Advice for #168Project Producers...

Image via Wikipedia

Now, I don't know if that hashtag will even work, as I'm not necessarily fluent in all things Twitterfeed, however, some of you may have seen my latest status update, "I survived The 168 Project Amoeba Mixer!!!", and might need a short or rather a long, explanation.

Roughly 60 to 70 of us fill the main sanctuary of Media City Church, in two circles. We spend roughly two minutes exchanging wants and needs and prayer requests, (one person even prayed with me, thanks Wendy!) and then the outer circle moves one person to the left, or clockwise for the right-handed people, then wash, rinse, repeat. This year, there was even time for the outer circle and the inner circle to form their own outer and inner circles. Again, wash, rinse, repeat.

The goal of these things is to network, as opposed to working your net, specifically to fill any holes in your team. Of course, The Law!!! kicked in, and mostly other producers were there that I met and spoke with, looking for the same people I was. The deal I made with them, is I'll pray for them, and asked they pray for me. Now, I'm holding up my end, but this isn't about me, as previously discussed.

Some of the 1st time producers asked me for advice, as this is the 3rd year in a row that I've taken the plunge, and I co-produced th 2005 Best Picture winner, A Temp for All Seasons. I really need a break from this thing :) However, I don't consider myself an expert by any means on what it takes to make a successful 168 Project film.

I did however, come up with an answer.

Don't have a preconceived notion of what your film is going to be. Verse selection is next week, Feb. 2nd, for the local teams. We already know the theme, "Hearing God." But beyond that, you can't absolutely know what your film is going to be about, until you get your verse. The verse will come from the theme, and I even had our assistant pastor pick out some verses for me based on this theme.

He quit the next day.

Now, I'm not suggesting that A implies B, far from it. I'm simply stating that even the conversation I had with my writer this year may have broken the rules of the competition. We could get into what is actually considered writing, however, that's probably another post for another time. On quite possibly a different site.

So, to review, prayer, pray, wait for your verse, and pray some more.

Hopefully, I'll be able to take my own advice.

72 and sunny in Redondo Beach.

Until it starts raining again.