Searching for The RIGHT Scandal - reprint from august, 2011

15. Searching for the RIGHT scandal - August, 2011
When the good people at the New York International Film Festival gave me their "Best Director" Award last month, I was at first very happy.

Winning awards, though, is both a blessing and a curse.

In today's world of "niche" marketing, where you target your audience by age, gender, education level, sexual preference, income level, religious belief, diet, and number of pimples on their body, I have had to humbly accept the fact that winning awards limits me to that tiny little "niche" audience who want to see "good" films.

This is devastating news to me.

I am being pigeon-holed as a "good" filmmaker. It's like a straight jacket that I can't break out of.

Or is it?

A friend on a social network recently messaged me with a comment that I am the "New Nick Nolte."

My response: "Do you mean that I will someday have a crazy-hair drunken mug shot splashed all over the tabloids? Yes! Can't wait!"

Then my friend said, "It's gonna happen sooner than you think."

I sure as hell hope so.

As today's society sprints toward proving Andy Warhol right, that in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes, it is important to think ahead, and decide what SORT fo fame you want for your 15 minutes.

I understand why those reading this would assume, "Well, Peter wants to be famous for making good films."

Absolutely not! What kind of fame would that be?

I am pursuing this dream with one simple truth in mind;

IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO BEGIN PLANNING YOUR SCANDAL!

Hollywood scandals are an art form all their own. Hugh Grant, in the 90's, became famous for picking up a cheap Hollywood Boulevard hooker, and getting down to business in the car. This could not have been a less inspired, more boring choice on Mr. Grant's part.

Mel Gibson recently gave into the ho-hum trap of getting drunk and spewing racial nonsense to a bunch of Cops. Puh-lease! Mel, you aren't even TRYING!

Britney Spears' scandal - grabbing electric clippers from a hair stylist, and abruptly shaving half her hair off - is more along the lines that inspire me. Maybe I have been around too many punk rock girls in my day, but I thought Britney looked ten times better half-bald than she usually does.

Nick Nolte did okay. He wasn't Christian Bale screaming at crew members or anything, but that mug shot is truly memorable. It is a start.

Give me time. I can't be expected to pull off a brilliant scandal overnight.

It will happen, though. I promise.
-Peter Wick
August 31, 2011