Do You Have That Spark?

This summer I have been inspired by a bunch of strangers who have been consistently working their butts off while following their hearts.

Who are these persistent dreamers?

The contestants from the reality show, “On the Lot.”

This is the first refreshing reality show I’ve seen. I know, usually refreshing and reality do not simultaneously describe a reality show, but this one has been different.

Reailty shows usually have a lot of drama, but the drama in this show is real. It’s the natural drama that comes when passionate people are working hard towards the accomplishment of their dreams. It isn’t that stale fake drama created in the editing room to get ratings.

In case you don’t know, here’s the premise….

Steven Spielberg has given aspiring filmmakers from around the world the chance to earn a $1-million development deal at DreamWorks. The competition series featured a cast of undiscovered filmmakers who competed to win the support of the show’s viewers (similar to American Idol). After a global search and over 12,000 submissions, a group of talented filmmakers were selected. The finalists were brought to Hollywood, where they were divided into teams and began the journey toward their “big break.” Every week, the hopeful filmmakers produced short films from a chosen genre, running the gamut from comedies to thrillers, dramas to romance, action to horror. They’ve had access to the best resources the industry has to offer — professional writers, cast and crew, and maybe even Hollywood celebrities. They’ve battled time frames, budgets and all the usual chaos that goes along with filmmaking, then their films debuted and were critiqued in front of a live audience. Directors were eliminated until only the most talented filmmaker was left. (which happens next week)

There are three guys left. You can’t help but be excited, anxious, and nervous for them. It’s invigorating to see someone so close to that big break, and they’ve all earned it. The thing that really stuck out to me while watching this show is the passion and sincerity of the final three contestants. They are all just really good guys, talented beyond measure, chasing their dreams, and hoping for a breakthrough. I wish all three of them could win because they all have that spark that is worthy of a big break.

The magic word here is: spark.

Do you have that spark I’m speaking of? If you do, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, you need to borrow some from the finalists on this show. It’s contagious. (You can watch the episodes online here.)

I noticed online that Jason Epperson’s (one of the final three) favorite line from a movie is,

“Get busy livin’, or get busy dying,” – Morgan Freeman (Shawshank Redemption)

This is a great way to illustrate that spark. Do your day-to-day actions and choices illustrate “livin'” or “dying”?

Are you risking anything to make your life better or more “on purpose”?

Do you wake up exhilerated by the opportunity to live yet another day to the fullest?

Do you have that spark that sets you apart from the other drones on your block?…or are you one of the drones?

Adultitis has a way of distracting us from this spark. Don’t let it.

Reclaim your spark.

[tags] On the Lot, Steven Spielberg, Jason Epperson, Morgan Freeman, Shawshank Redemption, reality tv, dreamers[/tags]