Hollywood, oh Hollywood

Somewhere in LA, 2015

I sit across the table from another artist, and we can't help but talk about the Hollywood biz. It seems more and more people in the city are part of it. So we twist ourselves around it and begin the industry talk, the language of peliculas: acting, writing, shooting and such. We laugh in between to take breaks, but know that it's part of the oxygen so it continues. This dance of knowledge, this race, this process of understanding "how it works."

We talk about how to get a project running, finding resources, starting a writing group, and finally how to make something successful. We talked about the youtube generation, the need for speed, triggers, and twists. It was an honest discussion about media madness. We are enthralled in it, and it is evidently part of us.

Most of my recent conversations with people in and out of "the biz" have been like this:  (1) "Make your own stuff--," (2) "Collaborate--," or (3) "Join a writing group--," and other wonderful tips like that. Call me a pessimist, but I remember it being more dog eat dog out here. Now, I get the feeling that being open and sharing knowledge is an overall good thing, a productive thing. People never forget when you've given them a hand, and I think it's important to remember the value of community. I don't mean to sound too "Kumbaya" -- but how else does one survive in the jungle? It takes a village. 

I know, Hollywood still has a few creases to smooth through -- like more diversity in the Writing Guild of America and more roles for people of color on screen -- but I think it's heading in that direction. At least I hope so. I mean, take a look around. We're all so wonderfully different -- it's just a matter of time that Hollywood catches up.

My artist friends, they give me hope.