Lord Richard Attenborough - Actor - Director - There Was A Man Dept.

Lord Richard Attenborough - Actor - Director - There Was A Man Dept.
He was riding high, when I met him. 55th Academy Awards, in 1983. He and his picture (Gandhi) had just won eight Oscars, and he'd made a fine speech about it, and he was positively giddy with triumph.

It was my first Academy Award ceremony, and I really wanted to talk to the Best Picture's Best Director, Sir Richard Attenborough.

It's a funny thing about the Ceremonies, It's nothing like you see onscreen.

There are boos and screams and funny noises, and weird things happening all the time, but such brilliant Camerawork and Floor Direction, you never see any of that. Anything out of the ordinary, switch to stock shots, or remote cameras, or an Ad.

In this particular instance, once Best Picture was announced, much of the Audience arose and swarmed the exits, heading home from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, to beat traffic, although you would never know that, at home on TV.

Sir Richard spoke of "Gandhi," his film, and Gandhi the man, and what Gandhi means to our times. He was quite moved, and he delivered his message, even though he spoke to a mostly (and increasingly) empty room.

Then the show was over, and he gathered his thoughts on his lectern. I approached, with my program and pen. He gave me a warm, white movie star smile. I only had a moment, so I was somewhat direct.

"I loved 'Gandhi,' it was wonderful!"

"Thank you."

"And you were in one of my favorite pictures."

"Which one?"

"The Flight of the Phoenix."

His smile got brighter and wider.

"Oh! With James Stewart! That is one of my favorites, too!"

We chatted about it, and I asked for his autograph. He took my pen, with a flourish.

"How shall I sign it? Shall I sign it 'Sir Dickie?'"

And he did. "To Sam, Sir Dickie."

I wrote him after that, when he made the wonderful "Chaplin," and when he became a Lord, (my salutation then was "Dear Lord," and I hope it made him smile).

I think his last picture I saw was "Jurassic Park." His grace and his decency always came through, in his pictures.

I was distressed to hear last year, he was in ill health. And today, he's gone. I love his great movies, and his talent, and his charm.

I'm going to see "The Flight of the Phoenix" again soon. Such a great picture.

I love what it says - do your best, make the best of a bad situation, and be decent, even though things are catastrophic. That focused effort in the right direction is worth taking. Stout heart, and courage, my fellows.

Rest in Peace, Lord Richard Attenborough. Lord Dickie.

Gandhi

Chaplin

Jurassic Park

Sam Longoria

James Stewart

The Magic Christian

Richard Attenborough

The Flight Of The Phoenix

What Is A Pro? by Sam Longoria Producer-Director

Filmmaking - What Is A Pro?

 by: Sam Longoria

The word “Professional” is often bandied about by indy filmmakers, and I’ve heard and read many things I just wouldn’t expect a “Pro” to say, though the person writing or saying them claims to be one. Time for a definition of terms.

Question: What qualifies a person to be a Pro?

Answer: Paycheck.

That's the short answer, but anything longer is just embellishment. It's one thing to make movies. It's a whole different animal to get somebody to cut you a good check, for the work you've done.

Paycheck is more important than anything to a Professional, because you have to eat and pay bills, or you can't function, much less create pleasing Art.

Question: How does a person become a Pro?

Answer: By adopting a Pro attitude. The Pro attitude is “I work in the movie business. I do good work, and I must be paid for it.” This is regardless of the budget of his current Project, whether it is high or low.

Some don’t become a Pro until many paychecks, but you can have a Pro attitude right now, even if you’ve never been paid for doing your art. If you adopt the Pro attitude now, you multiply your effectiveness many times, and shorten the time until those paychecks come in.

A person with a Pro attitude has aligned his brain cells and unconscious mind, so every action and thought is geared toward one outcome - to be paid for his work, what his work is worth. This has many benefits, chiefly the quality of his work improves.

You can take years to get a Pro attitude, or you can do it right away. I recommend you read a book with a funny name by Stuart Lichtman, an expert on the human brain from MIT. 

Another great book on developing a Pro attitude is Napoleon Hill's classic "Think And Grow Rich," free in your library, or get it here online.

They are both good books. Stuart’s is like a series of games, so it’s almost effortless, and it will improve every aspect of your life. Napoleon's classic book takes a while, and you have to muscle it through by will power, but it’s great.

Once you've adjusted your attitude, your unconscious mind will steer your every action and memory, every skill you have, and those you need to learn, toward delivering what you need to do your job, and be paid your paycheck.

Once you do, your natural love of your Art has a chance of being fulfilled. Until you do, you're just floundering.

You may disagree with my brutal bottom-line assessment of what a Pro is. You may feel a Pro isn't defined by a paycheck. To you a Pro might be merely a person with a lot of experience in a certain area, or a person with a natural talent.

Well, “Professional” is defined,

"Pro*fes"sion*al, n. A person who prosecutes anything professionally, or for a livelihood, and not in the character of an amateur; a professional worker."

-- Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

Unless he has a paycheck, his "lot of experience" just makes him a hobbyist. By definition, a hobbyist is not a Professional anything. There is nothing wrong with being a hobbyist, or an “amateur,” (which means you do something “for the love of it”), but generally, amateur quality is not up to a Pro standard.

It’s common to say, "You have so much talent, you're a real Pro," but even natural talent, practiced and refined, won’t be Pro until one’s work quality is good enough to motivate another to pay him for it.

While skill and/or talent certainly are important, the defining quality of a Professional is payment.

Think “paycheck.” May you earn many big ones.

About The Author Sam Longoria is a Hollywood producer, working in film since 1970, in a variety of jobs. His work graces several Oscar-nominated films, and even Oscar winners. Sam teaches Independent Producing and Consults at http://samlongoria.com © 2005 Sam Longoria, All Rights Reserved. You may forward this in its entirety to anyone you wish. Hollywood Seminars, Box 2449, Hollywood CA 90078 USA This article is available for reprint in your ezine, website or ebook. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and this RESOURCE BOX MUST be included.