Every now and then, in the shower or after a cup of coffee, I come up with ideas and neurons fire, and excitement hits and all I can see are possibilities.
It's up to me, just like it's up to you when ideas hit, to take one idea (or several) and run, or let it fizzle. Sometimes, the interaction of new ideas plus coffee happens within the same five minute period, and, because of that, those thoughts take flight.
The Gchat records are murky, but I started watching Doctor Who in late 2014 or early 2015. My gateway episode months prior was Blink, but we started anew with Nine and chugged along to last night, when Eleven said goodbye.
Like the formation of an idea, propelled by excitement and mystery - Doctor Who and its fate and future is enigmatic. It's a show constructed through an amalgam of chaotic storylines, confusing science and an overwhelmingly positive tone (through Eleven) about the capability of mankind.
My idea is new. My idea is terrifying, confusing and seemingly impossible. I want to direct an episode of Doctor Who.
Here's where the neurons slow down (confusing science). The coffee's effects start to degrade all the adrenaline/hope and turn it all to anxiety, self-doubt. But, Liz, you're not British. But, Liz, this is not how things are done. Give. Up. Let it go.
So very often are we not even aware of our qualifications. We let other people take the role of gatekeeper, and we hear 'no,' and turn back. Maybe this isn't how things are done, but looking at my resume at a distance, I am qualified.
I have directed music videos, promotional videos, as well as for a broadcast television series. I wrote and directed a feature that was distributed across the world. I am in the process of making another. I went to the best film school in America (debatably). However, the idea never struck me that I should attempt for this ... long shot... because no one every went up to me and said, 'Liz, you should direct for Doctor Who!'
Who would do that? That's crazy. And why would I wait for them? Too often are we waiting for others to give us permission. Also crazy.
You may foresee that the system may tell you 'no,' but the first way to get a yes, is to figure out what you want. I love Doctor Who so much, that I want to become a part of its legacy.
The world of Doctor Who has taught me that ... unusual things happen. We should strive for grand goals, we should try to achieve the impossible. Right now, this seems like an impossible task.
Let's try.
So either way, I'm making it a public goal. Accountability is key and if I keep this to myself, it'll fester and die. By clicking 'publish,' I am pushing it out into the world.
Sure, all of this may fall by the wayside, like my dreams of learning how to skateboard or losing 50 pounds. Life gets in the way. But something pushed me to write this, something is telling me it's scary and impossible and that's what makes it worthwhile.
“The universe is big. It’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles.