My Love For Films

Ever since I was young, I have enjoyed watching films and became interested in filmmaking. I believe this helped me become the creative individual I am today. My love for watching films and my interest in filmmaking had been influenced by some of my relatives including my mom, dad and my grandmother. If it weren’t for these three individuals in my life, I don’t think I would have been turned onto films like Star Wars and Back To The Future, which have always inspired me. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are two directors I have always enjoyed. I have also enjoyed films directed by Robert Zemekis, Ron Howard and John Hughes.

The one who had influenced my love for films and interest in filmmaking the most was my mom. On weekends she would rent or buy movies for our family to watch and we would have a movie marathon over the weekend watching them. There have been several movies I have seen because of these marathons. The first movie I remember her renting that inspired me was Back To The Future. The storyline of the film and the visual effects amazed me, and it got me interested in the concept of time travel. It made me want to see other films that Robert Zemekis directed. One Robert Zemekis film my mom bought that I really enjoyed was Who Framed Roger Rabbit? When I saw that Steven Spielberg played a role in the making of Back To The Future, it got me interested in his films also. When I heard he was close friends with George Lucas, it got me interested in his films as well. Sometimes, we would also watch movies on TV together. Star Wars was one of those movies on TV. My mom also bought a camcorder from sears around 1992 that was a bit big and bulky and recorded on video tape. Although it was her camcorder, and she used it most of the time, she would allow me to use it to film several family outings. I remember using it several times, especially to film our family while we were at Disney Land one year. She also let me use it to film camping trips and other family events. I took a course in junior high that helped develop my skills using a camcorder, and mom influenced me even more when she allowed me to use her camcorder to do various creative things for the class. When I bought my own camcorder in 2000, she took me to Branson and I shot video of various things there.

Additionally, my dad influenced my love for films and filmmaking. He may have not encouraged me to make my own films as much as my mom has, but little did he know that when he took my brothers and I to the movie theater several times he was actually encouraging me. The movies he took us to see really opened up my imagination and my creativity. One film he took us to in particular was Honey I Shrunk The Kids. Even though the story was kind of corny, it made me interested in wanting to see other films Rick Moranis was in. It also made me a fan of other Disney films of the time. Also one night, my dad took me to see Home Alone while it was playing at the drive-in. Even though it was his biggest hit, it made me want see other films Macauley Culkin was in. It also made me a fan of films directed by John Hughes. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of my most favorite films he directed. Young Guns 2 was on after Home Alone, and I was able to watch a little bit of it, but unfortunately I fell asleep through most of it while dad watched it.

My grandmother also helped influence my love for films and filmmaking. When I was in high school I wrote a screenplay that she read and enjoyed, and told me that if I wanted to make films and write as a career, that I should go to school for it. Looking back, I wish I had went to school for it, but unfortunately I never did. When I was younger, she took my family to see Jurassic Park while it was in theaters; I just thought the visual effects of that film were amazing. It got me even more interested in Steven Spielberg’s films. I wanted to see Schindler’s List in theaters, but I was too young to see it; However, I was able to see it when one of my teachers in junior high brought it into class for us to watch. My grandmother also took my cousins, aunt and I to see Forrest Gump in theaters. Even though at that time I didn’t understand most of the historical references mentioned in the film, I did enjoy it very much, and it made me interested in other films Tom Hanks was in. It also made me even more of a fan of Robert Zemekis’ films. I also remember watching Apollo 13 with my grandmother but I can’t remember if it was at her house or at the theater. I sat and watched it and I really enjoyed it. It made me a fan of Ron Howard’s directing style. Watching this film had helped fuel an interest I have in NASA and space history. It made me even more of a fan of Tom Hanks.

Recently, I acquired a digital camcorder. I can plug it into my computer and download shots from the camcorder to the computer and piece them all together. I can also add music like they do with real Hollywood films. It is probably the coolest device I ever owned. If it wasn’t for my relatives turning me onto films and the interest of filmmaking, I don’t think that I would have seen some of the movies that have made a major impact on my life. These movies have sparked my imagination and creativity and made me have an interest in making my own films someday. They also helped spark my desire to want to write and make me the creative individual that I am today.