(no subject)
We went and took our kids to the Clinton Presidential Library yesterday, and this was my first time there. I'm a Clinton fan, but I have to say that growing up around here, he's almost old hat. I know everything about him that I want to know, and it's a bit redundant adding to that.
The facility itself is very beautiful, and probably the most interesting of its kind. Say about Clinton what you will, he was definitely one of the most accessible presidents that we had, and the most socially gifted. He may not have been the best commander in chief, and I think that his contributions to the economy were way overstated, but that doesn't affect the fact that I felt as though he really cared for people, and wanted to do things that would help people. I don't feel that way about our current president, or his father either, for that matter.
***
Speaking of politics, I'm currently in the process of trying to put some things together for an event that I'm putting on next week. A lot of changes that have taken place with my movie, including but not limited to sound problems, recasting a couple of key parts, losing some locations, and the standard assortment of clusterfucks that are par for the course on a guerilla film project. My 2 hour cut of the film became 30 minutes in a hurry, and we have to reshoot so much stuff that for all intents and purposes, we're starting over.
I figure that because of all these changes, and because I'm pushing my anticipated wrap date about 6-9 months past what I had originally planned, I need to make sure that my people are still happy and on board. I'm going to show them some scenes, fill them up with booze, and entertain them for a bit next week to kick off what I have been calling "Re-Production". Good lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll have the theatre full of cast, crew, and friends, and a good time will be had by all.
Time will tell what kind of a director I turn into. I figure a respected one, but who knows? On the other hand, as a producer, I feel like I have a gift for it, and that it comes very naturally to me. And it's fun.
In spite of the fact that now it is cheaper and easier than ever to make a movie, very few people will ever get the chance to make one. All I know is that it is something that I feel as though I was born to do, and it's something that I have stepped right into. In fact, it may be the only thing that I'm really good at. I'm a competent musician, I'm an above average actor, I'm a good writer, and I also understand photography and editing. I dabble in anything that I find interesting, and learn enough to be dangerous. This has gotten me labeled as a random person, or a fickle person, but now, I feel as though the big picture comes to me so clearly because of my dabbling. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort that requires a lot of skilled people to make it work, and it needs a good "traffic cop" at the top to make sure people get where they're going.
Not exceedingly difficult, but there is pressure from many directions.If you can navigate through that, you're home free.
Anyway, it's almost time for lunch now...