How well do you know you?
What are your favorite colors, bands, music, art, style of clothes, furniture, vibe?
One of my favorite things I learned in college happened in a film appreciation class. It was the idea that with directors, you get various levels of universe creation. This is different from a documentary, which is focused on a nonfictional place and real people. In fiction and film, everything on set, and especially on camera, needs to be an intentional choice.
For quality character development and fleshing out a universe, the movie needs to have a lived in feel. This is the opportunity that everything you see on screen can add depth to the story and character development.
Would the characters choose this style of clothes? Would they choose this art for their home? What type of music would they listen to? Diving even further into that is what, from their history, would shape them into the character you see and justify the decisions they make? The more depth added, the more fleshed out a universe is.
Personally, I am totally inspired by creators like Tarantino and Wes Anderson to name a few favorites. Their movies feel like such a complete universe creation. I remember listening to a story from Eli Roth talking about his character, the “Bear Jew” from Inglorious Basterds. He mentioned developing the back story of how he joined the Basterds, how he felt when the other members joined, the neighborhood he was from in Boston to what his home life looked like. All details never covered in the film directly. It is still an important backstory to create the universe.
What am I getting at? How well have you thought about your universe? This could also be seen as your personal brand.
For me, I want to have my universe as fleshed out intentionally as I can. I don’t collect art that doesn’t move me. I don’t display books that don’t resonate with my vibe. My vibe across the board, from vehicles to style of dress, is all intentional. It represents me. I make the choice to have my machine operate in the way I want it to.
This also builds confidence in my ability to make decisions about things because I know myself and what I am into. The people I choose to spend my time and energy with. Nothing in my world will be filler.
I want to give as much of a fuck about my life and the things in it as possible. It’s not luck or coincidence. It’s all an intentional choice.
Are you crafting your universe in the way you want? Are the things in your life there by choice, or just coincidence? How do you choose the things, people, hobbies, books, music, work, and pursuits?
