Discouragement, delusion, magnificence and spiritual resolve

Here's the March monthly letter on the Arts Mentoring Bloghaus. http://thegroup.artsmentoring.co/

Some things take longer to plan than to execute. Whilst you are sure in your mind about where you are headed and the shape of things to come (art, music, poetry, dance, film) others may look on and consider you a little mad.

When people look at the film we’ve just ‘completed’, they will see that it was ‘made’ in two days at a studio not far from Bristol, oh and an easy morning’s shoot on a lovely sunny morning for the sunrise shot. However, for the last year I’ve been writing, trying to find the money to make it, looking for the right actress, the right music and so much more. At times I’m sure people considered me a bit out there, a bit of an idealist maybe, maybe even waiting for a crash landing.

You get used to it of course, but much of what has gone on may have appeared grandiose to some. The Handy Cloud motto of ‘changing the world one film at a time’ perceived as, well a little delusional perhaps?

Much of who we are as artists goes on behind the scenes, beyond the public gaze and when we let slip a few snippets of our imagination into the public domain, we may appear to have lost it. The good news is always hard to find in such times, as discouragement is an added burden we could well do without. Such doubts, aired by cunningly placed friends and colleagues only serve to evaporate confidence, but as we dig deeper we find a creative, spiritual resolve.

Last week we worked neither frantically, nor panicking due to the pressure with My Name Is Sorrow. We worked with a common aim to do the best we could with limited resources and I have to say if according to the writer and director Paul Schrader, that if you get 80% of what you wanted in a film, then you were indeed successful. Bearing that in mind I have to be more than content with every aspect of the film. The crew were magnificent and Natasha (Paulinyi), well, what can I say, I was just gobsmacked at her focus and performance. If I could I’d give her a BAFTA or an Oscar!!

This is just so much like God at work in us. So much goes on unseen and some stuff when it surfaces may appear to others a tad bizarre, but hey, as Mies van der Rohe said, ‘God is in the Detail’ and our aim should be to press on regardless of detractors. Our need is not to be met in such naysayers, but in coming together to make something that we alone could not achieve. I needed a crew and cast, you may need an agent, a gallery or a band, (it’s called community!) but dear ones, let’s persevere, let’s press on so that we make a difference to a crumbling world and then stand in a world renewed. Go on, you know you want to!!