The Fish That Won’t Die.
I’ve moved on from TV. This year, I’m laying it all on the line and going after the dream of telling one story, at the cost of everything that’s dear and important to me. It’s to help a people that changed my life, and who I truly believe in, and if I can get this story told, properly, I will be firmly reassured that ‘anything can happen.’I believe this, I’ve experienced it, but it’s been a while, and I’m simply seeking affirmation of sorts.
I might be ready to give up on TV, the place where I saw affirmation in my professional life, but TV’s not so ready to give me up quite yet. I still get offers to do adventure shows, or to take off to some jungle to be a hermit and film animals, and future financial necessities might just see me on a plane to some far off destination again. But, for as long as I can help it, I want to stay on the ground.
The one thing that does make me smile about those haunting door knocks is the response I still get for my first baby, the closest idea to my heart: Fisher Kings - a TV series exploring the lives of disappearing artisan fishing communities around the globe. Created by me, developed by Mira Chang (mentor and director/DP of most of the big docs earlier in the decade), and shot with my good friend Michael Husvar, and, of course, my brother Charl Hodges. In the past few months everyone from Discovery en Español, Animal Planet, Nat Geo, and now even international networks ring my phone, ask about the project, and go away. I’m not giving it much sweat, but, this is another reminder that a good idea never dies, it just might spend a very long time finding legs. And sure, odds are that, just like everyone who calls, this morning’s call will also lead to nothing, but I know that I’m not a hack with a delusional idea. This realization is not just based on past experience but because my gut tells me that with Fisher Kings I had a good story to tell. And this time, with my little movie that WILL, I also have that gut feeling, but this time is multiplied by a thousand.
So the lesson of 2011 is, keep on fighting if you truly believe your project has merit. It might not be tomorrow, or this year, but if you build the story, using the fire in your belly, someone will listen; someday. Perhaps someday very soon.
Godspeed; kenbe fem.
(And yes, the trailer is cheesy, and the actual concept has more merit. This was all executed to the desires of interested networks. For an explanation as to why I, and many others resort to such a desperate move visit THIS link and fast forward to minute 6. Another lesson to be learned.)
