True, we see a lot more minorities on both the big and small screen; however, they tend to be cast in supporting roles such as wacky neighbors, sage-like laborers, and, more recently, tough authorities.

In the last few years, characters such as presidents, police chiefs, and school principals are repeatedly cast with minority actors.  It’s as though Hollywood is saying, “See, we made the head honcho a minority.  We’re racially diverse!”

Unfortunately, this rarely happens when the head honcho is the main character.  Why?  Because the true head honcho is the main character, whether s/he is an army general or a lowly private.  Of course, there are exceptions to this trend; however, they are often given to a handful of A-list minorities.

Not only is this trend racist, it is also predictable and boring.  And worse, it often seems gratuitous.  Racially diverse casting of secondary authoritative roles now lacks authenticity; I often feel embarrassed when I see it on-screen.

Some argue that minority actors are, nonetheless, appreciative that they have more opportunities.  That is true and it’s great to see them embrace their demand and make the most of it.  Don’t misunderstand: I am in no way suggesting that the trend be ended.  Rather, I am suggesting that it be balanced out.  Let’s have more black presidents as the main character.  After all, isn’t that a bit more believable these days?

Here’s the solution I propose: as much as possible, ignore restrictions like race, gender, and age when casting.  Unless the project absolutely necessitates that the character be of a certain orientation, ditch it during the casting process and see who captures the personality, energy and essence of the character best.  Again, unless absolutely necessary, don’t include race, gender, age, etc. in the casting breakdown.  See who shows up!  And if it means you have to go back to the script and make some changes accordingly, then so be it.  It’ll be worth knowing you have cast the best actor for the part.

***Addition to post: please check out this short video on Indiewire.com, which perfectly captures the issue I mention in this post – the moment of silence toward the end is priceless (thank you to my friend KJ for initially sharing the video with me!)

For writers of original works, there is nothing more foreboding than a blank screen.  Like God himself, we must create something out of thin air; and speaking for myself: I ‘aint no God, so it’s tough.  In fact, I now refer to the beginning of every creative project as the grunt phase. 

What helps me most during the grunt phase is to avoid perfectionism.  The beginning stage of creativity is not the time to edit; you simply need to put your nose to the grindstone and write away.  Then, once there is something to tweak, you can dive more deeply into the creative process and make it better.

The important thing is to give yourself something to work with, just churn it out and trust that you will make it much, much better.  You will feel much better about yourself, rather than get stuck in front of a blank screen thinking of the perfect idea.

Still image from the film, MAN ON WIRE (2008)

]]> http://followmyfilm.com/2012/02/09/do-you-want-to-experience-a-miracle/feed/ 0 Christopher Click to view MAN ON WIRE IMDb page... http://followmyfilm.com/2012/02/07/welcome-to-independent-film/ http://followmyfilm.com/2012/02/07/welcome-to-independent-film/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:42 +0000 Christopher http://followmyfilm.com/?p=4343 ]]> My wife is producing my current project, a feature which we will film this August.

Last night, after a long day, I gave her a hug as she said, “There’s so much to do; sometimes I don’t know where to start.”

I replied, “Welcome to producing.”

She then added, “Yeah, but I also have a job and a child.”

So I said, “Welcome to independent producing.”

After making a great first impression with a catchy username and a snazzy home page design, you’re ready to engage in conversation – well, sort of.  You approach people by “following” them and “@ mentioning” them, but they might not respond and/or not follow you back.  (I’ve found, like most parties, it’s always hardest at the beginning, when no one really knows who you are.)

However, just because someone does follow you, that does not mean they are listening.  On Twitter, you need to continually engage in conversation, develop relationships and “work the crowd” to be heard.  So if you do not responding on a daily, hourly, even instantaneously basis, you’ll be left standing alone with drink in hand, bobbing your head to the music, talking to yourself.

Some folks can get away with one way conversation, mainly celebrities.  They often follow a select few, yet have thousands, even millions of followers.  However, most of us need to continually work the crowd and stay engaged.

That’s my main dilemma with Twitter; it never stops.  It’s an infinitely ongoing party and most people never take a break.  They attend on smart phones and other portable devices, attending the party wherever they go: on the road, at the movies, the bathroom.  This creates an unspoken expectation of immediate response.  Just like an in-person gathering, a slow response is anti-social (rude?), so people will walk away.

Twitter is an incredible, open-invitation to meet and connect with others; however, I’m not sure I have what it takes.  Not only am I without portable internet devices, I simply don’t have the time nor the energy.  If I’m not working on my current film project, I’m either writing a blog entry or, more importantly, I’m with my family.  It’s nearly impossible for me to stay engaged at the Twitter party.

If I was a celebrity, it wouldn’t matter, because I could just talk and talk while ignoring everyone; but, alas, I’m not.

Saint Seraphim is thought to have said, “Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.”

I was deeply struck by this quote personally and professionally.  Not only did I wonder what my life would look like with a “peaceful spirit,” I also wondered what a film would look like with a “peaceful spirit.”  

I’m not sure if a person or a film can intentionally save thousands; however, one can certainly strive to have a peaceful spirit.  And a filmmaker can certainly strive to create a film with a peaceful spirit.

Last night I dremt I was in a pharmacy full of goods. Amongst the items were “Polish Girls Gum” and “Russian Cavalry Gum.” They were both packaged in a foreign language with non-identifiable ingredients and nutritional facts; however, I somehow knew that the first imbued the chewer with the essence of Polish “girl-ness” and the second vicariously placed the chewer in the boots of a Russian cavalry soldier.

Definitely weird, yet it’s incredibly imaginative.

Sleep seems to be the perfect environment for creativity. First, there is no inhibition. I can dream about whatever I want, however I want, without boundaries nor censorship. Second, I use more of my brain while I dream. Things long forgotten often resurface in my sleep; I remember obscure data, song lyrics, even people’s voices. And finally, dreams are not bound by logic – they play by their own rules.

If only I could harness such ingenuity while awake?

Whether you’re a filmmaker or a table maker, most people will not understand what you’re up to until they can actually see it.  So when you share your new idea, they’re perplexed, skeptical, and often speechless, leaving you insecure and doubtful.

Protect your vision; share it only with those you must, and only with those who have the imagination, wisdom, and grace to see and encourage you.

It’s not enough to think art.  It’s not enough to talk art.  It’s even not enough to make art.  Because, ultimately, the bona fide artist completes and delivers art.

Jobs could have used the word create.  Rather, he chose ship, a highly commercial term with an end-user implied (it reminds me of FedEx and Amazon.com).  No doubt, Steve Jobs believed that artists need to serve a purpose beyond “art for art’s sake.”  In other words, the “real artist” creates a work of art and delivers it to others, who, in turn, engages with it.

Imagine if Steve Jobs thought about, talked about, and made the Macintosh computer, but did not ship it – scary!

It pains me to think of myself as a non-real anything, especially a non-real artist (a phony artist?).  Thinking, talking, even making is not enough.  If I am to consider myself the real deal in the art world, I need to ship; ship as though Mr. Jobs were my boss!

Some of the worst legislation we’ve ever seen is currently before Congress.  Three pieces of legislation, H.R. 3261 in the House of Representatives and S. 968 and S. 978 in the Senate, would cripple the internet by stripping your due process rights and making everyday users wary that the next thing you post might get you sued or thrown in jail. 

Wanna learn more?  Wanna do something about it and protect your freedom of speech?  Here you go: sopastrike.com/strike

Good morning.  This was the view outside my window this morning!

I thought I’d share it with you and wish you a beautiful day full of hope and love…

It’s better to simply point out that their idea reminds you of such and such, then encouraging that person to make their version even better…

You might guess it’s because I was having a difficult time or, perhaps, that I was too tired; however, the weird thing is that I was really enjoying the work.  Things were unfolding smoothly and I was fully engaged.  Yet, I felt an impulse to stop.

Well, I did stop – I stopped to think.  Why in the world was part of me trying to abandon the work, shut off the flow?  And which part of me was this?

My suspicion is that the urge was coming from a negative place, some kind of censor.  Fear, perhaps?  Insecurity?  I’m not sure, but I did the only thing I could think of to counteract the ugly little beast: I continued working…

Thank you all who have stayed up-to-date with this blog.  Your support and interest truly is a blessing.

Here’s a photo of me on Christmas Sunday with my wife, Joletta, and my son, Simon.

My father’s recovery from open-heart surgery has been a lot more challenging for us, his family, than we ever imagined.  I’ve spent countless hours at his home to support not only him, but my mother as well.  And on top of that, I’ve been bombarded with quite a bit of negativity elsewhere in life.

This has been quite a blow to my productivity, which was recently cut in half to begin with, since I watch my son, Simon, on weekday afternoons.  Creative work amidst all these immediate pressures has been nearly impossible.

I write this not to garner pity nor compassion, but to share my hardships in addition to my successes and creative work.  Perhaps some of you have been in my shoes or are currently right there with me.  I’m not sure what it is that keeps me going, creatively, that is; nonetheless, I’m just very fortunate that I’m making a bit of progress regardless.

Thank you all, sincerely, for your support and interest in my work…