Many people try to categorize producers and directors, while the filmmaker works hard to not fall into any one pigeonhole. Marketing and promotions fight against the filmmaker’s efforts, as simple labels allow for bigger and faster campaigns. This forces a filmmaker to define himself with reluctance.
Even James Cameron fought for years against being considered a sci-fi director until Titanic (Which some argue was a sci-fi film based on the details of the ships construction and sinking). Based on the film’s box office success and Oscar win, Cameron self-proclaimed a new label of being the “King of the World,” that is, the motion picture world. The success of Avatar continues to support his label, since the top two grossing films of all time are his.
While I can’t hold a candle to what Cameron accomplished, I am still asked what types of films I make. This is quite the struggle for every filmmaker I meet who needs a label to better promote his work, but doesn’t want to be locked in for life. The result for me, is labeling myself not based on genre as most do, but on the type of content I create. I summarize it in this way: I produce wholesome and moral films that touch the soul.
This phrase gives me plenty of latitude in what I do and allows me to cross genres, age brackets and markets. Plus, it is universal enough to cross many emotional, mental and spiritual barriers. It allows me the freedom to explore various avenues of the human condition, which everyone can relate.
The old saying is true, that the reality of our human condition places us in one of three places: in the middle of a crisis, working our way out of a crisis or about to enter a crisis. I share stories that encourage people out of their crisis, through recovery and into a hope filled life. There is no better job on earth than encouraging someone to choose growth, watching him or her rise to a victory over their circumstances and witness them giving back as they encourage others.
It is a legacy that I’m privileged to be a part of, even though I’ve observed that those who are most effective in encouraging others remain nameless or a mystery. Therein lies my love for the story Jones. The story is about Andy who is down on his luck eating scraps and sleeping under a dock in a quaint coastal town until a drifter named Jones helps him to change his perspective and recognize the miracles in the simple moments of life. Andy sets out to learn the secret to how this wanderer helps others gain a perspective that brings about life changing events, forcing him to make a choice between being self-absorbed and a “Noticer” of others.
The best part of Jones: The Noticer is its ability to demonstrate to others how to notice those around us that need an encouraging word or a slight adjustment in perspective. I have always been thankful for those who noticed when I needed a word of encouragement. They are eternally on my mind. They are the people that impacted my life more than others.
I remember one particular moment when a lady by the last name of Show told me that I could write. It was perfectly timed and set my life in a completely new direction. The funny thing, it was during a time in my life when I was told by too many that my writing was down right awful. Her generous words, reflecting the heart she saw in my writing, turned me into a person who has now written numerous times regardless of the platform: letters, articles, blogs, screenplays and books.
If you’ve had a Noticer in your life, I suggest you write about him or her at the following sight:
http://www.thenoticerproject.com/
And, if you haven’t yet read Andy Andrews’ book The Noticer, I suggest you do so – Don’t wait for the movie to come out.
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