Keep Swimming

Mel Gibson is as mad as a box of hats. His crazy exploits have been well publicized over the years, but - he is also an incredible film director. Aside from the obvious Braveheart, Apocalypto is a movie that showcases not only his skills as a director but also serves as a great example of what a director does — in a film with only limited Mayan dialogue.

He once told Variety that directing “is like being dropped into the middle of the ocean and you have to swim your way back to shore.” I feel like it’s the most accurate description of the job I’ve ever heard.

Now, before you call me out for comparing what I do to that of a Hollywood movie director — I’m not. Of course, what he is doing is significantly larger, more complex, more expensive, and more intense than what I’m doing in every possible way. But I can still relate to mad Mel’s metaphor, after all everything is relative.

Spike Lee also said, “Making a movie is like fighting a war.” Hyperbole, for sure — I’ve had some bad luck this year, but I’ve not been shot at, had a car explode, killed anyone, eaten ration packs, or liberated any small countries. Though ration packs are probably healthier than the average Newfoundlander’s diet.

There is one part of that idea I can relate to however, albeit on a substantially lesser scale — and that’s the coming home part. After 53 days of back-to-back shooting (of the non-bullet variety), I arrive home and feel quite lost.

There’s a lack of direction, which is rather ironic, really. I get excessively lazy, motivation vanishes, and I struggle to find a purpose. Luckily, I was only at home for just over a week this time. But come September 12th, I’ll be done for the year — with nothing else on the horizon.

It’s a daunting prospect — the lack of financial income is a concern, but even more so is the lack of purpose and engagement. I quite like sixteen-hour days, doing four jobs at once, and solving ridiculous problems like filming lobsters in an ocean with no lobster.

I’m not quite ready to enlist, so I’ll have to find another way to occupy my little brain. Until then, I’ll just keep swimming towards the shore…