How Do You Doo? | Living Arts 24 Hour Film Race (2016)

 
 

Spring of 2016 saw the birth of the Digital Dragons. Our team entered the Tulsa 24 Hour Film Race. Some of us had worked together before, some had never acted, but everyone worked hard to create a wonderful film.

The mandatory prop was a voodoo doll, the theme Blast From The Past, and the required line, "If you squint your eyes and tilt your head..." It didn't take long for our group to hash out a plot for our twisted love story. 

This was my first film since I committed 100 percent to pursue acting, and everything that happened in these 24 hours confirmed that I’d made the right decision. Even while sleep-deprived, the process of creating a story is So. Much. Fun.

This project was especially enjoyable as I was involved not only with the acting, but also with the writing, wardrobe, and a bit of producing. As I drove from location to location at four in the morning, I realized most people would hate this frantic, rushing about that happens on sets (sometimes at ridiculous hours). But not me! I love the excitement. 

Our film premiered at the Philbrook Museum and was awarded first place in the college category! As a result it will be shown at the Tulsa American Film Festival this fall.

 
 

What I Learned from the 2016 Living Arts Film Race

 

 
 
 
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Some people pursue happiness and contentment. These feelings are warm, fuzzy, and gentle. They are the absence of stress and longing. They are restful.

But happiness can be static and unchanging. It is the softest emotion. Gentler than grief. Cooler than anger. And it pales against the fierceness of joy.

I could be happy. Be content with life. But I don’t want to find a comfortable rut to live in. I want the more elusive emotions. I want joy and passion and even fear.

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Joy is not common. It visits most people in the briefest of spurts. Weddings. Births. How many people can say their chosen profession brings them joy? Not contentment. Not financial comfort. Joy.

I can say that. This weekend I did a 24-hour film race. It started at midnight. I got only a few short hours of sleep. I didn’t eat a real meal. I drove from location to location at 4 am. I dealt with the drunk 2 am diner crowd commenting on how good a waitress I would make. I did the same thing over and over again.

Action. Reset. Action. Reset.

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This shoot had none of the glamorous aspects that people expect of the film world. There was no makeup artist. No paycheck. No fame or admiration. If those were the things I was pursuing as an actress, I would have left the shoot disappointed.

But I didn’t. I loved every second of it. I even marveled, at 4 am as I drove to our next location, at how alive I felt. Of how joyous it was to be up in the middle of the night filming.

This is how I know I’ve made the right choice. I’m not someone looking for fame or fortune. Rather, it is the act of filming itself that brings me joy.

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Many people pursue acting with the thought that the end result will bring them joy. But if find no joy along the road, why would the job suddenly bring you happiness once you’re well known? I’d argue that being famous makes it harder to enjoy the profession, as you spend less time enjoying your craft, and more time being flown from press event to press event and avoiding paparazzi.

Picture yourself, decades from now. You’ve been able to support yourself as an actor, but you’re not rich. You’re not famous. Now ask yourself, was it worth it?

For me, the answer is yes. It will always be yes. Because it is the journey, not the destination, that makes me feel alive.

 
Filmmorgan krueger