Wanna be in the movies? Here's your chance. Follow my bouncing thoughts...
I wrote a small essay a while back about the beauty of handmade things. Particularly in today's world, I think appreciating and investing in handmade is important. When I say "handmade" though, it means more than placing your hands on a physical object and making something new and original, it can also mean producing an original vision and experience. In the arts, things like music, dance and theatre fall into this category. You can add other subsections of these: opera, film, performance art, and so on. Original compositions of these aspects are also "handmade" in that they start with a vision or an idea and become a final piece, no less worthy or difficult than the mug produced by a potter. For each artist, in whatever capacity they express themselves, gives a bit of themselves over for public scrutiny, adds a bit of themselves in the finished work for all to see. For me, making art on any level, is an expression of living life and a contribution to the human experience on an incremental scale.
Am I suggesting that those of us who don't produce art are somehow less human and can't participate in that which is handmade because we work at office jobs, financial jobs, teaching jobs, retail jobs, dirty jobs? Not at all. For each of us who can contribute our vision, we need those of us who can support that vision by investing in it. When you buy a mug, you invest in an artist. When you purchase a CD from a new indie band, you invest in an artist. Even if you don't "make" the art, you still participate in the celebration of human expression. You, too, can be an investor and here's your chance...
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| Paul Brighton |
My friend, Paul Brighton, is an extremely talented individual. I met him years ago when he was making music, playing drums in a band. He was a musician and I was in awe of his talent, along with the talent of the other members of the band. Not only was he talented, he was ruthless in his pursuit of making things sound better. Hours and hours of practice, over an over again until he got it right, even the smallest bits. In the end, at concerts, it paid off in performances that total strangers responded to and loved. That experience taught me a lesson in perseverance and tenacity and how important it is to keep learning from your mistakes until you get the result you're looking for. Respect for your own work.
Years later after going our own ways and then getting back in touch recently, I paid a visit to his place and saw all these beautiful paintings on his walls. Paintings that he did! Who knew? I thought he was just a musician! But that's the beuaty about creative minds. Because he is a creative person first and foremost, he creates, where ever and when ever and when he does, he does an excellent job. Now, Paul is on a new adventure. He's about to fulfill a lifelong dream and passion for making movies. After several projects in entertainment, Paul is gathering his energy, ideas, people and props for an independent movie and that's where you, the arts investor, come in. If you ever wanted to be in a movie or help out with a movie or say you were part of a movie, Paul can use your help. If you go to the links provided on this page, they take you to IndieGoGo where Paul has uploaded his pitch for his vision, his film, Brilliant Mistakes. He tells you all about it and then you can choose how much you'd like to chip in, from $25 to $75K. At each level, you get perks and that's the great part! Depending on your investment, you get a copy of the movie and then, can go from a chance to be an extra in the film to the red carpet at the premier to having your name in the credits, permanently, for all to see, from this point forward. Paul is driven and this will happen and you can be a part of it. I've chipped in my chunk of change, get on the bandwagon and help make this happen!
