Maybe "escape" was too strong without an explanation...
If you ask most any person out there why they go to the movies, the answer is invariably to be "entertained". If you look up the definition of that word, it's usually described as "a diversion". Look that up and diversion is usually referred to as an "escape"...
People want to escape from the tensions of every day living, and it primarily is that reason they go to the movies. We as film maker storytelling types go for other reasons at times, so we don't count. Trust me, Hollywood doesn't make movies for Hollywood folks. They make them hoping to please the masses through "entertainment aka escape".
I should avoid banket statements like dissolves don't work. They can, but usually don't. If the moment in a narrative needs a moment of reflection at the tail of one location and scene, dissolves work pretty well there, but you sure don't do your audience service when you use one that just slows things down. They are pretty hard to emotionally relate to from the point of view that we can't dissolve without the influence of mind altering substances.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog:
http://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17" MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX Cinema Displays
