This last Friday, I went to Los Angeles with a friend. He had called me the evening before and asked if I wanted to go to a screen writers conference. He had written a movie that was released in theatres in early 2010, so he was asked to speak on a panel.
Along with three others, including a husband/wife writing team, my friend told about his movie, shared insight about writing movies, answered questions, and shook hands. Throughout the 90 minute panel, my friend said one word that summed up his drive to make movies: “Movement.”
My friend’s movie, a low budget movie, didn’t make him an overnight sensation. And I’m pretty confident it didn’t make him millions or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. He continues to work at the same job he worked at before his movie, and he continues to raise funds to make his next movie.
Although I’m sure my friend would like to see his movies gross more than Tyler Perry’s movies, he is not interested in money. Knowing him, he would continue at his same job for as long as he could, working with youth, while he wrote movies on the side. My friend is not interested in moving to Hollywood, driving a Lamborghini, and wearing a Rolex. My friend is interested in starting a “movement.”
Now, with all of the technology and ways for us to connect through social media, I wonder how the “American Dream” became about making money, instead of starting a “movement”?
Stay social, my friends!
Erick
