Opening Salvo - Greetings All!

So – why am I writing this blog, good people?

I’m an Australian filmmaker… television producer…director…author… living in transfixingly beautiful Umbria. I’ve been doing what I do for close on thirty years, zigzagging the world, meeting extraordinary people, and having a wonderful time doing it.

So – why am I writing this blog?

To join the five trillion-odd doing the same thing?

Well – yes.

You think any of those five trillion bloggers are doing this to sound like someone else? Nope! Individuality is what keeps it all interesting.

Life is after all, not a seamless continuum … (all hail my spell-checker!) … but more a ‘join the dots’. What keeps us moving forward is hitting that unique spark or inspiration in another individual – which then powers us onward and upward toward another unknown point.

I love joining the dots in life.

I love unique people – whatever they do, wherever they are. One comment, one observation, one action – that’s new to me – is enough to keep me going for a year or so.

There was the beat cop in Harlem … I was shooting a report in the late 80’s on the ‘new drug’ – crack cocaine – and I asked him ‘How bad is it here?’ – replied, ‘It’s so bad man, that the living envy the dead.’

Now I know that’s been said before. But it was said to me … by a Harlem cop … on camera. Brilliant. One of the dots to join.

Which brings me back to my opening salvo – why am I writing this blog. Probably because – simply in order to exist – I believe I’m unique…just like all of us! (Are you recalling, as I am, the scene in Monty Python’s ‘The Life of Brian’) :

BRIAN (POSSIBLY THE MESSIAH): You’re all individuals!

MASSIVE CROWD: We’re all individuals!

ONE LONE DUDE IN MASSIVE CROWD: I’m not!

Hence (for those of you who just wanted to tear up this blog and flush it down the virtual toilet!) … I’m actually part of the MASSIVE CROWD – we are actually all individuals. Problem is some of us don’t realise it.

I make films…documentaries mainly… so I get to see a lot. As far as life the universe and everything goes – I’ve got many dots joined, and many stretching out in front of me. I have no idea where they lead, but I’d like to share the experiences I’ve had and will continue to have on the road as a journalist and filmmaker … in humility, and in the hope that you’ll respond with yours…