I’ve been playing around with editing recently. I’m using Sony Vegas Movie Studio: nothing fancy, but more than good enough for the basics. I got caught up in effects like fire, explosion and gunshots. It’s amazing how good they look!
Then I remembered: none of these effects are going to be any use without a good story. So many films these days look great, full of amazing CGI, but the story is somehow lacking. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
So after seeing the fun and games that special effects can add to a film, I’m returning to the basics: studying screenwriting while working on my own scripts. If I need to add some fancy schmancy effects later, I will.
But they have to be part of, not instead of, a good story.