Ya Wanna Make a Movie?

Submitted by Mike Hirsch

My youngest brother's daughter got married on the 27th day of July. I will remember her anniversary easily as it coincided with the 35th anniversary of my wife and me. We didn't go to the wedding. This is not about a family feud or uncaring relatives or any of the other things that make good soap opera. This is about being too old and broke up to handle a 1250 mile drive. It's odd to have finally come to the point where I dread jumping in the car and driving anywhere.

In the 40 years or so that my wife has been my girl one great joy in our life was filling the gas tank and running it dry as many times as we could between things we had to do. My heart still wants to travel, my head still takes me to places I've been, but my body won't stand the pain. I think that parts of getting old are hard to take but losing wanderlust might be the worst.

I have a friend who's visiting his sister in Pueblo, Colorado. He made the trip from San Jose, California, and is looking forward to sitting around doing nothing. In my last phone conversation with him I gave him an itinerary of 2,000,000 places (I hate exaggeration) he could visit within 150 miles of his sister's house that beggar description. Colorado, whether mountain or desert, is a marvelous place to wander. I think he may live long enough so that he only regrets the things he didn't look at. I know I have.

No matter how odd some of my articles appear, they are all about using the freedoms we take for granted to make movies. We probably live in the only country on earth where you can set your mind free and follow it anywhere it leads. I don't know the New England states - I don't know Nova Scotia - I've never been to Mackinac Island - I miss them as much as I enjoy the memories of the places I have been. You only get to do this once, and you get in the box alone. If memory must last for an eternity it would be sad to be plagued by the regretted things you didn't do.

Film is ultimately about having something to say that drives you. A vision that fills your mind so clearly it has to be shared. Waste gas - don't waste time - make movies.