"There are those that claim, If you're currently not paying your rent with this, then it's just a hobby." For me, "this" refers to Journey to Peace.
That attitude really strikes a nerve with me, because for the first time in my life, I'm not paying my mortgage by making films. It calls into question my own insecurities. I've always been making films...
Currently, I'm teaching documentary filmmaking to high school students and have another non-related job (which calls in the skills I employ as a filmmaker) to support the development of Journey to Peace, until I receive funding. So for someone to say, "If you're not supporting yourself with what you do, then it's just a hobby". Excuse me, I'm self-supporting the development of the documentary - a time-honored and unfortunate way to make films.
It makes me want to slap those folks silly. Which, by the way, is antithetical to the message of the film.
In a recent issue of the Independent (Association of Film and Videomakers monthly) there was a brief article on people who work other jobs while they make films - films that have been recognized by major festivals, such as Sundance. The Independent even referenced something I'm fond of citing: Wallace Stevens, a well-known and loved poet, worked in insurance all his life. Because he worked in insurance, was he not a poet? During his lifetime, people argued that he wasn't; yet he left this legacy of poetry. So I figure if he's a poet, I'm a filmmaker. It's a passion and a commitment. How dare you?!
After reading the article, I decided to fight this battle with knowledge and words instead of fisticuffs (my personal journey to peace if you will). So I got out my dictionary and looked up:
Hobby - a favorite leisure time activity or occupation
Hmmm. Journey to Peace is my 1st job, teaching is my 2nd job, and a management desk-job is my 3rd job. I don't have any leisure time, so how could this be a hobby?
So then I looked up:
Spurious - not genuine, not being what it supposed to be,
having an outward similarity of form or function only
having an outward similarity of form or function only
Ha! It appears that the job vs. hobby debate may be spurious. Oh, and by the way, perhaps those folks that claim that filmmakers like myself are engaging in "hobby" are people intent on only turning out "product".
Verbal fisticuffs, anyone?
