She's A Winner

My friend won a award for her film for which I was the cinematographer…on film. It’s pretty significant as it also comes with dough. So it’s not a slack contest.

This makes me so genuinely happy for a few reasons. 1) she didn’t go to film school 2) she is passionate about a cause and it’s a good one 3) everyone who worked on it came together as a team.

It is an awesome thing to see people collaborate and be a part of it. This town sorely lacks the ability to be involved even at the base level. Everyone already wants to direct a feature.

I love that she outdid all us numbskulls who went to film school to study the craft and then get completely ignored. Lesson: film school is overrated. But the better lesson here is the ability to make something despite any perceived obstacle in your way.

The project had great support, not a lot, but great. I would add also that it was done outside any institution that would help. Remember when I told you about my film school friend who attempted to make a short film outside of school and boned it? Well, she sidestepped all skeptics and not only finished the movie, but won. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.

But it also made me think about my fellow grad school film colleagues. Man, looking back now, NO ONE was looking out for each others' best interest. They were looking out for their own. It’s laughable now when I think of what we were trying to do. There wasn’t any real infrastructure to our projects. Just that everyone wanted to directed and egos got in the way. Between the 15 students I graduated with, the majority were blowhards. They came into film school as rejected writers. Then proceeded to  translate blowhard philosophy into an entertainment medium. I distinctly recall questioning their motives in life, only to be shouted down with “…it’s what Paul Schrader did.” Can anyone reading this tell me who Paul Schrader is without looking him up? Probably only film nerds.

My biggest gripe, because I hear these young never-beens at the New Beverly eagerly talking someone’s ear off about the nature of the film business, due to their experience as either being a production assistant at some third rate production company. Or that they are someone’s personal assistant. Naturally they know what Hollywood wants and is a breath away. Negative, hipster with hemp bag sitting next to me at a kiddie matinee…your best bet is to drain your savings to make a movie, then become the old guy who lives in Sylmar wondering how he got to middle age and doesn’t have a credit to their name.

The real answer for this fellow is to slowly grow into a career they want. Directing movies or shooting movies isn’t all fun and games. It is enjoyable, but it’s still work. If you’re a know-it-all douche, you will never be spoken to again. I know I sound like one here, but I’ve got some experience in the business now, and generally I don’t, in person, share too many of the trade talk. It’s much more fun to goof on people.

I’m proud of the accomplishment of my friend who believed so much in her project, but much more proud she didn’t have the delusions that so many had fallen for. I think film school breeds that. Too bad.