Everyone Needs an Influence- Or, In My Case, 5

August 7th, 2010

Ghandi. Mother Theresa. President Obama. I'm sure if you sit here long enough, you can make a list a mile long of those who people generally call 'influential.' It's a crock of crap- after all, unless you're running for Miss America, most people know you're full of shit.

It's been over a week since my last post and I'm back to reality- my reality. And today, I'm going to give you the basics- a list of my five biggest influences, and why.

And no, that doesn't include any religious figures, politicians or bullshit artists.

Ready?

5. Eli Roth
The man is a genius- and it was Hostel that made me fall back in love with the horror genre. It was Mr. Roth who also gave me a reason to take an interest in not only writing, but filmmaking. For me. Cabin Fever is what a horror film should be- low budget, scary as shit, but well made theatrical material as opposed to straight-to-DVD crap. He made me realize that it was possible to hit mainstream without heavy pockets and WB starlets.

4. Diablo Cody
Before Juno, I had no idea who Diablo Cody was. The more I learned about her, the closer I came to discovering my talented counterpart- the girl who I would ultimately model my career after. She's a go-getter with tattoos and attitude- and not to mention talent. Her writing style is witty, and she inspired me to write my first spec script. Plus, did I mention the minor girl crush I have on her?

3. My High School Guidance Counselor- Bill Brown
Random, I know. I don't even know where the guy is these days. But the last time I saw him he said he was proud of me. Overall, aside from the 'rents, he was my biggest supporter. He helped me push the limits. If it wasn't for Mr. Brown, I never would have joined the school newspaper, or even taken an advanced English course. He made high school worth it- and loved my writing.

2. Kathryn Bigelow
The first woman to win an Academy Award for directing. She's talented as shit- I mean, come on, didn't you watch The Hurt Locker? I fell in love with her filmmaking the first time I saw Point Break- cinematically, she has set high standards not just for herself, but for other females in the business.

1. My Mother- Candice Sue Emmons-Albin
She was there from start to finish. No matter how much I fucked up, or failed, she was my number one supporter. She also contributed to the artist in me, the side of me that believes in and thrives off of creativity and spirit. She may not be on this Earth anymore, but she is still the number one influence on my career and, most importantly, my life.

So there you have it- the top five. There's more, but I didn't want to go on and on, name dropping and such. That's too cliche'. Now you should go and think about who influences you- and don't say Obama, because he didn't do shit to make you pursue a career in Hollywood.

Peace, Love and Heartbreak ♥
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