LIFE IS A ROLLERCOASTER…
LITERALLY
Filmmakers Amos Sussigan and Dan Lund learn to follow their own advice, as their film festival plans have been derailed amidst this pandemic. With resolute spirit and a desire to inspire, they’re moving forward with a new take on how to find success with their animated short film.
I thought I had things pretty well figured out. I had a steady trajectory – a smooth track that was aiming me in the “right” direction. My days were routine, and my goals were well-organized on color-coded Post-Its.
And then something big hit the track switch. The trajectory slowed down, sped up, and spiraled. I was sent home from work. I suddenly had to fill my own days. The timelines collapsed. The previous routine was not just in question, it disappeared. Many people are home like me, others are still working, while caregivers are risking their lives. Yet, we’re all experiencing the same fundamental shock.
Times like these need people who can reflect our experiences through creative expression. Great friends of mine – filmmakers Amos Sussigan and Dan Lund – made an animated short film last year* that captures all of this. “Coaster” is about a recent college grad who has flown Mom’s coop and wants to be independent. He’s got the color-coded Post-Its and a copy of Vision Boards for Dummies, and he thinks he’s on the right path. And then – the track literally switches. It spirals. His house turns upside down.
*2020
Sussigan and Lund made the film as a statement on surrendering to life’s inevitable curve balls. They could not have possibly envisioned a world in which we’re all upside down, but that’s why it’s particularly poignant now.
They had great momentum with their film’s launch. It was accepted as an Official Selection in competition for awards by many film festivals. They forged a bond with their lead actress, the buoyant Nina West (of Drag Race fame), despite geographical barriers. They planned to gather soon, in-person, to celebrate their achievements. And now, all of it feels “gone.” The painstaking work, the hopeful planning… but, we still have their film.
It’s not easy to let go of prior expectations about the “norms” for the short-film circuit and what success looks like. The filmmakers can grieve for what’s been lost, but they also have to use their creativity to continue. And, they’re willing to do so because that is the vital spirit of “Coaster.” “You have to wake up every day and do it all over again,” commented Sussigan. “This period really tested our message.”
Instead of festival screenings, they’re organizing online viewing parties and joining podcast discussions. They want to encourage a dialogue above and beyond the topics of filmmaking and animation. Instead of hoping for awards, they’ve realized that they just want people to watch the film, enjoy it, and perhaps find some inspiration. I applaud such a sincere plight in an industry not known for its sincerity.
The first time I watched “Coaster,” I hearkened back to my early twenties when I wondered where life would take me. Watching it in my late thirties, I felt grateful that I had already weathered the storms and had it “pretty well figured out.” But now…
Now, there’s no way to watch “Coaster” without reconnecting to our anxiety about where we’re headed. As Lund recently told me, “It’s like we’re all adult newborns.” We may have flown Mom’s nest a long, long time ago, but the feeling of uncertainty is still here. But did it ever really leave? Did we just get really good at ignoring it? And – is a straight track really the best-case scenario?
Watching the film’s protagonist deal with professional rejection, self-doubt, a new relationship, and the need to be his own person (and not follow Mom’s advice) reminded me that I am grateful to have weathered those storms before – which means I am equipped to weather them again.
The loops of life can’t be avoided. If we think we can plan our way into a smooth existence, then we’re not allowing for the potential growth that springs from the spirals. We’re so reliant on typical ways of thinking – largely focused on simply working hard – that we may have lost our ability to look at problems in new ways.
You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you lost your boots. You can’t focus on your 99% Perspiration if there’s nothing to sweat over. You can’t Work Hard/Play Hard if there’s no work and the playground is closed. So, if the inspirational slogans are out of sync, what are we left with? The one thing that truly sets humans apart – our creativity.
At the end of the film, we find the Young Man in a mess – literally and figuratively. His plan has flown out the window, nothing looks like his vision board, and he’s left with Mom’s sage advice: “Being ‘on it’ can only take you so far when life decides to throw you a dip or two.”
“Coaster” tells us that we must adapt, so we might as well find joy where we can and use our imaginations to rethink how we live. If the house is upside down, don’t try to get back on the straight track, instead… rearrange the furniture and eat breakfast on the ceiling.