Let me explain why I'm on your front porch.
Here's my card
The Scout
I had my eyes on that house. In fact, I had been considering it for a while. I took notice of it every time I drove passed. It was exactly what I was looking for. The house had this perfect blend of Italian and Spanish architectural styles, with a stucco finish, tall columns, and dual, symmetrical staircases that flanked a central fountain as they wound up toward the front entrance. In my mind, it was definitely the house of a kingpin.
I was in the middle of location scouting for a short comedy I was directing called Scratch, a goofy comedy about an “every guy,” affable, but down-on-his-luck billiard player who gets in deep with a bookie and loan shark (In fact, this is one film I would love to remake, knowing now what I didn’t know then. But that’s for another story).
I pulled the car up to the gate, got out, and pressed the buzzer. I mentally prepared my pitch while waiting for the voice to come on the other end.
“Hello?
“Hi, my name is Clint and I’d love to talk to you about using your house for a short film I’m making.”
[pause]
“Who are you? Who are you with? What are you doing?”
There comes a point in every kid’s movie-making hobby when you have to get out of your own little inner circle and branch out. There’s just so many times your dad’s office can double as the office of a Russian oligarch (which you will read about in a future story) or the parking garage a location for yet another clandestine meeting.
The Lessons Learned
But using resources that are familiar and close to you are safe. People know you. They understand what you’re trying to do. They’re eager to help. As soon as you step out of that insular support blanket, you have to answer a lot more questions. You have to learn to communicate better:
to explain your vision,
your needs,
the benefit(s) to those from whom you need the help.
You have to learn to pitch yourself and your ideas; to put yourself in the best possible light.
And you have to learn to convince others to come along for the ride.
I didn’t realize I was learning all those lessons at the time, but now I realize how beneficial that process was. For every person (like the owner of that luxurious home) who skeptically asked me, “Who are you? What are you doing?” I had to learn to sell them on me and my projects and reassure them that working with me would be a positive experience.
The Application
I guess that sums up why I’m now writing these stories. But I have to admit, I hesitated for a long time before putting these personal narratives out there. Sure, I had been thinking about it, but like all those people who asked me, “Who are you?” when trying to make one of my movies, I could feel my readers asking the same thing.
After all, who am I to act like some kind of authority on what you should or shouldn’t do in the film and video production industry? I’ve always considered myself a student of the craft, always eager to learn something new. Sure, I’ve had opportunities to teach middle schoolers and high schoolers and I’ve given “Lunch and Learns” about video marketing in front of various business people, but I’ve struggled with this idea that people can learn anything from my career (more in future stories about self-doubt and self-confidence) and so I hesitated to branch out from what felt safe. Until now.
Through these stories I want to answer that question, “Who am I?” for you. I want you to come along for the ride and understand that yes, reading these stories and learning more about my experiences can offer some benefit to you as well. So, take and keep what you like, leave what you don’t, and maybe we’ll all be a little better off in the end.
Now, here’s my card, in case you want to keep in touch.