It’s been an emotionally supercharged world over the last little while. Speaking as a humble resident of Canada, I’ve witnessed 3 major events that truly got me thinking about… Us.
I’ve been glued to news sites and television networks to learn anything and everything about these events and how they will impact our world moving forward. The “where were you” type moments that you never forget. Needless to say, the world has changed because of these big events and they definitely have an impact on our choices as writers.
It began with a wedding.
THE ROYAL WEDDING
I wasn’t overcome with anticipation for William and Kate’s wedding but I understood enough to realize it’s significance. People all over the world were completely wrapped up in the couple’s happy day.
My girlfriend was beyond excited to watch the wedding live so I woke up with her at 5 am to watch as well. I was blown away by the amount of people who lined up for a mere glimpse of the bride and future queen. It was truly awe inspiring to witness so many months of careful planning executed so flawlessly.
Honestly, I’m happy I was able to watch history unfold even if I was half asleep.
OSAMA BIN LADEN IS KILLED
I was at work when one of our anchors stood up and announced the news. Immediately we turned to the Phillies/Mets game to see the reaction and it was unreal. We live in a world where news of this magnitude reaches the masses in a matter of seconds.
The fact that the death of ONE human being can impact our world in such a way is truly incredible. The man responsible for the worst tragedy in my lifetime was finally brought to justice. The event has brought a certain sense of closure to victims of the 9/11 attack but opened up old wounds in the process.
We are once again reminded that there are people filled with hate out there plotting to take innocent lives. Indeed the death of one man can change the world. It seems people are now split between relief that he is gone and the fear of retaliation in his name.
A cab driver reminded me the next day that Adolph Hitler died on April 30th 1945… Another death that changed the world almost 66 years to the day.
It’s almost terrifying to think about how our world can change so dramatically in a matter of moments. Massive events like these can shape our future. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to be those brave soldiers selected to carry out that dangerous mission. It’s hard to believe that one man could disappear for a decade too.
Even now, as I write this post, I’m reluctant to include an image of him in the same article as The Royals and the Prime Minister of my country. That is a decision I face as a direct result of the current state of our world. I elected to leave it out.
THE CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION
It seems strange to follow up the death of Osama Bin Laden with an election in Canada but the results were historic to say the least. The political landscape of my country has changed forever and given everything going on in countries like Egypt and Libya, it’s extremely important to cherish our democratic system.
I’m not sure a Conservative majority is best for our country but I’m happy that the issue is finally put to rest. They have a majority now. I’m willing to give them a chance to see what they can do.
However, Canadians have spoken and the rise of the NDP party says a lot about our desire for change. The Liberal party has fallen and change is coming whether we like it or not. I just hope it’s a positive change.
THE WORLD & THE SCREENWRITER
These types of events have a huge impact on the way all writers see the world. It does for me. The fact is, you don’t have to write about these types of events specifically but they are at the back your mind when you write regardless.
They affect your mood. They affect your outlook on life. They make you think about your place in this world and what you hope to accomplish. Big events, whether they are good or bad, make screenwriters think differently and that always leads to personal screenplays that come from within. We all have something to say about the world so it’s only natural that things change as the world does.
Because we all care about the world we live in. It’s the reason we are so passionate about the worlds we create.
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks.
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