This morning I woke up with several things on my mind. Before leaving for church I composed several of these meanderings of my mind into an e-mail and sent them to family. With the non-sugar coated reaction that older brothers frequently have, mine told me that I ought to have blogged my message. Not only am I jotting this blog for the sake of heeding to my older brother's counsel, but I'm also writing this blog to save myself some time in the future.
For any history not expressed in the autobiographical webpage linked above, I'd like to state for future reference that I'm a Latter-Day Saint. With the recent death of a fellow classmate from younger days, religion to me is a direct source to solidify capacities to cope with death, but it's more than that as well. Latter-Day Saint doctrine ventures into the life before this life, and it draws roots in the Old and New Testaments. There are novels I could say about Joseph Smith Jr., The Book of Mormon, and other links to God but for the sake of time, I'll reference those things to the source. Prayer and personal study, especially studying the words of prophets, are always fantastic means to get the most accurate answers to the most perplexing questions.
In describing myself, I'd also submit that I'm a Graduate from the University of Utah who majored with a Bachelor's Degree in Film Studies. There are otherwise several other elements as to who I am, but am composing this particular blog to express some experiences and thoughts regarding religion and film.
I'm writing this blog avoiding any pretense as well which might otherwise occur with emphasis on academic credentials up front. I would submit that I'm an 'ordinary' mortal like yourself who may have become aware of some things in his life that would have called for extraordinary measures. I'm not writing to win anyone's votes, am not an aspiring politician, and have no ulterior motives. The nature of the film industry is one in which there might be so much that's already apparent regardless that stating the obvious can sometimes give a reader, or a viewer a sense of being talked down to. My intent here is to console anyone, but perhaps more particularly those of my faith who have dealt with certain elements of being in similar situations.
Like millions of other people at this time in Earth's history, the roots of film in my life trace back to my earliest recollections. I recall watching Battlestar Galactica, G-Force, Sesame Street, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, and several childhood Saturday viewings of television programs (too many to name), as well as several movies of my generation. I'd say any more substantial track record in the film world, however, in producing anything thus far for me has entailed a handful (or two, or three handfuls) of what I'd call "micro-budget" productions composed and compiled largely by myself on behalf of local & individual clients along the Wasatch Front in Utah. I paid my way through the University of Utah by creating these productions with an old (slower than molasses by today's standards) Sony VAIO computer (apx. $1,400.00 at the time), and a Canon XL1 camera that I had saved $4,500.00 for (I think it took me about 6 months), and I'm talking about 2003 while I was working at a company called Open Skies. Open Skies was an airline reservations software company that my Sunday school teacher as a kid, David Neeleman, owned, and helped develop at one time. David sold Open Skies to Hewlett Packard, and Hewlett Packard then owned the company during the time I was there.
Previous to having worked at that company, the most significant element of my history would be that of having served as an LDS missionary in Panama for two years between the ages of 19, and 21.
Peering at the roots, however, of the ideologies in my life that have continued to influence my motives in the film world especially as a Latter-Day Saint, I could go back to very early recollections as a young child of being handed crayons and being left to draw pictures in Sunday School. I frequently drew horses when I was very young, and continue to see equestrian work as very related to ways that good movies are composed. While I was raised with a religious atmosphere, of course I attended school as well. Public education and myself had tendencies to go through spurts of love and hate. From the time/s that I was five years old in Kindergarten, to the time/s that I found myself on the verge of graduating from High School I always found solace in things that I'd say were at odds at times with popular academia. The theory of evolution, for example, which would claim that you and I are somehow apes in advanced form, always seemed distant in the more grand design of purpose that I knew, and know as a human being on this Earth.
Culturally speaking, ironically growing up a Latter-Day Saint in Salt Lake City, Utah of all places didn't necessarily mean that the better friends of mine were fellow Latter-Day Saints. It seemed apparent that some of my Latter-Day Saint classmates had never really driven the religion through their own litmus test/s, and had religiously been influenced by sociological bias regarding truth altogether rather than their own discoveries of truth. Talks given by Dallin H. Oaks regarding the "steady dedication of lifetime", and another given by D. Todd Christofferson which discusses the same principle, expound on the ways that one must patiently live with a daily discipleship to Christ - over the course of a lifetime. Regardless, I happened to have had a cultural, sociological distancing from my local ward as a teenager for a time, and would only consider myself fortunate enough to have come around to a reminding of the fact that Jesus Christ is "the author" of your "faith" (whoever we are, and whether we'd acknowledge, or accept that reality or not). With more than 13 million members worldwide at the time of this writing, the diversity levels of Latter-Day Saints is really nothing less than vast. Those who are baptized consist of everyone from the more obscure people of the Earth who might own nothing more than a hut and a free copy or two of the Book of Mormon on the San Blas Islands of Panama to the famous elite who are currently running as presidential candidates - as well as other more well known figures whose wealth and prestige dwarf the world's averages. I've deliberately omitted linking the names of Mitt Romney, or Jon Huntsman Jr. and Harry Reid, or Glenn Beck who were all baptized as members of the church for the sake of keeping on course with the topics at hand. The church isn't necessarily a lifestyle, or a number's game as much as it is the reason for being alive on Earth in the first place. With the large majority of Jesus' teachings involving the inner self, and the deep levels of sincerity required by him during his mortal ministry, there is less reason to wear one's discipleship on their sleeve. It's sufficient to say that the works of service, or charity, or of evil works that are unseen by the eyes of man are all known to God. Being a film graduate, I'd submit that we all have elements of good and evil within our capacities - we all have agency to choose, and there's no aristocracy to a practicing physician, or a Supreme Court Justice over the human nature that exists within the average screenwriter. I think in general we're frequently in the wrong to group people into generalizations, and that people are more dynamic than to make abrupt conclusions about how they are, or why they might be the way/s they are. I don't see my place in the world as a judge to anyone else's eternal destiny, but only determine those things between myself and God, and know that God knows my standing better than myself.
Of the reasons that I opted to write this blog are experiences that I've had with some of the wealthy elite who are also Latter-Day Saints. I've grown to realize over time that no matter what religion one might be from, there are essentially 30million different things that 30million different people would do with 30million $'s - and more and less. Ideologies can have similarities, and they can also be very unique. Beyond times of words over pulpits that would essentially accentuate the evils of the movie/entertainment worlds altogether (which are frequently accurate, but way over-generalized), there have been a few more outstanding expressions of concerns regarding the film world from capable individuals that I'd like to address. I'll list some of them.
I. What about levels of unpredictability, or instability regarding film/s as investments (&, or fraudulent activities)?
At one time I was made aware that the last thing you want to do in producing a film, or seeking financing for a film would be to make claims that investor dollars will definitely be returns on investments - over promising, and under-delivering is work for lying politicians - not professional, honest film makers. I'll personally tell you up front that you and I, and nobody else have magic wands. A "new release" to the individuals who have worked on a production for years at a time is hardly a "new" release to them. Ernest Becker's book called, "The Denial of Death" was a required reading at school. We can give the best of our best, and then some, but things fail for countless reasons. Yet, allocations of $'s can be dealt with in an honest atmosphere. Drafting an adaptation, or a treatment, or a screenplay can be done in a way that eliminates threatening elements to a budget. When allocations of $'s are clearly defined, and people are simply honest, and candid with one another - before $'s are spent - there's a whole lot of integrity & a knowledge of what is happening. To the person crying out for Hollywood to make better films, I'd say that you're hypocritical not to find a good product and aid in producing it yourself. "Self reliance" & not "self righteousness" includes our responsibilities to create our own entertainment/s if we're somehow not happy with what "the world" produces. We can opt to look at film proposals in an objective way, and specify concerns in a pre-production process so that both the financed, as well as the financier are happy and clear with what's happening with finances. It's important to distinguish the drafting process from a final work - the more specific, and in writing and drafting, the more stable the outcome. Meanwhile drop pretense and ego when it comes to $'s and work to support film proposals that you believe in. In so many words as a ranching family I know who were making preparations for a family reunion in Idaho, "put up or shut up".
II. Do I want to be supporting something that results with some type of conspiracy?
Nope! not really - unless you're doing a documentary film and you want popularity. That's sort of a dumb question so we'll go onto the next.
III. How is $ made in the movie industry?
In the past money has been made largely through the duplication/s process (VHS tapes cost .75cents to duplicate, and used to sell for $9.95, or more). Same principle/s with DVD's & CD's on the shelves at Wal Mart. The business model, however, of yesterday has been entirely altered by Netflix, and the internet. Entertainment legalities as they are today essentially mean that writers, actors, crew, editors, and producers have to be compensated if one desires to create a competitive product that sells in the free market world. Money is made when public demand expressed in #'s of sales is greater than a production budget. Good writing, and writing within one's means can be the major element to success in turning the $'s. Movies are a major export of the U.S., although quality in the movie world has seemed to digress in certain regards all around. Digressions can be caused by screenwriters who have cut corners especially when it comes to higher levels of spirituality.
IV. Does an individual have to compromise their moral standards to function in the film world?
A screenplay becomes the backbone constitution of a production. If something is written into a screenplay that compromises the actual moral standards of an actor, then the answer is yes. How does a Latter-Day Saint get around that? Did the Evil Emporer in Star Wars ever have to act out anything that was technically immoral? (no) - his place as an antagonist, however, is absolutely necessary to the narrative story structure. Absolutely not, however, do we need to see repetitive, awkward, irrelevant, tacky make out scenes for a movie to be enjoyable, and no, telling stories on screen in an effective way has never been cop-out excuse for an individual to live a lesser morality.
V. Don't you have to move to, or live in, or be from New York, or L.A. to be able to have a career in film?
Ancient myth. Internet makes geographical location/s (as far as writing) to be entirely irrelevant. Networking with like minded individuals might mean more Facebook, and less moving your body into a place where you may not want to be. Locations otherwise are only relevant if they're written into the story.
VI. How has the internet altered the business model of the film industry?
There is no way that it hasn't.
VIII. What is the central catch 22 for those seeking a career in film?
Perhaps the most significant catch 22 to those pursuing film careers is that business types tend to base decisions on track records, but track records can't be created without foresight.
VIV. What distinguishes one individual's work/s from another's?
Several things - again - people are more dynamic then to group them into over-generalized categories. Knock that out.
X. Is it good or bad to encourage a son or daughter to pursue a film career?
I'd submit that if their eternal salvation isn't being compromised, and if they will experience worthy joy, it's good to encourage your child - period - .
XI. Can a film be created that hits more significant levels of revenue without any lawsuit confrontations, or resentments?
yes - with the right crowd & when expectations are well established beforehand.
XII. What are some of the economic benefits?
Look at New Zealand, and how the film industry has affected that country via WETA Digital.
XIII. Can film be detrimental to spirituality?
Not even remotely close to the detrimental elements to spirituality that attorneys get themselves into.
XIV. How are films produced in general?
Each one is unique. In general, however, back to the basics - come up with idea/s, put them in writing, register your work with the www.wga.org, form a budget, and go with it.
The End - for now -
Have a nice day
