When it’s all said and done…I LOVE filmmaking

I love films. I love filmmaking. I’m not the kind of filmmaker who tosses out the names of celebrity directors or blockbuster movies just so I can appear profound and important or trendy. I love all kinds of films and all kinds of filmmakers. Recently I fell to the floor laughing because a friend of mine sent me a clip from “Tremors,” a b-cinema horror flick that I watch on TV every time it comes on. I love that film. In fact, you might catch me commenting on blogs by b-movie lovers all over the world. I dig action films (Jerry Bruckheimer–yeah!) and I am an avid fan of romantic comedies (hey– I just finished one…http://www.brokenheartsclubfilm.com).

I’ve spoken to the Long Beach Community College Film class twice. It was very cool. I volunteered with the IFP (now Film Independent) at the Los Angeles Film Festival and 2009 made my 5th year of working at Independent Spirit Awards. The folks from NY who run the gift bag lounge at the Spirit Awards call me to come work with them each time they’re in town. I’ve written and directed 10 films, loaned my camera equipment to other indie filmmakers so they can complete their films, inspired a fellow actor/filmmaker to write what later became a two-time award-winning short film (which I edited after two editors bailed), helped two fellow filmmakers acquire 15,000 square foot locations for free. My friend worked as a theater manager at the Sundance Film Festival this year and he thought enough of me to kindly bring festival program to me.

Is this the behavior of someone who can’t be trusted to work as a volunteer at a film festival?

I am pretty mild for the most part. I like to laugh.I loathe confrontation because it’s so emotionally taxing. But I will never be bullied. Ever. Although I am only one person, one filmmaker in a sea of huge festivals and big Hollywood studios no one will ever bully me. I won’t allow it. Fair is fair and right is right. No one has the ability to glean the full content of my personality or character from a blog or a sarcastic comment.

Speak to me. Talk with me. Let us reason together.

But this is exactly what the Newport Beach Film Festival didn’t do when they assumed that they might come into contact with certain “behavior” (their word, not mine) should they decide to bring me in as a volunteer to work the festival. Their conclusion was based on comments in a blog…or worse, hearsay.

Filmmakers, watch what you write on your blogs. A festival may deem your comments–and ultimately you–unworthy.