Third showing

Now, I already posted about the showing to David. Two weeks ago now - yes, a long time, I know, a lot has happened - I showed it to John, Amelie and Peter.
This was probably the most critical of the showings. First they knew nothing about the film so they were blank slates. David has been part of the process from the beginning.
And second the edit was in good enough shape to judge where it was going to go. What I show Isabella, Sophie and JC was still too rough to judge.
Their conclusions?
Like David they thought it was too long, it too long to get to what I was trying to achieve. And they also had many of the same practical criticisms, that the blackouts were too long, and not necessary, they did not need a rest. They confused the sister, Natalie, with the friend, Sophie. They thought they looked too much alike, but I know this is not the case. I simply have not set it up well enough to make it clear.
They diverged on a few things.
Peter did not feel the friend was necessary and that she could be cut. Amelie did not see the necessity of the friend but still though there would be something missing if she were not in the film.
Peter and Amelie felt that there was enough development to sustain the first two segments, but not in Norway. Not enough happened until Natalie showed up. When she did they all found the scenes with the sister powerful.
But John disagreed. He thought there was enough in Norway to sustain the film.
They all agreed on one thing, and this is the biggest criticism: that right now Claire is too one dimensional. You don't know enough about her to feel for her, or at least understand her. David said the same thing, and JC alluded to much the same.
So that is my biggest problem, and why it has taken me this long to write this. I have never been worried about what I have. It will work its way out, but missing elements, that's a problem. On Saturday I plan to begin writing some new scenes, and rewriting some new scenes. More on this.