Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Energy At Any Age

Yesterday, I passed a gymnasium filled with crazy happy Dodgeball players. This was a game I played in my youth where the object is to avoid being hit by a ball from a player. The players were mostly young people, mainly seemed to be hit by the ball, and the game ended fairly quickly. I thought to myself how good I would be at this game, since the object is to dodge the ball, rather than stand their like a sleeping duck in a pond.
As I looked closely at the players, I noticed that the age group was mostly twenty-something. It appeared that those older than the players were either sitting at home watching television, doing those tired and expensive yoga poses, or just plain being sedentary.
It's wrong to be so plain sedentary. Exercise is something special and should be cherished at any age.
But why are so many things so beholden upon youth?
I believe that times are "a changing" and a new movement will take place where doors will be open to older people, who should be able to do anything at any age.
Bryan Adams sang a song about "Being 18 Til I Die" which is a good song becauses it basically emphasizes that trying something new is for everyone and the joy of doing things, the boundless enthusiasm, whether it be for learning, travel, new hobbies, should be extended towards all, regardless of one's age.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Catching Cannes

As a newbie film-maker, the Cannes film festival ranks high on my list. To get to Cannes will take hard work, engenuity and plain toughness. And why not Cannes?
I have submitted to a variety of film festivals, mostly on the local basis. But after reading  an article from a film festival organizer who discusses the merits of submitting to the better festivals, it just makes sense. He pointed out that the smaller festivals just don't have the resume punch that the bigger festivals  have.
And funding is after all where it's at. Film-makers need money to make films and hire actors that can say their lines without looking at the script. Film-makers --I like to use this word better than producers -- need money to pay for venues, buy equipment, and make more films.
The worst part of being an Indie is that the actors must work virtually for free and that is tough. Some actors really do relish their craft and it is tough for an Indie to pay them almost nothing.
For myself, working a day job when  I really want to be some where else is also tough. Gettiing accepted to Cannes could in fact open a whole lot of doors, in terms of being in the big leagues.
I do have ambition, but ambition is not the only thing that can change things.
It is talent, money, and maybe knowledge of the French language. Now why is my inquiry to the Cannes Film festival answered with a reply in French. Ah, the wonders of the internet and the French-English translation sites.