Hello, Sh*tstorm, 2025 — how we make sure the sun shines brightly tomorrow
We may not be through it yet, but there is a new day rising and I have almost 50 techniques to make sure you stay on the sunnyside.
Two years ago, I did my best to prepare you for The Inevitable with my post “How To Make Sure You Are Ready For The Coming Sh*tstorm”. I trust it proved useful; it did prove popular.
I also gave you an update at the end of last year. It was read even more (although Substack rates the initial one as more “popular”).
I think I have something that you now need even more that either of those.
It’s not going to change the world overnight though. We still have to deal with Year Three of our current polycrisis, and I am only talking about the world of cinema, not the dumpster fire that has become this country, or the distressing state of the world. I am only trying to help what’s going in this little sandbox.
It is time we also start building what we really want, too. We can’t delay any longer. I love what I see happening here in FilmStackLand but we need to pick up the rhythm and play our songs harder, faster, shorter now. Cut down on the guitar solos.
You may want to brush up on my prior SSPP (ShitStorm Preparation Posts) before digging into this one, as those tactics I first offered best be in your toolbox when we start to tear down some walls.
But as the tornados rage, as the governments fall, let’s also look towards the better times to come and what we need to do not just get there, but also to thrive in sun.
That’s what today is all about. Really that is what every day is about: how do we get there from here?
When I was seventeen, I moved to the Pacific Northwest – Portland, Oregon – to begin my first attempt at college. It pretty much rained constantly that year from October until mid-April. And not just metaphorically, but six and a half months straight of full on downpour.
It was a badge of honor to learn how to walk in the rain without putting your head down. Don’t stare at the ground, friend. Look ahead. And think of the sunny days still to come. This is that reminder to keep you head held high as you begin this difficult walk.
Truth is though, I didn’t last long in Oregon before I knew I needed to put myself in a better situation. But what are you going to do if you can’t just pack up and move as I did? What if you already found your place? What if you found that thing that you want to do more than anything, but it currently is a total sh*tshow?
Remember: The hummingbirds come out in the rain. Let’s a hum a few bars together now, what do you say?
You don’t need a motto to tunnel through the crap. You need a plan. When I started this version of my newsletter back at the end of 2022, you could see we were in quicksand and there was no branch to grab. Folks preferred to just look away.
And it got worse. And worse. In ’24, they thought it was just “Survive until ‘25” but they had picked the wrong door again. We are still sinking fast. But know what? So what! We are getting outta here.
I’ve been trying to lay the foundation for the next build. I think I pretty much have it down, that is… if you are willing to sift through the HFF archive of over 500 posts. I don’t take this situation lightly; I’ve been trying to get it organized for you but if you want more than I’ve done, you may need to hold your breath until I publish it as a book . If I ever do… Maybe I still have better things to do. I hope so!
But we actually need more than just a good blueprint and a solid foundation. We need the energy and drive. With all of that, we can let the sunshine in. So… THIS is that pick-me-up, an energy concocted out of words and ideas.
This sh*tstorm may be here for good. It’s been raging for two and a half f’n years now. Is it is time to exit the sh*tshow? You betcha. But we are going to have to do the work.
What I am doing here today, is another one of the annual exercises I suggest you do to keep your creative practice in shape. It doesn’t have to be every year, but something close to it is advised. It wants to stay top of mind all the time though. It is a couple of key questions bundled together.
How do you best prepare yourself for the current situation? What do you need to do to better align this world with the one you actually want? How will you best be able to thrive in the future?
It is essentially taking stock of the big picture so that you can more effectively approach the day to day.
Sh*tstorm, 2025 — how the sun will shine brightly tomorrow (40+ prompts)
Take care of your mind, body, and soul. Christine Guenther shared this on the initial installment— and it is true that this is the first step. Call this maintenance, and practice it constantly.
Recognize how Step 1 is important not just for yourself, but also for others, and look out for, encourage, and support them to take that first step.
Prioritize the sustainability of the art, ecosystem, and both yours and others’ career (See: “New Rules For Producing”).
Stay loyal to your values, the people and things you love. Help them whenever and however you can. Keep it front and center in your motivation. Stand for something. Don’t say you are something that you are not.
Accept that Indie Film is forty years of doing the wrong thing. It was a failure, having only launched some individuals but not the community and now we are likely to lose most of it. Same unfortunately goes for authored cinema.
Examine & capture the recent and likely changes to world we live in, including not just the real, but also the symbolic and imaginary (this is part of all recommended creative practices).
Know how to use the time when you are not making your movie wisely.
Facilitate innovation and experimentation (See: “New Rules For Producing”).
Know how our current US government is robbing artists of their livelihood and sustainability, cancelling grants and the like. It can get worse.
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