It's all fun.. but work!

Last week I met a few film students, that had a few questions for me, so I decided to play along, specially also because I love to give an hand to persons that want to get into "filmmaking".

But,.. I was amazed to see how " scholarized " those students were. In short most of their questions were about " the bling " (term that I prefer to use on this late night) and fame . It's like they were students in law or business school.

Well, I have nothing against " le bling " (french term, just add "Le" and it becomes french) and fame , they are all pretty good, and I like them too, but to become a filmmaker just for those two things, I find it quite awkward and funny.

When they asked me, why I was into filmmaking my answer was simple, but a little unconvencional for them it seemed: " I love this, because I'm having a fun every single day".

Appearantly "fun and directing" seemed like a weird combination for them. Which I don't get it, why not have fun, in what you do? Personally I would have an hard time imagining a director work 18 hour a day on a film if he wouldn't have fun. Directors, are persons in my point-of-vue that are still children in their hearts, persons that just want to have a blast while creating something amazing!

Which lead to another subject with the students: "The 18 hour a day work on a film", those guys apparently where thinking of starting working around 10 am and stop at 5pm. Waw.. I wonder what they are taught at filmschools in Belgium!

But all this actually leads to this: people are always complaining about actors/directors/musicians,.. and how "easy" their life is, and that they wish that they had the same life. And those people finally become wanabee directors that make a short film every decade, wanabee actors that are asking huge paychecks while they never acted before, and so on..

Actually, I once encoutered one of those types of persons once, it was an actor that came for an audition, he didn't brought a resumee nor an headshot, had no experience in acting, but was claiming to be the big shit, wanted an big paycheck otherwise he wouldn't act in the film, he also requested a personal assistant (WTF?!) and a driver.

Now, honestly me and the casting director couldn't hold ourselves after all those requested, and burst into a laught worth of American Idol!

Thing is, the business of art, is a business of passion and work! It doesn't matter if you are a director, actor, musician, comic designer, screenwriter, singer,... all of us are working sometimes 7 days per 7 with 4 hours of sleep each night!

And that's what it takes if you want to be one!

And we don't give a fuck about the workload, and you know why?

Because it's not for the money, it's not for the fame, ...

It's because it's a hell of a fun!