"The point is, art never stopped a war and never got anybody a job. That was never its function. Art cannot change events. But it can change people."
- Leonard Bernstein
Go Boldly Forth…
It's that time of year again that focuses us all on where we have been and where we are going.
It seems that we should do this every day, but I'll give into the traditions of the season.
The reality is that an independent film studio is at your fingertips right now. This newsletter is only available via electronics; it's not in print, so you are actually in front of a movie production studio that is completely yours to command. You can write your ideas down here, cast, shoot, edit, score, and distribute them worldwide. The break you are waiting for is now right in front of you.
You don't know how to begin?
Well, your tutors from all over the world, with all levels of experience, are a few keystrokes away. Like never before, you are free. We are only caged by our fears. And the worst part of that cage is that we are mostly afraid of being afraid. The great "What If?".. has been turned on its head by peer pressure.
So we propose to you to ask yourself, 'What if?" With the intention of shaking up your comfort level. The great saying goes, 'What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" Cause you know you can't fail.
YOU CAN NOT FAIL AT ANYTHING
We have a philosophy at the studio: You can't fail at anything.
You can quit, and you can die, but you cannot fail.
Everything is success; everything is progress. If what you do turns out horrible, don't show it; just learn from it and do it again, better with what you learned. For what it's worth, to us, the concept of 'failing' was invented by people who were afraid to do it and needed justification not to do it. If you set out to run five miles and stop or collapse after one mile, you still succeeded in running one mile, as opposed to the critic who sat on their couch and didn't run.
Normally, we only get to see the finished product. We urge you to go online (or, better yet, find a museum) and see the studies that great artists did before they released their final art pieces to the world. See that everything that an artist does is a study to a better, more expressive piece of work.
It is also our experience that anyone who has accomplished their dream, anyone who is living their dream, is always supportive.
So, in 2025, go boldly forth.
THE BUSINESS
In looking back at 2024, even after the strikes were resolved and the pandemic was behind us, our industry was not roaring back. People drizzled back to movie theaters, but most stayed home and binge-watched TV. So don't feel too bad,
as if you missed a ton of opportunities. Unfortunately, many successful professionals had to take on second jobs in other industries just to keep their dreams alive. You might have heard: Survive till '25.
Well, '25 isn't here yet, and Megan and I have detected a pulse. We were lucky enough to work on an indie film for most of 2024. We are working on a television event now and are in development for a series for streaming. All that is to say: continue to have hope and keep your dreams alive any way you can (see the previous section).
AT THE STUDIO
Our short films did well this year in festivals. WINO received awards for BEST PILOT and was accepted in film festivals in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Paris, and Vienna (Honorable Mention).
CUP AND AND A HALF has been shown in festivals in Hollywood (BEST DIRECTORS), Las Vegas (BEST DIRECTORS), and Marina Del Rey;
KILLING HOPE has been shown in festivals in New York City, Marina Del Rey, Toronto, Hollywood (BEST DIRECTORS), Melbourne (BEST SHORT), Los Angeles (BEST FILM - L..A. Neo Noir), Las Vegas (BEST DIRECTORS), Paris (BEST SHORT).
All this is to say, if we can do this, you can do this. And when industry people look you up (and they will), they will see the artist you are. So, we ask you, what is your role in the world as an artist? Your art will inspire others to follow their passions, and though it may not change the world, it will change you.
We hope that this new year will be amazing for you.
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