What It Takes

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I've never claimed to be the greatest filmmaker alive (because let's face it, if I were I wouldn't be doing this would I?). But I've also never claimed to be anything but a filmmaker. At my core that's what I am. I analyze films, study them, create them, critique them, I do it all and that is simply because that's who I am.

This is at my center, my core.
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 But how I can I get to the super stardom that I deserve? Student films are sure enough one way to do so, but it's hard to imagine making a 'THX-1138' (Lucas' first film, which ultimately led him to Star Wars!) in this day and age. People question me all the time, in fact I recall two friends of mine having a primitive intervention with me saying "You've got all these scripts written, what are you doing with them?" When I tried to protest and let them know it's not that easy, they drunkenly shot me down. They wouldn't have any of it. In a way I found that somewhat encouraging and in another way I found it absolutely infuriating.

They don't know what it takes to be the real deal in the film world. They think that it's as easy as one, two, three (because everyone knows that all it takes are three easy things to get anything you want, am I right?). But it isn't. Some of my written work, which I have over 30 scripts (a melting pot of shorts and one feature), just doesn't quite work for the industry. It's just that easy, so while it appears I'm doing nothing, I am changing my style, upping the ante and tweaking myself to become exactly what I need to be in order to charm my way into the industry.

But it doesn't just take a compelling story, if you want to just write you have to win a multitude of awards for scripts you've written, or short/indie produced films that come from your creative mind. If you want to direct you have to do all that and more, you have to have an eye for something that no one else can. To break into Hollywood, you have to be the same as the last guy, but better and different in every other way.

As it stands my most current idol is Christopher Nolan (a true genius, who isn't a fan of the new Batman films?).

THE MAN, THE LEGEND!
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 He has revolutionized the way we see movies in this day and age. While the world around him screams for digital work, he sticks to celluloid and actually building sets/stunt rooms in order to give film that sense of realism.

The infamous Hallway Scene in Inception
was actually built to rotate!
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It's awe-inspiring to say the very least. But more to the point, how can I, a 21 year old, 3 years into community college, overweight, waiter become the next great thing? Tenacity.

You hear everyday about the people that gave up on their dreams (my mother did, if you read my older posts). That it was too hard for them to truly grasp what they wanted and they gave up because it just wasn't real. I for one could care less about how realistic a dream is, because that's what it is. A dream (within a dream, within another dream. Sorry had to Inceptionalize some humor into this blog), and you just don't give up. That's the main difference between me and the would be artists of the world. They gave up.

The other day I ran into a friend of mine at a movie theater (12:01 Amazing Spider-Man how could I resist?). Anyway, this friend in question is a very talented artist. In fact I was a bit jealous of her, her paintings, illustrations, and just general vibe for the art-world made my prose look like garbage (to a few it may actually be that). I envied that creative fire in her so much that it kick-started me back into chasing after my dream (yes I will admit I lapsed when the retail world was sucking away at my very soul). Now I find out, straight from her mouth, that the art-world wasn't working out...so she switched to nursing. The rage of Hades himself fumed underneath my skin.

NURSING!? BUT EVERYONE IS DOING THAT!
DO SOMETHING UNIQUE, LIKE I DUNNO
ART?!?!?!?
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A TALENT THAT IS GOING TO WASTE!? How dare that happen, IN MY REALM!?!?! I composed myself and simply walked away stating "We will talk." (I have yet to, here's hoping she reads this) I just was dumbfounded by it all, a close friend of mine was falling into the trap that my own mother and so many before and after her have fallen into. A trap of comfort over dreams, where you would rather have a full dinner than break open the Top Ramen. I was hurt, I felt betrayed, and yet the fire inside me still burns.

Even though I saw her fall to this trap I know I will not, that I am the real deal (or reel deal (get it)). I want my dream bad enough to make it a reality, that I truly cannot be stopped on my quest to greatness. It's just a matter of when I get there. Scorsese won his first Academy Award after 44 years(for the film 'The Departed' which is amazing!)...it took that man more than half his life to finally be recognized by the most prestigious group in all of Hollywood. And even if it takes me that long to get to any point in Hollywood, I'll relish in that journey.

Scorsese thoughts: "Took them long enough
been waiting forever, shoulda got it for
Goodfellas."
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I just best be prepared for a heavy Top Ramen diet.
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