Well there's a scene in it - and sorry if this is a bit off, as it's been years since I've watched it - where Ethan Hawke's character is doing janitorial work inside this NASA-like company (GATTACA), and watching a rocket take off from the building roof top. As a guy who's dreamed of going into space, but couldn't because he's not genetically built to, his view is great, and heartbreaking. Through voice over we hear the line:
"I was never more certain of how far away I was from my goal than when I was standing right beside it."
Image from GATTACA with redundant quote
I've had that moment myself.
I was editing on a project for a pretty big directing team, and at one point ended up sitting in their office on the Sony Pictures lot. Being from Vancouver, Canada, and mostly working on local TV and web projects, this was huge for me.
I made editing calls... argued choices... it was really a feeling of "making it".
At the end of the day, as my cab arrived to take me back to the airport (and thus back to Vancouver), I shook hands, said "seeya later", and walked out the front gates of Sony.
It was then I instantly recalled that scene from GATTACA. You see, while it was great editing for these guys, that's not what I usually do. In fact, though I AM an editor, editing is not what I want to do - big picture wise. Editing is something I to pay my mortgage. I, like most people in my industry, want more. I want my own projects made.
When you work in the entertainment industry you learn pretty quickly that you are either running the show, or just a cog. There are A LOT of cogs in this entertainment machine. Some cogs are paid more than others - some have more of their expertise involved in the final products than others, but for the most part, they are still just cogs.
So this feature I'm an editor of, has another editor: my business partner - we'll call him Calvin. Calvin was telling me that during one of their meetings, the directors were commenting that everyone in this city (LA) has a script. The guy mowing the lawn... they guy bringing around craft services. Everyone has a script.
So really, when people ask me what I want to do in this industry, what my long term goals are, I usually just say "Win the lottery"
Winning the lottery is selling a script or property.
Well turns out you can win the lottery... only it may just be 10 dollars on a scratch and win.
I got my own show sold. I wrote all the episodes, and it got me more work... but I can't say it went down as I hoped.
So this blog is basically going to be about attempting to TRULY win the lottery. It'll be about the industry here in Vancouver, Canada, and how shitty it can be. How hard it is trying to become a wheel when you are barely a bent spoke.
At the same time I'll likely post about stuff I love in this industry that I have nothing to do with, but that inspires me. I'll also post about projects I had a LOT to do with, that may just be plain embarrassing.
I'm not going to talk a lot about my personal life (cuz who cares?) and I will try not to name, names (though any project I post of my own will have my name all over it, and it wouldn't take Batman to figure out who every other person mentioned here is).
For example, when I was working with those two directors at Sony, I smoked a joint with them.
Too obvious?
Anyway, I've been itching to post my thoughts somewhere (to rant... to praise...) for a while now. And I guess this is the site.
Is it going to be every day? Maybe.... but likely not.
Guess we'll see...
-Rutty
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