Miami, Movies, and the Myth of 'If Only When'
Patrick Moreau
Miami, Movies and the Myth of If Only When
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Bigger budgets did not make the work sweeter, and the goalposts kept moving.
Ahead of the Miami premiere of The Highest of Stakes, Patrick Moreau describes moving the goalposts for years. Wedding backlogs gave way to bigger budgets, then commercial work with Four Seasons, then directing original films, and each time the satisfaction moved further out. He cites Tim Ferriss, would you still do this if you knew it would fail, and credits Suneera for naming the pattern.
We’re gonna get real today, friends.
As I write this email, my bags are packed, and we’re days away from the white sand beaches of Miami for the premiere of our latest creation, “The Highest of Stakes”. Now, you probably think this is the part where I pop the champagne and start the celebration. And yes, while this is a pinch-me moment, it’s also got me reflecting on a much grittier truth I want to share.
Let’s step into the ‘way back’ machine for a minute. I remember those good ol’ days of shooting wedding films when the backlog of edits was measured by the number of months they’d take to complete. Yeah, those days.
*Back then, I’d tell myself, “Patrick, if only when I land bigger budgets, then I’ll be happy.“*
Fast-forward to those bigger budgets, and ironically the work tasted less sweet. So, I moved the goalposts again, “if only when I get these budgets in commercial work, then I’ll really enjoy this“. And lo and behold, we found ourselves in the heart of commercial work, from small gigs to global campaigns with giants like Four Seasons.
Surely this was the apex of filmmaking happiness, right?.
Nah, the ‘if only when‘ monster reared its head again. It was now about directing the creative. A complete pivot into original films, because ‘if only when that’s the focus‘, things will definitely be better.
But here’s the truth of it all, my friends. It’s hard. Really hard. There are sleepless nights, fatigue, and a constant struggle to be present. The mythical land of ‘if only when things slow down‘ is still somewhere on the horizon.
Why am I spilling my heart out to you?
Well, I hope my story inspires you to hit the pause button, look around, and savor the joy of the journey you’re on now. Don’t put your happiness on hold for ‘if only when you get that big break or big budget‘. Make magic with what you have in your hands right now.
A wise friend recently reminded me of a golden nugget from Tim Ferriss, “**If you knew what you were doing right now was going to fail, would you still do it anyways?*“ This question slices through the noise and brings into focus the projects we are genuinely passionate about, separating them from those ‘if only when*’ scenarios that can blind us to the opportunity within the journey.
Many of you have echoed similar sentiments, shared similar struggles. Believe me, even when you’re dealing with top-tier clients, monster budgets, or a million-dollar feature, the ‘if only when‘ specter doesn’t vanish.
Taking a leaf out of Ramit Sethi’s playbook, invest your time and energy into things that truly spark joy. Ignore the cacophony of societal expectations, the ‘supposed to’s’, and the ‘should look like’s.
If your work brings joy, adds meaning to your life, and enriches the world, then you’re already living your ‘if only when‘.
The size of the client or budget doesn’t matter.
My apologies for getting a little personal this time around. But the anticipation of this week’s big release has caused a lot of reflection.
And while the idea of our film playing in over 40 markets on 100+ screens gives me goosebumps, I’m going to try and soak in the ‘this is it’ moments rather than chasing the ‘if only when’s.
So, as I stride onto the red carpet in Miami and LA, I’ll be working hard to be present, to relish the ride, and not worry too much about the next stepping stone.
For those of you making it to either Premiere, can’t wait to catch up. For those catching the film in another city, hit us up with your thoughts. It’s been a rollercoaster telling this story.
As always, if this resonated with you - hit me back. Especially when it’s on a more personal note without a mention of an f-stop next to a picture of a drone, you never really know if anybody is listening.
Until then, keep making your magic,
Patrick
ps - a special thank you to Suneera, one of our characters in a HubSpot series, who first inspired and awakened me with this idea of ‘if only when‘.
Bigger budgets, Four Seasons campaigns, a film in 40 markets, and why the if only when feeling never arrives. A personal note before the Miami premiere.
Miami, Movies, and the Myth of 'If Only When' Bigger budgets did not make the work sweeter, and the goalposts kept moving. Ahead of the Miami premiere of The Highest of Stakes, Patrick Moreau describes moving the goalposts for years. Wedding backlogs gave way to bigger budgets, then commercial work with Four Seasons, then directing original films, and each time the satisfaction moved further out. He cites Tim Ferriss, would you still do this if you knew it would fail, and credits Suneera for naming the pattern.