Passion - Part II

Previously I wrote about my friend Chris Cory, who is super passionate about his pit bull Coral. But Chris isn't the only passionate person I know. A few years ago, my friend Hollie wrote a short film script. She entered it in a contest and it won! The prize was working with a mentor who helped her further shape and refine her script.

That might have been enough for some people--but not Hollie. In addition to writing, she is also an actress--so rather than waiting around for someone to cast her in a breakout role, she wrote herself a juicy part in her script. The next step was to make the film. Not so easy! Even if you're Spielberg and with studio backing and millions of dollars at your disposal, making a movie is HARD! It's even harder when you are a complete newbie scraping up cash from wherever you can and wearing as many hats as Hollie did--writer, star, executive producer...

But that's where passion comes in. Hollie raised the money, rounded up the cast and crew and even managed to find a bar that would let them shoot the film there after hours. Which meant starting shooting at 3 am--for three days in a row! Try remembering lines when you're that sleep deprived! She pulled it all together, refined her script even more and worked her ass off to make this project a reality.

And now it is. Last Call was shot and edited and completed and will be making the rounds of the festival circuit starting this fall. Hopefully it will bring Hollie some much deserved attention--for her acting and for her writing. But whatever happens with the film, it is definitive and tangible proof of passion, commitment and follow-through--a dream come true.

Good Luck, Hollie!