Hello! My name is Michael for those of you who don't know me already. I have loved television and film for as long as I can remember. My collection and interests are rather eclectic. I loathe the “What's your favorite movie?” question that I'm often asked. I can never answer with just one. I have watched 1990's Home Alone so many times I could act out every single scene, alone, without missing a beat. But in the same way, I love Home Alone; I could watch 1962's The Longest Day for the rest of my life. Henry Fonda, John Wayne, and Paul Anka, who doesn't love that?!? Some of the greatest together for a great movie. Lawrence of Arabia took Best Picture at the Oscar's, The Longest day won Best Cinematography and Best Special Effects, as it was superb for its time. And then I fast forward to the 2018 Best Picture Nominees Call me By Your Name and Darkest Hour. I loved both of these movies, and I'm happy they took home awards. And of course, I must mention The Shape of Water. Del Toro has undoubtedly made a mark in the industry with this film. As you can see, I've gone on to talk about movies about love, war, humor, politics and more. It is impossible to pick a favorite.
In this blog, I will likely often talk about the Legendary Shonda Rhimes and her works, particularly Grey's Anatomy as it is my favorite television show, that question I can answer. Shonda, among many others in the industry, has helped fuel my passion over the years.
Last August I traveled to LA. It was my first time in California. For years there was a fire inside of me consisting of embers that were trying to burn but were being smothered by fear, doubt and the unknown. As I drove through Hollywood seeing famous sites, emotions overwhelmed me. I thought maybe I was just on that high you get while on vacation, escaping reality. So Ignored the feeling I had, I refused to feed the fire, until I couldn't anymore. I sat in my new home in Salt Lake City, where I was happy, where I loved! But there was a sound so deafening inside of me yelling “HOLLYWOOD! MOVIES! TELEVISION! WRITING! LA!!!”.
Finally, I had to listen to the sound inside of me yelling; I had to feel the embers that wanted to ignite into huge flames!*Opens Chrome. Types into google “Film Schools in California”* And then it began. I fed the curiosity inside of me that had been causing me to lose sleep and become unfocused in conversation. I looked at programs at USC, UCLA, and NY Film Academy. All amazing programs. But then reality began to sink in. Cost. The cost was super important. Some of the programs I was able to find in LA were attainable, but then it came to cost of living. Soon I realized while not impossible, LA was just not the best decision at this time for me. So I told the sound that I did my best, but this wasn't happening.
If movies and television didn't surround my life, perhaps it would have been easy to move on from the realization that film school and LA were too expensive. But every time credits rolled, every time I saw the words “ Producer” or “Director” or “Screenwriter” and “Creator,” I felt something inside that I couldn't explain. I heard something saying “you want your name to be on that screen someday!”
I looked into schools that had Film Programs all around the country. I found a program at Eastern New Mexico University. I knew ZERO about ENMU. So I began researching, following their Instagram and stalking their Facebook. I sent several emails with tons of questions I had. Then I did it. I applied. I got accepted. The sound stopped yelling. The fire was burning. I finally silenced the noise and fueled the fire. I realized what had been keeping me up all night were the sounds of passion.
Even after having been accepted to the program at ENMU, I was still not entirely sure that this was the step I should be taking. I have my AA in Healthcare Admin and have one year left for my Bachelor's degree. Should I change schools? Should I change my major once again? Must I do this? And then, in Stinson Beach, California, in a quaint bookstore, the answers to all my questions would be found in a book. I was walking around this bookstore with my one of my best friends, Cynthia. She and I love traveling to new places, and we always make it a point to support local/small businesses in our travels. So we both decided we wanted to buy something from this store as it just had this unexplainable charm.
I walked up and down aisle after aisle, trying to find the right book. Then I saw it. The book had a mostly white background with colorful lettering for the title. It caught my eye immediately, and I stopped dead in my tracks, focused on this book. I picked it up. “The Crossroads of Should and Must- Find and Follow Your Passion” by Elle Luna. Since I was in primary school and would take class trips to the library to pick out books for reading, I have always had a rule for picking out my books. I would open the book and jump to the first page of the story (either prologue or just first chapter). When I finished reading that page, if I wanted to know more, if I were sold on the story thus far, I would read it. If for some reason it didn't capture my attention, then I would put it down and keep looking.
This had been my rule for 20+ years. But when I held this book, I didn't have to open it. I knew I was purchasing this book. I had this feeling, one I can't describe. I had no control over the situation; I was buying this book. As I mentioned our love for traveling, Cynthia and I both have our favorite places to go. This was my second trip to California. California had instantly become my favorite place to go, particularly Los Angeles. I have been to 40 states and lived in 6 of them in the last ten years. It is hard for me to pick “favorites,” but LA is my favorite city (sorry Boston, you'll always be home, but LA has you on this one). Cynthia's favorite place to be is New York City (someday we'll travel there together so she can show me her “place”). As I held the book up, she came around the corner and gasped! She told me she bought this same book in NYC! The justification for buying the book became even more natural. It was a message I was finding this while vacationing in California (we had just spent five days in LA, and finishing our trip in SF before heading back to SLC).
Elle Luna's words were the final piece to the puzzle for me. I could write pages and pages about her book, but I would like just to share this one excerpt which I think explains how she changed my life.
“Must eludes you because once you hear it speak, you know what it wants—to teach... to build a family... to write... to make art... to put people on the moon – it is difficult, if not impossible, to forget it. When you know why you are here – what you were put on this earth to do – it is challenging to go back to life as you knew it before and be satisfied”.
Elle Luna, The Crossroads of Should and Must. Page 75
I finally understood all the indescribable feelings, the voices, they were feelings and sounds of passion. Studying Film was the right move. It had to happen. I thought I had at least a glimpse of what my future held, but then it all changed. My life took an unexpected turn. Then I realized, it was just one of the many plot twists in my life. Often we see things one way and expect what we know, to be true. For instance, 1999's "The Sixth Sense" has possibly one of the greatest plot twists. No one expected that Dr. Crowe was actually dead! I guess what I'm trying to say is that everything is not always as it seems.
Okay, now that I have introduced myself and I gave you a glimpse of my passion, I can explain this blog. I am going to use this platform to talk about movies, television shows, books, plays, etc. etc. I'll be an amateur reviewer whose credentials only include a collection of 500+ movies (and counting), once having seen six movies in 2 theaters in 1 day, and the practiced ability of binge-watching entire series on Netflix or Hulu in a matter of 2-3 days.
Remember your script can be flipped at any second, and plot twists are bound to happen in your life. Go along with what is thrown at you. You are the screenwriter of your story. You are the director of your movie. Take what life throws at you and give your audience a hell of a show.
