culture to the world.