How to Find Calm in the Chaos...

I’ve had the chance to work on a few films over the years, and each time it has been quite an adventure. To me, a film shoot is the epitome of managed chaos. Nothing seems to go as expected but somehow…HOPEFULLY…it ends up how you envisioned it.

One film shoot I was on took place in a band rehearsal warehouse where a police station with jail cells and a solitary confinement unit had been built out. The owner of the building told us that bands paid a monthly membership fee, and he could not ask them not to be there, but he also said it was unlikely they would show up on the weekend because they usually had gigs or would be sleeping off hangovers. He could not have been more wrong! From the moment we arrived on Friday afternoon until we wrapped on Sunday evening, there were always at least two or three bands rehearsing. And these were not mellow jazz or soft acoustic bands. They were hard rock thrash bands with constant drums and electric guitars. We tried to shoot between their breaks. We even bribed them with food so they would take longer breaks and while they ate, we filmed. It was a mess, and all credit goes to the sound editors who somehow removed the guitars and drums from the audio we captured in that building.

Another time, a location where office scenes were being filmed seemed perfect until we walked in on the first day and heard a loud repetitive banging noise on the floor above us. It turned out there were indoor batting cages on the next floor! The sound echoed through the ceiling repeatedly. All we could do was laugh because who would think to make sure nobody was playing baseball on the floor above an office area set?

I’ve even been on a set where a Georgia summer was being filmed outside during an Ohio winter in 25-degree weather!

Like I said, film productions are a lot like our lives…managed chaos. Three of the things that make us feel like we’re losing control of the chaos are when:

1.      Things go different than they’ve always gone (bands take the weekends off, right???)

2.      Things happen that we didn’t see coming (in-office batting cages?!?!)

3.      Things go differently than they’ve gone for other people (George Lucas shot a movie set in outer space right here on earth, why can’t we shoot one set in Georgia, right here in Ohio???)

It’s important that we find ways to find calm in the chaos. Three rituals that I practice so I can find calm in the chaos are; Silence, Stillness, and Solitude.

At LEAST once a week and usually more, I try to carve out at the minimum 10 to 20 minutes and at the maximum 1 or 2 hours where I can sit in:

1.      Silence – No phone, screens, TV, music, or conversations. As close to total silence as possible just to tune out all the noise of the outside world and tune in to the quite calming nature of silence.  

2.      Stillness – Don’t go anywhere. Don’t do anything. Just sit and be still. Remember that we are human beings, not human doings.

3.      Solitude – Embrace and enjoy aloneness. It’s not an attempt to be away from other people, but rather a chance to be with yourself.

I know we have busy lives, and families, and responsibilities that constantly need tended to. But if you can find a little bit of time each week to replenish and refill your cup, the people and the things that matter to you will reap the benefits as well. Here is a free resource you can use and share that can help you identify healthy ways to recharge your batteries and find calm in the chaos.

Wellness Recharging Stations.pdf

Download PDF • 523KB

Another film project I was able to be a part of recently (I have a "blink and you'll miss it" cameo) was an award winning short film written, directed, and produced by the incredible creatives at Wax Poet Films called i had a really good day. It tells the story of a Black woman struggling in silence through a major depressive episode who finally decides to make some noise. It is an amazing story that is captured in a way that shows the strength of silence and the power of noise when necessary. Please watch, reflect, and share.

https://vimeo.com/999769343

Thank you always for the work you do, but mostly for the person you are.

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