Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dreams. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

I'd Like to Apologize to the Academy

Roebot Online.

If I had to receive any award right now it would be the "Terrible Blogger" statue. I'm sorry everyone I goofed, I goofed hard, I should have kept this up way more than I did and I've disappointed millions (millions of the people that read this in my mind, I think I only have two really). Regardless, let's quit feeling sorry for ourselves and get right to the point. My ultimate goal.

Conceited isn't it? That this blog be talking about me and what I love rather than you and what you love. If you don't like it feel free to go write your own blog, I'll follow and read it with a happy heart knowing someone else out there is working hard at what they love. I digress, what is it that the Roebot wants out of his dream? Clearly I want to create art, but to what end? Do I wish for millions of dollars to rain down upon me, perhaps a cultish following to my work, or maybe I just want one dedicated fan to clap after every one of my films.

Who doesn't want this?
(image)
Well, to be honest I kind of want it all (a real filmmaker wants the whole lot (kudos if you get the gangster film reference)). I do want financial success, coming from a family who doesn't exactly have the green to make the scene, money is an important factor. I would love to have what Lucas, Nolan, Spielberg, and Scorsese have. That following of fans that will always be loyal to them and only them. I also want a true fan, that even if I may sell out, even if I don't live up to expectations they will still start the applause for me.

Most of all, I really want to win an Oscar. While I would love to go to everyone of my competitors and flash it in their faces, it isn't for gloating either. It's for my mother. Corny I know (cue the 'awwww's) but it really is. I want to prove to her that my dream became a reality. I'm even getting a little choked up writing this, I just want to make her proud of my works. And while she does say it now, she hugs me and tells me how great I am, I want to prove it. I want to stand on the stage and thank her for every little thing she's taught me.

That's really it, that's all I want. I know that I would of course celebrate the fact that I alone won the Oscar and that I would brag to most of my friends, but it isn't just about having the gold statue. It means so much more to me, to my mother, to everything I stand for. It's a trophy of a hard work and dedication and I would dedicate that to Susan Roe, the woman who made me love film and never once stopped believing in me.
Mi madre.
Just as a little treat, here's how I think the speech would play out:

When they call my name I would begin freaking out. Everyone around me would clap and cheer, I would look down at my mother and she would smile at me. Hug and kiss me, and then I would be off to the stage. Knowing me I would trip along the way, but I'm nervous what can I say.

I would get to the podium with the Oscar in hand and I would stare out amongst the mass of A-listers and seat fillers and I wouldn't be able to speak.

One day.
(image)
"The funny things about writers is that everyone assumes we are good with words. Truth be told we aren't. We can't do anything without writing it out first."

People would chuckle, perhaps some groans would be let out as people expect the worse, and I would deliver it.

I would produce a page about 10feet long and unfurl it as though I was going to read it. Playing up a bit of the comedy. Eventually I would toss it away.

"I'm joking of course. I would really like to thank the Academy for believing in me, believing in my story enough to honor it with this prestigious golden man. But more importantly I want to thank someone whose been with me since the beginning. My mother. She taught me the joys of cinema like no other, she lifted me up when I was down, and never ever gave up on me."

People would probably get misty eyed, music would probably start playing softly.

"So mom, this is for you, and for you alone. Thanks for everything."

What I hope to see.
(image)
I would thank everyone else of course but give her the most recognition. People would clap and I would then clam up and leave the stage, holding back some tears.

It's kind of pitiful when I write it out but that's how I think it would probably go down. Let's just hope I get to that point. You stay behind me and who knows what I can accomplish.

Roebot Offline.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

What It Takes

Roebot Online.
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.
(image)
 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!
(image)
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?!?!?!?
(image)
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."
(image)

I just best be prepared for a heavy Top Ramen diet.
Roebot Offline.

What's the 'Bot 'Bout?

Roebot Online.

So what am I all about? Am I here to amuse you? Like a clown? How am I funny? (sorry I'm just a simple Goodfella at heart, kudos if you get the obvious reference gang) As I've realized I haven't told you guys what the purpose of Roebot Films (blogs anyway, and I guess the company). Roebot Films is actually derived from my former co-company Android+Roebot Films, that fell apart so I rescued my name and brought it back for my own personal company. What I hope to do is eventually make features, who doesn't want to make the big Hollywood films? (well maybe you guys don't, chances are you want to teach, or be a doctor, you know something worthwhile) But I need to start somewhere and this is my plank to walk from.

When I created short films in the past (2 out of the 3 got recognized) I realized that I actually do possess some form of talent in this specific field. So I got to thinking, why don't I just do it all on my own and hopefully, one day some Warner Bros. (or Focus Features, my favorite) Executive will walk up to me and say "MAKE ME A MOVIE!"

I will work for you...I swear it
(image)
And that will all be because of the work I do with Roebot Films. However, what is the point of the blog? Why does it matter what I'm doing? I could tell you guys about it on Facebook or Twitter (don't have an actual FB page yet, so hold your horses, but Twitter in case you oh so curious people were wondering is @Roebotfilms (real original right?)) all the things I'm doing, what shorts I'm shooting and where. So once again I ask you WHY THE BLOG?! (It's rhetorical of course, but if you really want to try and answer that for me you're more than welcome to).

I was told to create this blog, not by my girlfriend, not by my friends, not even my mother told me to do this (she told me to buy a domain name, once again that's getting a bit far ahead of where I am right now) Instead it was told to me by a marketing executive from a company I've never heard of. Why did I listen? Who was this random woman trying to give me advice on breaking into the industry? Because she was having lunch with a director (don't worry I was waiting on their table, not just some random guy creeping on their conversation). Mind you he wasn't Tarantino or Scorsese, but he was still a director (in fact he even wore a hat that said that and a Paramount jacket) and that's all the proof I needed.

She told me "Get yourself a following, social media, blog, anything! Get yourself that audience, so when it's time for you to join the ranks you have your army all set to go."

The "Roebot" Army...get it?
(image)


I was so blown away by this (secretly I hope she reads this blog and remembers the blonde, overweight waiter at BJ's) that I knew I had to do it. Also the fact that on my business card it says this blog post (I was handing them out even before a single post on here existed) so that's another good reason. So that's it, that's why this blog exists, because this woman said I needed an army. But how can I keep troop morale up? By giving you reasons to read. So here is a quick layout of how this blog is going to work:

ROEBOT'S WEEKLY LINE-UP
So this will be a daily blog, so expect something new and exciting to fill your bain hole every single day (unless stated otherwise)
Monday: Nothing or just a daily blog post.
Tuesday: Nothing or just a daily blog post.
Wednesday: Production updates (i.e photos, posters, stories, catching you up on what I'm up to so you're in the know.)
Thursday: Nothing or just a daily blog post.
Friday: Film Friday, where I talk about certain movies that have inspired me, and their creators.
Saturday: Nothing or just a daily blog post.
and Sunday: Nothing or just a daily blog post.
 END ROEBOT'S WEEKLY LINE-UP

So as you can see, it's nothing major. Just two things you can look out for. I'll give you guys a reason to come back honestly. I just want you all to have as much enjoyment reading and commenting as I will writing these blogs.
After all it keeps my brain active and an active brain is better than an inactive one(because you'd be dead).
Roebot Offline.