Audience:

 n. 3. A regular public that manifests interest, support, enthusiasm, or the like; a following.

Movies Illustrate Life.

They illustrate our own experience, offering clarity and opportuity for introspection, even decision … show us lives very different from our own … show us what might happen were we to adopt a certain behavior or activity we eschew (for better or worse), thereby warning or encouraging … transport us to times, places, and circumstances beyond our reach (for better or worse!).  They step into, and have the power to influence, our personal narrative, and even, perhaps, our actual journey.

It’s About the Filmmakers

Movies also illustrate the experience of those who bring them to us … articulate those persons’ visions and points of view … demonstrate their gifts (or perhaps lack thereof, lol) … allow us into the life experience of the cast or crew member … show us what interests and holds meaning for them.

But It’s Also About the Audience

Still, a film does not exist solely unto itself.  Rather, its full being is realized only by the participation of us, the viewers, transforming it into a special expression unique to each viewer’s understanding.  Though there are certain empirical elements, it’s a dance between actor/filmmaker and viewer, and as with physical dance, the variations and interpretations are utterly subjective and infinite across person and time.

My friend C. in California actually has an approach as to how to tailor a theater to suit a particular type of film to best advantage for the audience.  When I’m rich and famous (just rich’ll do…), I’m going to fund him.

We celebrate the artists.  We celebrate the medium.  We celebrate our own celebration of both.

Film Is Life is a celebration of the audience’s experience and an exploration into how one can use one’s love of film to lead a stronger, happier, more meaningful life.

Here you’ll find the odd reference to objective criteria (i.e., performance, direction, cinematography, and the like), but I’m of the view that ~ almost as with faith, as I’m thinking about it ~ the conversation really isn’t about imposed objectives and guidelines, but rather how close to one’s own being one gets as one experiences the film.

Just as no one can judge another’s connection to a Higher Power, no one can truly judge whether or not a film is “good.” Strong opinion and heated debate may ensue between reasonable and thoughtful people, and recognizing excellence via awards is a worthy endeavor, but ultimately it comes down to individual belief and perspective.

The key is to find one’s own way, and to live out that way to the end.

Go You Huskies,

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