The Future’s Bright. Or Maybe I Just Left the Light On.
Last week, I mused. This week I’d say I’m ruminating; possibly even cogitating. I turned 30 a couple of days ago, and a decade of life often brings with it some new thoughts. However, I think that my thoughts aren’t wildly different from when I was 29. And I guess that’s really it with birthdays: you really have very similar thoughts and feelings, until you’ve had enough small changes in philosophy that you wake up a few years down the line and realise that you’re wildly different. I’m wildly different from 23-year-old me, but really very similar to 29-year-old me. What does that mean? Most likely, fuck all. But there we go. Life, eh?
So, to business. I’m still very much in limbo. I’ve picked up a couple of classic actor jobs, which I swore I’d never do again. A few times, actually. I should probably stop doing that. But I did specify to the jobs that I am only interested in strictly part-time work, due to my very Big and Important Creative LifeTM so, in that respect at least, I’ve won. Also, one of my jobs is at a gorgeous local greengrocer, and I get great quality and discounted veggies, and that’s an even bigger victory. Watch me start cooking with kohlrabi on the regular. On the topic of bigger victories, let me sway back to my career for a second, if I may. I met with a casting director the other day, who was amazing, and went through my new headshot options with me - and not only were they incredibly patient and helpful in helping me choose my final decisions, but they also watched some clips from my new film (uncoloured) and they said such amazing things about it. I was sitting, watching them watch it, grinding my teeth and terrified that our hard work was going to end up being horrible, and not worth the hard drives it was saved on…but they loved it. I think they’re exact wording was along the lines of “it shows off your acting so well, and you look great”, AND they were just generally proud that I’d managed to make a film. I was thrilled - it feels incredible to give someone something of yours and for them to enjoy it, it gave me such confidence that it’s a great short, and it will at least open a few small doors for me. One doesn’t like to be arrogant, but I was bloody thrilled. Also, it highlighted something else to me, which any creative person should take away from this - making art is fucking difficult. The path to a finished product is fraught with people at every stop who don’t want to help, who don’t know how to help, who don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do. Making something is vulnerable, and even once you’ve made it, giving it to the world is tough. So fucking well done to every single person out there who is at every single stage of making stuff. Go get it ya beautiful bastards. I know we don’t do this for validation and love…but it’s a little bit nice when we do get some, eh? Here is you’re daily validation token - redeem it whenever.
So what’s next? Well I need to stick that footage into my reel, update my headshots when they come through, and get back on the agent wagon. Any agents reading this? I’ve also got a short film I’m shooting in the UK and we’re looking to get some crew together and shoot that - I’m really excited about this one, but it’s been a long journey. It’s adapted from a play my wonderful friend wrote that had a funded theatre run in his local theatre, and would look so great as an artistic short. I’m also working on a short in California remotely that I wrote and am producing, which is going to be properly special: I’m so excited to commit this idea to film. Damn it’s whimsical. And let it not be said that Henners dislikes whimsy. Because he bloody loves it. So you see - the future’s bright. But as with everything in this industry, I’ll possibly end up back where I started in a month - we’ll wait patiently and see. Maybe I just left the light on.
I should get a better hang of metaphor before writing again.
See you soon,
Henry x