Jealousy and why it doesn't work

Jealousy and why it doesn't work

Being in entertainment, I have felt jealousy and dealt with jealousy. Jealousy is really just our own insecurities coming to the surface. It could be fueled by someone doing something similar, maybe something that's done better or sometimes it's just because "I wish I thought of it first". I have dealt with it but as you get older you quickly realize...jealousy just gets in the way. Focusing on a negative doesn't work...ever.

Let me use this as an example - I see some filmmakers just outright blasting others or not supporting, based on jealousy. Now, having said that, let's also note that some people are assholes and shouldn't be supported. On the flip side, I encourage a lot of people to make movies and make them better. Why? Because as a fan of the Horror genre I WANT things better. I almost feel that on an Independent level we are sometimes cast aside or even ignored because of the subpar quality work that has been done...but...let's also not forget those that have laid the ground work for people to become better. There is a huge difference between bad and working with what was available at the time. A good eye is still a good eye, regardless.

It pains me when I don't see a lot of filmmakers working together, even supporting each others projects. Maybe because I started as a reviewer and made it common practice to promote others. Just being negative or talking down others to hope elevate yourself is a lose, lose situation. It draws negative attention to yourself while making the genre pool look bad. I handle this the way I handled my reviews...if I'm not a fan, I opt to not talk about it..but if I AM a fan, then I will gladly help promote it. Standing on the sidelines, being jealous will never accomplish anything. 

Other people have podcasts..some better some worse...other people have short films, some amazing stuff, some just thrown together in their backyard. I want people to elevate their game...it only helps everyone. It pushes others to be better...isn't that what you want? Don't you, as a creator what to be the best you can be? That's what I want. I will always support those who support others. I will always be there to pat them on the back when they've done as great job...even if it's not needed. Negativity just hampers things...sure, it's natural, but let's work harder to raise the bar. I want to be my best, I want to work with others that have the same goal...I want to be positive.

Anyways..that's my rant for the day...go be your best!

No Clowning Around starts off the new year a Winner!!

No Clowning Around starts off the new year a Winner!!

Nothing like waking up as the new year starts to see No Clowning Around has won the Bronze Antenna for  "Best Independent Short Film" of 2012 from Mario Likes Movies!! We could not be happier to be grouped with other winners like The Avengers, Ted, The Raid and V/H/S to name a few. Special thank you to Mario and his crew. Please take a minute, head to Mario Likes Movies and check out the other winners.

Guinness Book of World Records - Credible anymore??

Guinness Book of World Records….blowing bubbles with a tarantula is not world record worthy, that’s just plain ridiculous.

I remember being a little kid on Saturday afternoons watching old Kun-Fu movies, Godzilla Films and a Guinness Book of World Records television show. It was sort of like a Ripley’s Believe it or not type of event with people doing stunts/events/acts of feat that would make a normal person cringe and stand up to take notice. I remember watching the guy who pogo-sticked around the world or the girl with the extraordinarily long hair. I also remember sitting there thinking to myself that these people had such tenacity for sticking to what they set their goal to be no matter if it was to be the biggest, fastest, shortest, tallest, smartest or longest in the world, I mean after all it was a world record book not a small town record book.

Once I had discovered that this was more than a TV show and actually had a book published every year to update and accrue all new broken records, I made it a point to check out every one that I could from the library. As well I would bug my parents each and every year for the new published book as one of my Christmas presents.  Would get the small paperback edition every Christmas and I would begin to read each and every record on the bus ride to and from school and even during my lunch periods. I would read the book of records when I had completed my school work and errands, it meant that much to me. I didn’t read many comics when I was a kid, I read reference books, did I miss a youth of imagination; I would say no. I would look at the people in the record book as goal setters and dreamers and would strive to set and attain my own goals. I remember flipping through the book and reading about the fattest twins, the longest finger nails or the guy who stood in one place for the longest amount of time. 

I had to know more about the book and I had to find out where and why it was created, I mean who would think of such a fantastic and entertaining idea of writing these records down? That man turned out to be Sir Hugh Beaver, who happened to be the managing director of the Guinness Breweries, hence the title for the book of records. He was trying to settle a dispute over which was the fastest game bird in Europe and he became less than thrilled with the lack of knowledge there was on such subjects, so he created his own reference book and the rest is history as they would say.

He wanted his book to be the reference book to end all reference books where you could find any and all information that you could ever possibly need to know and then some. People began to apply for record after record and only the most elite and legitimate of records would be accepted. Then in the new century the book of world records took a turn for the worse and became extremely petty and frivolous.

You began to have people breaking 30-50 world records in their life time when back in the day when people first applied for the record book it was a shock when one gentleman had 6 world records. Now you have people getting into the book for longest time ironing, longest time playing GTA, blowing the most bubbles with a tarantula in their mouth and the ever popular most successful salesman. Are these really achievements? Are these really feats that only these people can do takes great preparation and ability to succeed at? My answer is no, the world records book in my eyes has shilled itself out to the highest bidder and to not hurt anyone’s feelings in the aspect of being “pc”.

If you have a skill, ability and talent that no one else has then go for it set a record and see how long it stands until you or someone else can break it. If you don’t have a skill, ability or talent then it just makes it that much sweeter when you get or break that record because you had set that goal and succeeded in it, you didn’t just stand there 55 hours and 5 minutes ironing. The kicker in the whole ironing or any other extended event is that fact that they are allowed to take breaks for food, naps or bathroom usage. If I am allowed to take breaks like that then heck I have been working at my job non-stop since the day I started only taking breaks for sleep, vacation and sick days, that has to be a record of some sort. I guess the one good thing is they have stopped giving out records for drinking or anything that relates to healthy and safety. So it looks like the fattest motorcycle riding twins will never be broken anymore, oh darn it.

How sad it is that we have gotten to the point that we will accept any crap given to us as something great and spectacular, it’s kind of sad really when you think about it.

Be safe and try breaking the record for the nosiest exploding sledgehammer…I looked and it’s not in there…yet,
John Cannon