Solstice 2006 Letter

January 3, 2007 by webmaster.

I am in awe! Once again it’s time for the solstice letter. How fast time flies! I’m late this year. The Holidays were hectic and stressful. It was great having the family together, but it seems like not enough time. Oh well. I hope this find all of you well and looking forward to the New Year.

This will be an awesome and exciting year, but it will not be an easy one I think. As I have said before, our industry is changing very drastically and very quickly. The old paradigms are collapsing, new technologies are coming faster than anyone can keep up with. The old studio system, which has been collapsing for many years, is now in what looks like chaos and all the MBA’s can’t figure it out! And this is the exciting part!

We are actors. We know what chaos really is – it’s where creation lives. This is our time. The world looks to its storytellers for the new mythology. And we are the greatest storytellers in human history. Let’s seize this New Year with everything we have and create a whole new way of making films, television shows, and plays. Let’s pay no attention to the wizard behind the curtain, to the business and the way things are supposed to work, and let’s move forward and create the new way. Let’s make this business come to us – for great actors, exciting new scripts, and production teams that break all the rules. Don’t worry about agents, casting directors, producers. Stop wondering where you should move to for the best opportunities. That whole system is collapsing, and we are in perfect position to take control of our own creative lives. Carter Thor Studios East has already made an incredible start in doing this and you all know it. I am extremely proud of the plays, films, TV shows that we have created. I am very excited by the host of upcoming projects we are involved in.

In fact…I am in awe! I am in awe of ALL of you. The work, the deals, and the productions you are doing. But mostly by the acting…the growth I see in each and every one of you. Some of you see it, most of you don’t. But I see it. I see it in all of you. Every week, very scene, every moment. You are Heroes. Some of you have been with me for a long time, some of you for only a few weeks, but all of you have grown as artists in that time. Some of the growth is huge, monumental, some is small, almost invisible, but it’s there in all of you. And big or small…it’s still gold! The change is magical.

Some of you think this is because of me. Well, yes and no. I am good at what I do, I do know that, but what I do isn’t all that big a deal. I’m a coach. I push and shove. I comfort and tease. I create places where you are safe to create (but remember, creation always LOOKS dangerous and chaotic). But…I want you all to always remember…YOU are the one doing the hard work. This is your journey, and you will have everything you dream of…as long as you never, ever quit…no matter what.

And I know it’s not easy! It’s a struggle; sometimes a frustrating, seemingly hopeless struggle. All of you are facing parts of yourselves you never wanted to face, breaking down barriers you thought you would die without, marching in to territories you used to pray never to go into. And you are all growing, changing and becoming very wise in the process.

You may not think so. You are sure you’re not good enough. You know you’re not smart enough. You see that you’re not pretty, handsome enough. You feel too scared. You feel inadequate. You’re damaged goods. You’ll never make it. And of course you believe all the awful things people in this business have said about you. Ok…here’s another thing I want you to never forget:

You are enough.

More than enough. With all your problems, all your failures, all your dirty secrets, scars, and ugliness.

You are enough!

Your courage, your determination, your ridiculous pursuit of your dreams no matter what, makes me know

You are enough!

2006 hasn’t been an easy year. Almost all of you have been though some incredible life experiences in the past year or so; some large, some small. Some of you have been through some pretty major ones. Some of you have struggled with major health issues. Some of you have suffered big financial problems. And some of you have lost some very important love ones -more than a couple of you, in fact. More than seems fair to me. And yet… the next class there you are…working as hard as you can…bringing all of yourself into the scene…touching all of our hearts.

You are all my heroes. I hope when I grow up that I have a tenth of your courage. I am honored to be working with you…YES, YOU!! You inspire me every week. I am a very, very lucky man and I know it…because of each one of you.

I am in awe…of all of you!

Jock MacDonald

? Carter Thor Studios East 2006

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