Shot of our slip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico after the completion of the trip from San Francisco.
(right to left: Dennis Stein, Barry Walton, Dan Wasserman)
Then in the lease creative period of my life, while working at a corporate agency, climbing the ladder of 'career growth', and being the furthest I can imagine being from the reality of that trip, I pulled the tapes out of my basement storage and began to whittle away at telling the story. At first, it was me alone reliving each moment of that voyage as I reviewed tape after tape. Then it grew into the two crew members and myself talking and telling our stories. Until ultimately I had a list of friends and family who had seen clips and watch scenes and shared how much they liked it. Each time that circle grew, I became more confident in the project. Yet, each time that circle grew I risked more people asking, what is a 40-year-old man doing in his basement every weekend trying to make a movie?
I kept going, sometimes against my own better senses. The need to make the movie was big inside me and it was starting to drive me to dream of other things I could do with my life's work versus sit at a desk in an office carrying out the commands of corporate leadership. Ultimately that film and passion became a driving force in the quitting of my job over 2 years ago (I admit I wanted more time to develop the story and edit, not just start a media agency). At this point jobless, working in my basement and driving a beater of a car, I was totally the dude at 40 still trying to make it with the band. Humbling as it was I believe I had no choice. I had to follow that path and those moments offer two of the most important things that every human needs. A passion and excitement for what you're doing with your life and growth through those achievements of doing what you love.
Today that little home video of a project that I worked on over 14 years and chipped away on weekend-after-weekend screened at the Santa Cruz Film Festival in front of a grand audience and some of my closest friends and family that I have from around the country. That little moment was BIG to me, I will relive it for years to come. For me the lesson is that in doing things that are big to me I created something that may be seen by many, many more people in theaters and homes around the world before it's all said and done. Follow those little moments that are big to you, because those moments are what matters to you and that alone makes them BIG!
Pre-screening photo at the Santa Cruz Film Festival with the two other members from the trip.
(Left to right: Dan Wasserman, Barry Walton, Dennis Stein)
Remember, your potential is Endless!
Barry Walton
Endless Media
**Footnote: If you attended the festival and have a moment, please do share your reflections on the project. I would welcome critical feedback on the piece.