I watched the 2023 movie, Americana, last night on STARZ. Interesting movie, though the storyline had a few problems. But, beyond all of that, the plot follows, at least in part, Sydney Sweeney’s character in a quest to get to Nashville where she could become a well-known singer. At the end of the film, she ends up with a hundred thousand dollars and is apparently making her way Nashville’s direction.
 
Though that was just a partial plot of the film, as there were so many stories going on within one another. A cinematic technique that I love. It did send me to thinking about the chasing of a dream.
 
It’s an old story that I’ve told before, but as that story goes, I grew up in Hollywood, a place where so many dream of finding fame and fortune. Even by the time I was attending Hollywood High School I knew people and knew the children of some people who were both very successful and those who were questing for that fame they knew for only a moment. As I moved into the filmmaking game, much later in my life, I encountered so many people who had come to Hollywood believing that they had what it takes to, “Make it.” Some, like Sweeney’s character, even had the financial backing behind them. What happened with their career? I have no idea. It went nowhere. This, though so many of them told me, “They would be the one that would make it, and I would be the one who was lucky if I put them in a film.” The few who did make a name of themselves, however, were the ones with no ego, just a directed quest.  
 
This is the thing, there is the dream and there is the reality. And, it’s very hard to define if a dream can become a reality.
 
Yes certainly, some people do come to places like Nashville and Hollywood and their dreams do reach reality status. But, we have all heard the stories of those who have not made that jump. Most of those who hold that dream or have that belief in themselves do not make it.
 
But, in fact, even one of the central characters of the film, Americana, he and I used to end up at auditions together all the time. There he is in that film, and here I am, the lowly Zen Filmmaker, writing this piece of nonsense. So???
 
Yesterday, I went into this thrift shop. Just ahead of me, walking through the door, was this guy dressed up and looking exactly like Andrew Eldridge of Sisters of Mercy fame did back in the 80s. He wore black pants, a long black coat, a black hat, black aviator sunglasses, and had his shoulder length hair dyed black. I guess he was attempting to emulate that something of a person of a time gone past.
 
Now, to this day, The Sisters of Mercy are one of my all-time favorite bands. But… I never tried to dress like the lead singer of the band.
 
This is not an uncommon thing, people believing that if they emulate the vibe of a famous person, they too may reach that level of fame. I’ve encountered several people who do and have done this. But, impersonating is never a formula for success. That’s just, at best, playing a Mind Game with yourself while paying tribute to that person you can never be.
 
The guy, the moment he walked in, asked the person at the counter, “Do you have any keyboards?” The answer was, “No.” What did he think the place was, Guitar Center? He turned and left.
 
All this feeds into the promise and the progress of your life and your pursuit of your dream. It gives you food for thought. Particularly, in this day and age, where you no longer have to travel to places like Nashville or Hollywood to make the possibility of your dream come true. All you have to do is to actually pursue it. Do it.
 
But, more than all that, what is your dream and why do you hold that dream? Because the fact of the fact always is, whatever you believe that far off something to be, it will never be what you expect it to be. So, in your walking that path to whatever it is that you desire, what will be the cost to your life, the cost to the life of others, and what about your karmic destiny? Remember, once you do something it can never be undone. And, though you may lie to others about what you’ve done and why you’ve done it, you can lie to yourself about what you’ve done and why you’ve done it, but, once you’ve done it, it is done, then what?