Developing A Thick Skin

Ok film students and rising stars listen up!  Books and lectures, panels and seminars, school and practice are all great.  They give you insight into so many aspects of the career you've chosen.  But certainly not everything.  I've discovered a couple interesting points never covered in class in this first year of the Hollywood shuffle that I find, well...disturbing.

The first point is this:  For all aspiring producers, wrap your head around the fact that no one ever seems to know what the hell it is you actually do yet without you a production does not exist.  If you're looking for some kind of Harvey Weinstein or Jerry Bruckheimer fame you will have to jump through a whole lot of hoops and be extremely resourceful.  Fair enough, sure, until you run into people who say things like, "Even the Producers Guild doesn't know what a producer does."  Uh oh.  That's a problem begging for conquering.  Then you hear things about producers being completely disrespected on a set/production and you find yourself wondering how in the hell that can be when the producers are the ones who win Best Picture awards due to the fact that they make the entire picture work.  Just keep that in mind as you go forth.  It's not only about the money brought to the table by a producer.  it's so much more and no one seems to really get that.

The second point...Now, here's a supreme piece of learning material you will probably never learn about in film school...Sucess in the entertainment industry has little to do with how talented you are, how skilled you are, how great your ideas are, or how unique your personality is.  No. It's all about being liked by the people who hold the keys to the gates.  You may learn all there is to know about the techniques of production but you'll never get such a lesson on what really goes on in this industry until you drown yourself in it.  And when you do you will discover that you're more apt to get somewhere by being as close to what everyone else is like than not.  Larry David, the genius behind "Seinfeld", faced a similar situation but he's a genius therefore he got through the gates.

See, the idea is to look as gorgeous as you possibly can at all times and be as sweet as possible at all times then you'll get an audience, assistance, a pass.  You may have bad ideas, empty scripts, partial knowledge but if you are liked then you will be given chances and shown the light.  So, for ladies, be as cute and feminine and flirty as possible.  It makes everyone feel good about themselves.  Distracts from the fact that there may be far better people out there than the ones that hold the keys.  Keeps the fear of you being an overriding, competing force at bay.  And guys, learn to be charming, fast talking, funny and a really big fan of male bonding.  Sexism.  It's what sells!  Oh, and, if you have any handicap or visible imperfection at all find a way to conceal it.  It will make them uncomfortable if not.  It's simply about relationships in this industry.  Forge a million good, shallow relationships and you'll be allowed to play.  Maybe not by your rules...ask Francis Ford Coppola about that...but you'll get to play.

Do I agree with this school of thought?  Nope. No.  Not at all.  Not one bit.  It goes against my very grain.  It always has, it always will.  I imagine Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton turning over in their graves at the news.  Along with so many others who fought hard for equality of the sexes.  Who taught strength and character, talent and skill as being some of the pillars of success.  Wasn't Jesus Christ one of those such people?

I'm all for character myself.  I like unique personalities.  Every one of my friends is unique and intelligent.  People who make you think and appreciate things.  Every crew member on our sets is hired based on their skills and talents and their uniqueness, not their sameness.  I like a good conversation at lunch on a production.  Not empty talk.  Original people provide that.  And because they think outside of the box I know that in a pinch they will be innovative with whatever the problem at hand might be.

I'm finding more and more each day that this industry is stuck in the 1950's.  It refuses to progress.  It refuses to be bold.  Too risky.  Why screw up a working formula?  Well, if you've seen the movies lately that formula is becoming a failure.  However, it goes on until someone brave enough, well liked for their uniqueness enough, and focused enough decides to change it.  Until then, ya, I suppose I follow the archaic rules when I have to.  I try to be the person who doesn't make the big boys feel uncomfortable.  I don't stand up and flip the table over when some veteran producer sitting across from me tells me I need to girlie it up more or my irreparable lazy eye is a shortcoming that should be fixed.  I don't scream at them when they tell me "that's just the way it is, unfortunately", and remind them that it wouldn't be that way had they just had the backbone to stand up and be who they are, demand to be judged by merit and merit alone.  No.  I sit and smile, nod and say thanks at the end.  I fume as I drive home.  Wonder why the hell I didn't get some technical advice as to how to get my foot in the door at a studio or as a showrunner when that's all I was asking for.  I rage about the slow progression of equality in this life.  I shower a series of complaints on a friend willing to hear it.  Then I sit down and write.  I brandish the pen...well...these days, the keyboard.  Much more powerful than flipping the table over in the end.

I know me sitting here and even writing down my opinion on all of this is a risk.  I could get a reputation as being a whiner, difficult, not normal, a true discomfort.  I assure you that is something I certainly can be...just like everyone else...but when it comes to production, that is not me.  I focus on trying to make amazing visual pieces.  Improving on my skills rather than my smile.  No griping.  Just doing.  I am who I am.  Sometimes I can be a troubling conscience.  Sometimes I can be a warm comfort.  Either way I'm a person who just wants to create.  Why limit anyone to being the same person as everyone else?

And now, with that said, I leave you with the following words from a veteran LA entertainer of impeccable talent and outstanding success.  I'm just sayin'... - TKS

Aenima by Tool

Some say the end is near.
Some say we'll see armageddon soon.
I certainly hope we will.
I sure could use a vacation from this

Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.
Any fucking time. Any fucking day.
Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona bay.

Fret for your figure and
Fret for your latte and
Fret for your lawsuit and
Fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your prozac and
Fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and
Fret for your car.

It's a
Bullshit three ring circus sideshow of
Freaks

Here in this hopeless fucking hole we call LA
The only way to fix it is to flush it all away.
Any fucking time. Any fucking day.
Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona bay.

Some say a comet will fall from the sky.
Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves.
Followed by faultlines that cannot sit still.
Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits.

Some say the end is near.
Some say we'll see armageddon soon.
I certainly hope we will cuz
I sure could use a vacation from this

Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit...

One great big festering neon distraction,
I've a suggestion to keep you all occupied.

Learn to swim.
Learn to swim.
Learn to swim.

Mom is going to fix it all soon,
Mom is coming round to put it back
The way it oughtta be...

Learn to swim.

Fuck L Ron Hubbard and
Fuck all his clones.
Fuck all these gun-toting
Hip gangster wannabes.

Learn to swim.

Fuck retro anything.
Fuck your tattoos.
Fuck all you junkies and
Fuck your short memory.

Learn to swim.

Fuck smiley glad-hands
With hidden agendas.
Fuck these dysfunctional,
Insecure actresses.

Learn to swim.

Cuz I'm praying for rain
And I'm praying for tidal waves
I wanna see the ground give way.
I wanna watch it all go down.
Mom please flush it all away.
I wanna see it go right in and down.
I wanna watch it go right in.
Watch you flush it all away.

Time to bring it down again.
Don't just call me pessimist.
Try and read between the lines.

I can't imagine why you wouldn't
Welcome any change, my friend.

I wanna see it all come down.
Suck it down.
Flush it down.