It's Not Yours

We interpret things differently.

I'll give an example from the 2000's version of The Hills Have Eyes (spoilers ahead).

There's a scene early in that movie, when the family is stranded but they haven't realized how much trouble they're really in. The husband of the oldest daughter seems to be a bit of a dork, and bit of a jerk. He's the type of guy who you expect to die early in a movie like this.

Anyway, there's a scene where he comes out of the RV and looks over at the younger sister, who's in a bikini and tanning. He secretly looks at her lustily.

Let me be clear - I'm not judging that kind of thing at all, one way or the other. But in the context of this movie, and that character, that moment makes a strong impression.

Interestingly, the commentary with the French director and some American producers reveals that they had a completely different take on the scene than I did. The French guy said that the moment, to him, showed that if the guy lost his wife, he would have possibilities in the future to go off with the younger sister.

Wacky take on it to me. But hey, the guy's French. Whatchagonnado?

The American producer was, I think, adamant that we remember that she was over 18. I think that was her take, anyway. I don't remember completely what she said about the scene, other than wanting to cut the scene.

Wrong again, to me.

My take - in the context of the movie, it made the guy less likable and made me positive that he was going to die horribly pretty soon, maybe after betraying his family.

That wasn't how things went down - for a horror movie, I found this movie quite unpredictable and that was the main reason why.

I'm a strong believer that "forcing" your audience, or readers, to share your point of view on a scene, character, or story, is not the way to go. You have to set it up the way you want, and try to put across what you want to put across - and then let it go. Let people feel about it however they feel, and be okay with that, even if it's not the take you have, or that you wanted them to have.

Once it's out there - it's not really yours anymore.

And the space between what you meant, and what they think, can be the key to people really loving what you do, in the way they want.

Have a good one!

-Banes