THE MAIN PROBLEM

The main problem, or key concern I have with the project is this: when one gets closely involved in a project, and spends an inordinate amount of time reworking something (the screenplay in this case), one tends to lose the ability to be objective.

We find, again and again, that something that seemed like a good idea turns out to be a wretched idea with the benefit of hinndsight or the passage of time. We had all agreed, to give an example, that we were going to change a specific aspect of the story; namely, that Cornelisz is no longer commissioned by his master, Lord William of Orange, to paint the Hell Painting - he begins it of his own volition. We now agree that this is quite a bad idea.

When we're dealing with something visual, like a film set, or animation, it's quite easy to tell what is good or bad. With a screenplay that you've been rewriting ad naseum, it seems quite hard.

Our solution is to do what is commonly done with projects such as these; storyboard extensively, and 'premake' the film in crudely animated storyboards, with temporary ad hoc dialogue and borrowed music. Which means more work.