This blog, Kid In The Front Row, has really been about me filling a gap I've found growing in recent years--- the gap of the story. The gap of the character with good intentions. The gap of writers who write through inspiration rather than set guidelines on how to sell a screenplay. I have been wanting, for a long time, a community of people who just want a good story, and who want to be inspired, and who want to write stories from their hearts. And it was then I figured, well I can try and start that myself. And that's what this blog was, and is, it's about finding Jimmy Stewart in the modern era. It's about writing from the heart again.
This blog is one of the five blogs nominated under the 'Best Entertainment Category' -- and of course, this is immensely exciting and unexpected for me - I never knew that people would be so interested in this. Through google followers and networkedblogs, this site has some great, active, readers-- not to mention the people on the film blogs groups and the lurkers who show up on my stats but I have no idea who you are. I'm glad you're here.
And the fact that this little blog where I ramble about Chaplin, and ramble about finding and nurturing creativity, the fact it's been nominated at all --- it gives me belief and hope that, on a wider, bigger scale, this is still what people want. And maybe, just maybe, on a big cinematic scale; maybe the return of Jimmy Stewart is near.
Okay, I don't actually mean the return of Jimmy Stewart. It's unlikely he'd be available and let's face it, he'd be worth a bigger paycheck than anyone else in Hollywood right now. But maybe people are yearning for a bit of heart and soul again. It's a tough one because upcoming writers are taught all these stringent guidelines now on what a film is, and what's marketable. But occasionally; someone ignores that and makes 'Once,' or 'Funny Ha Ha' or even 'Juno' - and it just hits you that, yes, this is what a movie should be about. This is why we love the movies.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm saying. I just know that I get some really wonderful emails from people and that people have gotten a lot from the interviews with professionals and from the inner-critic and writers block articles, and it's good to know that people do care - that they do love a good story and expression, it's not all about films like the one where Megan Fox's boobs flap about and big metal things collide with each other for hours.
Thank you for the nominations, and you can still vote for me for the next day or two to make me a finalist out of the five nominees in the 'Best Entertainment Category' http://2010.bloggies.com/. But bare in mind, if you do vote for me and I become a finalist, I will then ditch my love for cinema and instead become a fame-hungry, explosions-and-sex-scenes blogger, with predictable endings. You've been warned......
Good post. Your focus on quality instead of celebrity is refreshing. Too many people today, especially in film, care more about fame than doing good work. It's the work that counts.
ReplyDeleteSo true! Wish we had Jimmy Stewart back but not possible. You are very correct on the "feel good" movies like "Juno". I watched it with my 20 yr old daughter & we both enjoyed it. Far from the Vampires and my old TCM movies. We actually enjoyed a family movie together. We need more!
ReplyDeleteKid, this post inspired me to write my latest post. Hope you don't mind. Here is the link if you are cruious:
ReplyDeletehttp://mikesyoutalkingtome.blogspot.com/2010/01/magic-of-movies.html
So we...SHOULD vote for you? Or not? ;) I don't want you to get all pulp magazine on us if you become a jaded blogger...
ReplyDeleteAt heart, everyone wants to hear a good story, most of the time about how being a good person will triumph over everything else. We look to the movies to inspire us and give us hope, not bring us down. Jimmy Stewart did that perfectly. His energy and enthusiasm and pure unabashed love for humanity was wonderful to watch on screen.
Here's to hoping you win, Kid.