Why is this site called Tranquility Base (Presents)? For me, two reasons. One is to inspire myself whilst learning filmcraft and the other is to remind me of the secret of a good story.
This “giant leap for mankind” plunged into the dark depths of the unknown taking us to a place where neither science or relegion had ever been. This dark environment, with its million year old secrets, wasn’t in a rush to give up its mystery and to this day the moon remains like a close friend whom we think we know but in fact don’t. Fifty percent of the time it is in our sky yet we often don’t even notice it. Try asking a friend a simple fact about it, such as if they know how long it takes for the moon to orbit once around the earth. Many will get it wrong (It’s 28 days – the word month comes from the word moon) Or why, when the moon is half full, is the other side dark? (Most think it’s the shadow of the earth).
Astronomy lesson aside, my point is that in our complacency we assume we’ve a grasp of the facts when in reality we don’t. This is an essence I hope to carry over into my stories. Characters, like many of us, have their own vision of the truth though these can only be dressed from the vestiges of their own experience, surrounding and interpretation of their environment. The moon however is not of this world. It represents an alternative truth; a sublime power void of all human objectivity, reason, compassion, judgement and distraction. It’s just there and is. And whether we ever like it or understand it, it always will be.
