Role Models, Heroes & Mentors

As you get older it is harder to have heroes, but it is sort of necessary.

Ernest Hemingway


"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I do not believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they cannot find them, make them." George Bernard Shaw

"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning." Mahatma Gandhi

"Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong." Muhammad Ali

“What is important to me is not the truth outside myself, but the truth within myself.” Konstantin Stanislavski

I think it is important to look up to people, get inspired by them, learn from their successes and their failures and most of all learn from their experience.

This person may even be younger than you as they may have gone through more life than you.

There are so many times in my life that a Hero/Mentor/Role Model has helped shape me, helped me find the truthful me and has seen through the hard exterior or bullshit to see me and my potential. 

One of the main criteria of a mentor is to believe in and protect it's protege. The definition of a MENTOR is a wise and trusted counselor or teacher or influential patron.

In my opinion it can be family, teachers, friends or people you know, not those you don't know! Maybe those are what we call heroes or idols but remember they cannot hear you!

My shout outs, past and present.

MY MENTOR

Amy Werba

FAMILY

Dad

Mum

Jim

Grandad

Uncle Terry

Justine

Auntie Margaret
Kyle Labine
Cam Labine
Tyler Labine

FRIENDS/PEOPLE I KNOW/TEACHERS

Liana Saleh

Lori Triolo

Lynne Stopkewich

SCHOOL TEACHERS

Miss Thornett

Mr Hill

Mrs Hontanx

Mr Murphy

Mr Peary
Mme LeMaire

Scribble

When I write, I see.

Who would have thought a dyslexic Sophie Rooney would be writing a blog, let alone be writing a feature film? I am sure it would surprise Mr Hill and Miss Thornett (my favourite English teachers at school) or even the pratt Mr Young (who would probably still chuckle)!
Oh, was I ever the rebel in class, I would talk the talk but I wouldn't work the work (?!), let's say my work was - different.

I am writing a feature based on a play, I'm not going to say which one or it will give it away. It's an oldie, though. Set in 1909. I have chosen Windsor, Nova Scotia to be my setting.

My process?

When I wrote my first script, I saw a french actor as the lead character: Mr Philippe Bas, who I'd seen in L'Empire des Loups at the cinema just before writing.
I was in pre-production, a nobody, but I wanted this french star and damn it, I was going to get him in my film!

I happened to be getting headshots done by Beatrice Cruveiller the day after finishing the script.  I was looking through her portfolio awaiting my turn and BOOM there was Philippe Bas. My heart started thumping, this was my chance to be bold.
Inbetween shots I tried over and over to get on to the topic of me being a filmmaker. No dice. Then all of a sudden during a click I blurted out "Do you know Philippe Bas? Because I wrote a film for him."

Silence.

She went on to tell me that he was an amazing actor and a friend and that she would talk to him...butterflies.

Next day my phone rings, guess who? Philippe Bas.
I held it together. I set up a meeting at a cafe across from where I lived in Paris, but once the call ended I screamed with joy and jumped around with Liana my roommate.

Blvd Picpus, Mr Philippe Bas sits with me. He arrives on a motorbike, James Dean - Brando?
I pitch the script. He wants to know about me, he's nice, he's very handsome too which doesn't hurt, right? Oh my, he just said yes.
For free? "Yes." The crew are students and students that have just graduated Philippe, is that ok? "Yes."

I managed to get a famous french actor in my film for nothing. And bonus, Beatrice's daughter is perfect to play his daughter, Bea would Jeanne like to be in my film?  "OUI!"

When I write I hear music too, I heard Rami Khalife's 'Scenes from Hellek'. I was bold and he said "yes!"

Film shot. Prizes won. Festivals galore. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I now write my feature, my heart is thumping again because I see my DREAM actors when I write.
It's a mix of established and up & comers, mostly Canadian actors and a couple Americans.

I put up a photo of them on my computer screen on day 1 to inspire me and now am putting it on my blog:
I am writing for you amazing actors, I see and hear you. I may not be lucky enough to work with you but right now you are inspiring the characters.

I hope to be lucky with my newest scribble.

Guess who they are...

Before and after and wanting the before again

Filmmaker's weight loss program:
Be happy.
Eat healthily.
Have a French diet.
Walk

I have been struggling with my weight ever since moving to Canada. Why is it that a country should affect me so? or is it that I changed along with the move and lost myself somewhere? Is there really a way to get me back?

Okay the story begins.

I was an extremely sporty girl growing up, I was always active. The sports I partook in, in and out of senior (high) school:

Field Hockey (3x a week and trained with French national team)
Netball
Tennis
Swimming
Cross country running
Basketball
Horse riding

So yes, I was skinny! So skinny that I remember this girl from school, who was older than me and quite chubby, say "Bend sideways Sophie" I had a short top on showing off my flat stomach. She then said "yep no creases or rolls of fat, but it will catch up to you, you will be fat one day" and I remember thinking- what a bitch- but you know what, she was right.

I had surgeries on my knees when I was 11 and was able to excel for quite a while until my problem came back when I was 17 and I stopped playing sports a few years later. I focused on directing and acting, which is a good thing because I love my career and would not want to do anything else.

But being chubby has prevented me from acting...

It's not just Canada:
When I was with my ex boyfriend I started putting weight on, not doing any sport and my diet was coca-cola, crisps and salad and vinegrette. I settled; a mistake.

At the end of our relationship, I started going to film school and guys would notice me and found me beautiful which sparked me into losing weight again. My ex boyfriend and I broke up. I found me again, I started dating and looked good. That's when I booked my first acting gig.

Grandstar (TV series) 2006:
Day one: 53kg
Wrap: 50kg
In love: 48kg
Wedding dress fitting: 49kg

Canada 2007
arrived at YVR weighing 49kg
Big White on set girlfriend: + 4kg
Wedding week: 53kg

and then within 4 months of moving to Vancouver I gained 10kg and have never lost it. I now am 60kg dreaming to be 50kg again.

The diet begins today. I need ME back.

When one leaves

I leave in a month and this is happening to me again...I grew up in France and went to an international school, I changed friends every 3 years because they would leave. I left a lot of friends behind in France when I moved to Canada in 2007 and now I am leaving Vancouver to go to Toronto.

check it out:

There are 2 types of people maybe 3...

1) THE SCARED FRIEND
As departure hurts, they try to make it easier for themselves by cutting ties immediately.
This often translates in no longer calling, no longer answering texts (well, when I was a child it was written messages/notes in the classroom that were no longer passed around to those that were leaving), no longer inviting you to dinner.
These people aggressively seek new friends to fill the void, so once the FRIEND has left they have someone as a back-up.
I think, this one has hurt me and continues to. They still love you but are scared.
I remember being at school and every 3 years my best friend would leave, and then finally I left when I was 18 and then again at 25.
Before the age of 19, I was guilty of being the SCARED FRIEND, my friends have/are guilty of this. It is cowardly and sad, in my opinion.
I woke-up when my granddad passed away when I was 19 - I grew up and realised that there is more to friendship than the surface stuff: there is a person under the title FRIEND.
THIS FRIEND IS A LOVING COWARD.

2) THE CLING-ON or FOREVER FRIEND
These are the nicest and most comforting. They are the ones that understand that departure is not an end just a new beginning. These friends think about your looming departure and decide to get some YOU-TIME in as much as possible. They drive or go out of their way to pop-in and check in with you. I have noticed that the more sensitive the person the more they do this. Those boisterous ones are too proud maybe?
It is nice to know someone has your back any where in the world and that friendship doesn't have to be in one place. I can only think of my family when I write this. Since the age of 18 I have lived away from my parents and my brother separated by sea and land. I know they always have my back and even if they don't call, they are thinking of me.
THIS FRIEND LOVES AND RESPECTS YOU JUST AS YOU DO THEM.

3) THE SELFISH FRIEND
You do find out when you leave who your true friends are, when you leave or announce that you are leaving some friends only think of the repercussion on their own lives. They do not put themselves in your shoes, they have no use for you anymore and completely wipe you from their lives in a mean way. There is no love in this choice just ego.
I have lost friends this way and in a way it is easier to take than FRIEND 1 as you know they probably never loved you in the first place. They are the users in life.
THESE FRIENDS HAVE HUGE DESTRUCTIVE EGOS AND DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU.

WITH YOUR FRIENDS:
What are you? Who are you? Have you been all 3 in your life? Are you making a mistake? Have you made a mistake?


Written by Sophie Ann Rooney (June 9th 2010)