Just another Day on the Job – Why Directors Soderbergh and Tarantino Make Movies #atozchallenge #IndieFilm

As I seek out my place in the madness that is filmmaking, it’s been interesting to notice vast differences in how more well-known, successful directors view their career choice. Steven Soderbergh – the man behind movies such as “Contagion,” “Ocean’s Eleven” (the one with George Clooney) and “Traffic” seems to approach this path like he would any other job. On the other hand, Quentin Tarantino – the man who brought us “Pulp Fiction,” “Kill Bill” and “Django Unchained,” operates from another end of the spectrum where he’s made film his life.

“It’s a real privilege to make a living doing this job. It’s a great job — the best I can think of, actually. You walk into a room and say, ‘I’m imagining this,’ and they give you millions of dollars to go out and make it real. That’s a pretty good gig. I have certain standards — sometimes I hit them and sometimes I don’t.

I don’t think being precious is really good for any art form. So I believe in being really prepared, working hard, doing everything I can think of to improve it, but staying on budget, staying on schedule, and when it’s over, it’s over and I’m onto the next thing. I’m really dispassionate about it, in that regard. I haven’t seen a great benefit in my own work in agonizing over things. I’ve seen more of a benefit in my work, for moving quickly. It’s harder to be pretentious when you’re moving really fast.” – Steven Soderbergh

- VS. -

“I’m lucky enough to be in the position where I don’t make movies to pay for my pool. When I make a movie, I want it to be everything to me; like I would die for it….When you gotta go out and make a movie to pay for the kid’s private school and for the three ex-wives, don’t talk to me about your artistry. It’s their job. It’s not my job. It’s my calling.” – Quentin Tarantino

I used to view film as my end-all be-all because it was – and still is at times -- everything to me, before embarking on this exploration of what really matters in the grand scheme of things. Now, I find Soderbergh’s position to be more relatable in the sense that making movies shouldn’t consume us too much, for too long. It’s probably healthier to do what you can and move on when the time has come for putting your energy and focus toward new (or even different) work.  

Have YOU found your calling?

What are YOUR most favorite jobs (or gigs) that you ever had, to date?

Love and Hip Hop Cast on ‘Django Unchained,’ Use of N-Word in Movies #loveandhiphop

Rashidah Ali at the Season 3 Premiere Party for "Love and Hip Hop"Quentin Tarantino’s violent slavery western “Django Unchained” is shaping up to be his highest grossing movie yet -- one that could potentially also nab an Oscar for Best Picture. Despite all that has turned out well for this movie so far, there seems to be growing outrage over Tarantino’s excessive use of the n-word in Django. Opposing sides of the controversy are even debating whether he was justified in using it at all.

Since there is no shortage of platforms being created for community leaders, filmmakers, movie critics or historians to add their two cents on this matter, it would be more fitting to hear from those who actually represent an area of entertainment that possesses similar themes of violence and derogatory language: rap music. I recently caught up with rapper Consequence and reality TV star Rashidah Ali at the NYC Premiere bash for Season 3 of their hit VH1 series “Love & Hip Hop.”

Neither appeared to be familiar with all of the n-word drama surrounding “Django Unchained,” which is refreshing at a time when there is negative backlash over something so trivial, in a relative sense. Consequence was reluctant to speak on it because he hasn’t seen the movie. Ali, who also has yet to check out Django, however, insisted that -- no matter what the medium -- alternative language should be considered in lieu of what we have been accustomed to using for so long.

“As much as I would love for us to find another word to use as a term of endearment, it’s become second nature to us,” she says. Ali adds “I use it myself sometimes and it’s not ever in a negative format but it would be absolutely great for us as a people to come together and find another world to use because the n-word represents nothing but negativity. From time to time, when I’m angry, I have found myself slipping up and doing that -- we should certainly find another word to use when referencing one another.”

I think if more people were like Consequence and Ali -- waiting to watch the movie first before jumping to conclusions and being quick to condemn Tarantino for Django; and being mindful of one’s own language and/or behavior before critiquing someone else’s -- I bet there would be a lot less Django grief (n-word or not) among audiences and critics alike.

Season 3 of “Love & Hip Hop” premieres Monday, January 7 at 8pm on VH1