Safehouse Pictures UK (For the Crew and everyone else) – The Eschatrilogy

So recently I’ve been lucky enough to work with Safehouse Pictures UK, headed by Damian and Nicola Morter. Two people I was lucky enough to get the chance to work with through Talent Circle, a site dedicated to giving people like me my first chances.
Since day one these two have gone beyond anything I expected from anyone on a film crew. I came thinking I would have my place in the team an I would slowly be granted opportunities to progress. Instead I was met with a couple who look for passion and ability in equal measure. Not only that, but when the day of the shoot came and I got to meet everyone else on the crew, and I mean everyone, I came across some of the most dedicated and passionate people I have ever met.
People who truly love film, and want nothing more than to make great cinema. From the AD Tom Swift, to the Sound Recordist Robert ‘Bob Rob’ Wingfield, the DOP Dean Hinchcliffe, the Props assistant Lora Smart to fellow runners (at the time) like Nick Hinchley and Jack Stavely. I’d name everyone of you if it wasn’t for the fact there’s loads and to much to say about everyone. I’ve been blown away by every person I’ve met, we’re a team of ‘Amateurs’ but honestly, I challenge anyone to find a more dedicated team. Since ‘Dead Inside’, the first in the trilogy and second film shot, I’ve had the pleasure of working on set for ‘The Dying Breed’, where I worked with a lot of the same (awesome) and a fair few new (also awesome) people. When the films are over, I will be sure to give everyone of them the credit they deserve from my point of view. Hopefully giving all of you a bit of insight into our world, and telling you some truly inspiring stories from Safehouse.
Soon we start filming ‘The Storyteller’, a film that goes in hand with the Eschatrilogy, and will bring something new to the Zombie genre you will definitely enjoy. You wanna see some of what we can do? Check out the photography here: http://www.oliverkershawphotography.com/okphotography/Eschatrilogy.html. Shots by Ollie Kershaw, a unbelievably talented photographer Safehouse have been lucky enough to have since before I started working with them.
After doing two of the Eschatrilogy, and finding such high standards of work and people, I can honestly say I believe in Safehouse Pictures, and genuinely believe you haven’t seen anything yet. I’ll keep throwing out updates, so please keep watching, you won’t be disappointed. To be Continued…

Dan Smyth
Safehouse Pictures UK
Script Supervisor and Continuity

Just a thought…

Nothing specific today, but here’s something for you to do. Try asking someone you don’t know how they’re doing, you’ll get a better reply than you expect.

Safehouse Pictures UK – Keep an eye out for us

Once again we at Safehouse are coming close to setting on that journey every production goes through for their films. THE SHOOT! This ones a little special though, we’re going to be filming the final part to the puzzle that is the Eschatrilogy. I can’t go into it just yet, but trust me, this is going to put a spin on the zombie genre that hopefully you’ll love. We’re bringing depth to the style that will truly have you engaged.

I personally read the scrip this morning and… it’s awesome. Great plot, deep characters, and a fight scene that’s hopefully going to blow you away, proving just how good Safehouse Pictures are right now, and only scratching the surface of our potential.

Check out Safehouse here http://www.wix.com/damianmorter/safehousepicturesuk, some of you may and others may not recognise the face of yours truly ready to rip your head off (don’t try method acting that one) on the main page. Took some time out of supervising the script to get my zomb on and to fight a guy who honestly you seriously wouldn’t want to piss off during Dying Breed, the last shoot but second in the trilogy.

Stay tuned though, you haven’t seen the last of this one.

Freedom of Speech taking a blow?

So just read this article http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/26/youtube_take_down_requests_country_differences/ (by the way the register is a seriously good news website)

Seems the UK government has decided to try and get 135 Youtube videos taken off the website, along with the German and US governments asking for some of their own.
I can kind of understand the need for it, the UK gov trying to lower any influence Islamic ‘terrorist’ may have on impressionable people in the country. But seriously? When has it EVER worked in history, ignoring people who spout anger and hate. They get worse, it’s guaranteed isn’t it? Ok so the issue has been rising for a while now, bombings, speeches etc have put people on edge. But can you really agree that by banning them from speaking will stop people from hearing them. If anything by doing this you’re giving them more publicity, getting their message to more people. We’re in the age of communication, and that is what we’ve got damn good at, banned or not.
What everyone seems to forget is that these people are extremists, and yes they can have an adverse affect on the minds of people who are easily swayed into hate. Sadly a lot of humanity don’t have the strength or insight to stand against things like this, its always easier to follow when you feel lost. BUT by telling people you can’t listen to them you’re only improving the power behind their words.
The Germans are trying to push out the roots of Nazism in their country, and fair play to them, it’s an awful way of thinking that really makes me a little sad that in our own social evolution we haven’t moved passed such small minded systems. But again by banning these people all you do is give them strength and increase the resilience in their arguments.
Saying this, the US’s own plight doesn’t really fit the same ideals. They are literally stopping people from seeing the truth behind a national organisation created to SERVE and PROTECT. Sounds like the police over there are doing a great job of it if their own government has to intervene to stop the outside world from seeing the brutality that some of these men and women seem to feel they have a right to inflict on other people.
Personally I feel this all comes down to power. Things are changing, governments have lived separately from their people for so long they now fear the thoughts that go through our heads. They no longer know who we are since they have no experience of how we live and the same seems to go for a few places around the world. Maybe if they took a step back to try and understand the PEOPLE behind this kind of thinking, they would be able to understand how they come to that conclusion and therefore how they can counteract the negative thoughts coming from their countries.
Sadly though, I doubt the people in power around the world would ever turn to such routes right now. It would man conceding the fact that they no longer know their people, and therefore would cause a serious doubt in their own ability to govern. Then again maybe we should doubt the abilities of our leaders. How many of you can honestly say that you believe in the men and women in charge? How many of you believe that they actually understand the plights of everyday life, and haven’t just had themselves rise above the ‘trivialities’ of life for the common folk.
For supposedly good reasons, the voices of real men and women out there are being silenced. We may not agree, we may see the folly in the things they say, but don’t we as a people have a right to make that choice ourselves? Is that not what freedom of speech and democracy is about? Maybe more trust should be put in the citizens of the countries around the world, trust that we are not ignorant fools who will jump at any chance to have a shout, reasoned or not. We are people just like them, and if anything we desrve more of a say in these things than them, because it is US who will see the true issues rising from a direct perspective. Can those in power, in the system we live in right now, ever truly see that or ever truly understand why it comes to this? Decision like these are not the right of the government, they are the right of the people.
They say ignorance an hate are defining factors, can’t the same be said for the man who silences another for no other reason than he believes it is bad for those he is charged to rule. Belief in something does not justify acts of ignorance and oppression, and that single fact stays true for both side of this argument. Open your eyes, see the problems before you, learn about why they happen and talk to the people who experience them first hand. Only then can your opinion and the actions you take truly reflect the issue at hand.

Paranormal Activity 3 Review (contains spoilers)

First let me start by saying I’m not particularly a horror, ghost, suspense style film fan. So when I first came to watch PA1 I was speculative, the same went for 2 and of course for the third in the series I was only expecting something passable at best. The start was a little slow, but it was pretty informative on the families involved throughout all three, showing you more of how they grew up around the incidents. It’s very relaxed and calm, and does help you ease into the family life on screen. Personally I don’t mind a slow start as long as you’re getting something from it, and I definitely feel like I did.

The atmosphere is certainly established nicely to begin with, and this compliments the turn out of the set up. Everyone’s had some fun, and you’re laughing along, then comes the sex scene and half way through an ‘earth quake’ shakes things up a little. The amera falls and yes, a wisp of something keeps the tension up, and gets things off to a good start. The contrast of the couple having sex, slightly awkwardly since the cameras on, and something quickly taking Katie’s (Katie Featherston) attention, moves the focus like a slowly breaching dam that breaks suddenly when the shaking starts.

We then start to see a relationship building, one that feels a little familiar but works nonetheless. The girl Katie (Chloe Csengery) and the demon Toby (awesome). Making good use of her innocence and shy nature, as the obvious choice for the demon. Backed up with Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), stating the same when researching, how children are more susceptible. For anyone unsure of why she never gets attacked; in all the Paranormal films, you ignore the presence it tends to leave you alone. Unless you’re trying to save someone who’s possessed, never works out well, as you’ll see. All of this turns out to be a great base for a demon who has a little more character than in either of the other two films. Through the the little girls conversations, and what seems to be a general rapport with Toby, you gradually get reeled in to the changes going on and the building suspense.

At this point I have to say, love the “don’t call him fat” line, it’s understandable he was on camera, everyone has insecurities.

From there the scares pick up, becoming more frequent and pretty good at catching people unawares. Katie jumping out the closet as Dennis and Randy (Dustin Ingram) investigate the noises that have become a staple part of the franchise, got the whole room jumping. Followed fairly closely by the slow closing of the bedroom door only to have Dennis burst through, timed to perfection as you expect the door to shut. The film keeps this use of subtle indication for tension throughout more so than either of the previous films, with each scare keeping true to events in the film and relating to each other well. The combination of good parallels, subtle hints at the presence, and once again strong cinematography from so few angles, create an involving mood that keeps you watching every inch of the frame.

The camera work itself is the same style as the previous films, and as in both of those it is used expertly to enhance the tension. An upgrade again to the second film we see through a camera set on an electric fan base that scans the bottom floor. This shot specifically, gives the most in the way of tension. The simple movement combined with the way you’re always watching every part of a frame, really increases your concentration on the scene and accentuates the audiences involvement.

As the film progresses the encounters get a fair bit more brutal, making you cringe if nothing else. The girl Kristi Rai (Jessica Brown) getting lifted by her hair is sudden, and the scene at night in their room definitely got my adrenaline going a bit. The demonic undercurrent forces you along, until finally the family do what every one has always shouted at every horror/thriller/supernatural film characters ever created. They leave! To Grandma’s, only from the outset when they get there, I don’t know if it was just me, but the whole thing doesn’t feel right. If this is on purpose, then my hat really goes off to the directors at this point, the shift in the feel of the surroundings somehow becomes more ominous when they were away from where all the freaky sh!t happens. The finale was good, but the old women ruined it a little for me. Not scary, and aside from the fact we know they’re a covenant, what they’re doing isn’t in anyway focused on. I know, that’s not really how the films work, but a little more than a few elderly ladies shuffling toward the camera and a small fire in the garden, they’re less impressive than a paraplegic yob. This is quickly recovered from though as Dennis gets the shock of his life from the perfectly revealed demon child. I genuinely loved the pace they got on her across the camera, something about it feels just right in the flash that you see her face. To then get off’d by a back breaker that has you looking away in pain, brings the climax to an abrupt yet well timed end.

Like I said I’m not usually a fan of these kinds of film. I don’t get scared easily, so can get bored pretty fast when a film has no real characterisation plot or to speak of, and sadly in this genre I tend to find the film can be a let down. But over the past couple of months I’ve actually got around to watching the first two, thanks to my house mate who loves anything like this, and surprisingly I enjoyed both of them. Just as the two before Paranormal Activity 3 was not a let down, in fact I’d have to say it’s the best of the trilogy, being the third that is also a rarity most of the time.

If you like film that scares you, or if you just like involving films that use the clever filmmaking to drive their scenes rather than mindless action, PA3 is definitely worth the watch.

Children of Men Review (contains spoilers)

CHILDREN OF MEN

Based on the book by P.D. James and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men tells a grim future for humanity when our race loses it’s ability to re-produce. Set in 2027 the film has a high impact start with the death of the youngest person on the planet, due mainly because of the attention on him. At only 18 years old his death instantly give you the idea of how severe the situation is. London is overrun by the military, giving a great insight into the state of affairs, the world breaking down because of it’s impending doom. Illegal immigrants have come to the UK in huge numbers and are being rounded up and controlled in order to be dealt with, the inhumanity of which is an ever present theme in the film.

We begin to see the extent of the issue as it progresses, literally the entire world has been broken by an unstoppable pandemic. We follow Theo Faron throughout, a British citizen and dejected cynic, played by Clive Owen, who gives a great but not outstanding performance, Theo is a well placed character. His struggle isn’t one of being held back, not wanting to help, instead he is forced to deal with the confrontation of a mother and child. A situation with great underlying connections from the start, and for me the major motif throughout the story: family. The way this is portrayed gives the film a unique character style that definitely makes it stand out. What I liked about the relationships that built, specifically between Kee and Theo is that she isn’t a helpless girl and he isn’t an outwardly heroic man, they both seem to just deal with the situation handed to them as best they can. Unlike it sounds, this doesn’t take away from the emotion involved or the changes as people, it brings a different approach to the idea. That being, although the films theme is very family based there is a sense of solitude from the main characters in each scene. The two never really bond, and this means there isn’t that typical section of backstory woven together by a conversation. Instead the pace of the film never really falters, they never get the chance to talk, so their bond is one of the moment. A knowledge that their lives are safe or that they must defend something at all cost.

Around the main focus of the film are other relationships, Theo and Jasper, Kee and Miriam. We begin to see how each rely on the other, and how they are the closest of friends or become something else. Everywhere they go there are underlying ties between characters. Whether a protective one from before we knew, like Kee and Simon, or the newly formed animosity between Theo and Patric, they help drive the film on with their passion. Mixed together with a multitude of side stories and sub characters that add to the breadth of the people involved, we get a better understanding of the main characters and the ongoing situation. Although only a touch of the real damage caused, the way Cuarón fabricates pasts by subtle hints and brilliant use of props means you may only hear brief parts of the main characters involved life’s, but you feel the pain of every person in frame.

It is this style that means the revelations we gain into each neccesary part of the story is done beautifully, just brushed over enough to uncover the right secrets. It makes the rate at which the viewer progresses in understanding the characters quite a natural thing. Made obvious enough so that everyone gets the idea, but incorporating real depth so it can be sought out by more observant watchers. This coupled with the individual stories of every character, that keep them somewhat a mystery to each other, creates a scenario that unveils itself not easily but realistically. People thrown together in an extreme situation that goes beyond their own importance, where only the outcome is truly significant, wouldn’t have time to think, only act. Children of Men captures that in a way that isn’t like your typical family orientated story, reflecting perfectly the fact that none of the main characters are actually related. The story is a huge part of Children of Men, giving it content that can be something of a rare commodity at times, character development. Yet this is only a small scope of what the film actually achieves with it’s interwoven style and attention to the details.

I think the first thing that really grabbed my attention, and something that is prominent throughout the film, is the colouring of the world. It really emphasises the grimness of this future, dirty, diseased and generally somewhere that looks like a war-zone. This styling also helps push the helplessness of the Baby, something that really should not be being dragged through such unforgiving terrain. That highlights something that Cuarón is particularly good at during the course of this film, using opposites to emphasise the importance or severity of the situation.

From the start there is a feeling of imminent danger, just walking out of a cafe a bomb goes off right next to Theo, making sure you never really relax. When you take this and add to it the aspects of massacre in almost every scene, and particularly those outside in the streets. Death seems to be around every corner, from bodies decomposing on their own, to those mourned by close relatives in the middle of the street. The woman wailing, over what I assume is her son, definitely hits home. Leaving you a little lost for words and deeply caught up in the emotion of the events at hand, as the world falls down all around them.

The use of Motifs in this film is stunning, underlying meaning is unmistakeable over the course of the feature. Immigrants being held in cages surrounded by free men to signify their plight. Men and women treated as second class people, thrown in cells and generally mistreated by everyone. Not only those charged with controlling them, but also by British citizen’s who do not care for others well being in a world that is dying everywhere. Among all the hate and death there are redeeming factors in this torn planet. Once again Cuarón proves his ability to bring the bad and good in spades and pull off the use of such strong emotion, this time through The Fishers. A cold-blooded group, labelled as terrorists by the powers in the country, but people who also show compassion to those they feel deserve it. They are elitist, but when it comes to Kee they instantly know the importance and understand that it goes beyond them.

Everything is a bit hazy as to why people are so cruel to each other, and there isn’t really an explanation of why all these immigrants have come to the UK, but this is a great way of representing Theo’s understanding as a character for me. Never knowing who to trust, seeing brutality and humanity at every corner, you never know who to trust, and who wants the best for the people. That haze extends to every part of the film, and specifically around the Human Project. A group who you know is working for the betterment and saving of mankind, but until the end you have no idea if they even exist. This puts the task at hand on an edge at every point, do they exist? If they do are they actually helping? Have we met any of them? These questions and more arise, used superbly to create mood and atmosphere, and the reflection of the injustice in our world. We get told about people doing good all the time, but do they actually do it? Just as Theo and Kee have to follow on pure faith, we as humanity have to have the same faith in each other for the good of the world.

Saying that brings me to my last point on the film. Atmosphere. The atmosphere of every scene in this film is incredible. Tense, angry, lighthearted or fun, the up and down emotions are always in perfect unison with the atmosphere of the combined setting, character and camera work. The camera work at parts is particularly brilliant. The long shots where we follow Theo through the entirety of a war-zone without a single cut away, mean you only see what he sees. They keep it very tense and make sure the audience is more apart of what he’s going through. This climax’s with a fight scene, explosions going off everywhere, and suddenly a baby creating a calm that engulfs everyone in the near vicinity. A stark contrast put right inside the most violent of parts, really brings this film up into something special.

Final word – Overall Children of Men was a great film. I was involved for the duration of the feature and thoroughly enjoyed the development and understanding that grew with the situation and characters as it progressed. The story was great, the look was exactly what I’d expect and yet there was one thing that held the whole thing back just enough to mean this won’t be considered a favorite for me. The acting. Although I enjoyed each actor in their role, there was just no real connection there for me. They fit their characters, I believed that each one was who they were playing, but there was a certain lack of connection. I think it was maybe intentional, it helps to push the individuals in a world where everyone is in the same boat as our race dies, and that works to an extent. The problem was I never really felt the connections between the main characters themselves, it was a fast paced film and they didn’t have a huge amount of time to connect, but I would have liked to feel Theo’s ties to the whole situation a bit more, they are meant to represent his own lost family. On the whole scale of the film though, that is fairly irrelevant. This is a truly great piece of cinema, and a film that everyone should check out.

A little philosophy in the mourning never goes amiss (part 2)

Ok so I left you with the question If confronted with reality (a personal truth) that you had never conceived how would you react to it?

It’s a pretty tough question to get your head around in the way I mean it, to even consider a change in viewpoint that literally disproves something you’ve been lead to believe is the utter truth is something that rarely happens, but the fact is – it can.

Since something like this always likely comes from someone else, it’s hard to see something new yourself if you’re already stuck in a specific mind set. The closed nature of people that this shows, or at least the inability to truly perceive our true nature, is because of a mindset that refusing to understand and contemplate anything that is beyond the boundaries set in place by itself. Just like the prisoners when shown the truth they rebel, and react negatively to anything being said because of the fault that must have been seen in their own perception. So rather than facing the light, they turn back to the familiar shadows, happy in their ignorance, pushed back by their fears of a loss of identity.

It’s true though, if forced to look directly at the light, they will be blinded by the brilliance of it. Unable to see the truth of the situation, unable to change their understanding because of the impact caused. This pretty much applies universally. Think of times when someone had something to tell you, or a situation in your life meant you had to confront a part of yourself, something that when you heard it seemed so completely impossible and idealistic you refused to accept it. But always, after time, if the revelation holds real ground you would never be able to change the fact it will gradually seep into your mindset and change it at the core.

It is this approach that must be taken by anyone who themselves feels they need to bring something big to someone else’s attention, or someone who is faced by just such a thing. Take it slowly, gradually hint at the facts and bring a new understanding around by subtly showing the light of it. As you ease yourself or the other party into the different way of thinking, then you can begin the task of actually showing them the issue and the true light around the situation.

Here’s a little metaphor based on the Socrates passage before.

The Sun is you, and the stars are everyone else around you. The light is the truth that cannot be denied, and the shadows are the opinions without real context. Just like it is hard to stare at the Sun without the right preparation (sunglasses etc) it is hard to look at yourself when you’ve never really held that vision for too long. Blinded by the brilliance of the Sun (ourselves), whether that is through positive or negative perception, we turn back to the shadows and to the inaccurate ideals that we had set ourselves in.

Instead, when confronting a home truth, we must first gain the understanding and ability to do so without reeling at the potential pain we may discover. This can be done by looking to the people around us, or in the metaphorical sense, using the stars to understand the sun. In essence they are very similar, although obviously underneath every star is different. But just like the stars, the people around us shine less brightly in our lives than ourselves. Not because they are less important, but because like us they hold back and only show what they want. The difference being we aren’t in their minds, we can’t see them to the same extent we see ourselves, so we only get glimpses of truth, of the light they produce. What we see though, we see it clearly, we aren’t blinded by perception as easily the small aspects that are shown are easy to pick out over the darkness beyond. This can be utilised, by picking out the sparks of others, the traits and viewpoints, you can begin to understand where, in the sense of a bigger issue, they are going wrong. Because we aren’t so much a part of it we find it much easier to gaze upon and remain unaffected emotionally by it. Learn from them, see the right paths and choices they need to make in order to come to terns with their own truth, and from there you can find a way of looking at things without connection. Seeing, not interpreting, the causes and effects for what they truly are. Then as the Sun (you) rises and the day (your personality) comes back into view, you will have learnt a perception that means you can remain somewhat separate from implication of change. You can see what should be done and not be scared of how it may cause you to change.

 

One last point though, it can be a slippery slope when you begin to actually ‘look’ at yourself. Coming to terms with your issues is one thing, but when managed it can easily turn into an arrogant outlook. It can give the mentality that because you have stepped into the light you instantly understand things better than anyone else. But please, seriously? You should understand, if it becomes that, then you’ve lost perspective once again, only this time not because of fear, but because of that confidence. Knowing is one thing, being ‘completely sure’ is another, it implies the fact that you haven’t see all the aspects of light and dark out there. The fact is, no matter how far into the light you step, you must always look back to the shadow to make sure nothing has fallen back there or nothing that was once a part of the light has fallen into darkness. You must always stay true to ALL of yourself, the parts that you exude and can influence others, and the parts that are covered, the inner most feeling that go looked over when we can see and feel good about ourselves.

Blinded by the light, or straining in the dark, the key will always be to find shade that allows you to appreciate both and see them clearly. Until then you cannot judge others or yourself. Through understanding and contemplation of ourselves and others we can see the truth in every situation, but only when we are no longer affected by the light and dark in our lives, only when you see that neither is really so different from the other.

ODCOFT – A new age organisation?

ODCOFT are a new technology based organisation, based in the UK. ODCOFT itself stands for The Organisation Dedicated to the Creation of Film Technology, pretty sweet right? So we could hopefully be seeing things like Minority Reports Spider drones, or Star Wars’ Light Sabers.
That is exactly what they aim to produce over the coming years, exciting right!?

I wish.. I’ll be honest; I made them up, so unfortunately no government organisation will be funding shrink ray’s, hover boards, Wonka Vision or EVEN the Orgazmorator (last one sucks right?). Keep an eye out here though, I think it’s only so long before the pressure on those with the knowhow gets to much and they’re forced to start working on gadgets and advancements we really need as a people.

A little philosophy in the mourning never goes amiss

Ok, so I’m reading some extracts of Plato atm, some from republic and a few other of his works. Weirdly after 300 pages – no Plato, although I’m not complaining had a sh!@ load of Socrates instead, which is never a bad thing.
So I’m reading on the way to work yesterday and came across a beautiful passage about these men who had spent their lives in the dark, and how they would never appreciate the truth of reality if they never saw it. Here’s the passage, between Socrates and a guy called Glaucon I believe:
“Behold! Human beings housed in an underground cave, which has a long entrance open towards the light and as wide as the interior of the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained, so that they cannot move and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blaing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.
I see.
And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? While carrying their burdens, some of them, as you would expect, are talking, others silent.
You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners.
Like ourselves, I replied; for in the first place do you think they have seen anything of themselves, and of one another, except the shadows which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave?
How could they do so, he asked, if throughout their lives they were never allowed to move their heads?
And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows?
Yes, he said.
And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one f the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow?
No question, he replied.
To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.
That is certain.
And now look again, and see in what manner they would be released from their bonds, and cured of their error, whether the process would naturally be as follows. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive someone saying to him that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision – will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?
Far truer.
And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take refuge in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him?
True he said
And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up that steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he is forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities.
Not all in a moment, he said.
He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves; and, when he turned to the heavenly bodies and the heaven itself, he would find it easier to gae upon the light of the moon and the stars at night than to see the sun or the light of the sun by day?
Certainly.
Last of all he will be able to see the sun, not turning aside to illusory reflections of him in the water, but gazing directly at him in his own proper place, and contemplating him as he is.

It goes on for a while longer (they did in those days), but I love this passage. The metaphor is some thing that will apply to us as humans probably for our entire existence as a species. Like the prisoners in the speech, we have since birth been shown one way of living, that of our parents and the society we are a part of. One way to look, one way to think, one perception of the world around us, created by people before us, and the media in everyday life. Things like style, music, culture all are twisted by us, and our perception but they also affect us in every part of our lives and push to inadvertently manipulate the people in one way of seeing things. Just as Socrates said; ” the things they saw were the real thing”, meaning the shadows and noises became their only perception of reality, and it became their whole reality.

When the new images and movements were actually introduced to them it caused angst and pain, because of the unfamiliarity of the new scenery. Just as when we see something different, the more closed minded of us shun that change, some cal it fear, others hatred or misunderstanding, the description is irrelevant because the truth is not being perceived, it is being refuted because it means what was once known is now false.

“When he is confronted with reality – what will his response be?”

And I pose this exact question to you. If confronted with the fact part of your understanding in life may have been an illusion, would you move to understand and accept the change, or would you shun it and believe the way you see is as true as it needs to be.

When I ask I don’t want you to think you will, thinking you will or will not isn’t really answering it’s guessing. You know yourself enough to be able to give an honest answer, even if it is the hard one. See what you feel and you can understand your own short comings and learn to open yourself to the changes that happen around you all the time.

For now I’ll leave yo with that question, but I’ll come back and throw in a little extra metaphor to try and further define the point of view I’m aiming to explain.

So first off…

Overheard a brief question in a conversation at work today (Day job: Shop assistant). A girl, about 16, in the shop to her friend

GIRL

Do blind babies have to learn brail or do they
just know it already?

… seriously. On a more useful note, little discovery this evening – Toast is easier to butter if you pick it up. Try it.