Dear You’re Projecting,
Thanks for this endearing “agony aunt,” cinephile-style. I am an early-career film programmer, and I can (fairly happily) say I have now started my journey in the film industry. However, I sometimes have the sense that cinema is just becoming a routine, a given task, and I am afraid I will soon lose the magical feeling that made me fall in love with it and decide to make it my profession.
Any recommendations to make me start believing again?
Yours,
Soon-to-Be-Lost Cinephile
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Dear Soon-to-Be-Lost,
There are two drastically different answers to your question, and which is more relevant depends on the true nature of the feelings that motivated it. I’ll start with the easy answer: we all get stuck in ruts and routines, and sometimes a little shake-up is all that’s needed.
Do you specialize in a particular type of cinema-viewing/programming? Try stepping out of your comfort zone. I started watching horror movies for the first time this past Halloween, and lately I’ve been hankering to watch a sleazy giallo at the end of a long day of emails with filmmakers, distributors, archivists, and screening partners.
How’s your home-viewing setup? I recently invested in mine. I did some research and bought a nice but reasonably priced projector, a retractable 100” screen, and black curtains to complete the experience. Nothing beats going to the cinema, but watching movies at home is now more exciting than it’s ever been for me, especially with friends.
Now, a question that gets at the more serious issue potentially plaguing you: is this really what you want to do? I try to remind myself every day that there are cinephiles around the world who dream of doing what I get to do for a living, and I tell myself that if I ever no longer derive joy from it, I’ll step away. I’ve definitely had day-nightmares about waking up and suddenly not loving movies anymore. Knock on wood, it hasn’t happened yet. If you feel this larger issue might be at play, I recommend a session with a therapist or a career counselor.
Oh, and don’t forget to step away from movies occasionally and read books, meet new people, and go outside!
Wishing you the best,
Inney Prakash (Programmer of Ten Years and Still a Cinephile)
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