At the end of this newsletter you will find a list of corporations who donate to our grants, we know these are Corporations with a big heart for filmmakers and recommend you contact them first, mentioning you were referred by Carole Dean of the Roy W. Dean grants.

-Carole Dean

Do You Have the Calling?

Have you seen “A River Runs through it?” It is the story of a pastor, his wife and their two boys. The older boy is the studious serious one and the younger boy is the light of the family. There is a scene when the older brother comes back from six years at school and his father is so excited to see him and he takes him into his study for a quiet talk. Finally, he asks him “What have you decided to become, what career you will follow?” The son, answers him very seriously, “I thought I would be a preacher just like you.” The fathers face beams and he says “Do you have the calling?” The questioning look on the son’s face quickly tells us that the son has no idea what the father means.

You know, because as a filmmaker you have “this calling”. You know that you are on this planet to be a filmmaker. You know this from the very base of your being, it is part of your DNA, and you would rather work on your art than anything in the world. There are hardly any sacrifices you will not make for your art.

I see this “Calling” all the time when I read your applications for film grants. I hear it when you pitch your films to me, I know it from the work you do to create your promo tapes and I see it your hearts.

The question is, do you know? Do you realize that you are our most precious gift?

Do you realize that as filmmakers you have the ability to take a concept, you can call it a mental vision, and then you can manifest it into this physical level for all of us to see? This is magical. This is the stuff dreams are made of. You are the ones who bring dreams and visions into our physical reality. You are truly manifestos.

You have the ability to lift our spirits, to take us to higher levels of conscientiousness. You expose us to new perspectives, show us historical events in a new light and you entertain us with your visions. Never give up your dreams, when you have this calling, it is to remind you why you came into this life. It is to remind you of your commitment to the universe; it is to remind you to use your many talents to bring art and joy to all of mankind. This is a special gift, this “Calling”, be honored and use it wisely.

Carole Dean