Age is just a number

Age is just a number that signifies how long a person has lived on earth. This series of numbers don't define who you are, what you have achieved, or what you can still accomplish. One can achieve anything at any age, whether old or young.

It is no coincidence that many ancient people had what is called the elders who were considered wise and were listened to. There was a reason for that. They were wiser because they had accumulated more life experiences to draw from. In more modern times just look at Walt Disney’s 9 Old Men who had been there from the start from Snow White and through all the classics. It took at least 5 years to become an Animator starting as an in-betweener then working your way up the ranks. They had earned their stripes. In today's fast moving world they would be considered has-beens. Brad Bird Director of The Iron Giant knew his stuff and respected the history of film and invited many of the older generation to join in the development of the film. Victor Haboush had been a key layout Artist at Disney as well as Art Director on Gay Purr-ee before moving into Directing Live Action. Nothing wrong with a young inexperienced crew like they had as long as you had some old hands on deck to help steer the ship! You get the best of both Worlds that way, youthful energy and fresh eyes alongside great knowledge and skilled craftsmanship that you can only gain through?age and experience.

Interestingly, despite having a massively successful company making commercials Victor always wanted to be a painter. He made his money and in his final years he dedicated himself to painting. I used to go down to Santa Monica to see him and would hang out in his studio in his penthouse on Wilshire. He was a sort of Father figure to me, so much so one day he said to me “I am not your Dad!” Every painting he did had a story. He pointed to one where there was a line of soldiers outside a house with a voluptuous woman hanging out the window. That was when I lost my virginity, he said. He was 16 and had lied about his age so he could fight in the War. Victor was in the first wave that went ashore on D Day at?Omaha Beach and was even photographed by war photographer Robert Capa. He would tell me all about it and how a good friend of his was shot in the head right next to him. Like a lot of men that went through that experience I got a sense he lived life to the full. It was a privilege to have known him and he was a dear friend. I got to know Victor during The Iron Giant as he needed just one more year to get his pension and Brad brought him on board. I often picked his brains about filmmaking and he gave me all sorts of tips on my storyboards for The Journal of Edwin Carp. I have many copies of his painting that hang on my walls at home.

As I sat in a line of dozens of artists at Framestore it must have been easy to find me as the only one with white hair. It was on a Harry Potter film and one of the least pleasant experiences of my career. The skills I had gained at Disney and Warner Bros didn't count a jot here, hence films they did later like Tom and Jerry the movie a title I would dispute. I had met one of the original animators on Tom and Jerry, Ray Patterson, many years before and again picked his brains as much as I could. I doubt Framestore had ever known or contacted him or anyone else from that period. But nevermind, that experience helped make up my mind that I would never be in that sort of situation again. I would make my own films!?

As a friend says I pivoted into Live Action. The beauty of Directing is you can carry on until you drop without your work suffering. Just look at Clint Eastwood who has continued into his 90s. They can't stop you! Although they can certainly hinder! They, being the gatekeepers or in other words film Execs. A Producer once said in no uncertain terms that as an older white male I was not the first choice for investors in today's environment! Shocking yes as the discrimination is in the open and not even hidden. But guess what, to me that is a red flag to a Bull and as always I will prove them wrong. Age should not even be an issue. Ridley Scott interestingly didn't Direct his first feature until he was 40! He had of course a mountain of experience in Directing commercials. Coincidentally I too didn't Direct a film until I was 40. It was called The Journal of Edwin Carp and I was able to get Hugh Laurie to do the voice. He was well known in The UK then but not in the US until he did House. As well as Directing it I raised the finance and was able to get Wacom and Macromedia onboard as it was the first animated film made in Flash to get a Theatrical release. Years later I was to get two Emmy Nominations for Directing Lost Treasure Hunt,? a TV Movie also made in Flash.

The good news about most of the creative arts is it is never too late. Raymond Chandler was 52 before he hit success and there are many more that have been older. In sport you are restricted by age and health but in those cases many choose to pass their knowledge along whether it be teaching or coaching. So if anyone says you are too old don't listen! They probably think they are too old, in which case you can pity them and move on to greater things. Like wine a Director is better with age.

Having recently made the award winning films Censure and Confines totalling over 60 awards I feel like I am just at the beginning of something exciting again and have the same youthful enthusiasm I did when I was focused on becoming a Disney Animator. But I don't just want to look back but want to look forward. I just saw the most amazing documentary on two time Olympic Champion Daly Thompson who gave most of his past medals and awards to friends and Family for exactly the same reason. He wanted to look forward, not backwards. And could I have made these films in my 20s. Absolutely not. There's a depth with age that only comes with experience.?What the young Execs should realise is that one day they too will be older.

Here are a couple words of wisdom (Not mine!) that I will leave you with. Don Bluth recalled a story whereby in his youth he would be dashing about the main Disney Lot. One day he bumped into Walt Disney literally! “Slow down young Man”, said Walt, “ and you will find you will go a lot further in life!”.

And another told by Brad Bird during an "Iron Giant" meeting, but I will retell it in less colourful language. “There are two Bulls at the top of? a hill, one Young Bull and one Old Bull. They are admiring the field full of cows below. “Let’s run down and make love to one of those Cows!”, to which the Old Bull wisely replies, “Nope, let us stroll down and make love to them all!”

You see, age and experience really do matter!

Trailer: Censure.

Trailer: Confines