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Frequently
Asked Questions You know
you're famous when people you've never met say
things about you that aren't true. I
frequently receive questions asking about every
aspect of my life. To
hopefully clarify a few things for those of you who
have wondered... |
The Spiritual
Path: For whatever Karmic
reason, I have been involved with spirituality and mysticism
my entire life. And, this remains my primary focus. This
predilection has led me to spent a lot of time in Asia and
to have studied with some remarkable teachers. My belief is that
life is a spiritual journey - everything you do leads you
closer to Self-Realization. The more conscious your actions,
the more rapid your path to enlightenment - regardless of
which religious faith or philosophy you follow. Ultimately,
all true religions and philosophies teach a similar path:
remain conscious, be pure of mind and heart, and do good
things. I believe those simple actions are the true essence
of the Spiritual Path. We are all human
beings, with the frailties of human existence. Spirituality
is everywhere. Therefore, you do not have to live in a cave
or a monastery to embrace a spiritual lifestyle. It is my
hope to demonstrate, through my words and writings, that
true spirituality can be found everywhere - even in the
mundane moments of everyday life. So, do what you
decide to do with your life - hopefully you can have some
fun. Just remember, do it consciously and view it as a
pathway towards Spiritual Realization. For what does life
truly mean if it is not to make this world a better place as
you guide yourself and humanity towards a higher level of
consciousness?
The Martial
Arts: Though it was never
my intention, I have become very well-known in the world of
the Martial Arts. It is essential to understand, however,
that I do not define myself as a Martial Artist. Though I
have been formally involved in the Martial Arts since I was
six years old - the Martial Arts is something I do, it is
not something I am. Furthermore, I do not now, nor have
I ever made my living from teaching the Martial Arts.
Throughout the years I taught Hapkido and Taekwondo, I
taught for free. This is based in the fact that I do not
believe the teaching the martial arts should be made into a
business, as this robs the true essence of these ancient
systems of self-defense. Regarding the
Questions I Receive: I commonly receive
questions from Martial Artists asking, 'What to do,'
when they encountered some form of lies or negativity
directed at them from another Martial Artists - which has
unfortunately become very prevalent in the age of the
Internet, due to its anonymous nature. It is my belief that
most people involved with the Martial Arts are very positive
and kind hearted individuals. There are some insecure
practitioner, however, who set about on the path of, "My
style is the best!" "You are a fake!" "My teacher is the
only real teacher!" Or, "I am better and know more than
you!" This is all foolishness. It is very sad when people
embrace this low level of human consciousness and negatively
criticize others - especially due to the fact that these
criticisms are commonly applied behind the back of the
Martial Artist they are criticizing. Criticism, at any
level, only leads to confrontation. And, confrontation is
the most animalistic level of human existence. Therefore,
this style of behavior is contradictory to the true
philosophic essence of the Martial Arts. Think about it -
Who is so all-knowing that they possess the right to
criticize anybody? Moreover, if you find it necessary to
criticize or make negative comments about another person,
what does that say about you? Ultimately, my
philosophy is very simple, 'If you haven't equaled
someone else's level of accomplishment, then you have no
right criticizing them.' As I always tell
people, 'If you don't like somebody or something they
have done, put away the criticism. Instead, become more - do
something bigger and better. From this, you will make your
own positive contribution to the world.' And remember, just
because somebody says something, does not make it true.
Ultimately, it has
been proven that those Martial Artists who embrace the path
of lies, criticism, and negativity eventually fall prey to
their own words, deeds, and actions. I also frequently
receive questions from those students who are disappointed
in the training they received from Asian Instructors.
I believe it is very
important to keep in mind that we here in the West commonly
place an idealized image upon the Asian Martial Arts and the
practitioners who have come from Asia. You must keep in
mind, however, that there has been a long standing
documented history of all kinds of crazy politics,
deceptions, and an untold number of corruption scandals
within the Asian Martial Arts. And, this is prevalent in all
Asian cultures. I believe that we must respect the finer
points of the cultures from where we gained our original
systems and then move forward and stop placing undo
reverence upon individuals simply because they were born in
Asia. In addition, we must stop attempting to poorly imitate
these cultures. Ultimately, we must be who we are and raise
the Martial Arts to our own level of excellence. Therefore,
if you find an instructor you feel good studying with, and
you are learning from him or her, (whether they be Asian or
Western), then stay with them. If not, move on.
Regarding My Films:
I was a reluctant
participant... Growing up in Hollywood, California I
continually saw the down side of the film industry. It took
me many years before I finally gave into the continued
offers I received to be in films. In the early stages of my
career I was lucky enough to perform starring and
co-starring roles in the then thriving action-adventure
market, small roles in several A-films, guest star on
numerous T.V. shows, and appear in commercials. As time went
on, and my acting credits increased, I also received offers
to Produce and Direct. I do not believe
that anyone who has not participated in the creation of a
film can ever understand how truly complex and seemingly
impossible the process of filmmaking is. None-the-less, I
took on the challenge and have continued to create feature
films, documentaries, and music videos. My entire life, I've
been an artist of one type or another. When filmmaking
opportunities came my way, it was only natural for me to
follow a path less traveled and not attempt to make,
seen-it-all-before, feature films. All of the films I
have been creatively involved with have had ART as their
central focus - as abstract as that ART may be to some
people. In all of my films I attempt to present the subject
of the film in a new, unique, and different manner than it
has been previously presented. The concept may be known but
by presenting it in an uncharted format and story structure
is what makes it ART. And, 'Yes, there is hidden meaning
in the story, dialogue, and visuals of all of my
films.' Mostly, I believe
that the majority of Independent Filmmakers take themselves
and their projects far too seriously. My philosophy is,
'Fun is what it is all about.' If any project ceases
to be fun and can not poke fun at itself, then that project
should be left behind.
Zen
Filmmaking: Some people wrongly
define the films I make as B-Movies or Cult Films. They are
really missing the point. They are Zen Films. As spirituality is
the central focus of my life, I have attempted to bring the
essence of Zen into my films; i.e.: following the path of
least resistance, never relying upon formalized structure,
and allowing the moment to be the only guiding factor. With
this as the basis, I developed the concept of Zen Filmmaking
as a means to allow spontaneous creativity to be the only
guide on the path to film creation. Many people have
written, and I am told that it is taught in a few university
courses on filmmaking, that Zen Filmmaking is the next step
in the evolution of Cinema Verite' and Direct Cinema. This
is not the case, however. When Donald
G. Jackson
and I made the first Zen Films we did not base our
ideologies upon any previously defined style of filmmaking.
It was a completely organic process. It is essential to
note that Zen Filmmaking is about philosophy; neither the
subject matter of the film or the medium used in filming
defines a Zen Film. A Zen Film is defined solely by the
creative process which is used in its creation. If you would like a
more detailed explanation of Zen Filmmaking, pop over to:
Guns
of El Chupacabra and the Art of Zen Filmmaking,
The
Making of the Roller Blade Seven,
Music: I sometimes receive
e-mails asking me what type of music do I listen to. To
answer, I have very eclectic tastes. I love Motown Soul and
the Psychedelic Pop that came out of the 1960's - and the
modern bands who have drawn from those influences. Power
Pop, Canto Pop, and J-Pop are Great. I like good Bluegrass
and Alt Country. I love early Punk Rock, New Wave, and Goth
Music, as I was an active part of that era. Industrial and
Dark Wave are excellent. I have been into Hip Hop and
Gangsta' Rap since its inception. In terms of classical
music I particularly appreciate the compositions of Claudio
Monteverdi and Bach during his Italian period. Plus, I
really love Dance Music. Personally, I now
create mostly Techno/Electronica, Goa Trance, Ambient, Deep
House, Acid Jazz, Guitar-Based Rock n' Roll, and Soundtracks
for films. You can
CLICK
HERE if you
want to find out more information about the music I
create.
Fun: For fun I enjoy
going to Antique Shops, Thrift Stores, Flea Markets, and
Swap Meets, finding those unique items that can only be had
from such locations. I spend as much time in Tokyo, Hong
Kong, Bangkok, and San Francisco as possible. I love Sedona,
Arizona in the cool winter months. I love the Ocean, Rainy
Days, the Wind, Coffee Houses, Italian Red Wine, Dance
Clubs, and Eating in Cool Restaurants.
I want to thank
everybody for all of their e-mails. I trust this will give
you a bit more insight into who I am, how I think, and what
is the focus of my life. God
Bless, Scott Shaw
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