Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A Film Maker's Prayer

Prayer is a very private a personal thing for most people. Some people pray to a Christian god, some pray to the Hebrew god, others still, pray to a pile of cash or even a big bowl of powder next to their bed. I will write it again - prayer is a private and personal thing, unless you decide to blog about it. Then all of your 8 readers will know what you are praying for - and to!
Terry Gilliam - 'Lost in La Mancha'

So I enjoy pretending that I have a direct line to some of the film guys I look up to. Few of them, in my humble opinion, can sit in the same theater with my man Terry Gilliam. The acclaimed Director who brought you Time Bandits, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil and Twelve Monkeys - to name a few. Something went horribly wrong while doing Lost in la Mancha - not to worry T.

As I blindly have faith in the festivals to which have submitted my first film, I think to myself: 'WWTD?' Yes, what would Terry do?

Would he just submit and forget? Would this artistic and mad genius submit and then brood and worry and think and over-think? Chances are he would not be at home with three young children while his wife is out working to put food on the table. Chances are he would be working in the system, or outside of the system of making movies. Again, I like to imagine that I have Terry's cell-phone number and I can call him to ask him what he thinks. I would ask him if my festival selections were a bit high-brow and ambitious. I would ask him if perhaps I should have entered this film into the 'Buttered Corn on the Cob Film Festival' instead of Slamdance. What would he say? I have a feeling he would just laugh at me and mumble something about doing whatever you want and not letting those "**ckers" get the better of you. Just make the best film you can and be happy with it. I think for those with a normal sense of being and a less active mind would sit back, watch Spongebob with the kids and revel in the accomplishment of making a film. I am not one of those people. Instead I have created this mantra, which I will repeat in my mind until I get my notifications.



from 'Johnny Dangerously'...
What would Terry Do? Nothing, that's what he would do. He probably wouldn't have submitted the film in the first place. Well, maybe not - but he sure as hell would not let the festival organizers control his mental and emotional well-being. So I will focus every day on doing nothing. Well, nothing when it comes to worrying about festival submissions. I almost want to call them Film Festicals, because the bigger they are, the more they weigh you down.

Now that you have that visual, I am going to get a cup of coffee, an ice-pack and watch Spongebob.

Cross your fingers for us, we need your good Karma.

2 comments:

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  2. Scott: As they say, it is in the silence after the string is plucked that the music is heard - but I feel your pain... I am also ever seeking for the next thing to "do". We have an inflated sense of our the power of our actions and perhaps a deflated sense of the power of faith and stillness. Best combination is probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

    Julie
    http://www.just-julie.posterous.com

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