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| My famous friends / people Iīve nearly almost met |
When people ask me what I do, I always feel the need to justify my existence by mentioning a famous person. Afterwards I always regret it because it means that I don't actually talk about what I do at all. So can I rid myself of this shameful habit? If I strip away all of my leach-like attachments to famous people, will you still believe I have a worthwhile career? Am I a fame-sucking leach? Here's a list of famous people that I have name-checked in past conversations: (I will provide evidence to back-up my claims and then attempt to draw some meaningful conclusions!) [Article 1] |
Steven Spielberg, Criss Angel & Micheal Jackson. I went to Serbia to film and edit five promotional videos that document the work of RPOINT, a charity that helps Roma youth. They are currently touring a musical show designed to highlight serious prejudice towards Roma people. The creative team behind the musical is worldclass and includes: Serge Denoncourt (Cirque du Soleil and Criss Angel Director), Patrick Woodroffe (Lighting Designer for Michael Jackson & The Rolling Stones), and Menno Meyjes (Steven Spielberg screenwriter). 
Adam Ant, John Lennon & Elton John. I produced and performed a live VJ set for a tour by 70īs band Stackridge. Guitarist Andy Davis played on John Lennonīs Imagine album. Elton John signed Stackridge to his Rocket record label in the mid 1970's. I filmed and edited "Stackridge 4x4", a collection of four music videos, working with musician & producer Chris Hughes from Helium Records. Chris was drummer and producer with Adam and the Ants and produced Tears for Fearsī platinum selling "Songs from the Big Chair". 
James Brown, Lemmy & Micheal Eavis. As the VJ in The Stereophonic Circus and Emporium, I have performed in six shows at Micheal Eavisī Glastonbury Festival. In 2001, I did old-school slide projections at a Hawkwind reunion gig in Astoria, London. Iīm pretty sure that Lemmy played bass for this one-off! Hahaa. At another one-off gig, I VJ-ed for Pee Wee Ellis, former James Brown saxophonist. Here are a few more names to throw at you: Squarepusher, DJ Yoda, The Scratch Perverts & Lennie Laws of Breakbeat Era. 
Andre Agassi, Charles Saatchi & Giorgio Armani. In my day job as video editor for MeetTheBoss.TV, I edit interviews with top level boss-type people, including recent interviews with Kevin Roberts (CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi), Nick Bolletierri, (Tennis Coach of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Venus & Serena Williams & Monica Seles), Warren Gatland (Wales Rugby Coach), and Ozwald Boateng, (Fashion Designer). To get the tenuous Armani link, youīll have to watch my showreel (See below). 
Christoph Piscine & Jim Spudowski. These two heroes of creativity are the only famous people that I have actually talked to. Iīm currently working on a new documentary series about them called "The Edge of Emporium". I am the video producer & VJ of Emporium, a multimedia arts event hosted by Jim & Christoph. |
[Article 2] Look at me and my famous friends! Iīm hoping you will now be able to visualize us laughing and joking together.
[Article 3] |
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What have I learnt from my Famous Friend exercise? In my famous-friend-chats I often find myself justifying my well-known-friends by referring to their own properly-world-famous-friends. Therefore claiming my right to friend-of-famous-person status. Not only am I name-dropping to help increase the value of my own existence, but I clearly feel the need to name-drop on behalf of my name-droppings! Hmm that seems a bit silly. It's interesting to note that most of my famous friends are quite old now. I suppose that means that Iīm getting old too - and it also means that there are different generations of famousness. If you are a lot younger than me it is likely that you wonīt at all be impressed by my famous list. Thatīs an upsetting thought. But surely my aspirations for fame are not all bad? My positive thoughts on famousness: The nature of the work I do as a video editor, visuals producer and cameraman is often solitary, backstage, or in a pre / post-production environment. So itīs nice to be able to associate myself with people who are personalities. The fact is, itīs exciting to work with people who are recognized for being the best at what they do. Being in a more backstage role, Iīve been able to observe my onstage associates as they work, and I think Iīve learnt a lot from this privileged position. Conclusion: So Ian, is there a solution to your constant need to name-drop? Yes, itīs obvious and simple: You need to refer to what you do, not what they do, or at least talk about what you do first and what they do last. Itīs got something to do with self-belief - after all, if you donīt believe in yourself, no-one else will - and youīll never get famous! Itīs funny, when I think back over the highlights of specific projects, I donīt think about the famousness of people. The things that I enjoy remembering are more personal moments of satisfaction from my own creative ideas and inspirations. Maybe these are the things I should talk about next time you ask me what I do. The moral of the story: However hard you try, thereīs always going to be someone more famous... ..unless of course youīve nearly almost met James Bond! But thatīs another story.. ..(on my way home from the Phoenix Festival in 1999 I managed to hitch a lift in Pierce Brosnans Limo. Pierce wasnīt actually there but I still like to count him as a close personal friend.) 
Thank you for joining me on my diy ego therapy session. If youīre famous and you want to be my friend you can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/IanClutterbuck |