Tyler Gibb – Writer, Director, Editor, Filmmaker

Not so long ago, I got a call from a producer type guy in Los Angeles who’d gotten a hold of a piece of my writing. Hey, how are ya, lots of kudos, that kind of thing. Very flattering. A great call to get, all in all. But then– “Oh, you’re where?”

“Canada.”

“Oh…”

There was a sound on the line that I could only imagine was all the air being sucked out of his office.

Seriously?

We live in an age where Twitter feeds are being adapted into television shows and blogs are inspiring multi-million dollar films. Google can put me on a street in front of any building in the world and a Skype connection can put me inside. Not to mention anywhere is only an old school plane ride away. And if you need to be there right now, there’s always teleportation– No? Not yet? Alright well, the rest still begs the question: How on Earth is location even an issue anymore?

I don’t doubt that every once in a while a warm, fleshy hand shake or two is warranted. Hell, I’m all about the human connection. But there’s something suspicious about a person who’s position is immediately dismissive of anyone not a short drive away. Like they can’t actually screw you if you’re not there in person.

There’s a great speech in the movie Moneyball. It’s delivered by Arliss Howard as John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox. It may as well be addressed to the old guard of the entertainment industry. The gist of it is that if you’re too afraid of the new ways, then you’re boned. I keep seeing evidence of these dinosaur ways all the time. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Never heard back from that particular producer type fella. Maybe he’s following up by carrier pigeon. Did however take a phone meeting with another producer who couldn’t care less where the creative energy is coming from. Hm. Wonder who’s still going to be making movies five years from now…

Okay, so my last – pre-holiday – post about embracing the mentally recharging energy of flaking out and just taking in sensory stimuli lasted about 24 hours.

Truth is, as thoroughly enjoyable as my holiday season was – how was yours by the way? – I kind of just got wrapped up in a new idea and spent every spare moment writing.

(Yes, I also hacked away at the next Mankind book as well so that’s still on the way.)

As a creator – for lack of a better word – you kind of rue the ruts when they come. They’re low points. That may be what some call writer’s block. I can’t say for sure. I don’t think I’ve ever had any blocks of the literary kind. I have had ruts however. I think of them as biologically strategic intervals of rest that the body accesses for dealing with things like eating or tending to personal hygiene.

They generally suck on a mental level. So I’m not sure why I’m kind of standing in the city bus of my mind, looking down the street and quietly hoping to see a rut in my future. Just so I can have a breather.

It’s a little disturbing. Not quite as disturbing as self-analyzing the fact that in my own fantasy the best vehicle for transporting my subconscious that my mind could dream up was a city bus…

What was I saying?

Right. It’s only January 2nd and I’m already mentally exhausted. Yet I can’t seem to stop. This should be a fun one!

Happy New Year to all of y’all. Make something awesome this year.