Amy Winehouse

She dies, and people are talking about her music. Two days ago she was just a messed up celeb.

Everyone's saddened by the loss of young talent. Bemoaning the missing legacy we'll never get.

Why do we think of this stuff after death? Why does living talent not turn people on?

I don't know how talented Amy was, I was never a fan. But it's such a shame to see all the warmth for her that people have today. I bet she never knew how deep their affection was.

We always hold back on our feelings. Don't share our love till the tumour comes or the car smashes into nine pieces. Why are we so demented?

She seemed tortured. I'm only going by what the tabloids said. I never so much as looked her up on Wikipedia. She's gone now like we all will be -- she's left some art and they'll be playing her songs tomorrow and in twenty years time. She mattered. She landed. She'll be remembered. She was loved. That's the most any of us can hope for.

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Success For You

Bank balance. House. Car. Significant other. Society has strict ideas of success.

You're an artist, you can't live by that.

Many of those things will still be important to you. But it should be up to you if they are.

Artistic fulfillment is the goal. You want to create the magic your heroes did for you.

My dream isn't a Ferrari. My dream is creating one moment at some point in my career that has the effect on someone that "City Lights" had on me. Or to write and direct something that makes someone feel understood like "Almost Famous" made me feel.

That's why the 'Are you famous/rich/giving up yet?' questions sting so much. Because everyone else is on a different trajectory. I could be famous and rich but I'd be miserable as hell if it all meant nothing. When I watch 'The Social Network', I love it because of how good it is, not because the cast and crew are rich and famous.

The artist doesn't ask 'how long till you get a real job?'. But if success doesn't come the artist starts hearing the voices in their own heads.

That's why you can't have a back-up plan. Being an artist takes everything you got. All of you needs to believe in you. If one part of you doubts your own talent, it probably asks the same things as the office worker: "when will you get a real job?" Don't let yourself suffer that.

Sucess for you should be on your own terms. It should be more about the work than the trappings.

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Twentysomething Actors

There are so many. An entire generation of beautiful 27 year olds who all want to be actors.

But there's nothing inherently interesting about that. No reason why a casting director or an audience for that matter will give a shit.

The best actors quietly go and do the work. They just get better and better and work really hard. They get three lines in a movie but they really really work on making sure they have it nailed.

But most aren't like that.

Becoming an actor is something everybody does. Becoming a professional is only done by the few. What do I mean?

Every actor gets sexy headshots, but only a handful return phone calls. Every actor hits the 'apply for casting' button, but only once in a blue moon do they turn up on time for rehearsals.

The fame or celebrity doesn't mean anything. I know celebrities, and they all know it's fake. An illusion. But even if you want it, it's a by-product. Too many actors think they're celebrities waiting to get big.. so they walk around with a sense of entitlement, like they're something a little bit special.

The professionals just do the work. Quietly and dilligently make sure they're prepared. They put in the hours.

Talent is cool, it's useful. But more important is the hard work. You've got to act, got to train, got to create your own projects, got to watch a lot of acting. I know actors who say they're too busy to watch films. They're not very good actors.

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The Murdoch's and News Corporation Stand For Everything I'm Against

This is why I love independent voices. 

The Murdoch's own EVERYTHING. They tell us what to think, what to feel. They own the news outlets, they own the film studios and TV stations. They own book publishing companies and radio stations and they even own sports teams!

But here are their two head honcho's, Rupert & James Murdoch, live on TV, being questioned by MP's. And they can't take accountability for anything! 

Hacked dead children's phones? Oh, we weren't aware!

Bribed police? Well it wasn't me!

It wasn't us, they say! 

They asked Rupert Murdoch flat out -- is this whole fiasco because of him? "No", he said. He's not taking responsibility for his own company. But why would he? The corporations aren't about individuals.

Evil is traditionally known as dictators and murderers. But in this day and age, a big part of evil is the big corporations mass handling people by the millions.

News Corporation own big news channels and publications the world over. In the UK; The Sun, News Of The World, The Times. Look at this list. They provide the news to you in Australia, in Fiji, in Japan, in Indonesia. 

But there's mass corruption. Back on July 7th I said, "The worst parts of this story aren't out in the public yet, it'll get worse before it gets better." And now we're seeing that happen. It's getting worse and worse.

So we have these guys who own our newspapers and TV stations and sports teams and film studios (they own half of 20th Century Fox) --- they own the world and when they're asked about all the disgusting things that happen in their organizations, they don't know! They plead ignorance!

And they've just been asked about "Wilful blindness." And they're shifting uncomfortably. 

This is great. Because corruption in the media so rarely gets investigated. A blind eye gets turned, and the Murdoch's go on owning everything. 

Maybe things are changing. The independent voices are more important than ever.

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Writing: Start Now

I know what you're doing. You're waiting around for inspiration. You're sure it's going to hit soon. In fact, you kinda know what you want to write, but you're waiting for that flash of clarity.

That's how you die of old age. It's not how you write.

The brain is a fascinating and bizarre thing. Ideas and inspiration are locked up and you can't quite find the key.

It's because you're not writing.

Writing is where you explore, It's where you turn thoughts into art. When you put things on the page you'll start to see characters you never expected, and you'll be making associations and links you never planned.

And you'll write things that will amaze you. You'll look back and think "how did I come up with that?"

But it only happens if you write.

Just go for it. You won't actually die if it sucks. But if you keep sitting around just waiting for things to click into gear it's just not going to happen.

The best writers became the best writers by writing, not by waiting for the idea to click or the house to be empty or the summer to pass.

You have to write now. Let your brain know you mean business. Once you delve in, it gets easier, because your creativity is on your side.

There are writers out there writing three screenplays a year. Or 22 sitcom episodes. Or they're doing both whilst also finishing a novel and raising three kids.

And there's you, four years after it was six years since you started being a writer, and you're still waiting to be inspired.

Start writing now.

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