Remember To Be Interesting
I over explain. I often over explain what I'm explaining with a four or five interruptions to spit out caveats, pre-qualifiers, and explanations to explain what I'm explaining. I try to head off every possible questions someone's going to have or to put to rest any misconception, doubt, or disagreement they may have about what I'm going to say before I say it.
I'm sort of doing that now. And it usually backfires. Because after I'm done, the poor listener has had to follow me down five different paths and they're understandably lost after I stop to take a breath. Then we start over and figure it out or, unfortunately, they're put off and don't care to understand by that point.
Somewhere along the way, I learned to avoid the questions. The thing is, there's a beauty in getting the chance to express yourself. To let something unfold. Often, my best explanation of something has happened when someone has asked me a question and I have to stop and think about the "why" and the "how" of something. Then I learn about myself along with the asker.
But I typically don't let that happen. Typically I say, "So I'm doing this thing" or "I heard about this thing and let me tell you about it. It', and it's cool because so and so is relevant to this because of that thing they did back that one time, and so they're doing this thing and it's going to be amazing because of this and I'm really excited because they had an affect on me at some pivotal point in my life and I've always kind of been this sort of guy and I've only really started to figure that out over the last couple of years and it's exciting to understand yourself a bit better and so that's why I feel like this guy's really important and this thing he's doing is worth a dang and so I really hope this happens because of this and I really want you to know how important this, that, and this are because of this and anyway it's happening and I can't wait and it's really cool....oh and do you remember this obscure thing? Because that was them too."
And that's probably only a half-decent attempt at describing what it's like listening to me.
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| Look. I'm actually listening here. |
It also leads me to interrupt people a lot. At my job, with customers, with my co-filmmakers and collaborators, my friends, my wife... She has developed a very effective icy stare that says more than words are ever capable. I think I know what they're about to say or ask or explain and I'm like, let's jump right ahead to the answer or the thing we'd talk about next after you finished that thought.
And I'd like it to stop. I know I'm a total right brain, writer, filmmaker, creative guy. An emotional writer instead of an analytical one. Got it. But I can also be a self-absorbed jerk who gets frustrated that people aren't getting what I'm saying or aren't as jazzed about something as I think they should be. The first one is mostly on me, the latter, well, I can only do so much. Just because I'm right about what's awesome and important ALL the time, doesn't mean I can force you to notice that...
And I thought I was going to make it through this entire blog without any sarcasm- But, ahhh, there you are, my dear friend. In fact I'd like you to hear Ian McKellen's voice (right here) and see the exact look on his face when he says, "My dear Bilbo." Substitute the word "Bilbo" with the word "Sarcasm." That's exactly how I feel about sarcasm. That's exactly the kind of relationship I have with it.
And how did we wind up here? Because I can only be focused on one thing for so long.
And what does that have to do with the title of this blog? We'll, I'm a filmmaker. And I want to continue to be. I want to keep writing and directing and creating for a very long time. And the internet it this horrible, horrible place filled with many beautiful and interesting people that are worth connecting with. Why connect because it's what we do. It's also a way to help make sure that people are interested in you and your work enough that you're able to find ways to continue to be creative on a public level without destroying your health, your sanity, and your family. Or at least a way to try and not do those things.
The internet is also a lovely place to go to to when you want to do a bang up job of destroying all three. I know I nearly did.
So, let's hope I'm interesting enough. Let's hope what I think about and what I've learned are interesting enough. I'll be honest, a lot of this is because I'm just one more person trying to be creative and I "need" to make a little noise about it. So this is me generating "buzz" about me but more about my stories and films and the stories behind the stories and all of the people who help make these films and how they have ownership in all of this as well.
So, there.
and speaking of stories, a friend of mind has written his first book. He's got a Kickstarter page up to raise funds to get it printed and sent all over the world. Check it out. The video should be good for some laughs. He is the funniest people I personally know.
And in conclusion- Three Things I'm Excited About These Days:
