the Long Game

This isn't a reference to the Doctor Who episode of the same name. But rather a term I use to talk about working strategically over a massively long time scale. I guess its a partial personal reference to the Long Now Foundation, yet I also recall it being talked about in International Relations theory. e.g. The Project for the New American Century is a think-tank whose entire purpose is to play (and win) the Long Game... Its like chess. Ever played a game of chess where you know, within five moves, whether you've won or lost the game? (In my case, its usually lost). You can know how its going to play out in the next 30 moves or so (possibly more). That's the Long Game.

Now imagine playing the Long Game over the next 50 years of your life. Where do you have to be at certain points to achieve the same outcome? How do you respond to change? You must always assume that there will be things outside of your control, that there will always be Black Swans to throw you off the game. You must plan to be flexible yet also know in what way to respond to keep yourself ahead. You need to be patient - results may not be seen for years. You need to value positioning - certain things may only need to be pushed in certain ways at certain moments to achieve the outcome. You need to be a master of cat herding, of the tipping point, and spiral dynamics. You need to see the big picture. You need to have faith that you know how those white pieces are going to stick together. Sadly, its a form of manipulation.

Beyond this being something I find interesting from an intellectual 'oh my god my head fucking bleeds thinking this large' level (read some Foreign Affairs articles and you'll see that there are people out there actively promoting what needs to be done to achieve certain outcomes over the next century).... its something I feel like I'm beginning to appreciate being a possible factor in how my life is going to unfold.

[rambling personal bit to follow]

I went to a talk last week put together by the Australian Writer's Guild. It was on Script Development (getting money for it) and had a representative of the NSW Film and Television Office and one from the Australian Film Commission. As you may or may not know, I was planning on putting together an application for AFC funding in June. I still may (boom tish).

My script, Shunted, is currently 50 pages. I've decided to develop it as a feature because that's what it needs to be. The story is too compressed for 50 pages and suffering for it. (Those people who've read it are all like 'YES FEATURE YES' which is a good sign). I asked the FTO lady whether I can get feature level funding for a script that's currently 50 pages but I want to develop into a feature length. She said No. I nearly cried. I've been focusing so much on the possibility of getting money, finally, for something, that I've ignore that there may be other problems. However, she gently pointed out that I have until May to get it to at least 70 pages. My response was 'I don't think I'll be able to take it to a feature that quickly, its a lot of reworking and rethinking first'. She was happy with my answer: "I'm glad you realise that its going to be a lot of work". Good signs, I guess, that I'm maturing in my approach to my craft.

On the walk to Central Station, I did a lot of thinking (Centering, I call it). Essentially, I realised that the life I've chosen for myself necessitates playing the Long Game. Realistically, Shunted won't start getting made - if at all - for at least another 4 years, that means a minimum of 6 years till it hits the screens. I'll still be young (32), but my career will just getting started... and I need to think beynd that if I want it to be sustainable. I want to be one of those guys who starts directing when older and just keeps on making movies. I love the idea of being a crotchety old seventiessomething man making movies. I want to have that life experience and that wisdom and that love and engagement with the world and I want to channel it into The Work. To me, that's far far more important than being a wunderkind who burns out after one film c.f.. the wasteland of Australian cinema - some ridiculous portion of Australian directors NEVER make a second feature. Fuck that. Seriously. I am in this for the end-game and I don't want to ruin it by an overzealous ill informed opening gambit. I have something of value to offer, I just don't think I'm in a position to realise it yet. My skills are still catching up to my ideas.

Whether I like it or not, I am in the Long Game. Time to play it properly.