a valuable lesson learned

In the development class, I am currently working on storyboards. Since it I had to change one of the characters in the process, which means changing the whole story, I am little behind. It was difficult for me to figure out the story, even though I seemed to have clear direction. I had several decent ideas, but I could not land on any despite the fact that those ideas were workable. However, one simple question changed my situation.

Leeper came up to me and said, "what would you have done, if you saw the angel in nude taking a bath?" (yes, that is the story that I am working on)

I shouted, "Eureka!" in my heart...

That moment, I realized that my endeavor lacked authenticity. I was working on a story for the story sake. I was searching for something that I would read in a book. That was why I was thinking too complicated, and was never satisfied. I wanted something brilliant.

I did question "what would I have done"before Leeper questioned me, but my answer to that question was always "what I wanted to see me doing".

The reason that I am making big deal out of this is because I felt like this is a common trap that an artist can easily fall into.

I had to study myself first, before studying my characters and the story. Because I did not know myself well enough, I did not know how to develop MY characters and MY story.

That was the lesson that I learned today that will stay with me.

I would like to share a painting by Jean-Leon Gerome. Before Leeper came up to me and asked the question, I was searching for this particular painting that hoping that it could help me to further develop the story.

There was a woman named Phryne. She was accused of blasphemy and brought to the court.

The moment when her lawyer in her defense stripped her, 

the juries came to the verdict that she was innocent.

The reason was 'her divine beauty cannot be comprehended by earthly law"