I’m an independent filmmaker. And that means that lighting is critically important to me. For instance, if I can’t separate my foreground subject from the background that subject is in front of, I’ll have a muddy image that no one will want to look at. Well, it might be an artistic curiosity, but it won’t be a clear image. And most of the time, what I want is a clear image.
This is also true in my life as a whole. If I can’t see what I’m doing, it makes it a lot more difficult to get it done. And lately, around here (San Francisco), it’s been overcast like Seattle, which has made it a heavier prospect keeping my eyes on my dreams. The light coming into my eyes and into my skin (killer vitamin D source, don’tcha know) helps make it possible for me to lift up my eyes – and my head – and look ahead.
And the truth is, because of my ability to keep going, and hold that light inside me, I’m living a number of my dreams right now. I’m in an amazing relationship – personal and business – with the partner of my dreams, my wife of almost 12 years. Wow! I’m making movies for a living, writing scripts, shooting film and editing like a madman. Yes, there’s an enormous amount of administrative work that goes along with that, and yes, sometimes that’s a drag…but the light of the dreams I’m actually living in help keep me going.
So, anytime you’re having a hard time keeping your eyes on your dreams, because it looks pretty dark around you, find what light you can find. Don’t worry if it’s not a light anyone else can see. That’s not the important thing. Not that having other folks support your path by being on a similar one themselves isn’t wonderful and wonderfully helpful; it is. But it’s not as necessary as the truth of that light for you. If it’s true for you, then it’s true enough.
As Brian Setzer sings, in his song “We are the Marauders:” “Life is one tall order / You gotta do what you wanna do / You gotta do what you were born to do / But this whole life is way too short / If it feels right to you / Well, there’s a start.”
Light your way, fabulous ones!
Ian Carruthers
Filmmaker
www.foolishtreefilms.com
Let’s make a movie!
