How long have I been talking about making movies?
A long time.
Long enough to finally start taking action. So in June I joined a film co-op in San Francisco, and the action has been non-stop.
I am participating in three short film productions, and in the past two months, I have been an assistant director, a script supervisor, and an associate producer. In between wondering about the exact duties of these positions, I have learned how to breakdown a script, been asked to replace an actor the morning I walked on set because he had just dropped out, been politely reprimanded for being a co-director when that wasn't my role, frozen in front of the camera and completely forgotten my line (yes, singular), and put on scrubs from my medical school days to be an extra in a hospital scene.
Most importantly, I have learned so many things and met some wonderful artists who regularly put in countless hours of their time simply for the common goal of making a film. I think back to several years ago when medical dramas were popular on television and when I first became interested in filmmaking: how great it would be to serve as a consultant on a set and use my medical knowledge that way. What seemed to be a fantastic afterthought back then became reality today. Sure, I was the technical consultant for a no-budget short film instead of a multi-million dollar drama on TV, but still - the day dream came true.
Come to think of it, most things I once dreamed about have come true - quitting Kaiser in Santa Rosa to be an art student in San Francisco, learning french and art in Paris, quitting clinical medicine to be a consultant, and making films.
I suppose I can stop doubting myself and know that I will reach my goals one day, in my own stubborn, cynical way. What's my next goal?
Come ask me in a decade in one of my seven homes in seven countries.
