Dear Getting In The Way,

I have noticed that many people, including myself, blame life when things go wrong. "Life just got in the way," we say. This got me thinking: is it life, or is it me? When dealing with a problem during a  film or a photo shoot I get frustrated when things don't go my way. Naturally, this reaction brought me no concern. But then I thought that it perhaps was me who was getting in the way of me. If I wanted a sunny day, but instead I got a cloudy day, instead of changing the date, I could have changed the idea. Maybe save the original idea for another time. Just because "life" isn't happening the way you want it to doesn't mean that art can't happen. It's all about pushing yourself and making it happen, despite whatever hidden agenda "life" seems to have against you. Life just happens, it takes no effort from anyone. Living, however, takes energy, time, passion, commitment, persistence, perservirance, and countless other effort driven acts. Living is acting on conscious and purposeful thoughts and plans (or purposefully lack there of). Life is just time without numbers, it's just infinantly happening. When making art (films, photographs, paintings, writings, etc) life doesn't mean a thing nor should it hinder you in anyway. It is simply a challenge that must be accepted every day.

Yours Truly,

Getting Out Of Your Own Way

Dear Last Year,

I was very proud of this trailer to a movie that I thought one day I would make. This video, however, has served more than just that purpose. It has shown me the starting point. I know where I am now technically, and now I just have to keep growing.

Yours Truly,
Growth and Development

Dear We're Not Alone,

I was speaking to a lovely friend of mine about writing a script and film making when he brought up that he also had a blog. He is currently writing a script and I decided to support him in his endeavors.
His blog is http://cungbik.wordpress.com/2013/12/. He just started it, and it is mostly images, but I can't wait to see how it unveils.

Yours Truly,
Not The Only One

Dear Fellow Film "Makers",

Listen and absorb these tips that I found!

Yours Truly,

Thank Goodness For The Internet

Dear Self Doubt,

Making It Big in Shorts by Kim Adelman is filled will good tips and tricks and good information about publishing, contests, alternatives to film school and other film topics. I have once again looked to her for guidance. I have begun to question myself at every turn and have found a wall on all ends of the roads. That is an issue that I seem to have with most new projects, mostly because I know what I want to happen probably wont and yet I reach for it so desperately (she warns against that in her book). One of the more tangible and less abstract issues I have met is money. She writes that when having to "stretch a buck" to "think organically". This means to be resourceful and use settings and the people already around you. I did just that, but now I feel like I have cheated myself from making the film I originally wanted to make. She warned me of this as well. She wrote if I do this all myself I'll be too busy "doing everyone else's job that you can't concentrate on being a director." 

I suppose that the one man band would work with people with abundant amounts of time and a bottomless bank account, but alas I am not one of them. *Sigh*

Yours Truly,

It Is 1:44 AM And This Is Keeping Me Awake

Dear Reardon Whomever It May Concern,

Since I have decided to record my surroundings and sort of let the film just happen, I just wanted to clarify that this is not “winging it”. It’s just problem solving. I did intend on writing an emotional, thought provoking, life altering film. Easier said than done. Creativity tends to come when it wants to, but sometimes creativity has dead lines.

Sincerely,

Just Saying

Dear One Foot After Another

I am in the poetry club and the kindness /anti-bullying club at school and I think that I have solved at least a little part of my delema. I previously thought that it was awful and depressing that I could not properly executed what I had promised myself I would do. As it turns out, sitting in my room and not doing anything about it doesn’t make it any better; who knew. I’m thinking that I could make abstract films using their slam poetry or their thoughts, but again there are many variables involved, so we shall see how it does. I just have to get up, and do it.

Yours Truly,

Hopeful and Nervous