Pass It On

I had a wonderful "conversation" a few nights ago with a Twitter follower whom I was expecting to virtually "meet" sometime soon. She was another follower's granddaughter that I'd been told was interested in film, writing, theater and presently studying in a University program.  It was very nice to be asked if she could have her granddaughter contact me once she'd returned from her trip. I did not know she was already following me! The way Twitter works often makes it difficult to find the tweets of all followers which is rather frustrating; either that or I've just not yet figured it out...the latter is more likely!  As I always enjoy talking to young people, I was eager to talk to her.  I was not prepared for how much she already knew, her enthusiasm for her studies and her eagerness to figure out which direction she might be headed.

I started out my professional life in business. I didn't know there was any other way coming from a business family, and I had forgotten how much I loved writing. Early on in my career I became very involved in our Firm's visits to my University to meet students. I was asked to interview prospective candidates over lunch, something I particularly liked doing as well as speak to groups visiting our office; didn't like speaking as much!  I almost always wonder how I *got* my dream job!  The career counselor at school reviewed our resumes (required for on campus recruiting) and told me what to expect in terms of job offers; mid level firms. Oh, OK? The day came for bringing in stacks of our resumes and putting them into the envelopes of the firms we were interested in and I found a few that offered a direct entry into Tax! My friends thought I was crazy but it was the better of the two options, despite the fact that I'd spent about 4 years learning how to be an Accountant/Auditor. Our program had only two Tax classes that essentially amounted to figuring out just who could be classified as a dependent and also what to do if one person exchanged their truck for someone else's. Helpful!

At the time, there were elite firms known as the "Big 6"(now "Big 4, mine is one of them and I am a proud Alum 'for life' as they say) and two of them were open to hiring undergrads into Tax. Of course I submitted resumes to them. When the list was posted with names of Firms/Companies that wanted to interview us, 4 of the "Big 6" wanted to interview me, as well as some others. The elite firms wanted me, not as many of the mid-levels as I'd been told to expect!  I was stunned. By Thanksgiving of my senior year, I'd been offered an amazing job at one of those "Big 6" in Tax and I accepted it. Fast forward to I'm in the office and ready to work, knowing practically nothing about Tax. Here's what happened: they taught me. Some of it I could pick up by looking at what was done the previous year when I was given an assignment but a lot depended upon who I was working with. Almost everyone took time to help me get me started, be available for questions and give me helpful feedback. We were not spoon fed; just given enough to get us going. I attribute learning how to expertly read the Internal Revenue Code to one particular person who was an attorney (we were a mixed bunch) that just sat down one day and showed me step by step how to read it. These are no ordinary books! Researching was a combo of the librarian, colleagues and me....and I just love researching! The point is, I was very much a minority in Tax as an undergrad hire but I caught up quickly because so many great people took time to share their knowledge with me. Graduate school helped later on but I was already out of the gates by the time that started.  Luckily in Tax one gets to do a lot of writing; so all was not lost! (Fast forward to future) The writing had to be excellent and though technical, accurate, well researched and effective!

Cut to: I eventually leave the "you don't ever get to go home Tax world" and while doing some Tax returns on my own, realized I don't want to do this forever. Over the years I'd repeatedly heard "you're such a great writer" (not convinced!) and "you should be a writer" I thought OK, but write what? I'm not in school anymore.  I'm not going back, I've had quite enough thank you.  I didn't think I wanted to write books.  Someone said write about your life. Ugh no!  Along the way I'd become obsessed with Classic Films.  Bonkers. I rented current films as well, foreign films, documentaries. Lots and lots of movies.  It didn't occur to me that my love of films and writing might possibly become connected.  Sometime early in the Millennium, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and the then owned Weinstein's Miramax created "Project Greenlight" in order to give new writers and directors a chance to make a movie.  It was chronicled on HBO and I was captivated.  "I should do this!" Just one problem....I had no idea what a script looked like or any idea what a director really did.  One thing I *did* know was how to learn so I just started to teach myself. Thus began a LONG slow process of discovery and learning. Then people started to help me out, give me advise, pointing me in the right direction.  In order to do anything right, you really DO need people to guide you! Just like in Tax, and in another life, when I was a hairstylist. Oh yes.

In High School, a great teacher suggested I get the book "What Color is Your Parachute" by Richard Nelson Bolles.  I eventually did, but not until much later.  He was one of those teachers that was just different and could probably tell I didn't have a clue about myself!!  It meant something that he had taken the time to talk to me.  A graduate professor eventually did too.  Story for another post!  So back to young film student follower.  Wow did she know film, theater, actors, television!  I've talked to many students (I also recruit for my University so I meet many students)  and other creatives who are truly talented but may not have knowledge this young lady did at 19; I think very few do.  I thought I might be "Rain Manned" out of the conversation; I just about made it!  She's just a sophomore and not quite sure what direction she wants to take. These days for young people, perhaps because of my route although I don't regret a thing, I'm all for students taking time to figure it out!!

She was not aware of the wonderful creative community that exists on Twitter, and now especially since she's on summer break she has some spare time, I thought getting connected to some creative resources might boost her knowledge and experience with some "boots on the ground" information and dialogue.  There are some great Tweeters with brilliant information, encouragement and enthusiasm who are essential to follow. Other sources feature interviews with film makers, film analysis, writing challenges and a plethora of other creative diversions.  I gave her the "essentials" to follow and while I was doing that, she was instantly looking them up and following.  Don't you know it wouldn't take but about half an hour before she was into a great conversation on films with one of those "phenomenal resources!"

She was super excited, I was and so was the phenomenal resource!  Following this tweet chat, there are two films *I* need to look up and watch!  One of the last tweets late that night was from "phenomenal resource" was "I wish I had a Colleen helping me when I was getting started!" and while I was so very grateful for the acknowledgement I thought.....shouldn't everyone have someone, or many someones helping them?  Yes, yes!  I'm very lucky that I do have great support and encouragement, as well as places to stretch myself as a writer as I try to navigate through this Screenwriting Galaxy; yes it's an alien world and as one of our favorites to follow has put it...:it takes a bunch of lunatics to try and do this."  I'm already quite comfortable with being a little different, sometimes bold or perhaps crazy, just not clinically.  I had to be.  I went into Tax.

So, my message is this: if your not already doing so....take some time and dedicate it to helping someone.  Carve out a manageable bit of time and you will see just how much it means to someone who is eager to learn. Guess what? You'll also feel pretty happy. None of us can give away the keys to the Kingdom, nor should we, I suppose. No one is quite sure exactly who has them, truth be told! We must each do our own work yet that does not mean we ought not help one another along while on various stages of our own journey.  I do believe in karma and I think that if one takes without giving back, at some point, the well will run dry and there won't be help when one needs it.  It's also just a NICE thing to do.  Try to be giving, no matter what one is trying to do in life.  Give it a try.

Post Script: Project Greenlight is BACK! Now, I know what it's all about and it feels nice.

Our Entertainment: Who decides?

The answer to this question might seem easy to answer: "I do." Overall, you generally choose what it is that appeals to you when it comes to movies, music, books, games, sports and so on. If one goes back into history, the answer is the same but the options would be considerably different....definitely fewer choices than we have at present. All the same, if I tune into a favorite channel, Turner Classic Movies, I'm almost always assured of finding a great movie. These days, one might think there would be an abundance of great choices; you've likely noticed, there aren't. Summer time usually means big films and fun times. Not this year...Hollywood noticed that the summer of 2013 didn't work out so well; there are some new bosses and maybe they want to keep their jobs by playing it safe. Yet you can't succeed if you don't try. Luckily plenty of others are stepping up to the challenge. Summer television now offers some short series on cable, plus we have some pretty big sporting events to follow. Hopefully, there are vacation plans too!

As it goes with film, television, music and the rest - well a Bruce Springsteen song comes to mind, probably from the 90s because it's out of date now "57 Channels and There's Nothing On" but he had a good point (and a pretty good song!)  Now, there are more channels but generally less worth watching although it's getting better because things are changing. Change is good. It's happening differently in film; this is part of the reason why TV has gotten better (let's leave "Reality TV out of this for now)....film stars have gone to television because studios aren't willing produce quality films. They're giving us what they want to give us - sequels and remakes mostly, much like the music industry...turn on any pop radio station and you'll hear the same few artists repeated hourly, all generally with the same sound. One wonders how many of them ever got a recording deal and likewise, how or why some recent films were ever made. Well I do know, more or less. It's not unlike Washington DC: a few people are deciding what they think we want and thinking about their own arses along with the almighty dollar. Yes, these are all businesses...creative businesses (even DC lately!) though it seems they aren't listening to their "shareholders." No, not the actual stockholders - but the ones who actually purchase the tickets/entertainment, not the financial stock! Businesses don't do well when they ignore their customers!

Rest assured, there is great entertainment out there if you're willing to do a few browser searches until the creatives our there can realign Hollywood and Music back into a "new golden age." To look for great films, do a search of "Film Festivals" and you will find an abundance of incredible films, both long and short that are worth renting (if it's been out awhile) or try seeking out in a cinema somewhere. These films are known today as "Indies" because they are made outside of the major studios in Hollywood. They have to be. If you think you have not seen one, I'm pretty sure you have. For many years now, these films have been winning over audiences and the biggest awards in film. You're probably familiar with the Sundance Film Festival founded by Robert Redford and the TriBeCa Film Festival founded by Robert DeNiro, not to mention Cannes in France. Guess what? There are now film festivals in many States and Cities around the World! Many of these you can actually attend whereas the aforementioned "named" festivals are exclusive to filmakers, actors, invitees.

For music? Try YouTube! Go back to small music clubs and lounges and local music festivals. Check out ticketing websites and look for bands that are opening for bigger bands you like. Most of the bands I love have had mostly unknown, later to be great bands open for them! Start following people on Social Media or get involved in helping a project get made on a crowd funding website like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. As little as a dollar can get you into something really fun and worth seeing on a big screen or on the radio! Unknown artists as well as A list celebrities are using these forums to fund projects they want to see get made because the studios won't make them. The same celebrities are also either using their own money to finance the films or sponsor screen writing/director competitions designed to help foster new talent into the business. Another option: write it, direct it, produce it yourself! Goodness I've heard more talented people on the NYC Subway than I have on NYC radio! I've seen some interesting previews for upcoming Indie films and I've invested in others - it's very exciting.

A lot of people may think "oh, I can't do that, what can I say" or "how do I start" well, you just do. Granted things have changed a lot and you cannot just mail in your song, manuscript, film script or awesome new video game and expect them to say "We'll take it!" but you do have to start. A few nights ago, there was an old Billy Joel concert on TV and he played a song that's not really ever played on the radio called "Goodnight Saigon." So, not a commercial success - Billy is a legend, of course but over time the song has become a sort of anthem. Keep in mind even Billy started somewhere; listen to "The Piano Man" that's basically his story - those people he mentions were real! I first only ever heard "Goodnight" live, lucky me! Inside Billy's "home" Madison Square Garden, when the song starts the first thing one hears isn't an instrument but the butchered wind chopping sound of a military helicopter's blades as if it were hovering above us. WHAT? I think I intuitively ducked. Next, a few piano keys and Billy starts to softly sing the lyrics of what is the narrative of a day in the life for Vietnam Vets "in country." The soft vocals and music eventually build to a majestic crescendo; cue goosebumps, tears. Wow is an understatement. That's what we go out for....to feel something! Laughter, empathy, inspiration, knowledge, excitement, thrills and so on. Much later on I heard Billy talk about that song. It wasn't anything he ever felt he should write because he had not been in Vietnam but he had friends who were - and they wanted him to write it so he asked them to tell him their stories. "Goodnight Saigon" is perfect and for years now, anytime it is performed there are either Veterans on stage or active duty service members. So what's my point?

Something Billy didn't think he could/should do or maybe a record executive might even have told him NOT to do ended up being something so meaningful to so many people; certainly one of his most meaningful creations. Most of us will never know what an experience like being in Vietnam felt like; this song takes you there and you "feel" it for a few minutes. It was one of the most memorable concert experiences I've ever had. I've rarely been that moved and I've seen a lot of shows. That's what great entertainment ought to do; tell you something, make you feel something, take you someplace. I think all of us want to be transported in some way when we seek out entertainment. We want to get outside of our own thoughts and escape for awhile. Film and music are just two of many things that can help us "get away."

These moments just aren't happening that often lately but as I said, there are great works out there (don't forget the greats from the past!) and many creatives who are working hard to bring great entertainment back to the main stream. I'm just one of them. Those who blazed trails before us made big changes happen in the past - they were bold; we're in the process of doing it again. It's not easy but it's very exciting and much better than waiting for "Bad Movie Part 7" or heaven forbid, someone says, "Let's remake "Gone With The Wind!" Great film and music is being made and more is one the way. Stay tuned.

Inspiration, Determination and Hockey

What might the first two possibly have to do with hockey? Almost everything, plus a whole lot more minus the fighting. Just recently my beloved NY Rangers made a valiant bid for the NHL Championship; I've been a fan since I was a little girl. During the Stanley Cup rally, I kept thinking back to the 1980 Olympics when the USA team did the impossible and beat the Soviet Ice Hockey team (our Rangers have only won twice in close to 90 years; no one ever thinks we'll win) and I'm *just* barely old enough to remember that moment in time. It was more exciting for everyone, I think, than when they went on to win the Gold medal. That team proved the impossible WAS possible and that is the thought that I love to remember. The team coach, Herb Brooks, had been a member of the 1960 Mens US Hockey Team but he never got to play. A victory for him came 20 years later; what he did with those players was remarkable, and their willingness to follow him was true faith and determination. When the buzzer rang and the players celebrated, Herb did NOT walk onto the ice, though he rightly could have. He walked out into the back hall of the arena, perhaps overwhelmed with emotions of what he had finally accomplished, yet not wanting to take anything from the players. An example of quiet humility during a moment of greatness.

Not many of us will win Olympic medals but many of us will have opportunities for personal greatness if we can let ourselves be inspired, work hard and believe that anything is possible. The often repeated "there is no "i" in team" is worth remembering even when working on one's own projects because you will always need the help of others to get to where it is you want to be, achieve your goals and fulfill your dreams. As long as YOU believe, and you do not give up, anything is possible. If you've never seen that iconic game, I recommend doing so. Afterwards, see the film "Miracle" (title coming from the unforgettable phrase by the great sports broadcaster Al Michaels, who as the clock counted down asked "Do you believe in miracles?" when the USA won that special day. I double-dog dare you not to get a bit weepy when you watch BOTH! And please, do believe in your dreams. They do come true.

Exactly one year ago today, I was in Verona, Italy - an often overlooked gorgeous Italian city in Northern Italy not far from Venice or Lake Garda or Switzerland.....you see what I mean by overlooked? I spent a month only in Verona and planned on staying longer. As things often tend to go, plans changed and I had to return to the USA on the perfect day, July 4th! (Luckily, I'd already been to Switzerland and Venice!!) I had packed up my nearly 20 years of living in Brooklyn and took off for England on April 30th, 2013, leaving my essentials in storage. I have dual EU/USA citizenship and my life is transportable so I thought I'd go visit some friends in England and then.....probably Italy as I knew Italian (but wow do I need to work on my grammar!) and I'd loved Italy on my last visit. But where? Not a big city, not a tiny town - I needed a "Goldilocks" version (for blondes, of course) that was just right. It was Verona. 




The flying gods dictated that I was to fly home via Sicily.  The Palermo airport is an interesting one as upon immediate observation, I'm quite sure that with the requisite Vet papers, one could in fact, check in a goat along with 9 suitcases. Never saw anything like it, but then there's a reason why Sicily and Italy like to separate themselves from each other. That's an entire post or seven. The flight home was THE LONGEST of my life - approximately 10-11 hours in reality, not bad compared to the flight from Sydney, Australia to LA - that's about 17 hours, but after 12-13 one really wishes to GET OUT. It was also the worst landing ever; the plane must have stalled as we simply dropped onto the runway; no light two-stage touch down. WELCOME BACK TO NYC!! Now, you're homeless - not exactly how I thought things would be. I'd always expected that I might need/want return to the States but I'd have time to make arrangements; the bureaucratic nonsense that called me back did not allow for such idyllic notions. I booked an airport hotel; one does not travel NYC on the 4th (things are exploding all around)....then into the city for a few days. During the weekend, I called some family in Westchester who'd said "come on up!" I did and from here, I now write.


One year later. I've got a nice new bed, TV, couch and car that does more things than I can figure out; it even started speaking French one night while I was driving to Connecticut. I'd been trying to use the hands free option. I tried, in French, to ask it to revert back to speaking English. The technology has not come that far yet; it took awhile but I had to reset it by hand on the "mission control" panel in the dash. Oh and this MacBook is new too. I haven't a CLUE what it does. It looks nice though and it has my screen writing software on it. One of these days I'll go to the Apple store, see a "genius" and maybe figure out what this thing does. Might be handy.


So guess what now? I'm planning to move to Florida! I think even the "Where's Waldo" people would be thinking "I'm out!" Because here's where else I need to be (but not necessarily live, except maybe for New Zealand!) now: Colorado, England's Lake District, Seattle, LA, St. Barth's, New Zealand, Les Calanques, France & Switzerland because they confiscated my Swiss Army knife last year at JFK. Yes, I know you can buy them anywhere, but mine WAS purchased in Switzerland and the name of the town (Rapperswil) I bought it in was etched on the main blade. You can see my dilemma. First, I must work on getting me and my things to Florida. Oh if only to have Star Trek Next Generation transporter technology! "Energize!" Me and my things were atomically broken down and reassembled in Florida. Not going to happen. I've got boxes. Many, never unpacked. Thank goodness.