How I Build Stories Before I Ever Pick Up A Camera

When it comes down to filmmaking and creating a project, many times it is based on what I see in my mind and how I envision it before it ever comes to life. 90% of the work is just picturing everything from start to finish mentally before I even film or edit anything.

What I have found is that intense visualization of what I want to create has profound effects on turning it into a reality. Many times I begin by visualizing a specific car, person, or location and thinking about all the elements and cinematics that I want the project to revolve around. I am taking into consideration the lighting, the time of day, the sound of the car, and the dialogue or monologue that will be said. I am basically shaping and picturing the entire video in my head before I ever pick up the camera and hit record. I make sure my vision is as detailed as possible.

As you know, the mind is extremely powerful. It is far more advanced than any AI tool or technological tool. The mind is endless when it comes to possibilities, imagination, and vision. This is why it is so important to think like a filmmaker and find peace in your solitude, because the more time you spend alone thinking about your projects, the better your ideas begin to show up.

I build most of my cinematic stories while I take my five-mile walks in the evening as the sun is going down. It is easier for me to think creatively when I am outdoors by myself, simply enjoying nature while walking. This is where almost all of my creative projects are built. I always keep my Notes and Journal apps open, and whenever thoughts come to mind about different projects, I write them down immediately. I do not try to make these notes perfect. Sometimes they are not even complete sentences or phrases. Sometimes they are simply keywords that stand out as significant. Other times they become full scripts and entire paragraphs describing exactly how I want something to come to life.

When I am brainstorming these stories, I usually come back to a few key things. Human emotion. The story. How can this story relate to people? What will make people genuinely feel something about this car and the person behind it?

Everyone loves movies, and the greatest ones are remembered because they tell a powerful story in one way or another. They are relatable to our own lives. It almost feels like we could step into their world. I think that is what makes anything memorable, and it is where I always try to create from. I am constantly asking myself how I can make the audience feel not only entertained, but also understood and heard.

I was watching Obsession the other night because it has been trending all over the internet, with so many people talking about how good it was. I could immediately see why. The acting was outstanding, but the storytelling was equally brilliant, which is why it resonated so deeply with people. Real stories and heartfelt scenarios will always outweigh beautiful visuals that have no meaning behind them.

This is exactly why I love centering my films around American muscle cars. So many people have powerful, heartfelt stories connected to them, especially the classics. From there, I can build a story that truly hits home for someone who grew up in the seventies driving a Fastback Mustang or a 1970 Dodge Charger. The possibilities are endless.

I think that is what excites me most about creating these stories. It is the opportunity to genuinely connect with people and allow them to feel something when they watch.

When I am brainstorming ideas for these films, I think the most important thing for me is making sure it is something that genuinely excites me. The concept should excite me so much that I cannot stop thinking about it. That is usually when I know I am on the right track with what I am about to film next.

It is the kind of storytelling built around a specific muscle car and the person behind it that keeps me up at night. Then, when it finally comes time to film the project, capturing everything becomes surprisingly simple because I already know exactly how I want every shot to land from the beginning to the middle and finally to the end. There is rarely any guesswork involved. The entire process becomes almost effortless because it has already been created in my mind.

To me, this is proof that preparation saves an incredible amount of time and energy in the long run. The more prepared and organized you are before you ever begin, the better everything flows once it is time to create.

This is the framework I have used to build my cinematic films, and I am constantly creating new projects every day while brainstorming ways to make the next story even better than the last.

- Noah