Bamboo Sprouts

Several years ago there was a seminar I went to. It was basically about changing habits and thought patterns to be able to achieve your goals.

One of the stories, or more like a fable actually, was about a specific type of bamboo. (I can't remember the name of this type, unfortunately.) Anyhow, the story goes, you plant these bamboo seeds in the ground and wait for them to sprout. And wait. And wait. And wait. A few weeks go by, nothing. A few months, a year, nothing. You think the bamboo seeds died, or that you got lemon seeds. After several years, you've completely forgotten that you planted the seeds at all.

Then one day, you walk outside to discover that your bamboo seeds have sprouted overnight, and are already 8 feet high! Next day they're 20 feet high!

Turns out, all those years you thought the bamboo wasn't growing, or didn't even think about the bamboo at all, it was actually growing roots deep down into the earth, to be able to support the super fast upward growth spurt.

I feel like that's where I am right now. The last few weeks that I've been stuck because of the BPV, I've been wanting desperately to get started on my career, something better than amateur projects with low production quality. (And I don't mean my actors, I mean lighting, and quality of the picture.) All the stuff I've been trying to learn how to do myself that would take far too long, and distract me from my primary acting career goal as well.

And then, I read this post on one of the actor blogs I follow. What an inspiration! And I realized, I don't have to do everything in producing a project myself. I don't have to be writer and director and DP and lighting designer, as well as the rest of the crew, in addition to being producer and actor.

And I realized that I have resources. I know a writer who I plan to ask to be involved. I know and know of several directors who I could ask if they want to direct. (And I know which one I'm asking first!) And I'm sure the director knows who he wants his crew to be. I know a musician who I could ask if he'd write original music for my project. I know a hairstylist, and a make up artist. And if none of the people I know want to be involved, there's a group on Facebook I've joined where there are directors, producers, writers, etc. I have resources to get this project made with professional quality!

So now the biggest goal for me at this point, is learning the producers job, learning how to make this project an officially professional project by getting funding to pay my cast & crew, as well as marketing the project after it's complete to make the project a financial success.

Lots of research to do on that part, and my mentor will be there to answer any questions and to point me in the right direction, (and he loves my project idea, YAY!) which will be a big help in ensuring I learn what I need to know, and do what I need to do to create financial success with this project.

*deep breath* It's a lot to think about, all at once. I just made the decision yesterday, realized all the resources I have, all the theoretical pieces fell into place, and I realized I can do this. And the creative idea for my project crystalized, but it's better if I don't share that part of it yet. The whole thing is still in the concept stage, but I've starting inviting people to join my production team.

The first baby steps have been taken, and I've started the ball rolling.

It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes, and leap... I think I'll try defying gravity!