Falling in Love with Your Own Words

P L Travers

As a writer you have to fall in love with your work everyday. The characters you create must have a special place in your heart. Saving Mr. Banks was a great film that expressed a writers (P. L. Travers) bond with her story. She feared putting Mary Poppins on the big screen because someone else would have altered the character, someone else would be in control of who Mary Poppins, Mr. Banks, and other characters were originally on paper. As a writer I agree with Ms. Travers. It is hard to let go of such wonderful people who you have created. Same reason that Silvester Stallone had to play Rocky. He wrote the script himself and took a major pay cut in order to play the star role. When a writer falls in love with their work, they fight to keep it as they initially intended.

Not only is it important to fall in love with your characters but your plot line and underlining message. I am an advocate for coming-to-age films like Juno. I praise Diablo Cody, writer of Juno and Showtime’s United States of Tara because she writes for the story not for the money. Juno had such a strong connection with audiences and a true connection to Cody’s personal high school experience. You can not get bored with your own ideas. As a writer you have to believe in yourself more than anyone else. The writers that write for the sake of telling a story are the writers that impact generations.

As I am currently writing my own coming-to-age film. I fall in love with ever character, plot line twist, and at times high-five myself for my creative efforts. I get excited about my visual ideas, and convicting dialog. My own brain surprises me. I have to revise my script about 100 times before I bring it to the actors. I am excited to be in the stages of development to see how others interpret my story. But with that being said I will also fight for my message. What I put into my stories are characters that do things I could never do, and in situations others experience day-to-day. I love coming-to-age films because the story behind someones personal growth is foundational to shaping who they are. People relate to that. It is like watching an underdog win every time! Something we always want to see.

For me I am a lot like P. L. Travers. Even if Disney offered to make my film, I’d pull a Stallone. My story has an intended message, and my characters are like my children. I am proud of what is to come of my writing. That is why I have always, and will continue to write, direct, and edit my own films. I do not care to be a big time director, I just want to tell other’s stories. Being completely committed to your own creativity only give flair to your film.

Two Worlds One Passion

Entertaining the idea of a day in the life as a A-Lister is a lot like playing the ‘if I won the lottery game’, but with a horrible plot twist that turns a cloud nine vision spiraling into an endless nightmare of doom. Yes I said it. Think about an actor’s journey to the ‘top’. The criticism, no’s, and sacrifices they personally take on to one day gain the ‘break’ everyone is searching for. What motivates someone to expense so much of themselves to get to their dreams? Well for some it’s that negative motivation of one day having the sweet perception of satisfaction in proving those around you wrong. But for most it’s the passion for the innovative craft and flair film offers to the world.

No matter what the media says to boost our interest in a professional’s personal life to gain a dollar, the foundation of film is based on the idea of unique storytelling. Film is an art that takes the humanistic values of life and emotion and places it on screen. Yet someone saw that as an opportunity to create virtually a second dimension of this world to have an impact on Wall Street. Thank you who-ever wrote up the first tabloid, in ruining the humble beauty of what film truly is.

To prove my point actors have gone in silence to express their doubt in Hollywood’s true value toward celebrity.

Gene Hackman, now a successful author, once had a passion to elevate characters on screen to be loved and hated. His name on a movie poster would immediately add value to the screenplay, because he always delivered such a profound interaction with the plot. Now he adds value to telling a story on paper rather than on our TV screens.

Greta Garbo, might not immediately ring a bell, but she once was known to be the actress to change the evolving movie industry and raise the stakes for actresses. Where did she go so suddenly? She became an art collector and spent time with her family until her passing at age 84. She was so disgusted with Hollywood she never picked up her Honorary Oscar that she earned in 1955.

Johnny Depp is currently starring in the upcoming Disney’s Into the Woods, and with more to come from him such as his sequels for Alice in Wonderland and Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp moved out of the United States to get away from the paparazzi and live a normal life. Of course many Hollywood resources despised him for wanting to be human, he continued to entertain us with his ever so corky and inventive characters.

Dave Chappelle was quoted saying “…it quiets the ego [about leaving Hollywood] … I want to be balanced.” Even young heart throbs that fall off the face of the Hollywood Sign, such as Freddie Prinze Jr. called acting “a weird life” in 2003.

It is disappointing to the true fans of film but also to those who pursue it as a career and get condemned by the defeating world of the superstar crazed and the idolizing minions of the world. What the face of Hollywood has become has taken away the art and beauty of what film has the potential to blossom into. If you want to see real film, true story telling at its supreme you have to dig deep. Go where the actors are silenced and what the reels have to say are supplementary to your imagination. I challenge you to watch independent films, short films, and find the people that are on their journey to the big time. Find the names not in the lights, because that is where the true passion of film is infused into their work.

Jennifer Lawrence feared to take on the role of Katniss Everdeen, because she knew that the power Hollywood could have over such a profound story could potential launch her into a spotlight that would blind her of her original reasoning to begin acting. Thankfully her humbling personality and light hearted charm has only resulted into fantastic portrayals of unique characters and Oscars.

Josh Hartnett left Hollywood for independent film making to give light to the great stories that might not get the attention of the Hollywood hounds. He has recently returned to acting in Showtime’s Penny Dreadful. For Hartnett fans you are more likely to find him behind and front of cameras occupying his flair on unique plots and adapting characters at film festivals where his work has more personal meaning then who he might be dating on scene.

Sometimes our dreams are unmatched to the strength of our character. As people we want fulfilling lives. A life in which our journey has meaning, daily purpose, and channels our passions into our careers. Sometimes we have to get to where we want to be to just find out that isn’t where we belonged to begin with. Sadly, Hollywood draping its destiny to create fame and money off of film has filtered our vision of true film making. So my tip for you film lover out there, embrace the movies that are casted in the shadows of blockbusters. That is where the best stories are left. Remember, to find enjoyment in what your passion is you might have to sacrifice the journey to get your name in lights just to be the one to turn them off.