Fears, Filmmaking and the Jeremy Renner Factor

Actor Jeremy Renner who stars in "The Town," “The Bourne Legacy” and “The Avengers” won't be held back by fear -- not his and especially not anyone else’s.

Jeremy Renner at "The Bourne Legacy" Premiere. Photo by Eva Rinaldi"That emotion conquers love, and that makes me sad." [After years analyzing the roots of his own fear] "finding out what I was afraid of, what stops you in life, what gets in the way." - "Fear is just not a part of my life -- so much so that if it's involved in somebody else's life and they're close to me, I won't be around them." - Jeremy Renner (in The Hollywood Reporter)

One of the most important takeaways from Jeremy Renner's quote about fear is not that it merely gets in the way of living life, but rather, how the presence of fear in others can stifle our own path -- if we allow it.

Knowing that fear holds us back, it seems senseless to adopt the attitudes and beliefs of people who try their best to convince us that we cannot achieve certain goals -- when deep down, they are probably insecure about or unsatisfied with their own shortcomings, complacency or disappointments with how life is turning out for them. These people are dream killers who would rather see their fellow man down and out than bear witness to someone, somewhere, actually making it!

So, identifying the solution is pretty simple, right? Just change the people that you are around and in doing so, your circumstances and outlook on goals will likely improve. A big problem arises, however, when the fear isn't coming from an outside source. How do we solve the problem of being our own worse enemy? This question has been ever present in my life recently, as I find that all of the pieces of my short film puzzle aren't fitting together the way I want them to.

I've wondered if I should just hang the whole thing up, if maybe I'm not supposed to make movies - or even direct them. I've wondered whether I'm meant to pursue another unrelated field in the arts or change my direction and start over in an entirely different industry altogether. I'm also aware, however, that many of my doubts regarding filmmaking stem from fears that were created by no one other than me.

Consistency in execution, particularly, making the visual interpretation of my script be just as good, if not better, than the screenplay that I think I took way too long to complete is a fear that grows with every setback, door closed, budgetary limitation and lost day that I experience while trying to get this movie off the ground.

I have no interest in making a movie just to make one or to be able to say I made one. I want to make a movie that elicits the same enthusiasm as the screenplay from which it is based upon. If that cannot be done, then I don't even want to bother making it. That's just it though -- we can't predict the future, so in the case of my film, I'll never know what kind of results or audience response will come from the production unless I keep it moving either beyond or through any fears and stay out of my own way.

Its much more productive to operate from a place of unrelenting ambition or forward thinking than it is to operate from a place of fear. Adopting the latter mindset makes us much more likely to fail and even critically acclaimed, award-winning Actors such as Denzel Washington knows that the quickest way to guarantee failure is by not trying to succeed at whatever it is that you want to accomplish -- whether that be in entertainment, sports, business, parenting, spiritual growth, relationships, dieting and nutrition, traveling, education or any other part of life that tickles your fancy. So, failure is not an option and I can put efforts into staying away from all of the fear inducing, dream-killing people in the world but I still cannot run from myself.

What are your thoughts on fear?

Have you adopted someone else’s (a parent, neighbor, family member, friend, co-worker, etc.) fears? If so, has it helped or hindered your life in some way?

Has fear ever prevented you from participating in a recreational activity, traveling to a particular destination or pursuing something of personal or professional interest?

Jeremy Renner is the October 2012 King Dong. He succeeds Gerard Butler on the throne.

Museums on Screen

This week's latest installment of the Monday Movie Meme comes on the heels of my two-hour night...better yet, make that morning of sleep. So, I don't have much to say at the moment. The theme is: Museums.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring museums. They don't have to be museums that are actually operating in real life but if you ever watched a movie featuring one that people can visit, feel free to share it. Here is my one selection for this week's meme.

House of Wax

Just when I thought The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia was creepy...the wax museum in "House of Wax" gives The Mutter's exhibitions on medical history a run for their money. At least we can find solace in knowing that this horror movie is based on a fictional attraction. If it weren't, I reckon that the celebrity wax figures at Madame Tussauds museums around the world wouldn't be so appealing. Those "Where are they now?" television segments and news stories would take on a life of their own. 

Now, it's YOUR turn to name the films you've watched that feature museums. Ready? Set. Go!

Urbanworld Audiences Thrilled about Diverse Lineup of Stories featuring People of Color #UWFF

Some film festivals thrive on controversy while others gain notoriety for their parties or celebrity appearances, all of which seem to detract audience attention from what is supposedly the main point of these events -- watching movies.

Audiences Stay for the "Being Mary Jane" Screening Q&A at the 2012 Urbanworld Film FestivalThe 2012 Urbanworld Film Festival, however, is where I found movie lovers and filmmakers congregating around a myriad of short and feature length works that made us laugh, cry and possibly even gain a new perspective on what it means to be black or bi-polar or disabled or in love with a child molestor or any other fabric of life that is a part of the human experience regardless of whether we understand it or not.

Were there parties involved? Yes. Thanks to the Opening Night after-party, I was introduced to "Candid," a horror film about a voyeuristic stalker who comes across a beautiful model who is also a serial killer. Did famous faces attend the festival? Yes, again. During a post-screening Q&A for the "Being Mary Jane"premiere screening, actress Gabrielle Union made it clear that her bills don't care if a paycheck comes from film or television, because at the end of the day, she's making a living doing what she loves -- acting.

Film remained at the center of attention, which is probably why Urbanworld continues to attract the kind of movie fanatics who will sit on floors and stand along the stairwell of theaters that are packed to the max -- just to watch a movie. Photographer Deb Marcano, who has been coming to Urbanworld since it began 16 years ago told me that there were times in the past when you couldn't even get into the screenings because the lines at the theater were so long.

"Middle of Nowhere" lead actress Emayatzy Corinealdi at Urbanworld Film Festival's Closing Night Screening. "Middle of Nowhere," directed by Ava DuVernay, is about a medical student who puts her dreams on hold when her husband is sent to prison. / Photo courtesy of Deb Marcano.While making my way between several film screenings during the 2012 Urbanworld Film Festival, I interviewed a few audience members at AMC Theaters on 34th Street, whose experiences confirm how eager people are to see something new -- and that something doesn't necessarily have to always correlate with movie scenes featuring shootouts, explosions or fancy effects.

Madlab Post: Is this your first time attending the Urbanworld Film Festival?

"It is my first time -- I wanted to see 'Middle of Nowhere' but after seeing the trailer for 'Wolf,' I was really compelled to come see it and it was everything I thought it would be. It was monstrous, beautiful and everything you needed to say." - Julian King, 34, Philadelphia, PA

"No, I believe I did it once before, a couple of years back. My experience was very positive. I'm always interested in supporting these young actors and directors, so I try to support as much as I can. When my friend told me about this one, I definitely jumped to the opportunity to come and check it out." - Janelle Telesford, 41, Brooklyn, NY

"No. I've been coming for the last four years. Growing up in New York, I knew it was very popular in the city. I'm also an aspiring filmmaker myself." - Mykwain Gainey, 29, Bronx, NY

Which film are you most excited to see?

"Definitely 'Middle of Nowhere.' The next film I'm going to see, however, is 'Getting Up' -- It's a beautiful documentary about a graffiti artist who is stricken with MS (Multiple Sclerosis). It looks beautiful. 'Wolf' blew my mind and I'm very proud to be a part of [the audience] seeing the screening." - J. King

"'The Bluest Note.' I'd be excited to check out the others as well but at this moment, 'The Bluest Note' is the one I'm most definitely interested to see." - J. Telesford.

Actor Jordan Cooper, leading actor in "Wolf" at the Urbanworld Film Festival. "Wolf" directed by Ya'ke smiith, is about a family shaken to the core when learning their child has been molested and loves his abuser."Well, I came to support a lot of the short films but I was really excited to see 'Wolf' last night. Yake's film was definitely incredible. The performances were very intense. I've been hearing about it over the last few months on the festival circuit, so I really wanted to come out and support it." - M. Gainey

How would you describe the Urbanworld Film Festival to the average movie fan who hasn't been here before?

"I would say you're NOT a movie fan if you haven't been here, because this experience -- just seeing movies from the ground up; No hype, no 'A-list' person to blind [your attention from] the movie itself with their own stardom -- This is what it's all about. This is true storytelling and you should come out and see it, support it and find yourself a new favorite actor." - J. King

"I would describe it as an opportunity to pack in as many movies [as you can] in a short period of time and get a variety of an experience as you can -- There's so many different movies that play at these events -- comedy, drama, musicals, etc. in a short space in time without sitting for three or four hours to see two movies." - J. Telesford.

"I think that for people who are tired of seeing misrepresentations of ourselves in the media, I would definitely recommend coming to Urbanworld because you get to see a varied perspective on what it is to be 'urban' -- not just black or Hispanic, but really just to see how we are -- 'cause you know, we're not monolithic. So, what I really appreciate about the festival is that you can come and see yourself on the big screen." - M. Gainey.

So, there you have it... some notes from my travels and coversations over movies, drinks, food, bright lights, big screens and pretty pictures. If there is ever a time to visit New York City, it's during the Urbanworld Film Festival!