Is your life a box office blockbuster?

Or is it a cinematic dud?

Hooray for Hollywood! Tonight is Oscar Night. I’ve been fascinated by movies since I was a little girl. One summer when I was about 10, I took every book out of the East Hampton Library that dealt with the history of the movie industry and read them all. (OK…I admit it. I’ve always been something of a geeky nerd-girl.) I have vivid memories of seeing the Jungle Book (the original 1967 version…which is now being re-made like every other classic) at the drive-in theater in Bridgehampton (which sat on a lot which now houses a Big K and other chain stores).

I toyed with the idea of moving to California after high school and starting a career as a scriptwriter, but I didn’t know if I could deal with the rejection and with all the skinny tan blonde people. So, I stayed out east and wrote different kinds of stories.

Branding, advertising, and career development all contain characters, plot lines, drama, comedy, and sometimes popcorn and candy.

I still think in cinematic terms. Here are some things to ponder on Oscar Night day.

If someone were making the story of your life and business…

• Who would play you? Why?
• Who would your best supporting actors and actresses be?
• What would happen to you as you evolve? Would you be die a lonely man in Xanadu, whispering “Rosebud” or will you get carried out of the factory by Richard Gere? (The possibilities are endless!)
• Would your story be a tragedy, a drama, a comedy, or some mix? The beauty of making your life’s movie is that you can control the script most of the time.

Think about the types of films you like to watch. Are you strictly an action and horror film dude who is into escapism or do you love films that make you think? I’ve often noticed that The Shawshank Redemption is on lot of people’s lists as a favorite film. We must all think about escaping from the “prisons” of our lives by outwitting the warden. My own tastes are wildly eclectic and depend on my mood.

Speaking of escapism, when I’m in a particularly tough situation or in a really dull meeting, I imagine the hovering camera boom above, filming the action (or inertia, as the case may be) and am able to see the beauty in the mundane.

So, this year will we embrace redemption tales (e.g., the story of a man who survives a bear attack or one who is trapped on Mars or a woman who flees a kidnapper) or will we go for the sweet old fashioned romance (girl meets boy…girl meets other boy…girl chooses right boy)? Will we respect age (Sly) or beauty (Leo)?

But, most important, how will YOUR story end? Few real people will get statues, but you can think about your fictional acceptance speech anyway.

Here are some fun links to get you in the mood for tonight…

• The most controversial Best Picture winners of all time.
• The making of Citizen Kane (one of the best films ever!)
• A short animated history of film making.
• Did you know that popcorn used to be banned at the movies? Here’s why.
• My “Hooray for Hollywood” Pinterest board.