A Day in the Life of a Megalomaniacal Producer/Director

My first hater...WARNING: RANTING AHEAD!!!

   So I met my first hater today. For those of you that don't know, the term "hater" refers to a person that disapproves of your success and/or potential simply out of jealousy or any other bullshit reason they can muster. Anyways, so I met my first hater today. He is a fellow filmmaker in his mid-twenties. I've known him for a little while. We aren't great friends, merely a step or two above acquaintances.We attended school together at EAST CAROLINA U. GO PIRATES!!!!!!!!! So yeah, we went to school at ECU together. He's been a filmmaker since he was a teen. He did the Audio/Visual geek thing and all that jazz. He just recently graduated from ECU and we would regularly communicate via Facebook.com. As I explained in my previous entries, I've just recently gotten into filmmaking seriously, and at first my friend was excited that I had decided to get into the industry. However, while he was making his low budget films, I was trying to make contacts by digging into my friends to see if somebody knew somebody. As it turns out, I have a friend that graduated from the same prestigious boarding school as the big Hollywood producer did. So a couple of phone calls and favors from the alumni department, and voila, you have yourself a hook-up.

   Anyways, as I said earlier I got a good word put in and got in touch with the producer and now I've got an opportunity to learn and rub elbows with the best in the industry...well, the best Fox Searchlight Pictures has to offer. So I thought my fellow filmmaker would be elated that one of us had a shot at making it. Instead I was met with hostility. He expressed his unhappiness stating that I don't have one serious finished product, and that I don't have a solid foundation as a filmmaker (whatever the hell that means). He said that he was displeased that he had been working and making no contacts and I just asked around and got a wonderful opportunity and how incredibly unfair it was. Let me start by saying that I'm not surprised at all. I know how the world works and it's only natural for someone in his position to be angry. I know how lucky I am, I'm alot luckier than I deserve, but I honestly think I made the smarter play. While he was shooting for film festivals, I was going straight for the top by seeing who knew who. To hell with first downs, I throw for the end zone everytime.

   At any rate, I know I'm lucky. It takes a little luck to be successful in this business. I think the guy has every right to be pissed. I don't have any resume at all, but I still made the smarter play and I'm enjoying the benefits. He shouldn't be worried about me working hard, as I'm due for my fair share of work. Whatever the case may be, the moral of the story is: "Don't hate!" Now we're nothing but rivals, and I'm petty, so I can hold a grudge for a long time. I guess this is the first lesson in success. The more successful you are, the more enemies you have. "More money, more problems" (Who said rap music wasn't good for anything?)