AFM - The Living Market

Filmmaking - Stress Relief

AFM - The Living Market

Well, it's been a week. Angela and I covering the AFM here,
and she asked, "Is it stressful for you, Sam?" I told her no.

Record-setting growth of the AFM this year indicates the
strength and vitality of the film and television industry. The
Market is alive, and it's thrilling to see it serving both
production and distribution.

There are frantic industry changes going on simultaneously,
and sometimes it is an overwhelming task, to just try to keep
track of it. It just goes on and on and on, with no signs of
stopping. It won't even slow down.

At times like these, I don't even try.
I have a special method for coping.

I walk down onto the Santa Monica pier, to the last restaurant
way at the end. The last restaurant before Japan. I order the
lox and scrambled eggs.

Maybe I'll have an orange juice, if it's fresh-squeezed.
Maybe, if the stress has been particularly high, I won't do
that. I'll just have a glass of water.

I eat slowly, enjoying every bite. I sip the water, and enjoy
how cool it is, until it is all gone. Then I pay the bill, and
walk back.

By the time I've returned to the Loews Santa Monica Beach
Hotel, the sense that the whole film business is rushing away
from me at the speed of light, and also rushing toward me at
dangerous velocity, has abated.

Then, it's afternoon, and things start to slow down naturally,
in preparation for evening. All right! Do whatever works for
you, that's my advice.

You want it slow, go to the pier. You want it happenin', and
flashing and rumbling, and your mental process teetering on
the brink of sensory overload, just dive back into the AFM.
Something for everybody.


Filmmaking