Derek was one of the first people I met and really jived with when I moved to Tucson back in 2003. We were both working on the same local director's movie set. Derek is cool - as in calm and collected. He has this sense of humor that is still as quick witted and sly on the sixteenth hour of movie set, as the first hour. He is creative and kind and just one of my favorite people. You can understand how happy I was when he agreed to share his jedi wisdom on the creative force with all of us here. Welcome Derek with me!
1. What is creativity to you? What does your creative process feel like?
Creativity is seeing something and acting on it IMMEDIATELY! For me, over-planning will hinder the creative process, whereas being free to instantly act on an idea and make it happen will result in my greatest moments.
2. How has your life changed since deciding to pursue making a living from being creative?
Life is balance. It's a tug-of-war between being "responsible" and being "passionate" with my allocation of time. Option 1 is to grow up, go to college, get a job, and live-to-work & work-to-live. Option 2 is to assertively fulfill my creative needs without becoming narcissistic about it. Life requires a little bit of both options. Since deciding to make a living with my creative side, life has become more rich from family to God to my work itself.
3. Describe what inspires your film making.
When sitting down to write a screenplay, I am inspired to make something my family can enjoy. My wife, my kids, and my inner-self genuinely like stories with substance. When I'm making a film for someone else, I am inspired to make it to their liking. ...a little Poison on my iPod is also quite stimulating for the mind.
4. What are you working on these days?
I am writing a feature film entitled "61-C" and I'm in the process of getting distribution for "D*I*Y", an 84 minute film that I wrote & shot on 2009.
5. What do you love most about where you are now in the experience of living your creative dream?
I like that I can wake up, grab a camera, and shoot my daughter's screenplay for 8th her birthday party. I like that I can assemble a crew and shoot a short film next weekend. I like that I can spend months writing a screenplay and know that it will be globally available by 2012. I like that I don't know what project I'll be doing after that.
6. What do you intend for your creative business in 2010?
I'll get global distribution for "D*I*Y" and satisfy my creative needs by shooting Jackie Lee James' horror film in conjunction with my current writing project, "61-C".
7. What words of wisdom would you share with other artists pioneering a similar path?
Go for it. Just do it. (not the Nike cliche, but for real... genuinely put forth the effort or don't do it at all) You'll learn when you fail and you won't fail at that thing ever again.
8. Please list (9) good things that came from following your bliss:
conviviality, camaraderie, unity, money, satisfaction, encouragement, confidence, education, & relaxed shoulders.
Derek's website:
Thank you Derek!
Nice interview and nice guy too, Amy. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeletexoxo Kim
my word verification is "tootry" too funny!