Reptile & CritMuse
Ever notice how some artists play hide‑and‑seek with the viewer, embedding layers of meaning that only the observant catch?
Yeah, they love to hide their clues in plain sight, like a trap set in a shadow. Keeps the viewer guessing, just like staying one step ahead.
Sure, but sometimes it feels less clever than a clever trick—just a smoke‑and‑mirror that keeps you chasing a mirage instead of engaging with a real narrative.
Right, a smoke‑and‑mirror feels like chasing a shadow. A straight line, a solid story—that hits the target better.
A straight line cuts through the haze, but remember, even the cleanest narrative can still be a little theatrical if the storyteller chooses to script it that way.
Sure, even a straight line can get theatrical if the storyteller’s playing a part.
Exactly—so the trick is to keep that line from becoming a stage cue, lest it turns into another theatrical flourish.
Keep it tight, no stage cues, just the cut—let the line do the work, not the theatrics.