Three Years In The Front Row

Three years and nearly 900 posts later. Crazy how time flies, don't you think? Thanks for sticking around. Looking back, I'm surprised by some of the things I've written. Surprised in terms of quality, some things I think are mini masterpieces! And, um--- some things are awful! I've interviewed some wonderful people in the industry and I've made some great friends here, some are bloggers, others are readers who've emailed me because something I wrote resonated with them. 

Sometimes I wonder, what is Kid In The Front Row? It's like a split personality for me --- things come up in my brain and I either use them on this site, or in my other work. Some things just hit me in a certain way, and I think 'YES, that is for the blog.' Why? I don't know. But I love this site. Sometimes I'm inspired, and the writing shows. Other times I'm in a slump, blog-wise, with nothing to say-- which I quietly hope you don't notice for a few months at a time. 

At it's best, Kid In The Front Row has not just been another blog where someone prattles on about themselves; it's actually had the feeling of a community, of a place where ideas are shared and creativity encouraged. 

Three years later and I haven't really figured out what this site is, or what I'm meant to be writing about, but I'm glad that so many of you have stuck by me here. I've won some awards, I've pissed some people off; it's been an adventure. The idea was to have a blog to share a few little film thoughts every now and then; but actually, it's become as important a part of my life as everything else. Not because of what I write, but because of how you guys respond. Thank you.

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New Permanent Sections On The Blog

I have added three permanent sections to the blog. Industry Interviews, Inspiration, and Short Stories. I hope you check them out. If not now, then you'll be able to find them forever more on the top left of the blog. 

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BLOGGING

I don't think I've ever blogged about blogging. I don't think I've ever been consciously aware of the fact that I write a blog. That sounds a bit dumb, I know. I've been here for two years and of course I'm aware of my blogging. I just mean; it's been separate. I always judge my creativity based on the screenplays I'm writing and the films I'm directing and the work I am doing. And then, outside of that, I write blogs. 

But who am I kidding? I write twenty five articles a month here. I could have published three books by now (I'm not saying anyone would read them-- but quantity-wise, I've written the words.) Where does it all come from? Is the creativity of my screenwriting linked to the productivity of my blogging? If I blog more, do I write less? How would I know? I often think of my film career as a chance to leave a legacy --- but is a blog the same thing? Of course, my inner-critic says "it's just a blog, nobody cares about blogs." But you guys are here, and you keep showing up. That means something. The fact we write our blogs and we read other people's blogs, that stands for something. But what is it? What is Kid In The Front Row? What are we doing here? 

I'm not meaning to overanalyse, and I don't mean to ramble narcissistically -- but I was just hit by the insight that, wow, this blog exists, it's here. I've been here for nearly two years and I keep writing articles and keep interviewing people and keep talking about 'The West Wing' and 'Adventureland.' 

I think blogs are great because they fill a gap. I can moan to myself that the world doesn't like the films I like or doesn't view them in the same way, and that's probably what I used to do. But now, I can just write about things here as if it's what everyone cares about. And then, crazily, people often do. Sometimes people write the exact same things as me. 

'Kid In The Front Row' - what is that? What does it stand for? Why do I write? The people who read this and the people who write similarly personal blogs (I'm talking film blogs but it could be other topics..) - I think we write because we don't see a place for us in the newspapers, or in the latest fashions, or a Michael Bay movie. "Pearl Harbor" and "Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen" don't speak to me, they don't resonate with me and my life. I guess that's what it's about---- having a place to share what resonates, and finding people who feel the same. And when they don't agree, it's because different things resonate for them. But we're still here, together, because this world dulls things that resonate. We're meant to be turned on by the same commercials, and coke cans, and skin products; and we're meant to spend 3.95 on a coffee in Starbucks because that's what the whole world does.

A good blog is a cup of coffee that costs 0.75, because that's all it should cost--- and instead of being Starbuckized like everyone else, we're finding the little, personal cafes that feel like home. That's the movies we're after, that's the artists we want to be, and that's why we blog.

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Buzzing With Creativity.

I am buzzing with creativity at the moment. I haven't slept earlier than 5am all week because my mind is absolutely racing. This is what my mind is like on any given morning at 4.32am..

"I want it to be morning! I want to be awake and I want to get back to editing. Wow the actors are so good. Oh! I should email Sally with those ideas for the things she's designing for me. Ooooh, meeting with John and Abby tomorrow, I must tell them about that book. Short story idea!... Must write a story about two camels who fight for the right to buy lottery tickets. Do I write it now or after I wake up or in my sleep? I want tea! I want to keep editing! I want to write a long long email to Sally, but she must think I'm insane because last night I wrote her four paragraphs on why Bob Dylan is similar to a good coffee. Ooooh, idea for my feature script. Must have scene where Hank accidently gets breast implants. Hmm, i must comment on Alyson's blog soon. Ooooh blogging idea, I should arrange for all my blogger friends to write a one sentence story about Tiger Woods, using only letters from the first half of the alphabet."

With this in my mind, how can I sleep? I realize it may not seem like creativity, more like insanity. But whatever it is I'm not sure where it's come from. Maybe from Spain, flights from there are cheap right now.

I recently wrote and directed a short film which I am now editing. It absolutely blows my mind how amazing the actors are. There's one particular actress whose scenes are so gripping and emotional that they make me want to cry like the little girl in the shop yesterday after I told her the cast of Twilight New Moon had been killed in a giant car accident.

Another thing that's helped is having positive people around me. I don't befriend negative/destructive people anymore. Whenever I come across these things, I get right to the issues, I tear the walls down. If someone questions or judges me-- I delve right into it, get right to the heart of matters right there with them. That way I don't need to sulk and moan and complain and judge for weeks after, it gets resolved in the moment. I have also recently, after many years of battles and sleeping with each others girlfriends, become friends with my inner critic. I no longer allow the fat chump in my head to make me feel inferior. He has no authority, he's been demoted.

So all that negative, angry, judging horse poop that used to come from my critic, is now positive energy. Or just energy. Crazy energy. I realize now that my critic probably helped me sleep. Either that or he just didn't want me awake.

I want, I want, I want.

I am now poised for a full on journey of screenwriting and directing for the rest of my life -creating films that matter. That make people laugh, think, blog and snog. That's the ball game. People keep telling me the stats, you know the type of thing, "writing is tough. A million scripts are written every year, only three and a half get made and two of them are Twilight movies." I don't care, I didn't get into this work because of my interest in stats. My interest is in Marylin Monroe, and Charlie Chaplin and Tom Hanks and Jimmy Stewart and Otis Preminger and Cameron Crowe and Gordon Willis and Dianne Wiest and Aaron Sorkin and Natalie Portman and Peter MacNicol and Walter Matthau and in telling great stories. My interest is not in statistics or in being polarized or ruled or dictated to by anyone who thinks they have any kind of say over what I can or can't achieve. You may say I'm a dreamer. I have reason to believe, I'm not the only one.

This week: The Kid In The Front Row Screenwriting Competion winners, the big giant blogtastic bloggety blogthing bloggerology blogness, when a HEAP of my favourite bloggers will all be blogging on the same title and theme as me, that'll be on the 3rd December. If you want to be a part of this, please email me. If you do email me, please include a subject and content in the email, as I am not a mind-reader. If you are a mind-reader, you already knew I was going to write that, which fascinates me. Maybe you've already explained this to me telepathically, but I'm not aware of it.

It's 2.54am in the UK. When I post this it'll probably say it's 10pm the day before as I think this runs on USA time, or Peru time, or something. Anyways, that's all, this-time.

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Film Blogs Round Up.

Hello All,

When I started this blog I also started a facebook group called 'Film Blogs'. I just wanted to get a community of film bloggers together. A place where the writers and readers could meet - and together we could talk about our own work and promote the work of other writers who we love. Until now I hadn't mentioned this group on the blog; but as my readership steadily grows I thought It'd be worth mentioning. If you want to join the facebook group; here it is:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73597051116

On the group; every couple of weeks, I post a round up of the most interesting blogs I've read/found/been introduced too. I'm not sure whether I'll always post this on the Kid In The Front Row blog too, but for today, as I'm talking about it, I decided I will.

So below is the Film Blogs round up, with a couple of non-filmic blogs at the bottom which just happen to be by writers I enjoy. You guys will have to let me know whether you want the round-up to be a part of this site or whether I should just save it for Facebook!.

Hello Bloggers + Readers,

I've got some really exciting blogs to share today. But first of all, I want to talk a little bit about how we can support each other, and this is more for the bloggers than the readers -- I've noticed a bit of a trend where writers want their blogs promoted, but aren't really willing to give much back.

Most bloggers really want comments on their articles. Many of them even ask for them. But these bloggers rarely comment on other people's blogs. Why do you expect people to read and comment on your blogs if you're not doing the same for them?. I think that it's time we paid more attention to the wonderful writing everyone else is doing, rather than just focusing on our own and expecting everyone to respond to it. It's the old thing of 'you get what you give' - I GUARANTEE, if you spend more time reading other people's blogs and letting the people you like KNOW IT, you will receive that back. We're not in competition here; there's room for all of us. So, have a read of some other people's stuff - and give them an email or leave them a comment, they deserve it.

BLOG ROUND UP.

Well, we may be in our warm houses right now, but filmmaker Kirk is currently in the Antarctic, and he's blogging about it and cutting together short films of his adventures. Fascinating. http://kirkoftheantarctic.wordpress.com/

There are many things wrong with the British Film Industry; and Jonathan Williams is letting us know what they are at http://jw48.wordpress.com/

Are you an Actor? Director? DOP? Well, you can showcase your showreel here: http://showreels.ning.com/ - a great idea I wish I'd thought of first. A place to share your creative works for the world to see.

Okay, it has an unfortunate name; but http://tomisacunt.blogspot.com/ is a really great blog I was introduced to this week. The posts may not be coming thick and fast; but when they do they are extremely interesting; including the most recent post about working at the BBC, which is the funniest thing I have read in ages.

This summer, more than ever, is a real summer of big-budget blockbusters. So for me, I'm enjoying ignoring most of these and focusing on gems of the past. Rupert Alistair evidently feels the same as he passionately blogs on what seems like every day over at his 'Classic Movies Digest' - http://classicmoviesdigest.blogspot.com/

There's a million struggling filmmakers out there blogging about their efforts. But luckily, sometimes they're interesting. Alex Barrett is one of those http://nightonplanetearth.blogspot.com/

THE BLOG OF THE MONTH.

The Blog Of The Month is Jane Kelly Kosek's http://allaboutindiefilmmaking.blogspot.com/Jane is running a great blog that I think should be bookmarked by anybody who's interested in working in independent filmmaking. She covers things like how to get investors, explanation of film markets, and pretty much every other aspect of Indie filmmaking; and the reason it's so good is that she does it in a really down to earth, understandable way. Unmissable. Check it out! http://allaboutindiefilmmaking.blogspot.com/

OTHER BLOGS

And if you're fed up with film blogs; then check out some of my other favorite blogs:

http://girl1nterrupted.blogspot.com/
http://kategabrielle.blogspot.com/
http://awomaninsearchof.blogspot.com/
http://thelolashow.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Please keep inviting your friends to the group. This group is beginning to be a great community and I really enjoying reading your blogs and receiving your emails. The more we grow the better it is for everyone. Before long-- our Film Blogs community will be recognized in the film community and YOUR opinions will reach thousands of new readers. That's the dream - and the only way it is going to happen is if we collaborate, and reach out to each other and read each others blogs; and invite our friends along for the ride.

Kid
http://kidinthefrontrow.blogspot.com

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