THE OSCARS AS EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION
Minto Says:
Maybe it’s a little shallow, but one of the most culturally shared experiences in North America is watching the Oscar telecast. Under the heading of work with what you’ve got, Alanna and I thought it would be fun to review some of the lessons to be had there. She’s the movie buff, not me, and I’ll admit I’ve hardly ever seen the nominated movies when I watch the show – and I’m always amazed how that doesn’t matter. My friends and I still have an opinion on who should win based on where they are at in their career and what we know about how the movie got made. Like a lot of people, we want the best story to win – not the plot of the movie but the lives of the movie-makers.
The great thing about movies is that they make us dream. And the making of movies is often a triumph over the impossible. Somebody working alone puts a bunch of lines on paper and then a team of a few hundred people come along and interpret those words vocally and visually and then other people edit the result we watch. Out two hour experience in the theatre is minimum two years in the making – often a lot longer. Moviemaking requires a huge leap of faith, a ton of collaboration, and the kind of money and talent that most people cannot even imagine. That’s why we enjoy it so much when independent films break through and find an audience in spite of bog studio domination. We like being able to believe that big dreams can come true – in Hollywood and Sundance.
But I want you to believe dreams can come true for you, too. I know a lot of people in the entertainment industry – I’ve even had the opportunity to meet some people Entertainment Tonight would consider A-list Stars – and I can tell you they are just like the rest of us. Except for maybe one thing: when they picked their career, they went all the way, worked without a net, chose with their hearts and guts, took big risks, and made it pay off. This week, when you watch the Oscars, think about that.
Minto Roy
President
CareersToday Canada
www.careerstodaycanada.com
www.mintoroy.net