Coach/philosopher John Wooden recently passed away at the age of 99. He is generally regarded as the finest sports coach ever, not just for improving his players’ basketball games but more importantly for helping them to improve as people.
His life lessons have often taken the form of so-called “Woodenisms,” containing bits of wisdom that apply to far more than basketball.
Consider for a moment how they apply to our industry both from creative and business perspectives. For instance, the following are self-explanatory “Woodenisms”:
• “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
• “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
• “The little details are vital. Little things make big things happen.”
• “Be prepared and be honest.”
• “The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.”
Wooden was considered the consummate mentor. And mentorship is a dynamic that has been written about and mulled over frequently in our pages, both print and electronic.
In fact, it was touched upon in last month’s installment of this column when previewing SHOOT’s first Directors Symposium and our eighth annual New Directors Showcase. The column’s focus was on a Symposium session titled “The Next Generation: In the Classroom Chair/In The Director’s Chair” in which accomplished directors Bob Giraldi of Giraldi Media and Laura Belsey, whose spotmaking roost is C-Entertainment, discussed teaching their craft to–and mentoring–students. Giraldi teaches two undergrad classes at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York–The Project Class, and Evolutionary Dynamics in Advertising. He also chairs SVA’s Independent Shorts Film Program, which begins this fall.
Belsey, who also maintains Shadow Pictures for her own projects, developed and teaches the commercial directing class at the Graduate Film School of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. From that class have emerged a number of SHOOT New Directors Showcase helmers as well as recent winners of AICP Show honors in the Student and Spec categories.
Belsey had made introductory remarks at the past several New Directors Showcase events as a representative of the DGA. We have covered testimonials from her students regarding her proactive mentorship that goes beyond the classroom, spanning preparation for what aspiring directors will confront in the real world, how to approach meetings with production companies, how to approach conference calls, and providing other counsel and advice.
Just as she finds her work as an educator gratifying, so too do we at SHOOT derive a good measure of satisfaction from helping deserving talent gain exposure for their work via outlets such as our New Directors Showcase. I recall joking, only semi-facetiously, that it’s great to get involved with directors before they become egomaniacal star auteurs.
This leads me to another relevant “Woodenism,” which reads: “Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More