Coffee Break Lane

Up Close and Personal

Ok, I'm ready for my close-up
Nicki poses for the camera

"when we look into the eyes in a close-up, we no longer think of that wide space, because the expression and significance of the face has no relation to space and no connection with it. Facing an isolated face takes us out of space, our consciousness of space is cut out and we find ourselves in another dimension." Bela Balazs.

Well, I dont know if you agree with that quotation. Wise words? Or maybe a lot of ramble? But that is the sort of thing I was dealing with this time last night - film theory and the power of the close-up. An image that actually can speak more than a thousand words.

Ok, so maybe thats not your cup of tea. Lets try something a little more beneficial perhaps...some words of wisdom and encouragement that i came across this week in preparing for an upcoming camp:

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

2 Corinthians 4:7-9

These truely are wise words. The close-up may be expressive. It may be intense. It may speak many emotions or meanings. But it cannot provide the same level of intensity, the same amount of encouragement, or the same powerful challenge as is presented in the Word of God.

For me now it is back to the books to finish an essay on New Zealand National Cinema - enjoyable but a hard slog. As I do so I keep these words from 2 Corinthians close to my heart - not to take them out of context and apply it to writing an essay, but to be encouraged regardless of whatever hard slog we may face as Believers.

posted by Chelsea Taylor @ 8:04 PM