Category: Inspiration

“Food will come, Remy. Food always comes to those who love to cook.”
– Gusteau (Ratatouille, 2007)

There are several quotations that I love in this movie, this is only one of them. Remy’s stomach is growling while Gusteau gives him this hope. It reminds me how a career in this industry alternates from true famine at times to veritable feast at other times. The famine can really humble you after a good feast. Gusteau here doesn’t talk about waiting, either. He reminds Remy that his talent and his passion for cooking will bring him through… and that is in his control. So… have hope. Shoots always comes to those who love to film.

Best wishes & a healthy shoot-feast to you!
Deb

“I have a cunning plan”
– Baldrick (Blackadder – pretty much every episode, 1982-89 & 1999)

And is it really ever very cunning? At any rate, Baldrick never stops coming up with ideas, no matter how often they’re thrown out, no matter how bad they really are. And he’s superbly optmistic about the outcome each time. He has such confidence it’s the right plan. Would that we could all be so optimistic in times of hardship. At least we take his lead and never stop coming up with ideas in our own lives.

So here’s to your next cunning plan!

Cheers & good shoot to you,
Deb

“I wrote it down so I wouldn’t have to remember it”
– Professor Henry Jones (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, 1989)

Oh yes! I can totally relate! Can you?

Of course, it’s important when you write things down that you have some kind of system you follow because… you have to find that information again someday! I’m still a fan of the handheld notebook that you carry around… not unlike Professor Jones’ notebook. No need for electricity or Internet connection, and it’s perfect portable. Leave the first page or inside cover blank so that you can add an index of the contents. Dates and then on the pages to help with sufficient order. You can even start a new page every day if you like… don’t you love that “new slate” kind of look at things?

Cheers & a good shoot to you,
Deb

“What if you’re wrong, and you’re just an ordinary guy who should get a job?”
– Nick Daley (A Night at the Museum, 2006)

Hearing these words gives me a kind of backwards inspiration. It hurts when I hear it.

I don’t want to “settle” for an ordinary job. Considering how much waking time is spent at work, we should enjoy it! We should find work fulfilling, stimulating, interesting! We, each of us, are unique and wonderful and interesting… no person is “ordinary”! Why should our work be ordinary?

True that in a creative industry such as this, your career of choice may not be able to cover all those personal financial bills every month. Sometimes the financial challenge is short term, other times long term. We cannot see into the future, especially with freelance work, and those other challenges life sends us now and then. So, a combination of incomes may be necessary to make financial ends meet. There is nothing wrong with that.

So what if the balance of your income sometimes comes from the “other job”! You do not need to re-label who you are based on where you earn the most money. The financial help is just a stepping stone toward – or a safety net to allow you to realize – your career dreams. See it for what is it – part of a bigger picture.

Then you will see how “extra-ordinary” you really are!

Cheers & extra-ordinary good wishes,
Deb

“Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Make your own mistakes. There’ll be plenty of them, believe me.”
– Queen Clarisse Renaldi (The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement – 2004)

Oh how true the Queen’s words do ring!

Yes, you can read up on filmmaking, for example. You can learn from others. You can try it yourself… but ready to make mistakes. Of course you can learn from others’ mistakes – and well you should – but let yourself make your own.

And then comes the really hard part… be ready to learn from your mistakes so you don’t keep repeating them.

Best wishes & good cheer to you,
Deb

“Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate”
– Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – 2003)

My family is the real treasure that first comes to mind for me every time I hear this line… what comes to mind for you?

Cheers,
Deb