Local is … where ?

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Getting a film to market must be one of the toughest challenges in the world. Competing on the world stage is overwhelming. Going up against all the big budget Hollywood films is a monster exercise. Getting an indie film released in the USA must one the hardest things you could ever try to do; now imagine getting a non-American indie film out there – wow, talk about a big mountain to climb! Yes, competing in the arts is not easy: there are very few winners and lots and lots of losers.

When you go to a cinema or a book shop or a CD store, you don’t ask to see the international products or the local stuff, etc. You simply want to check out what’s hot – you want the best. Your leisure time is precious. Simply put, you don’t want to waste your time with something that is average or mediocre. Then, consider that South Africa is not a big film going country – it is not a big part of our culture. Sports, on the other hand, is all everyone talks about. So, how then does one get a local film to stand out? The chances of success are slim in the film business at best. And when it comes to SA films, well, it is even more difficult. Then, when you consider how low the cinema ticket prices are here compared to the rest of the world, and all the other factors, well, you have better odds just going to a casino (financially speaking that is).

I love storytelling, and the creative process, and inspiring people, and capturing imaginations, and magic. But if your business is that of storytelling, then it needs to be sustainable (like for any other business). If we keep losing money in our local film industry then we will eventually hit a brick wall. Yes, yes, I am stating the obvious, but we see the vast majority of our local movies losing every cent so I am confused. Perhaps there is no brick wall. Perhaps there is just endless money to burn. I certainly don’t get it.

Choreography

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If life/comedy/magic is about “timing”, then choreography is the art of making “timing” look impromptu when it actually has been planned (where timing = knowing when to do the sleight, body movement, ask question, make joke, etc.). I’d attribute at least 50% of how my close-up magic “works” to choreography – the art of making timing look effortless (when it is actually planned). – Marcel Oudejans

Great truths about growing old

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1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.

2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you’re down there.

4) You’re getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.

5) It’s frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

6) Time may be a great healer, but it’s a lousy beautician.

7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

I need to talk to you

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With all these communications devices and with all the amazing technology we have today we still don’t know how to communicate. Actually, we are becoming worse listeners by the day. It is not easy to listen to people. It requires real time. Really listening means giving someone your full attention. And how does one pay attention with the cell phone constantly ringing, SMS’s flying in every direction, email downloading by the truckload, and more.

But this is actually a whole separate discussion. Now I want to talk about something more curious. Every other month I bump into someone I know, either in a restaurant, or on the street, or in a shopping mall, and just about every time the conversation goes like this “I have been wanting to talk to you about something important. A big opportunity.” Now this is confusing. If they wanted to talk to me why didn’t they call me? Did they plan on bumping into me like that?

If something is important to you, and if you thought I could add value to your idea, then surely you would pick up the phone. Surely you would make contact. How can you take someone seriously when you run into in the toilet for a leak, and someone there tries to talk to you, especially when you are in a hurry? And then they look at you like there is something wrong. Just about every other week at our offices someone walks past me in the corridor and just starts going on about something. How do they expect me to listen when I am in a hurry? How do they expect me to take them seriously when they go on how urgent and important it is? Seriously, if someone really wanted to speak to you they would make an effort.

My film making work also attracts a lot of callers. At least once a week someone mails me or phones me (I am easy to find – I am in the book) and wants to talk about their movie project. Now, I understand how excited they are, how passionate they are, but that does not mean much. Many people are passionate and excited. What I want to know is how they are under pressure. I want to know how much substance they have. Strength of character is more important to me than the strength of a screenplay. And they pretty much always say the same thing “Can I come see you tomorrow?” When I ask them what about they go on and on and on. It is actually quite disempowering. I then ask them to email me a short one or two paragraph description that I can read and think about. If something capture’s my imagination then I probably will look into further. But, how can I take a guy seriously that starts swearing and ranting when I ask him to send me a summary to read. The other day someone went off at me, “What’s your problem? Are you too important to see me?” They call me looking for my input or help and they go off at me like that.

Yes, we have not mastered the art of communications and yet we keep inventing new ways to communicate. This is the paradox of progress at play. You have to laugh!