No matter how long it takes it's worth it if the goal is achieved.
(I know that sounds really cliche' but it holds value)
It's been about 8 years since I moved from where I was living to Chicago. In that time I have set up for myself many things that I wanted to pursue that I think it is important to reflect on in terms of success and failure.
When I got to Illinois I had about $60.00 in my pocket. A spare room to live in, two suit cases, a backpack, the clothes on my back, and nothing else.
Now this is a pretty good start I will admit. Better than some. It was certainly better than where I came from in 2007. Where I had my back pack, a gym bag and sleeping under the desert sky.
I left LA with a failed attempt at a 4 million dollar feature film that we (the director and I) had hoped to team up with David Duchovny for. Did I mention it was 2007? Not the best economy for film investments, our investors saw the writing on the wall. We didn't, I lost everything. Not just because of the film, I had a car accident, lost my job, got evicted all in less than 6 months. By 2008 I was homeless off and on with now prospects for film, now job, now no car (which I used to live in when it got bad.), so I traveled looking for work and living on a wing and a prayer.
I landed not very long after leaving in Chicago. When I got off the train it was summer and the warm breeze coming off of Lake Michigan hit me like an epiphany as I stepped out of Millennium station. I was home.
It's hard to explain but I knew right then that I would have a very special relationship with this city and I felt like anything was possible. I fell in love right away with downtown.
In the next three years I would have more success in the film industry than the previous three in LA. It's not that I won an Oscar or anything. But, I do feel like I truly got started in the industry when I got to Chicago.
Within a two months I had a job at a grocery store and was an extra in two big features and a TV show. I also started taking a film class at the local community college.
Within a two months I had a job at a grocery store and was an extra in two big features and a TV show. I also started taking a film class at the local community college.
My first major job on a big film crew was given to me by Michael Bay himself. A friend of mine and I held up a cardboard sign that said "Film Students, will PA 4 Credit". Bay and his producer Ian Brice loved the sign and gave us jobs. That was a really good beginning, I worked for 11 days on Transformers 3 and did everything I could get my hands on in terms of PA work. Two things worked against me, I still lived two hours out in the suburbs and I had a hold on my drivers license from my car accident in LA.
In 2013 my friend from film school who held the sign with me got an apartment together. Finally downtown just a block from the "Red line" and a block from the beach.
Now I am still single and my career kind of hits a ceiling, then I have a really good couple of month's in the middle of 2014 I come off of a huge feature film and roll right into a spot full time on a TV show. It's amazing...
Yes, I had some rough stuff at the end of that year, BUT I found the love of my life, woman I am still with and I spent the last two years indie producing. I still was alone relatively speaking in the city. An aunt and uncle in their 60's super religious that support me but not the industry so much that I am in. It's good but still pretty solo.
I bring this up because it's important to understand what having a support system means. When you live in your hometown, and you stay connected to the people you grew up with, you have your networks network. It often seems like things just "work themselves out" or, "work hard and the right thing will show up". Which is true, mostly because you have a sphere of influence that supports you one way or the other when thing's that are challenges show up.
Now subtract that, move, and have something show up. It's a very very very different set of challenges, even though they are the same challenges.
Right now, I am for the first time sitting next to a family member of my immediate family, teaching the how to blog. The value of writing is huge in my family, I have 5 blogs that no one reads...but I love it still. I am sitting in a studio space downtown, 6 minutes from the Largest Film stages in the state. I have Union hours as a Grip on two major TV shows. I am starting a internet based network, co-writing a feature, starring in a short, still in love with my girlfriend, and about to have more money and success than I have ever had before in my life.
This April, it will be 8 years that I have been in the mid-west. From being homeless to here. There are still challenges, money is not coming in super strong YET! But it is on it's way. This will be the most successful year of my life.
I survived, I learned, I have constantly pushed my self to be better, and now I have success.
I am not alone anymore, I am not really (kind of still) homeless, I have a great life, a great support system, I am doing what I love with people I love.
Mission accomplished.
Now I am still single and my career kind of hits a ceiling, then I have a really good couple of month's in the middle of 2014 I come off of a huge feature film and roll right into a spot full time on a TV show. It's amazing...
Yes, I had some rough stuff at the end of that year, BUT I found the love of my life, woman I am still with and I spent the last two years indie producing. I still was alone relatively speaking in the city. An aunt and uncle in their 60's super religious that support me but not the industry so much that I am in. It's good but still pretty solo.
I bring this up because it's important to understand what having a support system means. When you live in your hometown, and you stay connected to the people you grew up with, you have your networks network. It often seems like things just "work themselves out" or, "work hard and the right thing will show up". Which is true, mostly because you have a sphere of influence that supports you one way or the other when thing's that are challenges show up.
Now subtract that, move, and have something show up. It's a very very very different set of challenges, even though they are the same challenges.
Right now, I am for the first time sitting next to a family member of my immediate family, teaching the how to blog. The value of writing is huge in my family, I have 5 blogs that no one reads...but I love it still. I am sitting in a studio space downtown, 6 minutes from the Largest Film stages in the state. I have Union hours as a Grip on two major TV shows. I am starting a internet based network, co-writing a feature, starring in a short, still in love with my girlfriend, and about to have more money and success than I have ever had before in my life.
This April, it will be 8 years that I have been in the mid-west. From being homeless to here. There are still challenges, money is not coming in super strong YET! But it is on it's way. This will be the most successful year of my life.
I survived, I learned, I have constantly pushed my self to be better, and now I have success.
I am not alone anymore, I am not really (kind of still) homeless, I have a great life, a great support system, I am doing what I love with people I love.
Mission accomplished.
