Letters, Memoirs, and Cancel Culture
A week of inspiration and reflection on the highs and lows of the industry — what inspires us, what we lose, and how the landscape keeps shifting.
I’m back this week with a post that’s a little different. There were so many things that crossed my path this week that peaked my interested was relevant to our field and I wanted to share with you all I’m just doing a quick recap of some things I’d love for you to take a look at or know about.
1. COLDPLAY + DICK VAN DYKE’S TIMELESS JOY
I’m kicking things off with this unforgettable video featuring Chris Martin and the one and only Dick Van Dyke. Trust me, it will give you all the feels.
If that didn’t give you happy tears I’m not sure what will 🥹.
2. WHEN A 1965 LETTER MEETS MODERN INSPIRATION
I’ve always loved art—its ability to express emotions, breathe new life into old concepts, and blend various elements into something entirely fresh. After the election, I decided to delete all social media; it had become too toxic to stay on. But every now and then, I’ll get sent a reel and pop back online just to check it out. That’s when I came across a few reels shared by my Director/Producer friend, Kiel Thorlton (thanks, Kiel!). One of them had such a profound impact on me that I’m now working on how to incorporate it into a feature film eventually.
The movement, the writing, the performance—the graphics, the edit—everything about this short piece was perfection…
If you do nothing else today PLEASE watch this video below:
…everything except I was dying to hear the bell ring, so if you’re like me you can hear what this bell sounds like here…ok moving on…
The speech given by Benedict Cumberbatch is part of a 1965 letter written in a truly magical way from mentor Sol LeWitt to his mentee, Eva Hesse—a brilliant artist in her own right. Her story is a powerful reminder that imposter syndrome doesn’t discriminate.
Below is the full performance from Benedict, which is just *chef’s kiss*. If you haven’t seen this man perform Shakespeare you’re missing out.
This letter is included in the book Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience, the second book I’ve purchased this week. I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the collection, that includes Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, and Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter.
3. REVISITING THE 90’s INDIE FILM SCENE
This week, as I’m lining up work for next year, I caught up with some past collaborators and ended up chatting with Gretchen McGowan. She told me she just published her memoir about her experience in the indie film industry in the ’90s. You can check out the trailer here and order the book here.
I instantly bought it on Kindle so I could dive right in. So far, it’s been fantastic—and I highly recommend it. The more I read, the more I’m reminded of how powerful our shared narratives are.
4. VIRTUAL COFFEE, REAL CONNECTION
I got a Substack notification this week that someone had mentioned me in their post, which already had me excited. But when I saw it was from my new friend Vicki over at Meandering Over the Pebbles, I was even more thrilled. We’ve been chatting back and forth on Substack for a while now, but when she reached out to ask if I’d be interested in a virtual coffee, I was overjoyed. Despite the five-hour time difference, we made it work. The moment we hopped on the call, it felt like catching up with an old friend. She shared her journey in the industry, the ups and downs, and spoke about her incredibly supportive partner, who’s made it possible for her to pursue her film The Atom & Us—and let me tell you, it’s a beautiful film! The archive alone is worth the watch.
Check out the post below, and don’t forget to subscribe while you’re over there.
5. COUNTING DOWN TO THE OSCAR PROJECT STAY TUNED FOR OUR EPISODE!
Jonathan and I have been swapping thoughts back and forth on Substack, and we’ve finally locked in a date to record an episode for his podcast, The Oscar Project. Stay tuned for that in the new year! In the meantime, you can fill out his survey and share your thoughts on Oscar predictions.
6. CANCEL CULTURE - THE UNFAIR FATE OF NICHE TV SHOWS
We’re living in an era where there’s been a massive influx of limited series and shorter runs for recurring shows, leading to an incredible diversification of content. However, the downside is that not enough investment is being made in building the audience for these shows. As a result, many of them get labeled as “flops” despite being fantastic—and it feels unjust.
In the past, a show would get a pilot, which was essentially a test to see if it had potential before being picked up for a full season. Now, shows are getting entire seasons, only to be canceled before they’ve had a chance to truly find their footing. It feels especially cruel when a series doesn’t get the chance to develop and grow its audience over time—or, even worse, when it finds a passionate, niche audience that loves the show, but not enough people to justify a second season.
Take My Lady Jane, for instance—fun, modern, and energetic, but unfortunately not coming back for a second season. This article dives deeper into possible reasons why. I’ve been doing a lot of research on this topic, and I might even write a whole post about it, because it’s something that’s becoming a bigger issue for the industry.
7. ‘I DECIDED TO PUBLISH THE SONY HACK EMAILS 10 YEARS AGO. NOW I REGRE IT‘
Lastly, I couldn’t resist sharing this article by a former Variety Co-Editor-In-Chief, who reflected on a decision he made ten years ago. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that with the knowledge I have now, I would’ve made different choices at certain points in my life. But then again, if I hadn’t made those decisions, would I be where I am today? It’s the wannabe philosopher in me, but I find it fascinating to hear why he chose to post the leaked Sony Studios information back then—and what he regrets about it. What’s even more intriguing is that, despite his regrets, he doesn’t believe he would change his decision if he could go back in time. In this era of ‘cancel culture,’ it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. I believe people deserve second chances and shouldn’t be forever defined by one mistake. Imagine a world where we had grace for one another. It’s definitely food for thought.
And with that I will leave you on this festive Friday afternoon. May your weekend be filled with Christmas music, amazing cookies, and hot cocoa by an open fire.
Until next time,
Shawna Carroll
PS: I’ll be wrapping on a major project next week so I hope to be able to get a few more episodes of my podcast edited and posted in January. Send me good vibes🤞🏻
PPS: There are only 12 days until Christmas🎄#nopressure
