Are you going where the heart is?

If you want to ski, you have to go where there is snow.  To swim, you need to be in water.  Are you immersing yourself in your dream medium? 

When I lived in Los Angeles for periods of time I would find myself thinking like this: “Heidi, direct in TV, do big commercials, climb the studio film ladder!”  But, during those years, these kinds of thoughts froze me and didn’t actually inspire me. This is nothing against L.A.—it just wasn’t where my passion was during those phases of my journey. So I always headed back to my home in NYC to be immersed in the communities I find nurture me most as an artistic soul (passionate actors + indie filmmakers).

GO WHERE THE HEART IS

I just had a riveting and recharging experience in a movie theater. 

I saw THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and loved it. This film isn’t for everyone, but it is for me. As a director, I had visceral reactions to the film that made me just want to leap up and get into my own creative zone!

I am a huge fan of the filmmaker, Derek Cianfrance (BLUE VALENTINE). Again, his films aren’t for everyone.  But that doesn’t matter.  It’s what revs me up.  I get the greatest pleasure from walking into an indie film theater and taking a gamble on a random film – because it almost always is within my range of aesthetics that I enjoy most.  These are my “people” because they reflect the type of storytelling I am also striving towards as a Director + Acting Coach.

Which aesthetics do you tend towards? Let your natural interests guide you.

My friend said after watching PINES: “It’s a good film but it’s not the kind of film I love to see because I don’t feel good after I come out of the theater. I like to feel good after a movie.”

Okay, next time we are going to see Tom Cruise’s new film.  And have a blast, I’m sure.  But, since she let me pick the film that night, I chose a dark indie drama:)  I like to come out of a theater thinking deeper about human psychology.

Manifest your dream work.  Do you say you want to act in an indie film?  Do you WATCH indie films?  (substitute indie film for Broadway, TV, action films, or horror films, etc.)

What do you love to watch?  What do you already do?  Do you take a gamble on an indie film in a theater when you don’t know any of the actors?  Or, do you prefer a mainstream comedy or action film?  Would you give up a Broadway show to watch the premiere of Game of Thrones?  Would you pick a night in an Off-Broadway theater instead of a night at a film festival?If you don’t do either, then get out there and find out what you love!

Feed yourself with what inspires you.

Feed your actor self with MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE. And I believe that will attract MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE in your acting career. Enjoy a good film/theater/TV show today!

x,Heidi