Cinespot : Charlie's corner

Charlie's corner

It was around August of 1997 and the weather in Burlington, Vermont didn't indicate the brutal winter that was to follow. A slight breeze from the West made the 80-degree temp even better. I was driving around with nothing to do and nowhere to go. The day was all mine. I could do anything I wanted. It was a day off from my restaurant job. I signed a six-month contract to work in Burlington. The money from this job would pay for my trip to San Francisco. I was planning on going to film school there. I think the lovely weather and peaceful surroundings made this day a lasting memory. Without the setting, there would be no thoughts to ponder and philosophize. Believe me, I did plenty of those on that day. How does the legend go? The man went up to the mountain and asked the gods the questions of life? Is that it? I only had one question. The goal of going to Vermont and working for six months was to save for San Francisco. San Francisco would be a journey of four years to finish film school. After that, Los Angeles would be the next destination, all of that for a dream...a dream to work in film. Now if everything goes as plan and the dream came true. Would I be happy? This ruined the perfect day. What a question to ask as you begin a marathon. I couldn't answer that question. I had no idea. How do you know an answer to something that won't happen for years to come? What if I said no? I didn't. Instead the six months of Vermont winter felt like six years. The four years in San Francisco felt like four months. Which leads to paying dues... Dues. We all have to pay our dues, either in life or in our careers. It is the marker in which to gauge your life. The kicker is when you realize the dues you pay; it's well after the fact. That's one thing I would change. Lets say you have a goal-to be the best film director ever. The dues you have to pay... The ones we can think and plan for - film school or working on film sets. Watch all the movies you can get your hands on. Reading about all the great directors present and past. Putting your time in interning and doing production work. All this we know about. This can take years. For argument sake, lets assume it's going to take five years to accomplish all this. This will only get you work on your first film. To be the best, you're going to have to direct at least ten films and five of them better be amazing. This will take a while. If you were Woody Allen and made a film a year, this goal would be finished in a decade, but there's only one Mr. Allen. A realistic time would be 20 to 30 years. To make ten films in your lifetime...you're talking about getting the money, the people, the scripts, and everything else that needs to work together to make a film, come together and gel. That's half of the dues you have to pay to become the best film director. Tired yet? The other half is the life you cannot predict and control, your reality. What are you willing to sacrifice to become that director? Are you willing to give up time to be with family, friends, and your children (if you have time to have them)? So, the dues you need to pay are 35 years and all of your time and energy. Are you willing to do all that for that one goal? If someone gave me that list of things that I had to do when I asked that question on that day in August of 1997...then I would be able to answer that question. Would I be happy? At least I would know the dues I had to pay. Written by Charlie Cheng