Father and Son
Being Us
“Be yourself. Everyone else is taken” is one of the most popular quotes around. And it’s a good one, although much overused by those desperately trying to be exactly what contemporary culture says they should be. The great aphorist Oscar Wilde, who apparently never said that, did address the ironic misuse of it in his play An Ideal Husband:
Sir Robert Chiltern: You prefer to be natural?
Mrs Cheveley: Sometimes. But it is such a very difficult pose to keep up.
I came of age in the hippie era, when being fashionably “natural” was as ironically in-vogue as it is now. This particularly came home to me when, for a role in a 1930s-era college play, I buzzed my shoulder-length locks and deleted my beard, leaving only a pencil moustache. Not exactly the look of the 70s. And then, to add insult to injury, in order to pay my rent, I took a job selling encyclopedias door-to-door!
Oh, the scornful laughs I got–for a look that was actually quite unique–from all of those “true to themselves” types who, in fact, looked exactly alike.
Recently, my production company began promoting our offbeat monster spoof Notzilla, a movie unlike any other. Result? Wins and losses. Often, on the same day. Even as we are passed-over by conventional festivals full of regulation-style “indie” movies (desaturated color, sparse, curse-laden dialogue, gratuitous nudity, depressed characters staring into the distance), we’re being celebrated by some truly unique festivals.
Last week, Notzilla was awarded Best in Show (the top film prize) at Con-Nooga, a big combo comics-games-cosplay-movies-etc. convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that is unlike any other. On the same night, our leading lady Tifani Ahrens Davis was winning Best Actress at Simply Indie, a refreshingly off-beat festival in Oklahoma (we were also a Finalist for Best Picture there). And two weeks before that, even as we were being passed over by conventional festivals, we were scooping up Best Picture and Best Actress awards at the adorably quirky Florida Comedy Film Festival. Last fall, Notzilla was proclaimed Best Comedy at the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, an event that regards comedies as important as moody-broody dramas. And it played to standing ovations at the wildly unconventional G-Fest in Chicago!
So our big guy’s feeling the love. But also the “meh.” Why? Well, both for the same reason, I suspect: Because he’s being himself, since everyone else is taken. So, like him or leave him, our big little monster is who he is.
Kinda like his dad.
Update: You can now watch or buy Notzilla here!
Mitch Teemley 
Congratulations on the achievements!
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Thanks, Mike!
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Reblogged this on Blue Dragon Journal.
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Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing the film! God bless!
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Thanks, Ryan. You too!
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Wow! Congratulations. I need to see this film. It sounds like a real winner.
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Well, some places, anyway. ;>) Thanks, Russ!
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He’s adorable. People who don’t vote for him are just plain wrong.
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Which one?
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humm, well, okay both are, but the taller one is more adorable – those eyes … just being honest here …
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Two thumbs up for a winning combination and a winning creation.
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Hey, so cool! Congratulations, Mitch!
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Thanks, Erika!
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You are welcome, Mitch 😊
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Is the file ever going to show in Austin where my daughter and son-in-law are. They would love it.
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Hopefully. The distribution plan is still in the works.
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Please post it when you know. With Austin’s motto “keep Austin weird” I would think it would do well there.
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;>) I will!
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That was supposed to say FILM.
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Congratulations to you and Notzilla for not being conforming nonconformists!
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;>) Thanks, Liz.
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Congratulations! I’d like to order the Notzilla shirt please. And I’ll just be myself wearing it ;). Congrats! I think the big and small monster are both super cool 😎.
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;>) Thank you, K.L.
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Such a good way of sharing your good news! So glad you’re getting some real appreciation for your work!!!!
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Thanks, Valerie!
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Congratulations, son of Notzilla. You’re a chip off the old block. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Yikes, when I start writing in cliches, I know it’s past my bedtime.
I have to get up early tomorrow for my first day of jury duty. I’ve never been a jurist before. I feel like I have opening night jitters. I hope I don’t break a leg… 😉
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Jure well, thou embodiment of democracy. And “break a leg” is good luck in the acting world, so no worries!
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Congratulations! 😁
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Thanks, Lesley!
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Congrats on the recognition!
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Thank you, CG.
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Congratulations! Not only on the recognition, but on having the courage to do it your way!
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Oh, not all that courageous, Ann, but thank you. Just being the only person I know how to be.
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Haha, “moody-broody dramas.” I remember those.
Congratulations!
(Stupid quote from my college days: “Why can’t you be a non-conformist like me?”)
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Funny line. Thanks, Annie.
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Whoa! Talk about a picture catching your eye (even though it’s only 6:30am!!! This takes the cake – great job!
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Thanks, GP.
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Always a pleasure, Mitch!
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Just got to read this. So true and so we’ll written. Got to catch up on these.
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Thanks, Kathleen.
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Love the description of “regulation-style ‘indie’ movies” (which also fits a lot of “serious” lit and still photography). (I assume that the comma between “sparse” and “curse-laden” is an alien invader. 😉 ) Will be glad when the DVD eventually comes out. Please post when it happens.
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Will do.
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Hi Mitch,
Great news. You are making your impact for the Lord on big and small ways. Just making a well-made movie on many levels is a great achievement and a miracle from the Lord.
Thanks,
Gary
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Thanks, Gary.
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Thanks for sharing, Awesome Post.
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Mazel tov! 🙂
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Thank you!
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